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Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
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The bright yellow head chest make male Yellowhammers an unmistakeable bird of lowland farmland (see BTO atlas map). They often sing from the top of a hedge or bush - their song is easily remembered as it sounds like the bird is saying 'a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheeeeeese'. Their numbers have declined nationally by over 50%, though they seem to be faring better in Scotland than south of the border. Have you seen one this summer?
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Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
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The shallow waters off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway are suitable for only a small range of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Recent summers have seen regular sightings of Bottlenose Dolphins - much larger (up to 3.8m) than the commoner Harbour Porpoise (up to 1.7m) with a tall, curved dorsal fin, they are often active and playful, bow-riding and leaping clear of the water. Most sightings in recent summers have been from the Kirkcudbrightshire coast and Luce Bay.
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Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
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Hedgehogs need no description and are easily recognised by everyone. They breed during the summer months and hoglets may be found any time from May onwards. They are welcomed by gardeners, as they munch their way through slugs, beetles and other invertebrates. Research suggests they have undergone a rapid decline in numbers nationally, perhaps as much as 40% in the last 10 years. We'd love to know if you have seen them in your garden, or even a road casualty.
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Four-spotted Chaser
Libellula quadrimaculata
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This is one of the first common dragonflies to emerge. Males and females are similarly marked and are easily recognised by the combination of their brown, black and gold markings, dark spots half-way along their wings (all dragonflies have darker spots near the tips of their wings) and the black and gold colouring at the base of their wings. They are widespread in western Scotland but less common in the east of the country.
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Species to look out for in June
