Sunday, May 24, 2009

A nice sunny warm day with an ever so slightly irritating SW5 breeze...

Last night there were 3 Brown Hares feeding in the back field. As my sister in law has not seen one she suggested I take a photo for her...



Above - 2 Hares for Lillian, in habitat...



Above - and closer up...

Then it was off up the Harthope Valley with JWR for a wander...



Above - The views up the Carey Burn were spectacular...



Above - All of the Hawthorns were in blossom but this bush had more blossom than leaf. It was laden down with it...




Above - A few Beetles were on the track, a nice shiny Dung Beetle that reminds me of a blackcurrant fruit gum, and this metallic green thing...



Above - Then JWR spotted this, a Mother Shipton moth, a lifer for me. I have often looked in silent envy when Dean posts one on his blog. I didn't even think they occurred in the county. They get their name from the wing patterns that look like two witches facing each other. I'll look out for them more often now.



Above - My first Small Copper of the year. We had 3 Small Heaths too, but none good enough to photograph...





Above - Tree Pipit and Whinchat near Langleeford. Birds were elusive today with most being heard with fleeting glimpses - 2 Green Woodpecker, 6+ Lesser Redpoll, 2 Whinchat, 2+ Tree Pipit, 6 Redstarts singing, 2 Cuckoos, 3 Buzzards and a single Red legged Partridge. Both Blackcap and Garden Warbler were singing, but there was no sign of any Ring Ouzels...

8 comments:

Bryan Rains said...

Stunning photos as usual. Do you get Lesser Redpoll in good summer plumage? I don't recall any nicely coloured birds in N/land but up here they are stunning, conversely Linnets tend to be very dull.

Anonymous said...

Envy no more, Stewart. Nice one.
This is definately one species that proves you don`t have to be gawdy to be a looker.

oldcrow61 said...

Great photos. The butterflies are wonderful and what a great picture of the hare.

Warren Baker said...

Nice little Whinchat Stewart. I love these birds, I wish they bred down here!

Alan Tilmouth said...

Are Dung Beetles edible then?

Kingsdowner said...

Nice tree pipit - they seem to be scarce down here this year.

Continuing the edible bug theme, the green one looks like a mint beetle.

abbey meadows said...

I was up there yesterday. I saw lots of Dung beetles and I had a green beetle(same type)on my hand. There were a similar number of Redpolls at Langleeford.

Stewart said...

Brian - The Redpolls were all dancing about overhead but one or two were definately well coloured up.
Alan - That one was slightly bitter, and it gets stuck in your teeth...

KD - Its a good job I had a minty number to take the taste away :)

Thanks for the comments all...