Jet needed a walk today and not wanting to take him over fields because of the problem with grass seeds we decided on the coast and opted for Donna Nook to avoid Cleethorpes crowds. It also gave me another opportunity to carry out a Big Butterfly Count for Butterfly Conservation.
After parking we made our way through the dunes and onto the edge of the salt marsh, the seal viewing area in winter. The difference in the habitat was amazing,: the dunes were a mass of colour from a host of flowering plants:
- Crocosmia
- Ragwort
- Rosebay Willowherb
- Sea Lavender
- Thrift
- Sea Spurrey
- Knapweed
- Spear and creeping thistle
- Common Mallow
- Dog Daisy
- Ladies Bedstraw
- Yarrow
- Field Bindweed
- Goatsbeard
- Teasel
- Meadow Vetchling
- White campion
- Weld
- Yellow Rattle
- Hop Trefoil
- Black Medic
- Ribwort Plantain
- Tufted Vetch
- Red Campion
The sea lavender on the salt marsh looked absolutely stunning; who needs lavender fields!!
The seaward side of the dunes was very windy and few butterflies were showing so we walked as far as the north end of the realignment area where Pyes Hall Sluice was taken out where we crossed through to the sheltered side of the dunes. I began my 15 minute BB Count here:
- Small skipper 37
- Meadow Brown 1
- Ringlet 7
- Small White 3
- Gatekeeper 4
I continued to cout beyond this but small skippers were so numerous I gave up counting them.
- Meadow Brown 4
- Ringlet 10
- Small White 1
- Gatekeeper 5
We had a very enjoyable walk and the realignment area is looking reall well now with large flooded areas and lots of waders. Nothing out of the ordinary today but looks good for the Autumn.
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