It was obvious that I would be touching base with our moss again today but with a renewed effort to try and convey the beautiful/wonderful/wild creatures that our mosslands hold.

My 5am alarm guided me safely onto a cuppa and the Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve. There was a common bird survey to carry out on this southern outpost of the Carbon Landscape. The local peregrine took on the role of our supervisor as we carried out our task, keeping its sharp eyes upon our every move.

Two and a half hours later it was time for coffee and cake in a comfy hide. Then, after watching birds aplenty chase about in their breeding season activities, including the cute sight of a family of shelduck,  I felt it was time to grab an hour or so on Chat Moss.
A flock of lapwing told of their end to the breeding season. Instead of chasing crows away from their young, they were lazily taking in a well-earned rest with their grown young swelling their ranks.

A grey heron then caught my attention as it contorted itself into unexpected shapes as it used its long neck and dagger-like bill to preen away its own end-of-season nesting activities.

This visit almost suggested the dog days of summer were already upon us until a flash of blue chased away the grey sky and flitted from one flower to another common blue butterfly I salute you.