Dry month in Endon - September 2014.

September 2014 only brought 24mm of rain to Endon (only about half that of 2013 which had approx. 51mm of precipitation and 2012 when we had 114mm). In the first half of the month we had a 17 day stretch without any rain, though most of those days started fairly damp with fog. It was a sunny month too with most days being bright and seeing at least some sunshine. The mean min. temp. was 9.7 degrees Centigrade and max. was 18.5 - this is similar to 2013 with min. of 10 and max. of 17.

Any way there are still butterflies, hoverflies, bumblebees and other insects about. Here are some photos from my garden. And below those some taken during a walk this afternoon from Endon to Hill Top and back.

An Eristalis sp. hoverfly.

A bumblebee queen feeding up before the winter hibernation. 

Two Comma butterflies nectaring on Sedum spectabile before winter hibernation.

Red Admiral also nectaring to feed up in preparation for winter hibernation. 

Red Admiral, Comma, Mesembrina meridiana (Noon-day flies), hoverflies, Common Wasps, and Chrysotoxum sp. (wasp mimic) hoverfly nectaring on Ivy flowers on a Hawthorn tree adjacent to one of the headwater streams of Endon Brook (near Holehouse Lane).

View of the Hawthorn tree with Ivy.

A mature oak tree in a hedge bordering a field on the walk along the footpath that goes from Church Lane. Endon, to Holehouse Lane. After a very productive "mast" year last year, when many acorns and much Beech mast was produced this year none of the local Oak trees have produced any acorns.

However this Holly tree has plenty of berries - this on a footpath between Hill Top and Church Lane, Endon.