Our August walk took us to Aylesbeare Common RSPB, not that we were concentrating on the birds this time but mainly the flora. It’s a good job that birds weren’t paramount as we saw very few. I always look for the Dartford warbler there and that we didn’t see, not even a glimpse.

This time we took a different route from our usual around the nature reserve which took us by the top wood to see the wood ants nest; a 60-70 cm high “mountain” (well it would be to the ants) made mainly from pine needles with the ants industriously going about their work.

Ed dolphin was co-leader pointing out the wild flowers and occasionally using a lens to help with identification. Other members of the group also contributed and in the end we achieved quite a list of wildflowers in this nutrient deprived heathland (see the list below), all dwarfed from the hot summer and lack of rain. We were pleased that this particular morning was overcast giving a comfortable temperature to walk in.
Janet Fernley

Footnote 1: we spotted something of which very few of us were aware - but apparently lichen that grows on the ground (pelt lichen) is quite common.

Footnote 2: Janet has produced a rather shaky video (her words) of some Aylesbeare ants transporting something: "in 45 minutes the ants had transported the black item, was it a beetle or berry, about 35cms". As we are not allowed to insert videos on the website, Sidmouth u3a Nature Walks now has its very own YouTube channel where the video can be viewed and which, if it goes viral, may generate 10's of hits
Ants YouTube video