Friday 30 June 2023

Durham Moors

 Still catching up this time with a drive up on to the Durham Moors. All the images seen here were taken using the car as a hide so as not to disturb the birds too much.

Lapwing.

One of the Lapwings chicks running into the grass.

It hunkered down in the grass as I drove past.

The adult Lapwing wasn’t very happy about me being there so I drove off and left them to it.

Curlew calling.

Another Curlew calling.


This looks like a young Stonechat to me but I could be wrong.


Wednesday 28 June 2023

Burdon Moor however…

 …no birds just insects and as usual if I have made any mistakes identifying them, I apologise.

Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle.


Syrphus Sp. Hoverfly.

Dasysyrphus Sp. Hoverfly.

Volucella bombylans Hoverfly.

Eristalis nemorum Hoverfly.

Grey-haired Mining Bee?

Bumblebee taking off.

Large Skipper Butterfly.


Dingy Skipper Butterfly.

Green-veined White Butterfly.

Large Red Damselfly.

Azure Damselfly.

Female German Scorpionfly.

Male Common Scorpionfly.

Cranefly.

Lacewing.

Soldier Beetle.

Froghopper.

Spider.

Bramble Sawfly?

Yellow Dung Fly.


Tuesday 27 June 2023

Local Barn Owl

 I went out looking for our local Barn Owls again a couple of weeks ago but I thought I was going to be out of luck. However just as I was about to head home, I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye, a Barn Owl hunting in the early evening sun. Unfortunately, it was flying away from me but I still managed to get some images.

Before I saw the Barn Owl this Roe Buck came over the fence into the field I was watching.

He then stood looking at me before wandering off.

Barn Owl out hunting.



It came back with a Vole.

Before I went out, I was sitting in the garden and this Buzzard flew over.

And this House Sparrow was gathering nesting material.


Monday 26 June 2023

Causey Woods.

 I have just got back home from a week’s holiday in Scotland (I still haven’t gone through the thousands of pictures I took but when I have, I will post them on the Blog) so I’m even further behind than I was.

I had a walk through the Causey Woods at the beginning of this month looking for Dipper and I was in luck I found a pair of adults with two young chicks and when they weren’t being disturbed by dogs and small children in the water, they posed well for me.

One of the adult Dipper.

The adult bird watched this Mayfly as it flew past but didn’t try to catch it.





One of the young Dipper.






Grey Wagtail.

I also managed a couple of images of a female Broad-bodied Chaser.


Male Banded Demoiselle. 

Comma Butterfly.