The weather today was split into three. Early, sunshine with a light S3, noon, 100% cloud S5 spots of rain and evening clear blue skies with sunshine.
This morning we walked to the Pond Field. The meadows here are starting to come along nicely with many Northern Marsh Orchids in flower ( above).
On the pond itself, the Mutes have hatched out 4 cygnets, the Little Grebe is building for a second time after its first nest was flooded out and the young Herons sound very large now and are making such a racket in the trees.
Best thing though for me, was this battered looking Speckled Wood butterfly. My first in Northumberland and long awaited. they are very rare this far north on the coastal strip, I'll be looking out for a better specimen when the second lot are on the wing...
This afternoon a mystery was finally solved in the Village Wood. Over the weeks I have noticed eggs of Woodpigeon and Song Thrush lying on the paths and wondered where they have come from.
Today there were 9 Kittiwakes, 1 Pheasant and 2 Woodpigeons all broken and drained.
This bottom image shows two punture marks where the Carrion Crow has caried the eggs from the Kitti colony back home for breakfast...
2 comments:
I knew it wouldn`t be long before you got one in the bag, Stewart. First generation Speckled Woods have finished down here, now.
Them Carrion Crows are bleeders for raiding nests. And not only for eggs. I watched one last year take a nearly fledged Collared Dove out of a nest.
Fascinating to see those eggs. I was a collector when I was an eight - 10 year old, tch, tch! I was a bad 'un!
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