Monday 5 July 2010

A new week, and the weather is still warm and sunny, - perfect summer conditions.

After work this afternoon I took a walk over to the Lakeside scrub area, hoping to add a Mistle Thrush, or Grey Heron to the months list, but neither was found. In fact it was a typical July afternoon, with just a couple of BLACKCAP singing, along with a CHIFFCHAFF. A SPARROWHAWK was seen going over with an item of prey, but other than that it was pretty dull for birds.

I went and spent some time looking for the Purple Haistreak Butterflies, and after 20mins I saw one perched on an Oak leaf. It was quite high up, and well into the brambles and nettles, unfortunately I was wearing shorts, and in trying to get a photo of the thing I got stung and scratched, and bitten by Mosquitoes :-). I decided to leave it, and got more nettles stings as I retraced my steps back onto the path. Whilst bending down to scratch my itches, a Purple hairstreak came and alighted two feet in front of me - Doh!

Here's the resulting Pictures of it. ( Just for Kingsdowner )



There were also plenty of these Small Tortoiseshell still about, I think their recovery is well under way now.

Dragonflies were on the wing, and I saw a Brown Hawker whizz past, but this Southern Hawker ( I think), settled down for a photo.

This Darter is my first of the year here, I think this is a Common Darter

This last Photo is of a Large Hover fly, Dean can tell me which kind :-)
Cheers Dean: Volucella Zonaria it is - a catchy little name :-)







9 comments:

Phil said...

Hi Warren. Seems like we had a very similar day. I too got Purple Hairstreaks today ( a first for me), and stings and scratches and bites. Nobody knows the perils we face do they.

Claudia said...

Your photos are lovely.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Still no PH here .
You are spot on with your Odonata ID , and I'll leave Dean to say if your Hoverfly is Volucella zonaria , or not !

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Early for migrant hawkers up here. Nice purple hairs...send some this way wou'ja

Cheers

Davo

Anonymous said...

Sorry about being late in having a look at your Hoverfly, Warren.
Greenie`s spot on with the id, btw.

I also had a search for PH`s but the breezy conditions weren`t in my favour.

Monika said...

Yikes! At least you got the purple hairstreak photos after getting stung, bitten, and scratched.

Wilma said...

Hi Warren,

don't know how it is that I have missed following your blog before. You always leave such great comments for many of the blogs that I read, but somehow I had never clicked on your's. Guess I'll have to make up for lost time. ;-)

cheers,
Wilma

ShySongbird said...

Great to see those PHs, I need to go and lurk around some Oak trees but not in shorts :)

Chris said...

Hi Warren,
Looks like a lot of people are turning to insect pictures cause the birds are not cooperating..... Beautiful set of pictures.....