my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

A reed bunting img.1010281 and a willow tit img. 1010286 on the local patch.

[ian mcdonald]

Among the birds on the local patch today were quite a few hobby img. 1010350 and a red footed falcon. It was about a mile away.

[ian mcdonald]

Hare today......img. 1010339.

[ian mcdonald]

Starlings, blue tits, robins and blackbirds all feeding young. The blackbirds are building their second nest while still feeding the first young. The female is doing the collecting as usual.

[ian mcdonald]

A new one for me, great northern diver img. 1010754. A close shave, arctic tern protecting chick img. 1010701. A tiny fern, moonwort, botrychium lunaria, img. 1010581. Purple oxytropis, O. halleri img. 1010587.

[Lesley Cox]

I love the photo of the Great Northern Diver. Where did you take it Ian? It takes me way back to the wonderful heady days when I spent many happy hours with (with the books of) Arthur Ransome. Marvellous books every one.

[ian mcdonald]

Three different colours of bluebell img.1010491. A male orange tip img.1010501. Mouse-ear hawkweed img.1010561. Oyster catcher eggs img.1010721.

[ian mcdonald]

Two "beetles" for Anthony to look at img.1010749 and img.1010751. A butterfly in the garden with hardly any markings, meadow brown? img.1010806. A grass snake img.1010801.

[ian mcdonald]

Lousewort, Pedicularis sylvatica img.1010531. Sea milkwort, Glaux maritima img.1010584. A mimulus img. 1010603. Wood vetch, Vicia sylvatica img.1010718.

[Tristan_He]

1010751 looks like a click beetle Ian. The butterfly is a ringlet - tends to come out a little earlier than meadow brown and the larvae favour damper, longer grass.

Tristan

[scatigaz]

Certainly looks like Ringlet.

[Anthony Darby]

The other beetle looks like a nettle weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus) or P. maculicornis. The former is around 10cm, and the latter, being the lesser of two weevils, is just a tad smaller.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks all. I don,t usually see ringlet in the garden and the poor markings threw me.

[ian mcdonald]

Ground beetle, Carabus coriaceus? img.1010688. Sedge warbler img.1010605. Fish supper img.1010753. Ripple marks in flagstone img 1010666.

[ian mcdonald]

Water avens and seed img.1010750. Puffins img.1010511. Moss campion img.1010784. A special plant on the local patch, greater yellow rattle, Rhinanthus angustfolius. img.1010812.