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'.

More flying things (insects)

I don't know if you remember the summer, you know those few days in July when the sun came out...

I suppose in some ways my garden is a 'wildlife' garden, most plants and trees are there for a purpose, usually based around wildlife but you might not know to look at it  just a mess! I have a triffid in the front garden, I don't know what it is called, well I don't remember, same thing, and it grows from a rhizome and has red flower spikes at this time of the year... it is a magnet for flying insects. 

Each year I try and study what is flying around and I simply haven't got a clue. Some of the obvious things I can identify... whereas others, no idea. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge may well know immediately but I don't fall into that category. So I have spent a bit of time, when the sun was out, trying to photograph what was around with a view to identification. I still haven't got a clue. Some of the 'bees' I'm not even sure are bees but  imposters – if anyone can help me out I'd be pleased to hear from you. Otherwise it will be further research, which may take a few weeks at the moment.

There have been very few butterflies about this year, a particular lack of Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Red Admirals so I wanted to record my first sightings... only trouble is this was about three weeks ago, I'll check the date... 21st July.

white-tipped abdomen, note 'yellow'

white-tipped abdomen

white-tipped abdomen

included because I quite liked the flower in focus and 'be' out of focus... 'art photo'!

red-tipped abdomen

red-tipped abdomen

red-tipped abdomen

Small Tortoiseshell

Gatekeeper

Large White

Holly Blue

I quite like this photo of a Holly Blue... another 'art photo'.

Perhaps I should add; I don't know my wasps from my hornets from whatever, and it is the drone flies, 'volucella bombylans' in particular that do a good impersonation of a bumble bee, those with white-tipped abdomens and some with red that make me hesitant.

I also get dyslexic and call items the wrong thing, even though I know what it is, so please advise and correct me where I make a horlicks of it.