Weekend Picture Post

Greenshank at Saltholme RSPB last Friday.
Pictured from the wildlife watching hide. a little distant and in dull conditions.

Gold Finch at Saltholme

Herring Gull at Flamborough today

and again

& again in flight.

Great Black Backed Gull, Flamborough today.

Strewth!!!

What strength we found this Great Silver Beetle (Nicrophorus vespillaides) turning the body of this poor old shrew.

The beetle kept moving underneath the shrew and physically lifting it and moving it. One of our reference books describes exactly what it was doing. It is a distinctive Sexton Beetle which buries the corpses of small mammals and birds on which eggs are laid and larvae feed.

I also love the colours of the flies on the corpse.

Can you tell that I cannot find many birds at the moment!

Painted Lady

I resisted posting this species as they are so plentiful this year but for that very reason there has been no lack of photo opportunities. These pictures were taken on 12th and 17th of this month.

Dark Green Fritillary

A new butterfly for us this year was the Dark Green Fritillary which we saw on the sand dunes at Ross, just north of Bamburgh, Northumberland, a lovely butterfly. My pictures do not show the dark green and silvery spots that are on the hind wing.

Dragon & Damsel

Southern Hawker

Two pictures from this last week. Firstly a Southern Hawker Dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) photographed at Top Hill Low last Friday lunch time adjacent to the picnic benches in the car park.

Secondly an Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa) pictured in Harwood Dale on Sunday one of the family of species that perch with spreadwings.

Pictures taken at the long end of my zoom telephoto lens.

Farne Isles 8 - Inner Farnes

A post of the second part of our Farnes trip. After 2 hours on Staple Island we had 20 minutes or so by boat to Inner Farne and the toilets! No such luxury's on Staple Island.

What a glorious place, if you have not been you might have seen on t.v. where Artic Terns attack humans in defence of their young so it pays to have a hat. Several times a bird sat on my hat and had a dig with its bill.

Fantastic birds are Artic Terns, you have to take care as young are sometimes on the board walk, or very close too. I hope you like some pictures of these birds. This is my last post from these isles, honest!