Saturday 25 September 2021

Out and About

I have been for a couple of short walks recently the first around Burdon Moor, somewhere I haven’t been for a while, the other was just around the fields near our village. Nothing spectacular however this is just some of the wildlife I saw.

I found this Small Copper butterfly on my first loop around Burdon Moor.

On my second loop around ¾ hour later I found the same Small Copper but this time it was chasing a Comma Butterfly around. It would not let the Comma settle and when it landed on the path in front of me, I would swear that the Small Copper was trying to mate with the Comma. The Comma got sick of the attention and flew off leaving the Small Copper frustrated.


On the same loop I came across this female Common Darter.

On what was the old waggon way I found this Common Hawker.

The day after on another walk I found another Common Hawker hanging from a bale of hay.

And another Small Copper butterfly.

Nettle Taps were around in good numbers.

Here is a mating pair.

Also out in good numbers were Speckled Wood butterflies.

This one is feeding on Blackberries.

A Silver Y moth was feeding on clover.




This Kestrel was hovering over a newly cut field.

It landed close by on one of the bales.


Small Tortoiseshell butterfly.

Spider with its lunch.

Robins Pincushion.


Tuesday 21 September 2021

Twizell Woods and Shibdon Ponds

 Over the last week or so, I’ve been to Twizell Woods and Shibdon Ponds for dragonflies and neither site disappointed. Southern, Migrant and Common Hawkers were found at Twizell and Shibdon, as it always does, delivered Migrant Hawker. The only disappointment at Twizell was I was unable to find any Black Darters which have recently been spotted there.

Southern Hawker

Common Hawker



First time in a long while that I have managed to get a Common Hawker to “pose” for me.


Female Migrant Hawker egg laying.


Southern Hawker


Common Darter

Southern Hawker


This time a Southern Hawker “posing”.


Mating Common Darter.

Southern Hawker


Migrant Hawker at Shibdon Ponds.




A young Newt near one of the ponds at Twizell.

It wasn’t only Dragonflies that I saw at Twizell here is a poor record shot of a Kingfisher perching over the stream that runs through the wood.

An even poorer shot of a Buzzard that was in one of the trees. I had to focus on its tail feathers to get the shot.

And a poorer still shot of a Great-spotted Woodpecker doing its best to hide.