closed for the olympics

unless anything very interesting happens we're off to see the corgis and watch the greatest show on earth!

tree creeper

We didn't see much new today during a long hot walk through the meadows by the Inny but we did get a glimpse of a tree creeper with its mouth full of insects.

a small skipper

There are several species of skipper butterflies but only two, the small and the large, are found locally. This is the small skipper, and the photo shows the characteristic orange colour of the under tips of the antennae. These are very lively butterflies which dart about (hence name) and which favour meadows of uncut grass. It is feeding on bird's foot trefoil although they prefer to feed on knapweed (as below) and thistles.

as green as it gets

after all the rain, and a little warm sun the countryside is a rich rich green, a temperate jungle with roads.

upside down birds

a nuthatch, another occasional visitor to the bird feeders, demonstrating the art of feeding upside down.

quelle demoiselle

a female beautiful demoiselle, with characteristic metallic green body, bronze coloured tip to abdomen and white patch near tip of wings. The British Dragonfly society is worth a visit (see link) for more information about these insects.