Big Butterfly Count 2012

Red Admiral on Buddleia

Starting this weekend - the Big Butterfly Count is running from the 14th July - 5th August, so you still have plenty of time to get out and about and spot butterflies (in between the rain).

This year it will be even more interesting and more important to make a count of butterflies as they will have been affected by the cold, wet and unseasonal weather this year.

My buddliea is just starting to flower, so a big attraction for butterflies and great timing for the count.

To take part visit www.bigbutterflycount.org - download the id chart, pick 15 minutes - hopefully on a sunny day and then submit your count online.  You can pick different sites and different dates during the survey time.

(Photo credit: Crowcombe Al)

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• Butterfly blues (bbc.co.uk)

A new bench for the Tye

With such great views across to the coast, Beachy Head and the Downs it wasn't long before there was a request for a bench up by the dewpond - not only to admire the views but somewhere to have a welcome rest after either walking up the Tye or up the steep hill out of the village.

 We were lucky to have some timber donated by a local tree-surgeon and something that was in keeping with the area - a good old rustic bench - basically two stumps and a rough plank.

Something that blends in to the surrounding

One sunny Sunday morning three of us met up on the Tye and without too much effort, it didn't take too long to dig out two holes, posts inserted and the plank screwed in and professionally finished off.

With Mr Carden in charge - it was never going to be anything but professional and properly done!

And, of course with all that hard work, it had to be tested out.

Yes, it's on a slope, so one side is higher off the ground than the other but I can assure you it's level!

The wildflowers are also looking wonderful with a good array of field chamomile, a few cornflowers, field marigold and poppies.

July - wildflowers around the dewpond

Lovely mix of wildflowers and grasses out around the dewpond.

Mainly ox-eye daisies and field marigolds but with a few cornflowers and corn cockles mixed in with grasses.