Wold Garth - Week Eighteen (30th April-6th May 2013)
The weather was superb during the eighteenth week of 2013 with temperatures eventually climbing above 20 C for the first time this year, and with largely clear skies and strong late spring sunshine it was a joy to be out and about around Wold Garth throughout most of the week. The sighting of the first Swifts (Y109) of 2013 was another reason to be joyful, while other good sightings during the week included a few Yellow Wagtails in the nearby fields, and the continuing presence of a calling Cuckoo within the wider Wold Garth area (which roughly speaking covers the area SW of Beverley). Butterfly numbers though were somewhat disappointing with just a few Peacocks, Holly Blues, Green-veined White, Large White and Small White.
The weather was superb during the eighteenth week of 2013 with temperatures eventually climbing above 20 C for the first time this year, and with largely clear skies and strong late spring sunshine it was a joy to be out and about around Wold Garth throughout most of the week. The sighting of the first Swifts (Y109) of 2013 was another reason to be joyful, while other good sightings during the week included a few Yellow Wagtails in the nearby fields, and the continuing presence of a calling Cuckoo within the wider Wold Garth area (which roughly speaking covers the area SW of Beverley). Butterfly numbers though were somewhat disappointing with just a few Peacocks, Holly Blues, Green-veined White, Large White and Small White.
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| A handsome 'blue' Pheasant |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Chaffinch |
Weather Statistics for Week Eighteen (30th April-6th May 2013)
Average Temperature : 10.7 C / 51.3 F (1.0 C above average)
Average Maximum : 17.0 C / 62.6 F (3.3 C above average)
Average Minimum : 4.2 C / 39.6 F (1.4 C below average)
Highest Maximum : 20.8 C / 69.4 F (6th)
Lowest Minimum : -0.4 C / 31.3 F (1st)
Total Rainfall : 0.8 mm / 0.03 inches (6% of the average)
Total Sunshine : 57.2 hours (139% of the average)
The warm, sunny and dry spell of weather continued for another week, with temperatures climbing ever higher throughout the week and eventually exceeding 20 C for the first time this year on the 6th. Daytime temperatures were well above average (3.3 C above normal in fact), thanks to the abundant sunshine this week, but in contrast nighttime temperatures were actually over a degree centigrade below normal, with even an air frost recorded on the 1st of May, but considering the clear nights this is perhaps not a surprising statistic. Rain was recorded on just one day with a meagre 0.8 mm on the 3rd and this long spell of dry weather is certainly beginning to impact the garden and the wider countryside as the soil becomes very barren after weeks of below average rainfall and drying winds. However on the plus side this does mean we are enjoying some beautiful spring sunshine at the moment, and this week saw a few days which saw near continuous sunshine with barely a cloud in the sky.
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| A misty morning this week (18) |
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| Yellowhammer portrait |
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| Record shot of a Yellow Wagtail |
Wold Garth - Week Nineteen (7th-13th May 2013)
The nineteenth week began as the last week left off with temperatures climbing to nearly 22 C on the 7th, but thereafter the week became cooler and more unsettled which unsurprisingly has had an effect on the nature and wildlife of the garden and the greater Wold Garth area. Indeed hardly any butterflies have been seen this week, with just the odd White and Peacock here and there, and even Bee and Hoverfly numbers have been noticeably depressed after the peaks of activity during late April and early May. The number of Swifts in the sky above has only marginally increased as well, with Swallows still easily outnumbering them at the moment (in high summer Swifts tend to dominate here) and there has been no sign of last weeks Cuckoo :-( The cool weather has additionally seen moth trapping come to a grinding halt and I was only able to use the trap once this week (this attracting one each of Early Thorn, Least Black Arches and Brown House Moth) though hopefully by the time I return from my holiday to NW Norfolk things will have improved somewhat.
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| Small White |
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| Another Least Black Arches was caught last week (19) |
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| A Tree Sparrow and a couple of Linnets near Model Farm |
Weather Statistics for Week Nineteen (7th-13th May 2013)
Average Temperature : 10.9 C / 51.6 F (0.2 C below average)
Average Maximum : 15.9 C / 60.6 F (0.5 C above average)
Average Minimum : 6.0 C / 42.8 F (0.8 C below average)
Highest Maximum : 21.8 C / 71.2 F (7th)
Lowest Minimum : 5.3 C / 41.5 F (12th)
Total Rainfall : 8.5 mm / 0.33 inches (69% of the average)
Total Sunshine : 30.6 hours (64% of the average)
A transitional week which began with warm and indeed summery weather but gradually became cooler and more unsettled with some showers or longer spells of rain at times. Indeed on the 7th the temperature reached a high of 21.8 C, the highest maximum recorded so far this year, but in contrast the 11th saw a disappointing high of just 12.9 C. Nevertheless temperatures were overall only slightly below normal, but it was the lack of sunshine during the latter part of the week which gave the week its cool and unseasonable feel with little more than two-thirds of the average sunshine being recorded. Rainfall meanwhile was below average despite the showers during the week, many of which contained hail at times, but after what has been a dry spring the rain was actually quite welcomed :-)
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| Apple blossom in the garden |
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| Record shot of a Swift |
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| A singing Robin near Old Hall Farm |
