munch time

more scrumptious scenes from the flower show

the mysteries of Judgement

 

at Stoke Climsland Flower Show 2013, spared by the rain, blessed by a huge entry and a happy gathering. It's not the winning but the eating that matters.

golden rings

close up of golden ringed dragonfly and its amazing eyes.

something from the dark side

 It was butterfly heaven in the meadows today. Above is a peacock feeding on knapweed, showing the stark contrast between its colorful upper wings and dark under wings. Below is a silver washed fritillary.

fearsum beastie

The awesome water boatman heading for a hapless fruitfly. This variety is safe (see link). They seem to be in every puddle just now. They must be able to fly.

juvenile goldfinch showing the almost complete absence of adult colouring in its feathers

cool as a rabbit

a fox trying to look innocent stalking rabbits, and a young blackbird unflustered by the camera

nursery news

Behind the Martinot line, George Martin is getting a mouthful. Note the rather dainty white feathers on the adult bird's leg, something you don't see when they are flitting about but it is a characteristic feature of martins.

Wainscots and waves

Out doing big butterfly count today (link) for third or fourth year in a row. The meadows were bursting with meadow browns, whites, skippers and ringlets, a few silver washed fritillaries and the occasional red admiral, tortoiseshell and small copper. In amongst all these butterflies it is easy to miss the moths. Most moths (of which there are thousands of species) are extraordinarily difficult to identify, mainly because no one appears to have come up with a colour coded identification chart or web page for simple minded people. The top photo is a common Wainscot (I don't know how they get their names), and the bottom photo is probably a smoky wave (both on the balance of probability rather than certainty!).

And above is a close up of a small skipper. No blue butterflies at all again for the second year in a row.

the whites of their eyes

swift attack, don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes

agrions

Two dainty fairies clad in blue, and the first of this year's comma butterflies

singing post

Yellowhammers seem to become more vocal at this time of year. It may be due to the first brood practising the characteristic song as it often comes out a bit garbled. They like to find the highest point in hedges etc to sing and more and more they have started to favour telegraph poles. It certainly adds a bit of colour to an iconic piece of modern drab design.

One tattered tortoiseshell, and one red admiral spotted today. perhaps the warmth is bringing them out.