Tony Drakeford

On a much brighter note compared with Nature Notes of two weeks ago, finally around mid-July our so, so soggy summer pulled up its soaking wet socks and presented us with some beautiful hot sunny days.

Until the grassland species began emerging last month, I have seen only five butterflies, namely two brimstones, and three small whites.

For me, the sight of great swathes of oxeye daisies brightening the countryside is one of the most glorious and colourful sights of summer.

The swallows' first broods have fledged and the adults are now incubating eggs for the second brood.

THE first half of June sees a bit of a lull in the number of butterflies on the wing.

Bluebells have been voted the nation's favourite flower and the are certainly mine too. I love to sit quietly in a bluebell wood on a sunny spring morning.

On a somewhat chilly morning in early May, I'm here for the dawn chorus, that glorious springtime phenomenon that never fails to enthral and stimulate the senses of anyone fortunate enough to experience it first hand.

Our road network began to expand with ever faster highways and a great increase in vehicles Not long after the Second World War ended.

We are all assured by the opening lines of an old song ‘birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it’.

There can be no more colourful and flamboyant exotic-looking duck the male Mandarin.