SO AUGUST is here already and, to be honest, it feels like we haven’t had much of a summer yet.

Let’s not get too miserable just yet, though – August, September and even October can be the best months of the year weather-wise and, as always, there’s plenty to see in our countryside.

Thistles are a common sight around the county, so common that perhaps we take them for granted.

There are several species in East Lothian – creeping thistle is found in pretty much any piece of rough ground, spear thistle is the classic Scottish thistle, and marsh thistle can be found in, well, marshy places (e.g. marshes).

However, there are other thistles that may have crept under many people’s radar. One is musk thistle, which can be seen at a number of sites, including Longniddry Bents.

As the name suggests, the large red-purple flower heads have a musky smell, which is not to everyone’s taste.

Musk thistle (Image: Contributed)

As a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae, if you want to get technical), thistle heads are not one big flower but are made up of many tiny florets, each of which is capable of producing a seed. In musk thistle, the flower heads are backed by fierce-looking scaly bracts and have a characteristic droop, leading to the alternative name of 'nodding thistle'.

The droopy part of the stem, just below the flower, is often bald – a sharp contrast to the rest of the plant, which is a subtle blend of hairy and spiky.

As with most thistles, this is a plant which is attractive to many insects, including bees and butterflies. The large number of seeds produced also attracts feeding birds, so even if the flowers have gone over, these plants are worth keeping an eye on.

Thistle seeds are a favourite food for goldfinches, and plants may be visited by large flocks of these birds in late summer.

The goldfinch is a cracking little bird with a beautiful liquid twittering song.

Goldfinch (Image: Contributed)

Adult birds are easily identified by the red, white and black colouring on the face and head. This is absent in juveniles, but goldfinches of all ages share striking black and gold-yellow wings which can be clearly seen in flight.

The beak is relatively long and is well adapted for feeding on the seeds of thistle and teasels, although goldfinches will also take insects, especially during the breeding season.

Goldfinch numbers appear to have grown significantly in recent years, which is nice. This may be linked to a decline in the closely related greenfinch.

This latter species has suffered greatly from trichomoniasis, a disease associated with pigeons. Goldfinches may have taken the opportunity to fill in the gaps left by missing greenfinches.

However, another probable reason is an increase in these birds using garden feeders, particularly those filled with niger and sunflower seeds.

So, there we go, some good conservation news for a change and it’s all down to you lovely people and your bird feeders – well done!