DryDrayton.net natural history

Dry Drayton Nature Notes - June

Here we will build a collection of monthly nature notes for Dry Drayton. You can find here information about regular and more unusual sightings of Parish flora and fauna. Please send us your sightings to add to these pages or send your local wildlife queries to us.

John Clare, The Shepherd's Calendar 1827	Now summer is in flower and natures hum Is never silent round her sultry bloom Insects as small as dust are never done Wi' glittering dance and reeling in the sun
Flora	Much in in bloom this month
Insects and Spiders	Damselflies and some Dragonflies on the wing as well as many species of butterflies. Butterflies include: Large White, Small White, Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, The Wall, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Ringlet, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Skippe, Large Skipper.
Amphibians and Reptiles	Newts and frogs commonly seen in ponds, wet spots and gardens
Birds	Lots of fledgling birds about this month including Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Starling, Blue Tit and Great Tit. Greenfinch, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Crow, Rook, Magpie, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Pheasant, Red legged partridge, are all to be seen. Summer visitors - Swifts, Swallows and Martins circling above. Unusual Dry Drayton sightings published by the Cambridgeshire Bird Club 30/6/2008 - Barn Owl, Little Owl, South of Church at 21.40 (Ken and Maggie Hook) 26/6/2008 - Red Kite over 16.25 (Ken Hook) Reported in the July 2010 Newsletter by Dr and Mrs David V Alford 21 June One red kite high, circling in the south 12.00-15.00 22 June 2010 a pair, relatively low and on 24 June one bird gliding south to north 12.00-15.00.
Mammals	Muntjac deer can often be seen on the road verge between Madingley and Dry Drayton. In June 2005 one was eating lettucesin a garden in Pettitts Lane! Foxes are more often smelt than seen. Badgers are here, but a rarer sight. Squirrels and Rabbits are much in evidence.