Very Brief Post

Just to say that I'm still alive. I know it's not been that long, but well.

Things have been happening, but posting has not, due to various circumstances, including cruel and unusual bakery.

Posting will happen. Hopefully soon.

Proper posting, that is. Not just more fobbing.


Speaking of, here's a picture;

Itsa Beetle!

Dung beetle sp., I think

Be Seeing You...

Patchy Post

Because it's still here [despite impressions which may have been given by my recent posting], and while work has tended to get in the way [ah, to be able to swan about whenever I want..] I've not been entirely inattentive.


Pleasing numbers of juveniles are starting to appear, though not always on camera - the local LTTs are being particularly naughty, for example! - and as the wheel of the year turns, things change. Plus, there's always the odd surprise. Yes, photo time;

Juvenile Blue Tit

[one of at least 4]

 

 

Loading up for brood 2

 

 

 

 

Summer at the Nose

 

Good for Goldfinches

 

Lots of Goldfinches

 

Thistles not just popular with Goldfinches

 

 

June Bug

[of course]

 

The Mallards of Hope's Nose

 

 

Juvenile Greenfinch

 

Not quite locally extinct. Yet.

 

That last made my day. :)

 

Whirlybirds!

 

Two working at once! [Well, it was a calm sunny day...]

 

 

 

 

Pretty flowers

 

 

 

Be Seeing You...

 

 

That Definition Of Madness

Has always made little sense to me.

After all, 'If at first you don't succeed...' and all that.


This is made relevant by my unwillingness to give up on chequered butterflies of soggy areas.

And some helpful soul putting online a photo of one taken where I'd been and failed last weekend...


Yes, I went back. Yes, I tried very hard to find exactly where that photo was taken. Yes, I even managed to find somewhere I didn't even know to check the time before, where somebody else had seen them the day before.





Yes, I failed again.




In an attempt to make this blog more user-friendly, I will refrain from any of the naughty words that sprang to mind at the time.

The effort was by no means wasted, though, with a few things of note.
You know what's coming;

Lots of these about

A Fritillary in a Marsh

Small Pearl-borders were quite plentiful,

They're taking the mick

Miles to go, Little Miss Muffet

Hordes of these now

Very well named

Broad-bodied Chaser

Oh yes, oh very yes.  :D

Ok, that's the pretty stuff, now for some others

Hoverfly sp.

Mistle Thrush

Best bird;

Spotted Flying catcher!

[Groan]

Anyway, it looks like my unspoken plan to get all of Devon's butterflies* on record this year is toast. Drat and double drat.
Well, there's always next year - didn't I say that to myself last year? - when that time, yes that time, I will definitely be ready and not get plague at the worst moment and the weather will behave and I'll still be able to go after the Duke as well.


Perchance to dream.


Be Seeing You...





[[*That can be accessed by the ordinary public, so not including Large Blue or Heath Frit...]]

Wandering Around In Circles

So, I went a' hunting pretty little butterflies on two days at two decent sites. I did in fact find various pretty butterflies, just not a sign of the particular species I was looking for.


Rather than dwell on this and other vexations - like getting attacked by a frickin' Horsefly in the first few days of June* - I'm just going to put up pretty pictures and leave it at that.

Green Hairstreak

- first thing seen, a good start!

Orchids, lots of orchids

[nice variation in them, too]

Marshland species abounded

Like Ragged Robin

Keeled Skimmer

Beautiful Demoiselle

Reed Bunting

Meadow Pipit

Skylark

Assorted butterflies..

Speckled Wood

Large White

Green-veined White

Silver Y Moth

Common Blue

Small Copper

Another Green Hairstreak

A Fritillary!

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Worth the Stingy Nettles

So, that was the first site. Very nice too, but not exactly what I was after..

But Site 2 had multiple recent sightings.. Surely??

Lots of orchids!

Willow Warbler

Linnet

Yellowhammer

And another

Emperor

Azure Damselfly

Spiders love a COGOF

Broad-bodied Chaser

Ovipositing

Small Heath

And that was the only posing butterfly. There were a lot of GV Whites, Blues, quite a few Brimstones, too, [and I almost got one!] but nowt else stayed put. Oh well.


Ooh, that was a lot of pictures, but some of them weren't bad.



nili nymphalidae carborundum and all that, right?


Mutter mutter mutter...


Be Seeing You...




[[*As I was leaving site 2, so attempting to add injury to insult - but the nosilife shirt won again. :) ]]