Far Pastures

 I haven’t been to Far Pastures for a while so I thought I would pay a visit a few days ago, I ended up going a couple of days on the trot.

Water Rail in a hurry.

In a bit more of a hurry.

Snipe

Red Kite

Two of three Buzzards seen

When I got home after my first visit this Great Spotted Woodpecker was waiting for me in the garden.

These images will…

 …not be everyone’s cup of tea. This Sparrowhawk caught a Starling on our neighbours decking this morning. The images, taken through a rain splashed double glazed kitchen window, are probably not of the best quality you will see however; you don’t see this everyday so I made the most of it before it flew off. 

Here are a few…

… images from here and there while being out & about over the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately I cannot get this new version of Blogger to work for me. I cannot get the captions for the images to centre the way I used to so I will (for now) put the captions in the main body of the text not ideal I know but until I can work out how to format the blog I will have to do it this way.

The first Hawthorn Shieldbug I have seen (if I have identified it correctly)

Sawfly Caterpillar

Southern Hawker

Another Southern Hawker

I have seen loads of big Garden Spiders while out.

Common Blue Butterfly 

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Peacock Butterfly

Eristalis species of Hoverfly

Caddisfly

I’m not sure what species of fly this is.

Cragside Dragonflies

The main reason that my wife and I (mainly me) visit Cragside every year is to see the Dragonflies. It is one of the best places to see Black Darter which when we were there were out in good numbers. A few Common and Southern Hawkers were also on the wing patrolling their patch and chasing anything that came too close however, because they very rarely stay still it’s always a challenge to try and get them in flight.

Mating Black Darters were everywhere

Male Black Darter

Male Black Darter in flight

Female Black Darter

Common Hawker in flight

I just like the light on this Common Hawker.

Common Hawker coming in to land

When it did, it looked as though it was laying eggs

And pulling shapes

This Common Hawker stopped long to get a picture

Southern Hawker in flight

Again I just liked the light on this Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker on bracken

A Toad. I haven’t seen one for ages.

I looked everywhere for Shield Bugs and this is the only one I found.