July 2024 has been wet and dry. Earlier in the month, we had a lot of rain. But by the end of the month, it became quite a scorcher. A typical British summer really. When it came to wildlife highlights, there's been plenty to talk about. So, let's get straight into it shall we?
The swallowtail season was nearing its usual conclusion around the first week of July. However, even though the weather wasn't always that great, we still managed to have the odd swallowtail appear from the second wave. A good tip is to check the buddleia, though most sightings have been flybys in front of the hides. Good luck!
In other butterfly news, the usual patch of brambles along the woodland trail was attracting silver-washed fritillaries and white admirals and even the odd purple hairstreak to entertain those not getting their swallowtail fix. We also had a moth trap event which have been very popular as ever and those who attended enjoyed a variety of fantastic moth species ranging of many sizes, patterns and colours.
We had some massive news this month involving our cranes. A pair of cranes had been very vocal recently and for a very good reason, as for the second year in a row they've successfully hatched a chick at Strumpshaw! The best part is that it seems to be that they've learnt a lesson from last year and instead of taking it all the way to Buckenham, where they ended up losing it, this year they stayed in the fen a lot longer. On July 15th, the adults were flying and calling a lot around the reserve trying to get the chick to fly. The chick, on the other hand, was seen on the actual path of the Fen Trail before immediately legging it to the safety of the reeds. Not yet big enough to fly we wait with fingers crossed for news of a first successfully fledged Crane.
Our success with the cranes was not the only one we are proud of here at Strumpshaw. For a second year in a row fen raft spiders continued to be seen from the bridge at the meadow trail and from the first sluice gate along Fen Trail. One being quite dark in appearance (almost black) and the other carrying an egg sac. These rare reintroduced spiders are showing some sign that they are here to stay. More great news for the reserve.
Throughout July, there had been several sightings of osprey over the reserve. A lucky few were able to spot it flying with a fish in their talons. A honey buzzard has also occasionally been sighted, but you'd need some ID skills, a scope and a lot of sky scanning in order to find one yourself.
If dragonflies are what you're after, then you wouldn't have been disappointed this month. Norfolk hawkers, scarce chasers, black-tailed skimmers, willow emeralds, small red-eyed damselflies, banded demoiselles, just a small taster of what can be seen at Strumpshaw. The highlight is still the lesser emperors which a small number has been seen in front of reception since mid-June.
The sunny weather have been exactly what our reptiles need to warm up their cold-blooded bodies. Scan the wooden borders of the Sandy Wall path and you may find more than just lizards. I have been coming across a few grass snakes basking in the warm sunshine. Big ones! Which indicates that they are female, possibly soaking up the heat to develop the eggs inside them. If you tread softly (they are sensitive to vibrations in the ground) and keep a good distance, you have a good chance to see them well, otherwise they slither into the undergrowth in a flash.
Kingfishers appear to be more frequent outside reception recently. They've been perching in front of the hide and providing some great views after a few months with few sightings lasting longer than a flash of blue.
Over by the toe dipping platform, a grasshopper warbler had been reeling away in the long grass behind it. While, a little further up the path towards the rear entrance of the woodland trail, spotted flycatchers continue to flit back and forth in the trees, possibly this years fledgelings. Outside Fen Hide and the reception, you have a good chance of seeing young bearded tits and water rails.
New plant species continue to bloom throughout July, including burdocks, hemp agrimony, water mint, purple and yellow loosestrifes and several others. If you look out of Fen Hide, you may see a few pink flowers of flowering rush poking out of the water. However, my plant of the month for July is without doubt our milk parsley. This is a rare umbellifer is the main food plant of the swallowtail butterfly. Scan these plants carefully and you may find a few of their green caterpillars feeding on them.
With the summer holidays underway, we have plenty of activities lined up this August for young nature enthusiasts to do, including pond dipping and more. August is also a month for migratory birds preparing to leave, so we could have the odd rarity show up with any luck to entice veteran enthusiasts too. See you next month!