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Autumn Nature Notes: West Common

2nd October 2020 by longleysra 1 Comment

By Caroline Steel, former Head of Conservation at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

Summer may be officially over, but there was still plenty to see in September on West Common. I love the colour of devil’s-bit scabious flowers and they’re providing food for recently hatched small copper butterflies.

Devils bit scabious
Devil’s-bit scabious.
Image courtesy of Caroline Steel
Small copper on devils bit scabious
Small Copper Butterfly on Devils Bit Scabious.
Image courtesy of Caroline Steel

Other flowers still in bloom include tormentil, cat’s-ear and autumn hawkbit. It’s also the best time to see one of the common’s rarities – small water pepper, found in very few places in Lincolnshire. Being bright pink, it really stands out and can be seen in places which are wet for much of the year.

Tormentil.
Image courtesy of Caroline Steel
Cats ear
Cat’s Ear.
Image courtesy of Caroline Steel
Small water pepper
Small Water Pepper.
Image courtesy of Caroline Steel

I last saw swifts on 12 August, but house martins and swallows stay with us much longer. I haven’t seen any after mid September – but I might have missed them. Kestrels are hunting over the common regularly, but I haven’t seen any buzzards for a couple of weeks. There’s always something to see!

Filed Under: News, West Common and Burton Ridge Nature

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  1. Isla says

    2nd October 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Beautiful photos. Loving your articles.

    Reply

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