The UK’s mammals present particular challenges for monitoring; they live in a wide variety of habitats, vary enormously in size and can be very difficult to see, but Britain’s army of volunteer bird surveyors could come to the rescue.
Dr Phil Smith: Wildlife Notes July 2018
With the countryside in flames, farmers losing millions and the water-supply industry in turmoil, the TV weather presenters finally acknowledged the longest summer drought since 1976 and started to talk about the “chance” of showers, rather than the “risk”! We actually had six days with measurable rain during July but only on 29th was there...
Rob Duffy: Sidewalk Botanist, Mid-July notes.
First signs of autumn are already with us in the form of ripe blackberries, rowan berries and hawthorn “haws”. Soon other trees and bushes will follow.
Ainsdale NNR: Xylota sylvarum
Confirmed by VC59 verifier Glenn Rostron as the Hoverfly Xylota sylvarum. Recorded at Ainsdale NNR on the 17th July 2018. Incredibly this is only the second ever record for the site the previous being from 1959!