Flowers and flutters

I’ll kick off with a Musk Mallow. Here’s another,

A lovely spread of Common Knapweed next,

and a Foxglove.

The last flower for now. A White Campion, shining like a light in the long grass.

A few flutters next. A Small Skipper,


and a Large Skipper.

Underside of a Ringlet,

Underside of a Speckled Wood,

and the last flutter for now, a Marbled White.

Here’s a pair, ensuring the next generation.

That’s the girl on top, by the way.

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We’ll have some birds next time.

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Oh ok then; just one for now,

A Goldcrest.
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Enjoy the rest of the week.
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A quick one

Time for a new post. I seem to be getting so far behind in everything at the moment. All this time off work, and I still have lots of things to do. Never mind. The expression on this Starlings face says a lot, I think.
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While I was out a few days ago, I came across this lovely Little Owl.

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Unfortunately, he didn’t sit posing for very long, but at least I managed a couple of shots before he went.

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A couple of ‘commons’ in one shot next.

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A Common Blue Damselfly on a Common Spotted Orchid.
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While I’m in ‘plant’ mood, here’s a couple more.
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The first is a thistle. Not sure which type though. And the second is some Oats, that were ‘wildly sowed’.
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A couple of a Reed Warbler.
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It made a nice change to get some fairly clear views.
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And this last one, I’m very pleased with.
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A Spotted Flycatcher. The first time I’ve seen one, and she gave me some lovely views.
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Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

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Young and old

Spent a long time watching the antics of Swifts, hunting over one of the local lakes the other day; and trying for pictures.
One of those lucky shots
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A young Canada Goose gosling was a bit easier,

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as were some young Greylag Geese.

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Some more young, of a different kind.

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A young Red Deer, enjoying a warm summers morning.
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And one of the bigger boys, keeping an eye on me.
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The deer were at a place in the Cotswolds, called Broadway Tower; ‘the highest little castle in the Cotswolds’, the sign said.
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A fine looking structure, high on a hill, overlooking some beautiful countryside.
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And on the way home, I couldn’t resist a cornfield, with a few poppies
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Enjoy the rest of the week.
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The wild side

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I spent a long time yesterday lying at the side of the road.
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No, I hadn’t collapsed, or anything; I was taking pictures.
A short distance from where I live, there are two grass verges along the edge of the road, which have been left to ‘grow’.
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They are a mass of flowers………wild, and I’m sure, some, the cultivated kind.
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Imagine that scene from ‘When Harry met Sally’………that’s how I felt.

Here’s just a few of the shots.
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I’ve no idea of the names of most of these, apart from the poppies.
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Why can’t all roadside verges be like this?
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A round up

The baby Blue Tits from the nest box are growing fast.

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Even visiting on their own now, and feeding themselves. So good to see them doing well.

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The young Starlings are visiting daily, and eating loads too.

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Along with the adult birds, it gets quite noisy and boisterous.

So much fighting, and noise, while the Collared Doves look on in amusement.
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Elsewhere, Pheasants are showing off
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Wrens are feeding their young

Blue Tits are feeding their selves,

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as are the Great Crested Grebes,

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and baby Coots, are just, being……baby Coots.
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I love this time of year.
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