The usual reminder - to see the videos in all their glory, visit www.liddells.co.uk and click on Blog
2nd - 3rd September
John started making a new and wider gate and gateway for the North-east Strip. Should hay need to be moved into this area in future years, the new gate will accommodate a trailer, making the task a little easier.
Clare spent some time by the Big Pond and watched a female Common Darter ovipositing. The male Darter is clutching her while she does so. Then Clare noticed that there were five male Common Hawkers vying for the airspace over the pond and one was continually returning to a particular patch of Water Forget-me-nots; she heard a rustling and realised there was a female Common Hawker also ovipositing. Taking a video risked disturbing her, however Clare managed a photo. There were also scores of Emerald Damselflies around.
Clare noticed that the Water Figwort Scrophularia auriculata, is in flower. The flowers are pollinated by the Common wasp, although there have been far fewer wasps around this year. Clare was intrigued by the ‘Scrophulus’ part of the plant’s name. ‘Scrofulous’ is defined as meaning either, in a literal sense, relating to scrofula (tuberculosis (or TB like bacteria) of the lymph nodes, particularly of the neck); or, figuratively, morally contaminated and corrupt. Clare then discovered that the name "figwort" comes from the plant's early use to treat haemorrhoids, which were once known as "figs." Every Blog day a learning day.
John has sited a trail camera on the Hayfield as he has noticed the deer here quite often. The first video was a surprise.
The next video demonstrates why we have the phrase ‘haring about’.
4th September
Unusually, Clare’s annual attempts to photograph Hawkers on the wing using her phone camera proved successful. Only one shot, however the photo shows two male Common Hawkers - the equivalent of BOGOF in the dragonfly world.
You may be surprised, as were Clare and John, to learn that stoats will take a hare, a creature several times bigger than itself. The stoat will chase its prey and then pounce, delivering a powerful bite to the back of the neck. The camera seems to have captured part of the chase; the hare is in no doubt about the jeopardy.
The camera on the Hayfield does record some deer activity - a doe and two kids; you can hear the twang of the fence as the deer jump out off camera.
8th September
The sex of the triplets is much clearer now. Here they are in the Scrub. Looking from left to right you can see two doe kids, the mother doe and then the buck kid.
John was particularly interested to see the next clip and several like it - he says the received wisdom has been that deer do not like rain and are seldom seen out in it. The trail camera gives the lie to that particular understanding.
9th September
One of the two young bucks from last year has unbranched antlers - regular readers of this Blog will know bucks like this are called ‘murder bucks’ - is around in the Scrub. Then the camera reveals a new buck. This one has better developed antlers, although it is still smaller than the old buck which is still around. This new buck may have been drawn in because of the does in the territory.
10th September
John has long been interested in the number of different plants that deer will eat. Below is one of four clips that each show kids choosing Ash leaves over all the other forage in their path. The leaves look as if they are freshly fallen.
11th September
The doe with triplets is reluctant to let the buck kid suckle. She has probably conceived what will be next year’s kids in the rut, and even though delayed implantation means they are far off being born, she will be keen for this year’s kids to become more independent.
12th September
A sunny day, and it brought the pollinators out. The Michaelmas daisies on the Wildflower Meadow were covered in insects, including a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies. The activity demonstrates the value of late flowering forage plants.
The sunshine also brought out the dragonflies. Clare spotted a female Common Darter ovipositing, then noticed a pair of Common Hawkers flying past clamped together. They landed on the sunny waterside of a Hawthorn overhanging the Big Pond, however Clare managed to get close enough for a photograph. She is rather pleased with the result.
13th September
Early morning in the Scrub and a doe can be heard and seen (watch her flanks move) squeaking. (While John uses the word ‘feeping’ for the kids, he usually refers to the does’ calls as squeaking. They sound the same to Clare.) The old buck suddenly erupts from off stage and chases the doe away. He pauses in front of the camera and you can see why John considers this animal to be a magnificent specimen. You can also see signs of ageing round his face (the buck’s not John’s).
Another image of which Clare was pleased - this time Common Darters mating. Clare then noticed a couple of what she thinks are Southern Hawkers, had joined the Common Hawkers over the pond. Although not a wonderful photograph, Clare managed, with her phone camera, to capture another dragonfly in flight.
14th September
Although the videos are not included here (regular readers of this Blog will have seen more than enough footage of badgers’ backsides), Clare noticed that the Scrub trail camera had recorded several clips of a badger going past in the same direction. Two of these clips were only ten seconds apart, so there must be at least two badgers using the path. (The same phenomenon occurred two nights later, with only three seconds between the clips.)
15th September
John and Clare have been delighted that all the talks (John, Keith and Clare), the two Open Days and donations from supporters, have resulted in enough money to buy a lot more trees, hedging whips and wildflower plugs. Today they spent a happy morning putting in an order. The wildflower plants will arrive first although cannot be planted until the sheep have been and gone. The trees and hedging will arrive in the winter months as it is best to move and plant them while they are dormant.
16th September
Motivated by the tree and wildflower order, Clare and John set about sowing all the wildflower seeds Clare has been collecting at every available opportunity. There are seventeen different varieties in the trays. Any that take can be pinched out into small pots and sown as plugs either next autumn or potted on for planting out in spring 2026.
18th September
John noticed that there has been a substantial collapse of part of the south boundary wall. Fortunately there is no risk of local stock getting in or out at that point, however repairs will have to be made. There had been no bulging in the wall, which indicates a weak point, just here; possibly the increase in much heavier farm machinery may have caused sufficient vibration to bring about the collapse.
The old buck again, however Clare has chosen this video because you can clearly hear at least one Chiffchaff in the background. The birds are yet to leave for their wintering grounds. It looks as though the buck is listening too. Later in the morning this same buck is in the Pit Wood and you can see how he is losing his summer coat.
19th - 20th September
John completed one of his least favourite tasks - he has retensioned the wires that are fixed to the new gatepost. He has also finished the new and wider gate into the North-east Strip.
Clare had been disheartened to discover a little while ago that the two new honey bee queens had failed to mate properly and were laying drones. The third colony, however, which Clare was given as a very small colony last year, has gone from strength to strength. The bees did not swarm, however they did build up and put a lot of effort into foraging. Clare was able to take the fullest super of honey she has ever had off these bees. Clare has given the bees sugar syrup - a small compensation for their loss.
Note the sheep-proofing. John R’s sheep are due to arrive soon
Much sticky spinning activity will follow
22nd September
It has been a while since a fox has shown up on the trail cameras. This one is making its way through the Scrub.
24th September
Clare spent some time in the hide today and was pleased to hear Willow Tits, although they didn’t appear on the feeders. They can be noticeable by their absence in the autumn/winter months, so it is good to be reassured they are still around.
John has cut Willow whips from neighbour Sylvia’s tree again. They now need planting. Fly agaric in the Scrub and berries on the Spindle trees are indications that autumn in well under way.
25th September
Chiffchaffs still audible on the trail camera footage today.
26th September
One of the does reveals the extent to which she is losing her summer coat.
30th September
John and Clare visited to collect the camera discs for a last update on this month’s Blogpost. Clare heard a Chiffchaff still present in the Scrub. John saw five hares on the Hayfield and Clare saw one in the Pit Wood - a delightful ending to the month.