Butts, cats and ladybirds

A selection of images taken on my recent outings over the last week or so.

Taken on 19/4/11 in King's Wood Bedfordshire (Stockgrove C.P.)

Green-veined White on Cuckoo Flower or Lady's Smock

Green-veined White (coupled pair)

 

 

 There were swarms of these small moths flying around in all the sunny spots, they were very difficult to photograph as they didn't stay still for very long.

Micro-moth  adela reaumurella

 

They shine bright gold and iredecent blue in the sun.

                                                       ooOOOoo

Taken on 21/4/2011 at Willen Lake, Buckinghamshire. 

 

These are the Caterpillars of the Small Eggar Moth (eriogaster lanestris)
and they live communally in large silken tents, usually on Blackthorn or Hawthorn bushes and when the sun shines they come out to sunbathe! 

                                                       ooOOOoo

Taken on 22/4/11 at RSPB The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire.

Speckled Wood

 

 

 

                                                       
                                                       ooOOOoo

These next two images were taken in my back garden on 25/4/11

I was sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine and a cup of coffee when I saw this Holly Blue plop into the birdbath, I rescued it from the water and placed it on an Azalea bush to dry out. After about 20 mins. it flew away seemingly none the worse for wear.

                                                       ooOOOoo


Taken on 25/4/11 at Marston Vale CP Bedfordshire.

The Green Hairstreak., notice the varying amount of spots that make up 'the streak'

This 'coupled pair' were being harried by up to five of what I can only assume were males trying to get to the female, lucky girl! 

And finally, taken on 19/4/11 in King's Wood Bedfordshire, a couple of 7 Spot Ladybirds doing what 7 Spot ladybirds do, only ......

....... I'm guessing that one of them is not really a lady!!

Frosty Friday on the Downs

Yesterday dawned cold and frosty (-3 overnight) with a sunny hazy blue sky. I decided to visit Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire.
The Downs, as they are locally known, are a chalk escarpment overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury and forming part of the Chiltern Hills standing at 243m (797ft) above sea level they are the highest point in Bedfordshire. Ivinghoe Beacon to the South West stands at 233m (757ft) and is one of the highest points in Buckinghamshire.

Ivinghoe Beacon is the high point to the right of the tree and the village on the far right is Edlesborough

Heading downhill on the footpath from the visitor centre, (I`ll do a post on that at a later date), I coudn`t help but notice how beautiful the grass and wild plants looked covered in ice crystals and sparkling in the sun.

 I then came across a cluster of  Seven-spot Ladybirds on a frozen bramble leaf that had been turned over by the breeze.

Scanning the trees and bushes through the binoculars I located a flock of about 20 Redwing feeding on Hawthorn berries, so as not to disturb them I took a long and arcing route to stay under cover and slowly get closer to them with a view to taking some photographs, After about 15 minutes of slowly creeping closer I was 'found' by a Golden Retriever closely followed by it`s lady owner calling "hear Toby, good boy Toby" hence birds gone and no photograph !!
I could, in the distance see a Kestrel hovering on the updraft from the slopes and decided to position myself in a spot where I hoped it might eventually come to. After about 20 minutes of me standing in the cold and frosty shadow of a large Hawthorn bush the Kestrel, a female, came within camera distance.

Kestrel (female)

It`s amazing to stand and watch these birds hunting for prey, if you can get a reference mark, you will see that when they hover they are stock still in the air just with a slight flutter of the feathers. Also using the updrafts were Common Gulls, Herring Gulls and Carrion Crows.

Common Gull

 As I was slowly getting colder and colder with all the standing about I decided to head for home and a nice warm cup of tea.

And finally a different type of aviator making use of the updrafts.

 
Have a good (rest of) the weekend.

Sightings List
Redwing
Blackbird
Great Tit
Pheasant
Wren
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Carrion Crow
Rook
Kestrel
Magpie
Robin
Wood Pigeon
  (Total 13)