This month’s highlights
The Heath in June resembles a nursery. On the ponds, you can now find Swans, Canada and Egyptian Geese, Mallards and Mandarin Ducks with their broods. Listen for the constant chirping calls of young Great Spotted Woodpeckers in their treeholes. And look out for young kestrels learning to fly and hunt.
Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding young 
Young Kestrels at nest hole
On sunny June days, damselflies and dragonflies will begin to appear. Delicate red and blue damselflies will hunt in pondside vegetation.
Large Red Damselfly 
Common Blue Damselfly
Another Heath insect to look out for is the remarkable long-horned moth, whose antennae are many times the length of its body.
Yellow-barred Longhorn Moth
You can often find these swarming on plants as shown in this video.
June plants to look out for include Meadow Cranesbill and Birdsfoot Trefoil. The latter is the food plant of Common Blue butterflies, which will appear in June.
Meadow Cranesbill 
Birdsfoot Trefoil with Common Blue Butterfly
All photos by Adrian Brooker.
Biodiversity and you – make a difference!
Acknowledgements
This year’s biodiversity interpretation boards are a collaboration between City of London, English Heritage, Heath Hands, Marylebone Birdwatching Society, London Natural History Society and Heath & Hampstead Society. Boards will change with the seasons – view them all to the left.
