Thankfully the weather was not so hot'n'humid today, but it was still warm in the sunny periods.
I waited till 16:00hrs until my afternoon walk today, my usual stroll around the tree nursery and the paddocks, sheep pasture and Maize crop was carried out, but it was all very familiar. The tree nursery did provide the first JAY of the month though, and in the hedgerow border, a WHITETHROAT sang, this bird has been non-stop singing all summer, even when it was sweltering hot it just kept going, what a star!
The KESTREL was observed hunting around the greenhouses as I crossed to migrant alley, it went over to the tree nursery and perched on a telegraph pole, would have made a nice photo - but I wasn't about to walk all the way back over there again!
I spent 40mins watching the sky at Migrant Alley, a SPARROWHAWK went low over, and a few HERRING GULLS went south, with them were the first LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS of the month. Three SKYLARKS got up from the maize crop to sing, and the usual LINNETS and PIED WAGTIALS were about. A circuit of the fields was a waste of time - as the work on the pipeline was still going on today, but I did find a YELLOWHAMMER (top photo) taking food to a nest site, which was situated in a hedgerow right next to all the noise and nuisance of the work going on, the only yellowhammer to be breeding on my patch this year. A species that seems to be declining nationwide now. :-(
A quick look at what I recorded last July was interesting - I found a migrant Reed Warbler on the 6th, a Whimbrel flew over on the 13th, Sand Martins were seen on the 13th and 14th, and a Whinchat was in the Maize on the 26th - i'll settle for those 4 this month!
Above a Dunnock and below a Comma Butterfly that had hijacked my seat at Migrant Alley!
Below is another of those Black tailed Skimmers, the light was too strong to get that lovely blue colour on the abdomen. (Edit after greenies comment. I know it's a Broad Bodied Chaser! I just had Black tailed Skimmer on my mind when I was writing !!) ;-)
I waited till 16:00hrs until my afternoon walk today, my usual stroll around the tree nursery and the paddocks, sheep pasture and Maize crop was carried out, but it was all very familiar. The tree nursery did provide the first JAY of the month though, and in the hedgerow border, a WHITETHROAT sang, this bird has been non-stop singing all summer, even when it was sweltering hot it just kept going, what a star!
The KESTREL was observed hunting around the greenhouses as I crossed to migrant alley, it went over to the tree nursery and perched on a telegraph pole, would have made a nice photo - but I wasn't about to walk all the way back over there again!
I spent 40mins watching the sky at Migrant Alley, a SPARROWHAWK went low over, and a few HERRING GULLS went south, with them were the first LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS of the month. Three SKYLARKS got up from the maize crop to sing, and the usual LINNETS and PIED WAGTIALS were about. A circuit of the fields was a waste of time - as the work on the pipeline was still going on today, but I did find a YELLOWHAMMER (top photo) taking food to a nest site, which was situated in a hedgerow right next to all the noise and nuisance of the work going on, the only yellowhammer to be breeding on my patch this year. A species that seems to be declining nationwide now. :-(
A quick look at what I recorded last July was interesting - I found a migrant Reed Warbler on the 6th, a Whimbrel flew over on the 13th, Sand Martins were seen on the 13th and 14th, and a Whinchat was in the Maize on the 26th - i'll settle for those 4 this month!
Above a Dunnock and below a Comma Butterfly that had hijacked my seat at Migrant Alley!
Below is another of those Black tailed Skimmers, the light was too strong to get that lovely blue colour on the abdomen. (Edit after greenies comment. I know it's a Broad Bodied Chaser! I just had Black tailed Skimmer on my mind when I was writing !!) ;-)
7 comments:
Love your Black tailed Skimmer,
good capture.
Brilliant shot.
Well done.
John.
Warren ,
You were going really well till the last shot .
Dark patches at base of wings , broad abdomen - Broad Bodied Chaser .
No dark patches on BTS .
I remember you getting all excited with that Whinchat last year .
...you're cooling off, and our weather is starting to heat back up. It was 70s this week, but 90s next. Lovely photos....
Lovely photos Warren. One of our regular walks is along a disused railway line, which a few years ago was a guaranteed place to see Yellowhammers, there don't seem to be any there now, it is very sad.
lovely photos Warren especially like the yellowhammer.I am upset at having to stop feeding my birds as the yellowhammer, like yours,was taking beakfuls of food obviously feeding young.Hope it doesnt have an adverse effect on them
Warren, great shots! What species is that yellowhammer? I wonder how many different dragonflies and butterflies there are in the world...ga-zillions?! Always interesting to see what others find/have in their region.
J'ellen,
The Yellowhammer is a Bunting. Maybe I'll get a better shot next time!
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