|
|
|
Author |
|
Message | |
|
dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45381 Location: yes
|
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 16 11:50 pm Post subject: |
|
Last week was another Mobday wah-out, as you may have guessed. But this week there was no rain, and even sunshine.
Our main quarry was the Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni) which we found, if not in abundance, at least in reasonable numbers (not quite outnumbered by butterfly photographers). Though they were coming down out of the Blackthorn canopy to nectar, they were still a bit frisky, but I managed this shot:
.
There were also Ringlets and Meadow Browns fluttering about, as well as innumerable bees, flies and other nectar feeders.
We also found a couple of Common Lizards (Lacerta (Zootoca) vivipara), one of which was very shy, but the other was more obliging:
All in all a good morning, and on the way there we saw several red Kites (or at least you did if you were sitting on the right side of the car!) and on the way back we saw a Marsh Harrier and a couple of Little Owls.
Henry |
|
|
|
|
dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45381 Location: yes
|
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
|
|
|
|
sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42207 Location: North Devon
|
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 16 11:38 pm Post subject: |
|
This week we were looking for butterflies. We saw Purple Emperors, Purple Hairstreaks, White Admirals, Red Admirals, Peacocks, Ringlets, Meadows Browns and three kinds of White.
Well, when I say 'saw' it varied from excellent close views of Ringlets to small black dots (P. Hairstreaks) or bigger black dots (P. Emperors) dashing from branch to branch high up in oak trees. One or two of us had much better views of Purple Emperors, but we have forgiven them!
Saw another Common Lizard - some saw a couple of others, but here is the one I had a good look at:-
.
We also saw several of the Yellow and Black Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata) including a pair vigorously involved in procreation whilst, at the same time, feasting on the flowers of Meadowsweet. Look away now if you are offended by beetle porn!
OK, you can open your eyes now!
Henry |
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 16 12:25 am Post subject: |
|
This week we went to an ex-quarry, now lumpy grassland with masses of wild flowers.
First spot was a Painted Lady (several, in fact). This one was conveniently on gravel in somebody's garden, rather tha the others which were feeding high up on Buddleia flowers:
Vanessa cardui for those that care. Given the excellent condition of this one, and the others we saw, they are probably offspring of early migrants, rather than recent arrivals from Africa.
We saw lots of flowers, including Wild Basil, Clustered Bellflower, Toadflax, Scabious, Dodder, Greater Knapweed, Harebell and Dyer's Greenweed, of which more later (in another post). The last species I stopped to photograph was this:
the Snowy Inkcap (Coprinus niveus), which is apparently growing on dung! (We didn't bother to check!)
More later when I have more time.
Henry |
|
|
|
|
Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15539
|
|
|
|
|
buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
|
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 16 11:58 pm Post subject: |
|
Sorry for delay in posting this week's report. Have had three days of the in-laws, encompassing a visit to see Jaki's and my new grandson, who is lovely!
We walked round some flooded gravel pits in pleasant, not too sunny weather. Quite a lot of distant birds, ducks, gulls, a Little Egret, Mute Swans, Egyptian Geese, Canada Geese and so on. We heard a Bullfinch quite close, but I failed to see it, and I don't think anyone else did. Several dragonflies - not as many as we had hoped to see.
I photographed Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus):
and White Water Lily (Nymphaea alba);
because I think they are beautiful.
Henry |
|
|
|
|
|
Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
|