Jet Walk on the Freshney.

Today was one of my regular trips to take Yvonne for her INR blood test and to take senor Jet for a walk afterwards. I have taken to walking him alomg the Freshney Valley on the edge of Grimsby along the banks of one of our precious chalk streams and through marshy reed beds with a country park running through it. and excellent area. It was a warm day at 24C but with a strong wind from the SW. 

It was fairly quiet on the bird front with only 15 species, but there were plenty of butterflies to give interest with 37 individuals from 6 species. 

Comma showing its distinctive white comma mark.

Comma showing its distinctive white comma mark.

Comma showing its distinctive white comma mark.

Large skipper

Moorhen

Moorhen

Small red-eyed damselfly

Small Tortoiseshell

Small White

River Freshney

River Freshney

North Cave Wetlands, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

 A birthday treat for me today: a trip over the river to North Cave Wetlands. Disiater, though!! The Little Butty Bus was on holiday! Nonetheless Heather and I had a cracking day with 41 species. The weather was kind, sunny but windy. Pleasant at 16C. In lieu of the Little Butty Bus we repaired to the excellent farm shop and Cafe just noth of the village for tea and stickies and to shop for a birthday BBQ tonight.

Blue-tailed damselfly.

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

Common blue damselfly

Common blue damselfly

Cornflower

Northern Marsh orchid/common spotted

Sedge warbler

Sedge warbler

Sedge warbler

Sedge warbler

A Better Day on the Horsefield,

 A much better day for weather today with only a gentle westerly breeze. Sunny intervals gave a very warm 24C.

21 bird species were found and the sound of skylarks while standing in the centre of the Horsefield was amazing. They were everywhere and the air resounded with their songs. I did much better with butterflies today with 10 species giving 41 individuals including my first meadow browns, the most numerous, ringlets and small/Essex skipper. I found a cinnabar moth as well as some narrow-bordered five spot burnet moths.

Whitethroat

Small white, taken in the garden in the morning.

Small/Essex skipper.

Small/Essex skipper.

Ringlet

Ringlet

Meadow Brown

Linnet

Linnet

Cinnabar Moth

Burnet Moths

Burnet Moths

Burnet Moth

My First Large Skippers of the Year

 A walk around the cemetery and Horsefield today. Warm and overcast but a strong SE wind made conditions very difficult. I saw 20 bird species and found my first large skippers of the year.

Dog Rose

Large skipper, male and female.

Large skipper

Large skipper

Sycamore seeds

Small tortoiseshell

Dog walking, Birding and Butterflies along the Freshney.

 Finally the sun came out yesterday afternoon and I decided to take Jet for a walk along the Freshey valley in Grimsby. It had been a long time since I had been here and I was amazed at how grown up and lush it now looks. There were plent of birds about, although not presenting themselves for photography, and I found 26 species, three new for the year. Highlights were my first UK house martin amazingly, Cetti's warbler and reed warbler. I felt that it was still quiet on the butterfly front but I managed 10 individuals from 5 species. Dog roses are out now; I love these flowers, definitely one of my favourites and I can't resist photographing them.