Nature's Calendar
April
Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Large White should appear in April and will be with us all summer, unlike the Orange-Tip which will also appear but is mainly a springtime butterfly. Although the male Orange-tip is quite conspicuous the female doesn't have the orange on her wingtips so looks a bit like a small version of a large white from above.
Most damselflies will not appear until May but the one that you are likely to see in April is the Large Red Damselfly which is very common around the Countryside Park and the only damselfly with a red abdomen you are likely to see. Females have more black on each abdominal segment than the male shown here.
Bluebells start to carpet the woodlands in April and many other flowers appear including Lords-and-Ladies, Bugle, Cuckoo Flower, Yellow Archangel, Garlic Mustard, Ramsons (Wild Garlic), Herb Robert, Greater Stitchwort and Common Vetch.
Swallows and House Martins arrive for the summer about now, and the call of the Cuckoo will soon be heard across the valley. Blackcaps and Whitethroats should also be in the valley this month. The breeding season is in full swing and males will be displaying and singing from the tree tops to attract a mate and mark out their territories.
