Tuesday 30 May 2023

There’s nearly always…

 …something to photograph at Thornley Woods and Far Pastures that’s why I keep going back.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.


Nuthatch.

Magpie.

Crow.

The Heron caught quite a few fish.





I don’t often see a Heron licking its lips.


Moorhen feeding its chicks.

Then admonishing one for doing something wrong.

Canada Geese with goslings.

Red Kite.



My first Azure Damselfly of the season.

Two-banded Longhorn Beetle.


Sunday 28 May 2023

Back to Thornley Woods…

 …and Far Pastures.

Crow eyeing something up.

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Heron preening.

Juggling a fish.

Then flying off and scaring the ducks in the process.

Moorhen chick for me the original ugly duckling.

Moorhen feeding chicks.

Male Reed Bunting.

Take off.

And again.

Blue Tit gathering nesting material.


Spot the bird. If I hadn’t watched this Sparrowhawk land, I would never have picked it out.

Kestrel.



Whitethroat singing its heart out.

Wren doing the same.

Long-tailed Tit.

I have seen all three spices this year but these are my first record shots of them this year. Swift.

House Martin.

Three House Martins.

Sand Martin.


Thursday 25 May 2023

It’s that time…

 …of year again when I go looking for butterflies, dragonflies and all other kinds of insects (most of which I cannot identify) and I usually start at Twizell Woods.

These Large Red Damselflies are normally the first Damsels/Dragons to appear up here in the North East.


Red-and-black Froghopper.


14-spot Ladybird.


Hairy Shieldbug.



I’m not sure what species of beetle/bug this is.

Tortoise Beetle.

Female Orange-tip Butterfly laying eggs.

Male Orange-tip.

Large White Butterfly.

Speckled Wood Butterfly.


Scaeva sp. Hoverfly.

Eupeodes sp. Hoverfly.

Syrphus sp. Hoverfly.

Eristalis sp. Hoverfly hovering.


Hornet.

Weevil?

Green Nettle Weevil.

Dark-edged Bee fly.

Robberfly.

Spider with its lunch.

Another spider waiting for its lunch.

Mating Cranefly.