bullfinch fat ball

who's calling me fat? Female bullfinch and sparrow together. Possibly a young bullfinch as they seem to be breeding nearby.

popular picture

This handsome and chubby moth is the poplar hawk moth. Normally it flies at night and rests up during the day. The flashes of red brown at the base of the hind wing are characteristic, as is the generally pale brown grey colour of the fore wings. This moth trembled a lot presumably as a defence display, and it was happy to fly off when finally released. It also has the unusual habit of holding its hindwings in front of its fore wings when at rest as can be seen below. It is the commonest of our hawk moths. Although it has a proboscis, the adults do not feed.

It was warm and sunny today. Bees were out in large numbers (but no butterflies) and it feels like the year is finally back on its proper trajectory. It is sumptuously green.

in the elephant grass

Good to see that something can eat miscanthus other than power stations. A female roe deer who didn't sense us as we approached.

there's nothing like a Dame

this tall plant in our paddock is called dame's violet. It is related to mayflower, honesty and the stock family and has a lovely gentle scent. I have no idea where it came from (it is a native plant) but the name apparently refers to Damascus and not to women.                                                 

Spot, the rabbit

Both the rabbit and Spot remained stock still for 5 minutes, each waiting for the other to make the first move thus creating the first standoff of hispanic origins in Venterdon history. Rabbit is relying on Spot proof glass barrier (he does occasionally try and hurl himself through it thus demonstrating that the lurcher is no brighter than the fly).

Still no nuts

Our walnut tree, planted on Good Friday 1999, in keeping with everything else this year is way behind and is only now coming into leaf. This is the first catkin (male flower) it has ever borne, unfortunately whereas previously it has only produced female flowers this year there are none to be seen. Still no walnuts!

wending in the willows

the Inny at its greenest, and a female wide bodied chaser (or libellula) freshly emerged and drying off in the sun

sparrow fence

It turns out that sparrows are well know for bullying martins. On the advice of the RSPB (see link) we have made a sparrow barrier out of odds and ends. We shall watch developments with interest.

martinville

Somewhat later than usual the martins have returned. Looking back through the records on this blog they are at least two weeks and up to six weeks later than usual. Recently they have taken to arriving and then disappearing for a few weeks, no doubt to fatten up for the breeding season. I am not sure that these two have decided to nest here. They spend a lot of time chattering to each other and flying around just like a married couple looking for a new home to start a family. Almost immediately a male sparrow appeared on the guttering above which does not bode well for a peaceful few weeks.

flowers about

some images from two walks today, bluebells, ramsons and hedgerows.

brimstone and fire

Apart from a few small whites there really are very few butterflies around at the moment. I don't know whether they are simply late because of the cold weather this Spring, or absent because of last year's dismal weather. However, there are some brimstones in the woods. These are very fidgety butterflies. When a male and a virgin female meet they perform a spiral dance up into the canopy, whirling around feverishly before falling to the ground (in a swoon?) to mate (see link). In this photo the female is above the male who is obviously much more yellow. It makes a very attractive sight in the yellowish light  under the emerging canopy.