Friday 26 June 2009

Early this morning I was awoken by a thunderstorm and heavy rain, but it had all but cleared by 07:00hrs, although the rest of the day was mostly cloudy, there were some sunny intervals, and it felt hot, humid, and uncomfortable in these spells.

This afternoons visit was curtailed to just 90 minutes, it was just too hot and humid for me, I may go out later this evening. I did get to visit the lakeside scrub, and was surprised at the amount of BLACKCAP and CHIFFCHAFF song, I didn't get to photograph any though, the now very dense undergrowth hides them well. Whilst I roamed, I came across a feeding party of birds, again there were Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs present, with BLUE and GREAT TITS, and a family of TREECREEPERS, as I waited for a photo opportunity, I could here at least 2 TURTLE DOVES singing, and an unseen WHITETHROAT scolded me from a thick clump of brambles.

As I trudged back towards home, dehydrated, and leg weary, I saw a large Butterfly, it alighted on an old drainpipe, and showed itself to be a Red admiral, this one, unlike yesterdays, did open its wings, moments later I got a pic of a speckled Wood, a butterfly that I didn't get a photo of yesterday.

Nearing home I saw the KESTREL hunting around its usual haunt- the greenhouses, which wasn't appreciated by the PIED WAGTAILS, and 4 anxious BLACKBIRDS that gave their ''pink'' ''pink'' alarm calls until it moved on.
I'll be glad to get out early in the morning, when it's much fresher. I still need 4 more new species for the month to beat last years record, time is running out!


Above and below are the photo's I managed to get of the Treecreepers. A bit blurry - for some reason I didn't have a steady hand today, too hot!!
Below is the Red Admiral Butterfly on an old drainpipe, it could have found something more natural to show itself off!
Next is the Speckled Wood Butterfly
I also got a few photo's of damselflies, as i passed the run off pool in the tree nursery, this one is a Blue Tailed.
I think these two mating are Common Blue (Edit - I'm wrong - Again. They're Azure's :-( )
I think this one is another Common Blue ( Edit - Another Azure, thanks greenie!)
I came across a patch of Ragwort in the tree nursery, with the obligatory cinnabar moth caterpillars on it.
This Flower was in the scrub area, Anyone know what it is ?









10 comments:

swatson said...

lovely photos warren,the treecreepers feathers are remarkable camouflage
Sheila

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Starting from the botom , from this distance your flower looks like Musk Mallow , normally rose-pink , but can be found paler .
Now , it looks like the butterfly ID has left the Odonata ID behind . Your mating pair are Azure Damselflies , as is the single below .
Where the last segment shows blue under and black above , would be all blue on the Common Blue Damselfly . We'll put it down to dehydration .
We didn't even get your thunderstorm , just a spinkling of rain early morning .
Good luck with the last four species .

Ken. said...

Hi Warren. Sorry the weather was too much for you today, although it is surpose to be getting hotter next week.
Nice picture of the Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars.
Have a good weekend.

Kelly said...

...I always love your treecreepers. They look so much like our Brown Creepers, but ours are migratory and are only winter visitors. They spend their summers way up north! (We had terrible storms in the wee hours of the morning as well...).

Anonymous said...

Like Greenie says, Warren. The "white" variety of Musk Mallow.

ShySongbird said...

I find it very frustrating, when on a walk, to hear birdsong in a tree close by but not to be able to actually 'find' it, I suppose that's one good thing to be said for Winter!

It must be so much more rewarding to recognise so many birds by song as you do .... I keep trying!

I love warm and sunny weather but hot and humid doesn't suit me at all and never has so I know how you feel Warren.

How lovely to get a photo of a Treecreeper or even to just see one would thrill me.

I would have shared your annoyance at getting a photo of the lovely Red Admiral but on a not so lovely pipe :)

Chris said...

Hi Warrne,
Nice you still managed to get a nice day even if the weather started badly!!! Gosh the treecreepers are so hard to get nice shots of! I've seen them in Belgium, France and Finland, but was never able to get a nice shot!!

Jann said...

I like that back shot of the tree creeper, very pretty markings. Looks like you found several interesting subjects; nice! I'm like you, I don't fair well in the humid heat.

JRandSue said...

Hi Warren,it would seem that you've ticked all the right box's.
Treecreepers Butterflies and Damselflies,love them all.
Well done you.
John.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Warren: Very nice captures today. Our Nuthatches go around the trees like the creeper.