Dean Bottom

This is an area of farmland near to Longfield, quite a nice short walk loop, through oil seed and wheat fields and then through Churchdown Wood on the way back.

I kicked up this day flying moth in the long grass and I don't remember having seen it before although it isn't that uncommon. It is named after a 16th century Yorkshire witch called Old Mother Shipton. If you look across the wing you can see a caricature of an old hag with a hooked nose.

Mother Shipton


I think these guys are a type of sawfly larva but not sure which one. Still I don't think there will be much left of the host plant once they have had their fill. When I touched the leaf they were feeding on they retracted back into the silk for safety.



Tried to go all arty with the fields of wheat.


Did manage to get a few birds, corn bunting 6, whitethroat 1, cuckoo 1, blackcap 1, chiffchaff 1 and small tortoiseshell butterfly 1.

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