July 2013

Bindon Hill is looking fantastic with carpets of Horseshoe Vetch and Common Rock Rose covering the slopes; the scent is really strong this year. The tall and striking Viper’s Bugloss is in flower, and particularly abundant in areas cleared of gorse last winter. This is also growing well at Durdle Door, along with Hedge Bedstraw and Yellow Rattle in profusion. This curious plant is semi-parasitic and gains some of it’s nutrients from the roots of neighbouring plants. Southern Marsh Orchids are in flower on the wetter north-side of Bindon Hill, their stems heavy with deep-purple flowers.

Although the butterflies were delayed because of the prolonged winter, at present we are seeing a variety of species; Adonis Blues, and Dingy Skippers in abundance on Bindon Hill. Brown Argus and Small Blues have been spotted on several occasions, and we have had reports of Green Hairstreaks on gorse. As always this time of year, many Six-spot Burnet moths provide flashes of red and black on many of our sites. To add to the list at Dungy Head, we have seen Small Skipper and Painted Lady butterflies. We are waiting with baited-breath for our first Lulworth Skipper sighting…and sure it will not be long. While out with an ecology group on Bindon Hill, we got a close look at a Garden Tiger moth caterpillar. The caterpillar is sometimes referred to as the ‘Woolly Bear’, and in July-August it will develop into a large striking orange, black and white moth. This beauty is a priority species on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, which means it has been identified as a threatened species which requires conservation action.

While undertaking a bird survey at Dungy Head, we had an amazing view of a Sparrowhawk preying on a small bird, while hording it in its talons it kept a ‘beady eye’ on us. The pair of Peregrines have also been seen at Dungy on several occasions, good to see them in the same place every year.