The Nature of the Touraine Loire Valley in September

Like many bird species, Cormorants will start gathering and moving through the area on migration. They use the river Loire like a highway.

Sunrise 8 am, sunset 7.30 pm. Average temperatures are starting to fall now, but we should still have maximums in the low 20°s and around 200 hours of sunlight.

Emerald damselflies Lestes spp of several species are late summer fliers. This one is a male Western Willow Spreadwing L. viridis, common and easy to distinguish from other similar species by its terracotta coloured pterostigma (the opaque cells near the wingtips).

Autumn Lady's Tresses Spiranthes spiralis are the last of the Touraine orchid species to flower.

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Fundraising for Cancer Research: Jim Budd is about to begin a fundraising cycling trip along the full length of the Loire. Money raised will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust and the  Fondation Gustave Roussy .  If you are in the area, why not join him for a stretch? I know he would really appreciate meeting new cycling companions. His journey starts on 17 September. If you wish to donate, go to the links above. If you want to contact him with regard to cycling a section with him I can give you his email address.