Saturday 25th March 2023

Species: Comma (2)

Comma - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

On the 25th March I made my first foray along the path between Tucking Mill and Midford. The weather conditions weren't perfect for butterflies, with the temperature reaching just 12c and weak sunshine due to high cloud.


Grass embankment - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

Over the winter period, I was amongst a group of Sustrans volunteers who helped clear a grassy embankment near Tucking Mill. The embankment adjoins two fields which are managed by Wessex Water and are known to harbour several rare invertebrates. This work removed several years worth of dead plant material to reveal the small plants and flowers growing below.

Dog Violet - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

This work seems to be having the desired affect with a number of early spring flowers beginning to bloom, including Dog Violets.

Woodpecker holes - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

I decided to go and inspect the larger fields to the north of  Tucking Mill lake. As I walked through the woods towards the fields I noticed a tall, dead tree stump.  It had clearly been visited by one of the local Woodpeckers as it had numerous holes pecked in it! 

'Eristalis' Hoverfly ( - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

As I approached the gate into the fields, I past a large patch of Lesser Celandine. A number of Hoverflies and Bee-flies were making good use of the early nectar.

The fields themselves were quiet and lifeless. Clearly it is still too early in the season for this usually busy grassland. As I headed down the path back to cycle path, two Comma butterflies flew past me, one settling long enough for a photo. (See photo above).

Wood Anemone - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

Lastly, I took a walk up Horsecombe Vale. This beautiful valley will soon be ablaze with spring flowers, although today just a lone Wood Anemone caught my eye.

Fungi (Probably Scarlet Elf Cup) - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023

I started to head home, but on the slope back up to path my eye was caught again by a flash of bright red. At first I thought it was a fragment of litter, but on closer inspection it was firmly rooted and clearly some sort of fungi, most likely a Scarlet Elf Cup. 


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