31st August

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Made my first visit here since late July.  I didn't see any notable birds though heard Siskin and Raven.

Butterflies were fairly quiet on the banks with a couple of worn/faded Common Blues and no Adonis. Most butterflies were seen in the valley and especially the top field which still had a fair amount of flower including one patch of Common Toadflax.

Common Toadflax

A Clouded Yellow in the valley was my first of the year for this butterfly, and it appeared very fresh. In TF Small Heath were fairly easy to find and there were a couple of Small Copper plus a female Holly Blue.

Clouded Yellow



Small Heath

Female Holly Blue

I was hoping to be able to confirm breeding of Adders by finding juveniles at this time of year. However the three Adders seen were all adults laying out in the sun, one of which was pre-slough thus showing cloudy eyes.  A comparatively dull looking Grass Snake in east field was only my second of the year for this less common snake here. Singles of Slow-worm and Common Lizard completed the list of four reptile species for the day, which I have not achieved before.

Female (?) Adder

Pre-slough male Adder

Grass Snake


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