The first summer Sunday rAmble of the season (29th June) was
a great success, wonderful group of people and the lovely sunny weather showed
off the wildlife at its real best. A
nice low tide, provided a host of crabs, fish and the grey seals came out to bask
in the sun!
Of note: big hermit crabs, common shore crab, cockles,
shanny, butterfish, sand mason worms, grey seal, eiders, redshank,
oystercatchers.
A move up onto the dunes had a plethora of dune flowers,
butterflies and moths. Orchids:
pyramidal orchid, frog orchid, fragrant orchid, northern marsh orchid, common
twyblade and a sole wayward marsh helleboraine.
Dune flowers: wild thyme, lady's bedstraw, fairy flax, lesser meadow
rue, burnet rose, bird's foot trefoil, grass of Parnassus, marsh pennywort,
self heal. Insects: six spot burnet
(everywhere), small heath, meadow brown, ringlet, common blue, dark green
fritillary, marsh fritillary (old and tired), grasshopper and dragonfly. The last couple of creatures, common lizard
and skylark. Finally at the end of the
walk the seals decided to sing as I promised that they would.
