Abington Naturewatch: Lunchtime walk around Granta Park

Whilst on his lunchtime walk around Granta Park in the hot August sun, Andy M noted a few changes that seemed to be heralding the start of the transition from summer towards autumn.

With the meadows now all shades of brown - and many of the flowers, so bright just a few weeks ago, now turned to seed - a few flowers could still be found in sunny spots around the edges - such as Common Mallow, Scarlet Pimpernell, Cotton Thistle, Agrinomy and Hawkbit.

Cotton Thistle - running to seed (Onopordum acanthium)

A trio of Teasel heads (Dipsacus sylvestris)

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)

Scarlet Pimpernell (Anagallis arvensis)

Cotton Thistle (Onopordium acanthium)

Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)

In some cases, these flowers were being actively sought out by the few remaining butterflies, such as the resplendent Painted Lady, while others such as Speckled Wood and Green-veined White chose to remain in the cool shade of the woods.

Painted Lady butterfly on Hawkbit flower

Speckled Wood butterfly

Speckled Wood butterfly (underwing)

Green-veined White butterfly

Loose flocks of small birds such as Great Tit, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit, were forming and moving through the woods, quietly feeding, 'chirruping' to keep together, and at their fringes the odd single Blackcap, Chiffchaff or Goldcrest.

Long-tailed Tit

Goldcrest

The first berries and fruits, such as Elderberry, Hawthorn, Yew, Hazel, Horse Chestnut and Beechnut, were starting to appear, and the Ivy was covered in its strangely-shaped flower buds.
Fungi such as Boletus could also be found, starting to pop up through the leaf-litter.