Weekend Action

 Well as both my regular readers will remember I don't do well in the heat! Complete failure to get up early on Saturday meant a day on the sofa!! However the constant calling of our Swifts motivated me and I hit the garden with a view to getting some pics!! As ever Me vs Swift didn't end well but I done me best!

Our resident Swift watching my antics with mild disdain, waiting until my arms could no longer support the 600mm lens before leaving the box in 0.0008 second, a tad quicker than my reactions!

There were a few other bits flying about a couple of Buzzards put on a show sadly distant and a Sparrowhawk flew over and got a bit of stick from the Swifts! 

Buzzards

Sparrowhawk

Buzzard

Swift numbers seem quite good, as I understand it we have so far 13 occupied nest sites in the village, I counted 25 screaming around the other night, apparently the first wave of which ours were two, arrive and start to breed at the end of May, then the second wave of 2/3 year old birds which may start to breed comes in. therefore their chicks fledge later, then a 3rd wave comes in of young birds which check out nest sites for next year. We found an unhatched egg under our box, but also empty eggshells so we are hopeful we have at least one chick, the box is still occupied and the occupant very vocal, especially when the newcomers come screaming through past the box!! 

Talking of young birds Mr White-eye brought a youngster in to see us while I was trying to get pics of the Swifts

Mr White-eye

Young Blackbird not as brave as its dad!

Woodpigeon paid a visit as well!

So having completely failed to get up on Saturday, we set the alarm and using the sort of will power I'm famous for we made it to Knepp for quarter past seven, with a plan to dodge the heat and be home by 10! Didn't quite happen as we were captivated by the Purple Emperors and I spent nearly an hour trying to get a picture of one of the zillions of Purple Hairstreaks, with limited success!! We also heard several Turtle Doves and saw a couple, though photo opportunities were limited by distance, cloud cover and incompetence!! Other highlights were the fabulous Storks, lots of other Butterflies and a Hobby that was miles in the sky!! Getting all the excuses in today! Some pics below!

Fantastic views all around

Balloons

Spot the Stork nest

Some fantastic old trees !

 

Caterpillars, lots of Ragwort in the fields but surprisingly few of these!

Comma

Comma

Fallow Deer

Gatekeeper

Hobby with some sort of humungous Insect

Managed to avoid the Cattle today, but the horse were giving me the eye

Jay

Quite pleased with these wouldn't have got em with the old camera

Purple Emperor, loving the dung!! 

Amazing how the wing colour changed depending on the light

Had it's fill of dung and headed to a bramble bush for a rest

Back on the Dung

Different Purple Emperor in more picturesque surroundings, we saw at least 10 Purple Emperors chasing each other about though there were probably many more!

Purple Hairstreak, were loads of these but this was the only pic I got! though that was better than the Marble Whites of which there were many, that I didn't get a single picture of!

Rabbit

Red Admiral

Small Copper

Storks on the nest

Turtle Dove, was miles away!

Turtle Dove, did have several flying about but the light was a nightmare

White Stork, we was bemoaning how far away there were, when we treated to a flypast !

They are impressive birds when seen up close! With the sun finally coming out, the temperature soaring and my Welsh Genes screaming for mercy, we headed back to the car park, two hours later than planned, which was now packed to the rafters! Luckily I managed to avoid the shop thus saving myself fifty quid, though the donation in the carpark is now 5 pounds so think I paid my dues!!! An excellent day!!!