Nature
Nature Notes
August is the month when high summer turns to late summer. If the weather is hot, the countryside starts to look parched and tired, as grasses brown and even tree leaves start to wilt.
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n the hedgerows, the blackberries have already started to ripen, going from green to red then finally black. Elderberries also ripen and are feasted on by hungry birds, such as starlings and blackbirds. Other berries are ripening too, such as hawthorn (‘haws’), blackthorn (‘sloes’) and rose hips. These will provide sustenance for many species through the harsh winter months. For now, food is plentiful, although the dry ground can cause problems for the ground feeding birds. Early in the month, grey squirrels are impatient and insist on cracking open the pale green hazel nuts and they can be heard chattering and squealing at one another. Aggressive confrontations can lead to tree top chases. Hot days also bring the restful sound of grasshoppers calling (‘stridulating’) from the long grass, advertising their territories. They are difficult to spot due to their green or brown colour, but soon hop to reveal themselves if disturbed, only to disappear again. In Britain, the species most likely to be spotted are the common green, common field and the meadow grasshopper.
Habitats
Road verges: In the bases of many hedges, ‘lords and ladies’ have totally died down, other than the ripening fruiting stem, with its poisonous red berries. This is the ‘lady’ part. Meadows: Where grasslands, be they pastures or meadows, are overgrazed the ground is often exposed (poached) and plants such as ragwort and creeping thistle can colonise and thrive. Rivers and ponds: Rivers are thickly fringed with white flowered meadow sweet, great willowherb, purple loosestrife and emergent grass species such as reedcanary grass. The water crowfoot will be lush and wide spreading in the clean and fast flowing rivers. Where the river is slower, and hence more silty, yellow water lily may be present, and will have been in flower now for some time.
Birds
House martins are finally emerging from their mud cup nests encouraged by adults who swoop and chatter around them. Large flocks of martins and swallows can be seen over fields. Sometimes swallows, particularly, can be seen lined up together on telegraph wires preening themselves. August sees the departure of the majority of swifts, whilst migrant birds are, however, with us for a while yet.
Woodlands (including wood pasture): Some trees may start to show changes in colour. Seeds are ripening and soon large-leaved lime, sycamore, field maple and hornbeam will drop their winged seeds. In August though, the wings are all still green and growing. Fields and hedgerows: Invasions of house sparrows may be a thing of the past now, but they can still be seen, as the wheat ripens, enjoying the feast.
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D I S C O V E R I N G
Whittlesea
AUGUST 2020
