Thursday 15 July 2010

Each day this week the weather has got progressively worse, today it was blowing a gale, with morning rain and sunny spells in the afternoon.

I thought the best idea this afternoon would be to get out of the wind as much as possible, so I headed out to the lakes and scrub area. In the strong wind I didn't hear a single bird over the roar of the tree canopy, and just a GREEN WOODPECKER was seen!

On the the largest lake, there were two MALLARD and 6 CANADA GEESE, the middle lake had nothing at all, and the smallest had 6 more Canada Geese. I was hoping for a Mandarin Duck, as they do appear occasionally in July.

In the scrub, I was hoping for another bird thats often first seen in July, the Marsh Tit, one or two birds have spent the autumn/winter here in the last few years, but there's no sign of one yet. I also kept an eye out for a Garden Warbler, but drew a blank there too.

There was nothing left to do but chase the Butterflies, and that was easier said than done in the gusty winds. I was suprised though by just how many I found, as well as the few photographed below, I also saw Green Viened White, Small White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Holly Blue

Above; Large White

Above and Below: A Purple Hairstreak. There were scores of these around today, and many of them settled with wings open, giving me superb views of their irredescent puple coloured wings, but frustratingly, always out of camera reach, or at the wrong camera angle. When I did get on to one the wind blew the whole tree about, it was amazing how these little butterflies gripped on.


This Red Admiral looked as though it had emerged just hours ago, but again the wind was blowing it about, making for a worse than expected photo.

I also had this comma, flitting around

lastly a Gatekeeper, of which there were again scores of.







7 comments:

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Nice little haul there Warren - found a site for Purple hairstreaks not to far away, and might try for the large Heaths not been to that site for a few years but it is clegg hell

Cheers

davo

Bob Bushell said...

The Large White is lovely and the Purple Hairstreak, Warren, I have never seen one.

Adam said...

Great Large White shot Warren - caught the light just right!

Adam

Sharon said...

Gorgeous photos Warren - I think the Comma has to be my favourite kind, they have a rugged beauty about them.

Jann said...

Nice butterfly shots, the hairstreak ones really caught the purple color. I was trying to get butterfly shots during a breezy day today too, sooo fun! Not!

Anonymous said...

Nice set there Warren. I`ve only seen 1 Red Admiral so far, this year.

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photo of the Large White, Warren. I haven't seen any Red Admirals at all so far this year and I have never seen a PH.

It has been blowing a gale here for two days now:(