My Cuckoo on the move.

 

The latest BTO bulletin on my Cuckoo - Jac.

03 Aug 2021 - JAC moves to Nigeria via Niger and Benin

Since leaving Burkina Faso, it looks as if JAC has been on a mission to tick off as many countries as possible over the last few days. In the space of 187 Km, he has visited Benin, Niger, and Nigeria. He is now in north west Nigeria

Great Green Bush Cricket.

 The permissive path to Ashton is still covered in flowers, with the delicate blue of Devil's Bit Scabious  being a recent addition. This is the food plant of the Marsh Fritillary caterpillar which unfortunately was nowhere to be seen, but the flowers were providing nectar to dozens of Common Blue butterflies as well as Meadow Brown and Gatekeepers. Also nectaring were two Clouded Yellows, the first I have seen this year.

 A first ever, for me at least, was a Great Green Bush Cricket walking along the top  rail of the the small gate just north of the cricket field. It is a common enough species but normally it lives in trees, bushes and rough vegetation, not on steel gates, so not easily seen.

 Great Green Bush Cricket.  Photo. John Elliott.

 

 

I was hoping along the walk to check on the Pyramidal Orchid which was growing at the path edge (see below), but sadly there was no sign of it. It might have gone over by now but the dried up remains should have been there if it had. No sign of digging which often happens, so I can only assume it was pulled up, roots and all, by persons unknown.  Great pity.