When to see - August
August, the peak of summer. After a tiring time raising young, birds become quieter this month as they moult their worn feathers. This is a good month to make a trip to a heathland to see the fantastic different purples of heather, or go for a walk in a woodland to try and spot emerging fungi and white admiral butterfly.
What to see in August
NWT Roydon Common, NWT East Winch Common and Salthouse Heath – visit a heathland during August and you will not be disappointed, as the heather puts on a wonderful display of different shades of purple.
NWT Foxley Wood and NT Sheringham Park play host to white admiral butterflies. Explore a sunny ride in the woodland and you may see this elegant butterfly flying around bramble blossom. Purple hairstreaks can be seen flying high in the canopy of oak trees. NWT Hickling Broad water trail, a two-hour boat trip, gives you the opportunity to see purple hairstreaks. You are able to access a 60ft staircase in the middle of an oak woodland, giving you a birds-eye view of the oak trees and the broad. NWT Roydon Common is home to the black darter. A small dragonfly, with an erratic flight. Look for it perched on vegetation near shallow pools. | | |
Where to go in August
Look for fungi - chicken-of-the-woods may be found in broadleaved woods on dead and living trees, look on oaks and sweet chestnuts at Swanton Great Wood and NT Blickling Hall. Visit NWT Roydon Common to admire the purples hues of the heathland heather. Look for swallowtail butterfly caterpillars feeding on milk parsley at NWT Hickling Broad, NWT Ranworth Broad or RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. Whilst you are at NWT Hickling you may be lucky enough to see a purple hairstreak if you take a boat trip and go up the tree tower. Things to do in August
A woodpile – in a shady area, to prevent the logs from drying out, will attract minibeasts, which in turn will attract birds, hedgehogs, wood mice and voles.A leaf pile – hibernation site for hedgehogs.A nettle patch – caterpillar food for commas, peacocks, red admirals and small tortoiseshells. Plant nettles in a container to stop roots from spreading.Bric-a-brac – corrugated iron, paving slabs, old plant pots and rocks in a sunny area may attract slow-worms and grass snakes. A hole covered by a paving slab in the shade will act as shelter for toads and frogs.
Discover the night-time wildlife in your garden. Make up a simple sugar solution to attract moths and other night-time insects.
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