An afternoon at…

…Far Pastures and Thornley Woods around midway through this month produced some canny wildlife. 

Two Red Kite were flying around the fields at Far Pastures.

A pair of Whitethroat were feeding chicks in the brambles.

Meadow Brown Butterfly.

Small Skipper Butterfly.

Comma Butterfly.

Red Admiral Butterfly.

Bug.

This juvenile Little Grebe was catching fish at Far Pastures.

Close encounter with a Jay at Thornley Woods.

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The first Juvenile GSW.

The second Juvenile GSW.

And I think this could be a third juvenile GSW.

 There were a few feathers floating around so out of daftness I thought I would try and get a shot of one.

Scotland June 2023

20.06.23 A visit to Glamis Castle and the only things I took pictures of were in and around the garden and even then, I didn’t take many at all. Stopped off in Dunkeld on the way back to the cottage and took some pictures of the gulls. Then the rest of the afternoon was spent around the ponds in the cottage garden.

Hovering Marmalade Hoverfly.

Quite a few in the castle gardens.

Mining Bee?

House Martins were nesting on the windows of the castle. These two were having a bit of a dispute.

Common Gull portrait.

This time in flight.

Black-headed Gull.

Herring Gull, I think.

Sawfly Caterpillars?

Not sure what these are.

Emerald Damselfly.

It’s not often you see them with their wings closed.

A mouse emerging from its hole.

Then eating some seed.

Chaffinch feed its chick.

This Dunnock looks as though it’s been through the wars.

Last Monday I had my…

…left knee replaced so I will be out of action for some time. I can’t drive for at least six weeks so unless something happens in the garden these next few Blogs (some from our holiday in Scotland and a couple from trips out locally) are going to have to be my last for a while. This one is from a trip to Twizell Woods at the beginning of this month. 

I saw at least two Golden-bloomed Grey longhorn Beetles and I took far too many pictures of them.

And there were at least two Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetles.

Red-legged/Forest Shieldbug.

A light coloured 7-spot Ladybird.

A darker 7-spot Ladybird.

Soldier Beetle.

Common Grammoptera?

The reason I went to Twizell Woods, Southern Hawker Dragonfly. Unfortunately, it would not settle so this is the best I could get at the time but as soon as I’m able I’ll be back.

Male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Common Darter.

There were a few around the pools.

Four-spotted Chaser.

Emerald Damselfly.

Azure Damselflies.

I think this could be a Tree Wasp.

Sawfly.

Eristalis Sp. Hoverfly.

Epistrophe Sp. Hoverfly.

Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly.

Eristalis Sp. in flight.

Banded General Soldierfly,

Great Pied Hoverfly.

Cuckoo Bumblebee.

Flesh Fly.

Picture winged Fly?

Grasshopper.

Comma Butterfly.

Small Skipper Butterfly.

A pair of Small Skippers.

A Water Boatman with a grub or caterpillar ready to eat.

Snail.