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.

a snake in the grass cuttings

I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to discover a grass snake in our garden and to be able to photograph it basking in the sun (the first sun for two weeks I am told). It is lying on a compost heap where apparently they often lay their eggs. It is a sign that our garden is supporting the sort of wildlife diversity that we have long hoped for. The bulge towards the tail is either an unfortunate amphibian, or perhaps some eggs. Long but not venomous, and sometimes called ringed because of the yellow collar around its neck.

Close inspection of the photos shows two, possibly three orange/red blobs on the back of the snake's head. These are snake mites (see link). What a strange rich world we live in.

we are back, to a very wet soggy and miserable scene. At least we have had two weeks of warm sun on our backs. Spot is very pleased to be back on line but the only things to photo are bedraggled plants and puddles. Is this our punishment for starting the industrial revolution?