Garden Photographs

With the weather not looking good and getting packed ready for the Farne Islands tomorrow I decided just to take a few shots in the garden.
With plenty of young Gold & Greenfinch around the Sunflower hearts it wasn't a hard task.

Far Ings 17-6

Well it was up with the Larks this morning well Blackbirds anyway in our case.
We set off for Far Ings to do a Breeding Bird Survey but checked in on the local LRP's first and the young are now looking more like their parents so shouldn't be long before the start flying.
We got between Barton Reedbed and the Visitor centre entrances when I spotted a Little Egret flying South East,Then it wasn't long before I spotted a Water Vole on the bank in the dyke putting Mandy onto it she managed a couple of shots.We managed to reach the next field then Mandy spotted a lone Fox cub sitting by the hedge row which let us rattle some shots off as he sunned himself in the early morning sun.We finally reach the approach road to Ness Farm when we spotted the Male Marsh Harrier hunting along the dyke and suddenly dropped,so we continued to walk up to where he dropped in but no sign only coots making a racket I stood above them but couldn't see enough due to the reeds so I crossed back to the other side of the road and up came the Harrier clutching a young coot so I stood less then 10ft from him but couldn't get a shot :(
so had to watch Mandy fire a few off has he carried his prey away.
Not much else around the reserve but a good morning all the same.

Moths 14-6-11

With it being warm last night the Trap went on in the hope of catching the elusive Hawkmoths that seem to be avoiding my trap each night :(.
Well up at 6 this morning to find Mandy had started to empty the trap out,I will make a Lepidopterist out of her yet :)
Light Emerald
Common Emerald
Common Footman
Common Wainscot
Dusky Brocade
Mottled Rustic
Snout
Uncertain
Being a few of the new ones for this season

Common Footman

Light Emerald

Snout

Common Wainscot

Common Emerald

Uncertain

Dusky Brocade

Lozotaenia Forsterana

Mottled Rustic

Eudonia Mercurella

Celypha Striana

A day on the wolds 14-6-11

Today started off with a early visit to the local Little Ringed Plover with 2 Adults Present,2 Foxes also put in an appearance other birds of note was Linnet,Common Whitethroat and Kestrel.
With news being given that the Common Crane is still present Mandy and Myself headed off for Saxby
and sure enough there it was in the set aside field but always distant and the heat haze didn't help matters but a great Year and County tick.After a couple of hours I decided on looking for Dragon & Damselflies along the river Ancholme with only a single Four spotted chaser being the only dragonfly present but a few Large red-eyed,Common blue,Blue-tailed and a single Emerald Damselfly.Plenty of Roach were swimming around with a few Perch and a small Pike lurking nearby when a Zander came out of the deeper water and swam upstream through the weed.
Other birds of note
Common Buzzard
Marsh Harrier

Barton-upon-Humber 12-6-11

With no intention of myself going out today Mandy set off for Far Ings and with a few hours passing Mandy rang me at home to say she had broken her specs and was unable to see,so off I went to take her a pair of Contact lenses,with rain coming down I heard a Wader call and noticed a Plover which one I didn't know without bins
but on the way back borrowing Mandy's bins the Plover became a Little Ringed as we watched for a few minutes 3 young ran from underneath the adult bird.A great find for what is becoming a rare breeding bird nowadays and a good year tick.

Little Ringed Plover

Moths 9-6-11

A few moths from last night

Small Magpie

Riband Wave

Phlyctaenia Coronata

Spectacle

Spectacle

Derbyshire Dales 6-9 June

With the weather set to be good Mandy and myself decided on a 3 day break in Derbyshire.
On arriving Monday evening the sun was blasting down and I even decided to have a sleep and soak up the sun rather than going out and about thinking the weather was set to continue to be good,how wrong can 1 be Tuesday started off Dull and miserable but we went for a walk anyway and finding a few Common Redstarts with young we attempted some shots but with poor light and shutter speed down to 1/50 second luck wasn't on our side.
After a hour or so we headed back for Breakfast which was just brilliant and set us up for the day,we knew Padley Gorge wasn't far away we asked the owner which was the best way to get there and gladly taking his advice it was a great walk to Padley Gorge taking around 30 minutes alot better than we had planned by taking the train back to Grindleford Station.
Within minutes of getting into the woods the heavens open up and continued to rain throughout most of the day with only a few spells of sun.
With time getting on we walked back to The Millstone Inn which was our home for the next 2 days for a fantastic meal and a few drinks must say the food was just brilliant.
5am and Mandy's alarm going off we woke ourselves up and took a look out and again the same as yesterday dull,wet and windy,we decided on going up to Stanage Edge to look for Ring Ouzels but this was soon thrown out the window and spent most of the day with the Local Redstarts and dashing for cover during the heavy showers where we amused ourselves by playing I Spy :).
With the weather not getting any better we decided enough was enough and gave up.So much for the nice weather that was forecast.
Birds seen over the 2 days include
Kestrel
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Red Kite
Spotted Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Stonechat
Whinchat
Redstart
Nuthatch
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Siskin
Lesser Redpoll
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Jay
Cuckoo
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Grasshopper Warbler (Reeling)
Blackcap
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Tawny Owl (Heard)
House Sparrow
Dunnock
Mallard
Coot
Moorhen
Canadian Geese