A bit Ruff

Well I don't know about you but these last three days of non-stop rain are taking it's toll. Get out the Ark, I don't think it has finished for sometime yet. Alistair Cook is boring me to sleep but give the lad full credit for a great innings.

I thought I'd begin by trying to brighten things up a bit. Thanks to PW I called in at Lane Ends, but again I'd chosen the wrong day, it was blowing a hoolie and while I hoped to photo some Small Coppers, not a thing in sight. I lie as there were, what I thought was a Kestrel and a Peregrine, scrapping by the tree line but I think were two Sparrowhawks on the eastern edge of Lane Ends, one sat on a fencepost for a few minutes before disappearing on the hoolie. Anyway, to try and brighten things up here's a photo of the 'wildflowers' which I had also called in to see.

A few days earlier over at Newton Marsh our old friend Typhoon ZJ699, the two-seater trainer was buzzing about on a brighter day. I also managed to photo a few butterflies and again in an attempt to brighten things up, here are a couple of images of the many hundreds of Gatekeepers that have suddenly appeared.

However, today – I think the image of the juvenile Swallow says it all...

Thanks to MJ I had been wondering if anything had blown in on the wind and this weather and MJ confirmed a 'different' wader on Newton Marsh some way out. I nearly did a Tony Hancock first thing ('an armfull?'... showing my age) and as there was no queue I was in and out in no time, so I popped in at Newton Marsh. Grey, miserable and nowt to be seen. I drove up the road and far too many wagons so I called back at the marsh, and there by the waters edge was a wader. I spent a few minutes with it, while it pottered about before being chased off by a Coot, then another and then a third before disappearing into the marsh. It was/is a juvenile Ruff, not only my first for Newton Marsh, a first overall. Thanks Martin.

the wildflowers at Land Ends certainly add a splash of colour – credit to the local authority for once... more please

Typhoon ZJ699... an old friend (tango charlie angels 11)

'yellow' is always cheerful

told you... cheerful

batten down the hatches Mr Christian

juvenile Ruff... note raindrops on its back

juvenile Ruff

juvenile Ruff... I think the low water has killed off a lot of the pondlife

juvenile Ruff... and the Godwits ate all the snails

Apologies for the quality of the images, on the limit for light... it was grey and 'orrible, that 'mizzle' and as I gaze out of the window it is still 'mizzle'.