A first and a last…

 …a first as in it is the first time ever I have seen a Brimstone Butterfly in the North East. I have seen them in other parts of the country but never here, this morning that changed. The last comes in the form of, unfortunately, the demise of a Bullfinch that I came across the other day.

Brimstone Butterfly. It might be a bit strange on this Blog but it’s my first in the North East.

Male Bullfinch

A pair of Bullfinch. The male is carrying what looks like nesting material.

Female Bullfinch

The male again with nesting material.

Two males, one looking aggressive.

I don’t know if it had anything to do with the aggressive bird in the above pictures but not long after I came across this dead Bullfinch. I thought to myself that would make a canny meal for something.

I was proved right because not long after I saw this Stoat carrying the Bullfinch off. 

Kibblesworth on the 18th

A couple of days ago I had a walk around Kibblesworth Brick Ponds, (nice to meet up with Alan M and his mate) and it was a canny day. Here in no particular order are the images from the walk.

Small Heath

Ringlet, my first of the year

Burnet Moth, again my first of the year

Silver Y

Common Blue Butterfly

Yellow Shell

Speckled Wood

Brimstone Moth

Emperor Dragonfly

Mating Blue-tailed Damselfly

The injured Mute Swan seems to be doing o.k.

Four-spotted Chaser

Emperor Dragonfly

Black-tailed Skimmer

Head on

Noon-fly

Record shot of a Banded Demoiselle hiding among the nettles next to the small pull in at Lamesley

 

Hook Norton Holiday part 1

Just got back from a holiday in the Oxfordshire village of Hook Norton. We were staying just outside the village in a beautiful cottage called Hook Norton Barn well worth a visit if you are down in the area. While we may have been based in Hook Norton we drove for miles all around the Cotswolds and the surrounding area. I wanted to get shots of all the dragonflies and butterflies that we don’t normally see up North but the weather didn’t really allow that however I did see one or two.

This juvenile male Green Woodpecker was right outside the barn.

Turtle Dove

GSW

Brimstone

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix moth



Pammene Aurita (thanks Michael)

Grey Dagger

Male Ruddy Darter

Female Ruddy Darter