Hugh’s News – 10 August 2025

Walking in Park Fields in Parkgate this week, several skeins of Canada Geese flew over heading for the Dee. Now that their breeding season is over, they will be accumulating at Burton Mere Wetlands where they can dominate the scene while they moult. The smaller wildfowl feel rather intimidated and mostly move elsewhere!

Usually, my Blackbirds aren’t interested in apples for another month or two, but I think the hot weather we had a while ago made it difficult for them to find food in the lawn and soil, so I put some cut apples out for them, and they readily tucked into the fruit. 

Otherwise, my bird sightings have been fairly quiet recently, as can happen in July and August. But there is plenty of other wildlife around to look for. I read that there are more wasps around than normal this summer. We certainly seemed to be getting quite a few in the house. Then I noticed several of them attracted to the apple remnants on the lawn. So maybe it’s my own fault! 

Butterflies have been noticeable too around Thornton Hough on my dog walks, including a Gatekeeper, looking a bit ragged now; and what I think was a Small White. Please let me know if you think differently!

A colourful, female Southern Hawker dragonfly settled briefly on some Brambles allowing me to take a quick snap before Bracken spooked it and it resumed its flight searching for prey.

Finally, I had a surprise when I opened the front door early one morning to get the milk in, and found a Common Frog on the doorstep! After taking a photo, I went to find a container to put it in for safety and relocation. But by the time I returned it had disappeared. I don’t know of any ponds in the immediate neighbourhood, so I’ve no idea where it came from.

Photographs by Hugh.

Hugh