High Summer

Red Kite.

With the Summer Solstice taking place next week, the local wildlife around Gatestreet Barn have been in high summer mode recently. Lots of different insects have emerged, including various butterfly species. This is great news for the various insect-eating birds, one of which is bucking a national trend around the Wintershall Estate.

The Spotted Flycatcher has suffered an enormous decline - a staggering 90% since 1967. Once common in gardens and parks, it's now a species that's hard to locate, despite seemingly abundant habitat in the Surrey Hills. However, they are doing very well around Wintershall, and up to 6 pairs bred in 2017. This year many of these pairs are back on territory, and they can be seen taking food to and from their nests on days when lots of insects are on the wing.

Another bird that's declined hugely in recent times is the Turtle Dove. As a result, it came as a very welcome surprise when two flew over Goose Green in mid-May. Unfortunately they haven't been seen since, but it offers hope that this rare bird could one day return to the area, where surely it was once common in the summer months.

Lots of different youngsters can be seen at the moment. A fantastic record of breeding Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers was confirmed earlier in the week, with fledged young heard and a food-carrying adult seen. This is yet another declining species that continues to survive in the area, testament to much of the land being left to itself. Indeed, a Skylark is currently holding territory in one of the meadows near the Wintershall Estate - hopefully the grass won't be cut there just yet!

Spotted Flycatcher.

The first Painted Lady butterfly of the year was seen recently. These remarkable insects can undertake a migration round-trip of up to 9,000 miles - quite incredible for such a small animal. June always sees the emergence of Meadow Browns, and this understated butterfly can be seen in big numbers around Gatestreet Barn at the moment. Indeed, a brief walk in the long grass can reveal tens of them, as well as the smaller Small Heath and Ringlet.

Sadly, it won't be long until the days draw in, and autumn approaches. This summer took a while to get going, but it's now firmly in full swing, and there are things to see whenever you take a step outside.