RSPB: The winged wonders of summer
As summer attempts to get underway, the skies come alive with dazzling displays of winged wonders.
From the acrobatic feats of swallows to the mesmerising flutter of damselflies and dragonflies, there’s so much treasure to discover this month.
For moth lovers, July is a fantastic time to witness them as many are now on the wing. While most species are nocturnal and fly at night, the UK has more day-flying moths than there are butterflies. One of my favourites is the Cinnabar moth, which is named for the red on their hindwings and markings on their forewings. Under the summer sun, the wildflower meadows are buzzing with life as flowers blossom and insects flit from plant to plant. Flowers like Common Knapweed, which look a little like thistles, are great for attracting bees and butterflies.
It's not just moths and bees that have had my attention this month, as I’ve started to notice the House Martins swooping after insects on the wing. Crowds of them have been gathering above my house and it’s such a joy to sit and watch them. They are well into breeding season now, and over the next few weeks I expect to see the juveniles fledging from their nests to join their parents in the hunt for food. The young fledglings tend to stick close to the nest after taking flight and often roost in the nest for several weeks. They aren’t quite ready to set off for adult life right away, and instead the first brood often give their parents a hand feeding the newest chicks.
While the weather has been a bit hit or miss, on those rare summer evenings when it’s been a bit warmer, I’ve been enjoying sitting in the garden to wind down from a busy day. It’s a perfect opportunity to look out for my new garden visitors in the form of Common Pipistrelle bats. I caught a glimpse of them a few weeks ago and have been keep a keen eye out in the hopes of spotting them again. Thankfully my efforts have paid off by timing it just right, as the sun is going down, to sit and quietly watch them emerge from their roosts in search of flies and insects. It’s such a beautiful sight for any nature lover to witness them flying through the evening air.
I’ll be joining RSPB NI’s bat walk at Long Point Wood in a few months’ time to learn more about these incredible creatures with Warden Cathryn Cochrane. Tickets are still available if you’re interested in joining me: www.events.rspb.org.uk