Local Wildlife Sightings, July 2025

 Back from holiday early on the 3rd and with an enormous amount of sleep to catch up on, I nevertheless managed a short evening walk on the same day along the Greenwich Meridian Trail, south of Royston, where I knew that I would find hundreds of Essex Skippers. Most had clearly been on the wing for a few days and were looking rather ragged, but I did manage to get a few photos of decent specimens in what is a very large colony. As expected, Chalkhill Blues and Gatekeepers had emerged (the first Chalkhills were reported on the 25th of June, the day I left the UK). Marbled Whites were still flying on The Heath when I visited on the 4th. Chalkhill Blues were seen in relatively small numbers, but very large numbers of Gatekeepers were seen. The first of the second generation of Brown Argus were already on the wing, very early but in line with other butterfly species that have emerged early in what promises to be a long, hot summer.

Essex Skipper, Royston, 3 July

Brown Argus, Therfield Heath, 4 July

Male Chalkhill Blue and Hoverfly on Knapweed, Therfield Heath, 4 July

A visit to Phillup's Lake on the 7th was rewarded by seeing families of four Little Grebes and three Coots. A handful of moulting Mallards and a single female Tufted Duck were also present. Nearby, I saw my first local Small Copper butterfly of the year, as well as an Emperor Dragonfly and several Common Blue Damselflies (images to follow).