Studley Royal

 A trip to Ripon and Studley Royal Deer Park for the Red Deer rut. We was probably about a week too early because for all the deer were bellowing, they were not rutting. Still an enjoyable day out.

One of the big stags.

Some Stags were bellowing but not rutting.

There were a few about.

Female.

Female with a Jackdaw on its head.

A couple of the younger Stags were practising.

One of them was even urinating on itself.

Another Stag having a drink.

Another female.

A young one.

Along the river was a Little Egret.

And also, another Stag.

Burdon Moor

 A walk around Burdon Moor at the beginning of the month. The way the weather is now these might be the last insects I get this season (but I hope not).

Hypericum Rhopalid (Rhopalus subrufus) a scentless plant bug.

Hairy Shieldbug.

Gorse Shieldbug.

Alder Leaf Beetle.

The back end of a Harlequin Ladybird.

7-spot Ladybird.

Tachinid Fly.

Grasshopper.

Common Darter.

Stonechat.

Frenchman’s Bay

A trip to South Shields for the very showy Shore Larks that have been there for a while. They did not disappoint; at times they were around our feet. However, what always amazes me are how different people are, for instance, when the birds were on the path some people would walk up to the nearest photographer and ask what the birds were, other people would walk behind the photographers to try not to disturbed the birds or get in the way, however, and I find this strange, and I know they are perfectly within their rights, but why would you deliberately walk right between the birds and the photographer and not even be bothered that you have disturbed both the birds and photographer (end of rant). I took so many pictures of both the Shore Larks and some of the other birds that we saw I was going to do two Blogs but I have decided to do just one long one. 

Shore Lark.

Red-throated Diver.

Oystercatcher.

Skylark

Stonechat.