Buckenham's still closed for business so we'll have to do with a bit of a round up again I'm afraid.

July already & we're still thinking of making a fire to keep warm some  evenings, not the brightest of summers this year, but never the less getting warmer.

 Warm enough for the stunning picture of a male  Broad bodied chaser , recently nabbed by Maria 'la Gateau', around the garden pond down in sunny Reedham. We've also seen a number of Brown Hawkers as well as a Southern and the odd Black tailed skimmer so there's a few around, even saw a Hobby  flying around the house of Old Frank, tucking in as he made his way along.

Butterflies are around as well with Ringlet, Wall,  Meadow Brown, Comma, Tortoiseshell, and Red Admiral all pretty abundant. Haven't seen that many Peacocks yet though, just luck I reckon !

Strumpshaw does a good meadow trail at the moment, so it's worth wandering down of  an evening to pad through the wild flowers & grasses to see if you can find the different Orchids, as well as Ragged Robin & the like,. Saw a Barn Owl quartering over the meadow last time as well as the obligatory Marsh Harriers, seem to have missed the Swallowtails this year though, but apparently there were a few around, even heard of an unsubstantiated sighting in a garden in South Burlingham !

Strange but we don't seem to have seen any furry animals recently , really need to get out early & keep really quiet, perhaps get over to Halvergate Marshes & look for Stoats & Weasels, I like it when they look up ,to see who you are,  quizzically, with that whitish bib, making them look much friendlier than the facts would have us believe.

Really haven't been out enough this month, as the horrible mists of DIY swirl around, but surly we'll be out and about again soon, Perhaps give Cockshoot a try for a change or get down to Winterton for the Adders & Natterjacks. Either way there's generally plenty to get to grips with even from the Garden.  I'd like to get out canoeing again & slide noiselessly up to those Pike, just hanging in the water, and inch or two down, warming up, I love that look, not much going on in that head  but 'food' and 'leave me alone'.  A neighbour explained recently how he used to eat Pike ,as a kid,that his father caught. , The edge (of his apetite) went off ,however when they caught one with a Rat , still whole,  in it's stomach. Might put you off I suppose.

See you again next month.

Wilds of Norfolk was set up because of our unquenchable enthusiasm for the Norfolk Broads,  our small part of the natural world. We thought we'd like to try and give something back by helping other people enjoy the countryside and it's wildlife as well as do our own little bit to promote an interest in the natural world and it's conservation , not only for the wildlife but for the sheer exuberance of the precious life we're lucky enough to get the chance to live.

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