The hobby watch is going really well, and plenty of visitors are getting views of the three chicks on the nest, with the adult birds zipping around - catching and bringing prey to them at times.

Aside from the hobby action, it's getting a lot quieter on the bird front now, and with trees and shrubs in full foliage and birds stopping singing they can be difficult to see easily. The feeders are still popular though, especially with the large numbers of juvenile blue... tits this year.

But,...there is a lot of busy butterfly and insect life still going on and these excellent images show some of the ones seen here this week. Top of these was the second sighting of a purple emperor, in oaks along the Buzzard Trail, past the hobby watchpoint and on the way to the Hillfort. A purple hairstreak was also seen on a tree along this path in the week,

The first heather is beginning to flower; check Greensand Country #heathwatch to find out about other sites to see heather in the county!

The Wild Play trail is now open and ready for children to enjoy during the school hols and onwards. Pop into the visitor centre afterwards and fill out the special form to let us know what you think about the trail, and pick up a Greensand Ridge lanyard with a wooden heart to take home.

  .

Purple emperor Jackie Hill

Bee wolf Jackie Hill

Ruby-tailed wasp Jackie hill

Flowering heather Mark Brandon

Hobby near nest. Ray Piercy.

Lavender near the shop Mark Brandon