nature notes Wildlife to look out for in the local area Nature Notes
emerging around and about us. Butterflies that are now on the wing include Common and Holly Blues, Grizzled and Dingy Skippers and the nationally scarce Wall Brown which seems to be doing better in Devon than elsewhere. The good weather has also been welcomed by moths which is good news for the numerous bat species across the county. On warm evenings many can be seen at dusk hunting the hedgerows using their echo location system to catch up to 3000 insects per night!! There are, somewhat surprisingly, 17 species of bat in the UK; the most
D
common is the pipistrelle and this is the one most people will see around houses, farms and in the countryside. We
have the privilege of seeing the rare Greater Horse Shoe bats at Berry Head. Take advantage of the opportunity to observe these fascinating creatures on a Berry Head Bat walk organized by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. Look out for monthly bat events at
www.countryside-trust.
org.uk
Greater Horse Shoe bat
uring June and July, as the weather continues to warm up we will see an increasing number of butterflies
What to look for in June
June is the prime breeding time for our resident and summer visiting birds. They are busy raising young and therefore can be quite obvious and good to view. The seabird colonies are particularly good in June as the young birds will be hatching and the adult birds will be flying to and fro from the colony on feeding expeditions. Berry Head has a splendid Guillemot and Razorbill colony along with kittiwakes and Shags and provides excellent views. Look also for Peregrine falcons anywhere along the coastal path as they breed on some cliffs, feeding on the numerous herring gulls around our coast. Further afield look for Whinchats and Wheatears on Dartmoor and the smart Pied Flycatcher at Yarner Woods.
Peregrine Falcon 49
Dingy Skipper
Grizzled Skipper Pied Flycatcher
Guillemot
Wall Brown
Razorbill
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