For a change...

Out and about with JWR this morning found us down checking the Coquet and Aln Estuaries. A few waders were about with 1 Ruff (above), 4 Black Tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers as well as the usual coastal birds such as Dunlin, Redshank, Ringed Plovers etc. In the car park at Amble Braid this Lesser Whitethroat (above) showed on and off quite frustratingly.

The autumn colour around the shrubs was very nice in the warm sunshine.

There have been quite a few butterflies around over the last two days. Today we had Red Admirals in good numbers, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Copper, Wall Brown and Large White.

From here we headed up to Alnwick Moor for some dragonflies...

Black Darter (top) and Common Hawker (bottom) were plentiful. Back at home a dozen Common Darters (centre) were on the village pond. I was pleased to find a single Black Darter here too, my first in the lowlands.

I think these fungi are Russula emetica, a common species in coniferous woodland. There were loads in here.  

Oh and 'Lest ye forget'....

Turnip Moth was new in a batch of 86 moths of 21 species last night.

And I said that I had some birds to update -

Wednesday -

In our garden, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warblers. On the coast path 3 Blackcaps, 1 Sedge and another Grasshopper Warbler, 1+ Wheatears. The male Redstart was still present and 1 Yellow Wagtail flew S.

Thursday - 

A lot of the migrants have cleared out but the Garden Warbler was still around our garden. In the back field were 1 Stock Dove, 11 Grey Partridges, 100 Lapwings, 8 Golden Plover and 35+ Meadow Pipits.

Friday -

A good few hirundines have been moving south over the last day or two accompanied by 3 Swifts today. Also, a nice female Redstart showed well in our Village Wood. A Willow Warbler trapped itself in our porch and was rescued by Jane.