Rain, 16º, light S.
Well its official, the wettest June
on record with almost double the amount of rainfall and the wettest April as
well, the period from April to June is also the
wettest recorded for the UK! July has not started too well either.After a very dry winter and drought conditions imposed earlier this year I think ground water levels may have reached somewhere near optimum now.
Unsettled weather has
never been far from the UK during the past three months, with only the latter
half of May seeing a spell of prolonged fine weather.
Movements in the
track of the jet stream, a narrow band of fast flowing westerly winds high in
the atmosphere, have contributed to the weather we have seen.
This June has seen
periods of heavy and prolonged rain, as well as short but exceptionally heavy
showers. To complete the disappointing
picture, it has also been the coolest June since 1991 with a mean temperature
of 12.3 °C.
The initial effects
on wildlife have been the cooler weather and lack of insect food and observations
suggest birds are having a particular hard time with poor breeding success.
Along with the continued use of pesticides and herbicides on the countryside and
gardens further denies species with available food and habitat!
A visit to 1066 today
produced a Little Egret, 2 Tufted Duck, a few Mallard and approx a dozen Swallows
feeding.
Lollingdon Hill had a
Buzzard soaring over and 8 Swift feeding overhead and the usual Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Skylark,
and a single Yellow Wagtail. 2 Meadow Brown butterflies seen in a lull
in the rain.
The ongoing battle
with the Grey Squirrel is still on and I have reconfigured the feeder so
hopefully it will not be able to jump from the ground and grab hold..........we
will see!
2 Stock Doves and 2 (♂ & ♀) Great-spotted Woodpeckers still visiting the garden along with Robin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove and the pair of
Carrion Crows.
Swallows, House
Martins and Swifts feeding
overhead regularly and the odd Red Kite
and Buzzard.
The front garden has
a few House Sparrows, Starling and 2 Magpies regularly.Tawny Owls quite vocal in the garden tonight.
Nice pictures!!!
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