Above - My seawatch spot. Its no Newbiggin but I'm looking forward to the autumn...The shot below is of Sea Plantain. It grows plentifully here...
Although I sat for an hour or so, there was no sign of the flipper family. The best the seawatch could offer was a fs Little Gull N, 12 Manxies,4 Common Scoter, boat loads of Puffins, Razorbills and Guillemots, Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes with smaller numbers of Arctic and Sandwich Terns. On flickery winged bird was almost certainly a Roseate, but the early morning light and distance prevented clinching the i.d.
Above - While I sat, a Rock Pipit displayed overhead nearby...
Above - Last night a Common Swift came into our kitchen. A Common Swift Moth that is, not the bird. After photos this morning it was released unharmed.
Mid morning the sun came out and the day turned hot and sunny so I headed west all of 2 miles to check out Little Mill ex quarry. This is a small NWT reserve and consists of a small pond with about a field of meadow. The grassland was full of Yellow Rattle, Meadow Vetchling and Birds foot Trefoil. It was here I had 21 male and 3 female Common Blue Butterflies, a good count.
Above - This Willow Warbler's nest full of young was in the meadow at the base of a small hawthorn...
The pond had lots of Common Blue and Blue tailed Damselflies and was edged with Celery leaved Crowfoot, Water Plantain, Greater Spearwort and various rushes.
In the garden later a Large Skipper and a pair of Siskins was noteworthy while I cut the grass and the Barn Owls put on their usual show from the drive.
4 comments:
When you get older Stewart you will get up before dawn with no problem, but it's usually to go to the Loo !!!!
Brian
It's all starting to come together now, the move to tiny hamlet far from view, pagan festivals, you'll be burning effigies and dancing naked next (shudder)
To think i was excited with just a single Commmon Blue!
If the barn owls are hunting in the day, does that mean there is not much prey for them, and they cant get enough at night ?
maybe the nights are too short now :-)
NB - Too much info there Brian...
Alan - Sorry I must dash, the fire needs some wood...
Warren - I was pleased to see so many Blues too, most Barn Owls aften hunt during the day in the summer when feeding young, I dont think it relates solely to prey availability? Good for us, that...
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