May
May (updated on Sunday 9 May)
The name May is probably derived from Maia, the mother of Mercury, to whom the Romans made sacrifices on the first day of the month. On Dartmoor it is the best month to look for birds as all the migrants have arrived and the nesting season is in full swing.
After a warm sunny April, May has taken a turn for the worst - many trees are still waiting to sprout and the cold NE winds are still holding back plant growth! (see picture below, top left)
For the bird walk on Monday 3 May the cold north east wind meant that it was best to look for birds in the sheltered valleys. The usual tree pipit had departed from its normal song post on a dead birch tree on the heath and there were no signs of any stonechats or whitethroats. Out of the wind we were treated to a blackcap in full song plus excellent views of pearl bordered fritillaries nectaring on the patch of bugle flowers (see picture below, bottom right).
Garden warbler is a bird that can be difficult to distinguish – its song is like a blackcap but is more sustained and lacks the range of notes of the former. Garden warblers also favour dense scrub – in this case gorse on the edge of the woodland. This individual chose to sing from a birch tree above the gorse and was visible to all (see picture below, top right – thanks to John Wych). Mistle thrushes were also singing well in a couple of localities plus good numbers of wood warblers. Amazingly not a single pied flycatcher showed itself..........the females are now sitting on the eggs and the male birds generally make themselves scarce.
Wood anemones are delightful at this time of year but look very sorry for themselves when there is no sun but one or two patches were in full bloom (see picture below, bottom left – thanks to John Wych).
The pearl bordered fritillary lays its eggs singly in bracken litter and, when they hatch, the larvae crawl to the nearest violet leaves which they start to chew their way through. The larvae eventually form a well hidden chrysalis and the splendid adult butterflies normally emerge any time from mid-April onwards into May. After a good start in April the cold weather in May is certainly not to their liking and numbers have tailed off over the last few days.
Spring Birdwatching Walks
The next bird walk is on Saturday 15 May starting at 09.30 hours from the Lower Car Park (Bovey Tracey end) on Trendlebere Down. Charge is £5.00 per adult – children, free). These are short strolls of just over 1 mile and lasts for 3 hours. The objective is to find as many different birds as possible!
Further walks (for up to six people) can be arranged on request. Please see the Events page for details of more bird walks.
For further information please ring Phil Page on Tel: 0785 8421 148
The name May is probably derived from Maia, the mother of Mercury, to whom the Romans made sacrifices on the first day of the month. On Dartmoor it is the best month to look for birds as all the migrants have arrived and the nesting season is in full swing.
After a warm sunny April, May has taken a turn for the worst - many trees are still waiting to sprout and the cold NE winds are still holding back plant growth! (see picture below, top left)
For the bird walk on Monday 3 May the cold north east wind meant that it was best to look for birds in the sheltered valleys. The usual tree pipit had departed from its normal song post on a dead birch tree on the heath and there were no signs of any stonechats or whitethroats. Out of the wind we were treated to a blackcap in full song plus excellent views of pearl bordered fritillaries nectaring on the patch of bugle flowers (see picture below, bottom right).
Garden warbler is a bird that can be difficult to distinguish – its song is like a blackcap but is more sustained and lacks the range of notes of the former. Garden warblers also favour dense scrub – in this case gorse on the edge of the woodland. This individual chose to sing from a birch tree above the gorse and was visible to all (see picture below, top right – thanks to John Wych). Mistle thrushes were also singing well in a couple of localities plus good numbers of wood warblers. Amazingly not a single pied flycatcher showed itself..........the females are now sitting on the eggs and the male birds generally make themselves scarce.
Wood anemones are delightful at this time of year but look very sorry for themselves when there is no sun but one or two patches were in full bloom (see picture below, bottom left – thanks to John Wych).
The pearl bordered fritillary lays its eggs singly in bracken litter and, when they hatch, the larvae crawl to the nearest violet leaves which they start to chew their way through. The larvae eventually form a well hidden chrysalis and the splendid adult butterflies normally emerge any time from mid-April onwards into May. After a good start in April the cold weather in May is certainly not to their liking and numbers have tailed off over the last few days.
Spring Birdwatching Walks
The next bird walk is on Saturday 15 May starting at 09.30 hours from the Lower Car Park (Bovey Tracey end) on Trendlebere Down. Charge is £5.00 per adult – children, free). These are short strolls of just over 1 mile and lasts for 3 hours. The objective is to find as many different birds as possible!
Further walks (for up to six people) can be arranged on request. Please see the Events page for details of more bird walks.
For further information please ring Phil Page on Tel: 0785 8421 148
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