A lovely day...

Met John down at Alnmouth this morning ( well, he had gone to my house before hand forgetting the arrangements :) . A short wander around had my first ( well, my first countable after the tape luring debacle a couple of weeks ago) Sedge Warbler of the year. A single bird was parachuting from a small phragmites patch near the cricket nets. Also here a single Black tailed Godwit was on the flood meadow nearby.

Sedge Warbler in habitat.

Yellow Wagtails new in, like animated dandelions...

From here we headed south to Chevington to see the summer plumaged Black Tern that has been around since Friday. I saw it on Friday on my way home from work, but we don't get too many looking like this so it was well worth another look. Too distant for photos but nice in the scope.

A close Grasshopper Warbler singing to another bird across the ditch was nice, again my first for the year was here on Friday night after being hoodwinked by an arse with a tape machine two weeks ago.

Grasshoppper Warbler.

We decided that the fleshpots of the bay were too much for us anti-social types so we made off slightly inland to some old stomping ground by Widdrington Tip / Felton Lane.

We didn't see much, but a male Orange Tip was  my first this season along with 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Peacock, 2+ Green veined White, and a couple of Small Whites. This was a very pleasant area to wander around looking for insects and plants. There aren't any decent brown field sites in the north of the county, so this was like returning to my roots...we will be back on another warm day for sure...

Green veined White on a yellow wagtail...

Cool nights have quietened the moth trap, but this Streamer was nice to get...

A Drive of Activity...

After Friday's Royal Wedding party at our Village Hall it was back to normal today, thank goodness.

Today was nice and warm in the sunshine, but in the nagging easterly breeze it could be very cool. Our drive way at home is nicely sheltered from the east, and the garden wildlife was taking full advantage ...

Above - This is the end of the drive, where I operate the moth trap. As you can see, 'wildness' is actively encouraged and apart from hand pulling clumps of grass and nettles, other plants are left for the wildlife. In here are Buddleia, Ivy and Forsythia, Periwinkle and Elder, while in the hardcore are Mullein, Black Medic, Dandelion, Ivy leaved Toadflax, Willowherbs, Teasel, Clover, Cow Parsley etc. Its a nice sunny spot on a day like today...

These Goldfinches and a pair of Greenfinches have been dandelioning daily and this morning a Tree Sparrow was collecting nesting material...

While above a pair of Swallows are investigating the shed...But the main interest has been from butterflies...

Wall Brown, the first of the year.

Orange Tips, usually too quick to photograph. Never still for a second. At least 3 males have been in the garden.

Small Tortoiseshell on White Dead Nettle.

Green veined Whites, this one on Honesty.

So, it just shows what is around if you neglect a little strip of hardcore!