More on bush-crickets I’m afraid! If you’ve heard enough, then look away now! Having been told that bat detectors could also serve to locate those grasshoppers and crickets whose stridulations peak in the ultrasonic, I gave it a try and readily found up to six singing male Long-winged Coneheads, by using the directional qualities of the instrument to establish their presence to around a square metre. Spotting the insect was still extraordinarily difficult, as might be expected when looking for a motionless green and brown insect, amongst green and brown sedges.

It’s always pleasing to see weasels around, though usually I regret the view is so brief. I see weasels more often than stoats and find them to be very short-sighted, so that if the observer stays still, a hunting weasel will return and often approach extremely closely. Now that I have a canine companion this doesn’t happen.

Late summer damsel and dragonflies were frequent, with Common Darters egg laying in the brook and Southern Hawkers sunning themselves on the brambles. The Kingfisher put in regular appearances and an evening trip with the bat detector found Common Pipstrelle in the meadow and what I believe was a Noctule bat along Lings Lane.

The Sunday morning working parties will resume maintenance of the meadow in November. If you are interested in helping out please give me a ring on 0115 9144896.