Pectoral Sandpiper

A few photos of the Pectoral Sandpiper at Shibdon Ponds yesterday. Oh and one of the Green Sandpiper. Missed the Spotted Redshanks, had to go to work.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Burdon Moor

A few images from Burdon Moor this afternoon.

Shield Bug

Spider with packed lunch

Spider

Spider

Common Darter

Bait Stand

Common Darter

Hunting Kestrel

Arnside Knott Cumbria

Yesterday I went to Arnside Knott in Cumbria looking for butterflies. There were very few about however I did get another first for me in the form of a Brimstone. Other butterflies seen were Red Admiral, Small Heath and Large White but I did not get any shots of these. One I did manage to get a shot of was a Speckled Wood, which looked worse for wear.
While getting the shots of the Brimstone a large Dragonfly flew past and then landed near by enabling me to get a couple of shots (Alan what is it?). I also accidentally disturbed a couple of Roe Deer fawns that were hiding in the grass; they ran off briefly stopping to look back. I had a macro lens with me at the time so I only got distant shots.
At least half a dozen Spotted Flycatcher were flying about, they were always distant but I did get some not very good shots.
Grasshoppers were hopping all over the grass, as they do, and one stayed still long enough for me to get a shot.

Brimstone

Coming in to land

Brimstone

Brimstone

Speckled Wood

Dragonfly

Roe Deer Fawn

Roe Deer Fawn

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Grasshopper

 

I went back

Two today

Watching over them

Ready for take off

Take off

 

 Also went to Far Pastures

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Crap shot

Deep in the shadows there was…

Must go back!

 

Casper beaten by a nose

I went up to Amble yesterday to get some shots of the Caspian Gull that has been around for some time now. The gull showed really well but the absolute stars of the show were, for me, the pod of Bottlenose Dolphins that were catching fish in the harbour. There must have been around a dozen, and I managed loads of shots of fins and water. I did manage some shots however but not great shots.
Before I got to Amble, I called in at Creswell and Druridge Pools. The water levels at Cresswell seem canny for waders and indeed, there were a few around. Of note, there were Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, Avocet and Little Egret. At Druridge, a Wood Sandpiper showed well if a little distance. The Stonechats at both sites were, as always, nice to see.

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

A comparison between Caspian and Herring Gulls

Caspian Gull

 

Caspian Gull

Caspian Gull protecting its lunch from juv Herring Gull

Lunch time

 


Eating lunch

Little Egret

Little Egret

Great Black-backed Gull

Stonechat (juv M)

Stonechat (juv M)

Stonechat (juv F)

Snipe

Turnstone

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Juv Eider with Starfish

A Ruff trying to ruff up a Dunlin (sorry could not resist)