Red Admiral (in garden)

Dragonfly

The dragonfly was back again today.

Peacock Butterfly

I was standing on the porch and the most beautiful Peacock butterfly landed on my leg. It flew into the flower bed and I flew inside to get the camera. When I got back it had vanished. Luckily, it came back later.

Spiderweb Shroud

These Helenium and Echinacea are covered in the web.  The large spider  can be seen sometimes on the outside.  Inside, are  hundreds of tiny spiders.  I am not a fan of spiders but I had to leave this alone when I was dead-heading the Helenium.

Echinacea party

Moth?

I don't know what this is but it seemed happy to share an Echinacea with a bee.

Dragonfly

Extraordinary alien monkey face

Dragonfly (Ruddy or Common Darter)

His outfit is made of red, green and pearl enamel.

Dragonfly

I couldn't get enough of this chap.  He seemed happy to sit and have his photograph taken.

Dragonfly (on rose in garden)

I think this is a Ruddy Darter.  Possibly a Common Darter.

Common Blue Damselfly (I think)

Our neighbour has established a pond in her garden.  
This may have encouraged these dragonflies and damselflies.

Brown Argus Butterfly (on Aster in garden)

Small Copper Butterfly on Sedum Spectabile (in garden)

This Sedum is just coming into flower.

Vipers Bugloss

This is nearly over for the year, but there are a few luminous blue flowers left for the bees

Large White Butterfly

Two Bees. On Small Scabious in the Garden.

Half Cut Meadow

We made a start on the meadow yesterday.  I used my sickle which is good for a high cut and very good for tackling the brambles, nettles and thistles.  Alistair used his scythe which is excellent in the grass and cuts it nice and low.  We managed about half of the meadow and piled the cuttings up under the trees at the back. It is important to remove the cuttings so that they do not rot down and fertilise the meadow which would encourage more grass and discourage the flowers.  

Anything that was still flowering we left standing as there are still plenty of insects around.   This morning, I sprayed weed killer on some of the brambles.  I do not like using poisons, but it is important to keep the brambles from spreading and I was very careful to target the bramble leaves and nothing else.  This spray does not affect animals.

The Guest Fox

The fox has gone.  The fox had been getting more and more healthy and it seems that it felt well enough to leave.  Our neighbour is convinced that it will visit from time to time.

August Butterflies

This Meadow Brown is making the most of the remaining thistles.

August Butterflies

It's nearly the end of August but the butterflies are still around.  This is a Small Copper on an Aster.  It's wings are looking a bit the worse for wear.

Cutting the meadow

I made a start cutting the meadow this morning.  I'm using a sickle.  It is much easier than my scythe and I made good progress.  I think this is partly because of the quality of the blade (I bought it from a specialist - Simon Fairlie Scythes in Dorset), and also it is much easier for me to manoeuvre than my scythe.

Unfortunately, it is now raining.

Looking for mice

One of our cats sitting on a post at the edge of the meadow, looking for mice.

Fox Update

These photos were taken when the fox had been with our neighbours for a week or so.
She looks a lot more healthy.

Yarrow in August.

Isn't this amazing.  It's like old gold.

Bee

Is it me, or is this bee looking straight into the camera?

A Needy Fox

Some friends in the village have been caring for a fox which arrived in their garden about a week ago.  It was looking very unwell but, with a bit of care, improved a lot.  It is lucky to have found some very generous people (apparently fox poo has its own special smell).

Taken on 7 August.  The fox looks much livelier now (see later post).

Article

Well, the article about the meadow has appeared in this week's Henley Standard.  The article itself was fine but sadly it was placed under a rather unkind heading for another article about the Conservators - who, as far as I can see, are people who give their time voluntarily and, although everyone may not agree with their ideas, want to manage the commons as well and sympathetically as possible.