Whilst areas of grassland may be starting to look sun-bleached and many meadow flowers and grasses will have gone to seed, butterflies and bumble bees busting amongst the flower and seed heads provide a welcome splash of colour just as the landscape begins to look a little washed out.
Once you’ve taken in the invertebrates – and it really is worth taking a closer look at their patterns and how they feed – a look skywards might still provide the spectacle of swifts, swallows and martins soaring over head or even swooping to take insects over pastures and ponds. Sadly, the sound of the cuckoo is long gone – as they’ve already departed to Africa.
If colour is what you’re after in August, a trip to a heathland shouldn’t disappoint as heather should be at its finest with shades of pink and purple and with areas of Sherwood Forest – such as our Rainworth Heath Nature Reserve – in the heart of the county there’s no need to head up into the Peak District or further afield to get your heather fix.
With schools out for summer, many of us will be heading to the coast for at least a day trip and growing interest in marine wildlife and growing awareness of just how rich our coastline is in terms of marine mammals, means there are now a great range of options for wildlife watching trips from traditional seaside towns such as Whitby and Bridlington. Whilst wildlife is unpredictable, these trips offer a fair chance of spotting species such as dolphins, harbour porpoise and a number of whale species. In addition to marine mammals, such trips, or a visit to coastal cliff provides opportunities to enjoy some of our wonderful sea birds from the delightful kittiwake to the impressive gannet.
Any trip to the coast is the ideal opportunity to look a little closer at gulls. Often dismissed as mere ‘seagulls’ there is actually no such species – rather a whole host of different species – including the Kittiwake – our most sea-loving gull which spends its winters out over the Atlantic to the much-maligned Herring Gull – which can weigh up to three times as much.
Whilst much misunderstood and often feared due to their penchant for stealing food from tourists on the seafront, these impressive birds are threatened – being considered a ‘Red List’ of conservation concern and a UK Priority species for conservation. So, next time you consider chasing one away or think of them as opportunistic brutes, just remember that they need our help as much as other much more cherished species.
Get involved
For details of all our sites across Nottinghamshire, including the huge and spectacular Idle Valley Nature Reserve, as well as walk, talks and other events visit www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org.
Image: Common Blue butterfly, Bo Chetwyn