July Nature Notes
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| • The bee orchid. |
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| • A large skipper. |
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| • Yellow bartsia. |
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| • Bog pimpernel |
BY STEWART BEER
Email: stewart.naturalist@btinternet.com
I HAVE HAD any number of joyous times on Braunton Burrows, but
Saturday, June 24, surpassed them all! On that sun-filled day John
Breeds, the Biosphere Reserve Manager, did a guided walk for the
Mid Devon Natural History Society and I joined him.
Marbled white and ringlet butterflies were seen almost immediately
after departing Sandy Lane car park, which was a good start. I saw
stinking iris and flowering wild privet soon after.
Once we were out on the dune turf there were small heath butterflies,
micro-moths and the first view of countless spikes of orchids. Early
marsh orchids were brick-red in colour alongside the taller, paler
southern marsh. Pyramid orchids, were also aplenty, with favourites
of mine the Marsh helleborine and yellow-wort. Yellow bartsia, common
centuary, yellow rattle, rest harrow, bugle, eyebright, biting stonecrop,
birds-foot trefoil, silverweed, lady's bedstraw, musk mallow and
of course the signatory clumps of vipers bugloss were also widespread
throughout the dune system.
On a well-beaten path with John ahead - leading us to another area
where orchids grow in profusion - a grizzled skipper butterfly rose
up from almost underfoot. However, I was the lucky one for, although
we searched the immediate area, it did not reveal itself to anyone
else in the party.
Bright red poplar leaf beetles were everywhere. John, on hands
and knees beside some creeping willow, found larvae and pupae of
this bright red elytra-coloured species. When it feels threatened
the beetle excretes a substance smelling like TCP. This we proved
for ourselves by gently brushing our hands along the top of the
food plant.
Skylarks were mounting the air singing their paeans of praise,
whilst on the ground an individual, with bill stuffed with insects
for the well concealed brood, watched us guardedly. A cuckoo flew
from west to east and alighted in the sallow carr. Arriving at one
of the excavated ponds several species of dragonfly were noted -
emperor, broad-bodied chaser, and common darter.
Close to this particular pond there were orchids in their hundreds;
not only pyramid, southern marsh, early marsh and common twayblade,
but the especially attractive bee orchid. Adderstongue, a fern with
a spike of spore capsules, were also here.
Wherever we went we saw dark-green fritillaries. At one spot a
freshly-hatched, yet already mating female, arose from the turf
and up into the air, immediately drawing a further five or so males
tightly about her. Just after this display a clouded yellow butterfly
appeared, the first of the year for both John and me.
And the day went on. We also found blue fleabane, sea stock, hounds
tongue, screw moss, the rare water germander … A very special
day in a very special place, the Braunton Burrows.
Contact Stewart Beer at: stewart.naturalist@btinternet.com
• Stewart’s anthology An
Exaltation of Skylarks, now with four colour plates added,
is published by SMH Books ISBN 978-0-9512619-7-2. It can be ordered
from all good bookshops, or directly from www.smh-books.co.uk
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