What to see in June!

This is a quiet month for birds on the estuary and the vast mudflats appear quite empty compared to the thousands of birds in winter. Perhaps the Shelducks are the most interesting because some nest as far away as Woodbury Common, where they often nest in rabbit burrows. They then have to walk their tiny ducklings 3 or 4 km along the road, often holding up traffic, down to the estuary before they can feed. On reaching the river the ducklings "crèche" with particular ducks and you may see a mother with 20 or more ducklings, only a few of which are hers.

June is definitely a wild flower month and flowers are great and everywhere at this time, you should be able to find a hundred different kinds in a day's walk easily. Exton Marsh, (a forgotten treasure) is the best place to find special salt marsh plants. The tiny but beautiful Sea Milkwort grows here by the tens of thousands and Sea Lavender with its blue, everlasting flowers will be out at this time.

The dunes at Dawlish Warren are at their best throughout this and next month for their wild flowers. After Braunton Burrows in North Devon the Warren is by far the best place in Devon for its sheer diversity of wild plants. Some like the tiny Dune Cranes-bill and Sea Mouse-ear you need to get down on your hands and knees to see, while Hounds-tongue and many of the orchids are easy to see.

June sees great activity from the world of Dragon and Damselflies and it is possible to find around twenty different species on our marshlands along the estuaries and Jurassic Coast. Identifying these beautiful creatures is somewhat of a challenge but well worth the effort.

This month is by far the best time to explore the coast path at Branscombe and the under-cliff.

Explore the beach and Triassic sea-stacks and caves at Ladram Bay. This is I think one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

Get out there and explore but take the time to look around you, what you can find is truly amazing.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN JUNE

* Enjoy a huge variety of wild flowers and insects all along the coast. Orchids, such as the wonderful Pyramidal will be out now along the cliff tops on limey soils such as you find on the Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks along the Jurassic Coast.

* Many young birds will be leaving their nests now and swelling the numbers of hedgerow species.

* Take a walk at Exminster Marshes for flowers and dragonflies.

* The water is warming up and it is now that life in the rock pools can be explored. The Maer rocks at Exmouth are good but Ladram Bay is excellent.

Rod Lawrence