Tuesday 23 July 2013

The left overs of some intense overnight thunderstorms didn't clear till around 07:30hrs, far too late for a meaningful patch visit.

With the threat of more thundery showers, I only stayed within a short distance of home, not wanted to get soaked  :-)  A walk around the Ashes lane field was had, where a COMMON BUZZARD was seen flying low over, and a WHITETHROAT sang in one of the boundary hedgerows, a scan of the run off pool, which is drying out rapidly now, at the far side of the field, didn't provide me with a Grey Wagtail though, or more unlikely, but not impossible, a Green Sandpiper  :-)

I also had walk around the Greenhouse Grounds, finding CHIFFCHAFF, BLACKCAP and the Whitethroat family there as well as the regular resident species. The sky began to clear a bit, so i took up position from my Sky watching seat at Migrant Alley, I could straight away see a flock of GREYLAG GEESE on the sheep pasture, at least 100 were there, along with 4 CANADA GEESE. A STARLING flock joined them, around 50 strong, and the ROOKS, JACKDAWS and CARRION CROWS paced around the paddocks, until flushed off by the work crew building the football pitch there  :-(

Flyovers seen during my hours vigil were the expected local SWALLOWS and SWIFTS, which were again joined by at least four HOUSE MARTINS, a few PIED WAGTAILS and LINNETS, also local birds, zipped to and fro feeding their young. HERRING and LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS flew North, a SPARROWHAWK flew over low flushing up the Starlings, and a GREY HERON flew towards the Scrubby Woods, the hoped for Cormorant still eludes me though, ive never missed Cormorant off a months list, surely one will fly over soon   :-)

A pair of BULLFINCH were seen from my position as they fed in the Greenhouse Grounds, and the KESTREL family made an appearance on the Greenhouse roofs. The sky began to look threatening again, so I made my way home, but it passed without a drop of rain, in fact it hasn't rained all day, I fell for the weather forecast big time, I wont listen anymore!

I got a few insects photo's whilst out at the Greenhouse Grounds, something to brighten the page at least   :-)
This Green Veined White pair were mating
They were chased from place to place by another Male
I think the yellow one is the female, I've never seen one this yellow before
They never really settled in full view
There was always a piece of vegetation obscuring one or the other!

I found these Common Blue Damsels while photographing the Flutters

5 comments:

Greenie said...

Warren ,
That overnight rain was very hit and miss , and we missed it . We had a few drops lunchtime that dried immediately , nothing for the garden .
What's the betting that the next time you ignore the forecast , you'll get a soaking .

Warren Baker said...

Hey,
Greenie, Its raining now !! :-)

Pete Woodruff said...

Excellent shots of the pairing Green-veined Whites despite vegetation always obscuring one or the other Warren.

Alan Pavey said...

Great pics Mate, birds are a bit quiet lucky there are some insects about enjoying this heat :-)

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Crikey that female is yellow Warren - never seen one that brightly coloured

Cheers

DaveyMan