What have you seen

Out walking close to our present site and  heard Buzzards calling and then spotted 7 altogether, circling and wheeling. They were there for a few minutes and then disappear in the blink of an eye.

The warm sun has certainly brought out the butterflies today, mainly Large Tortoiseshells on the Ragwort flowers, but also Red Admirals, Large and Green Veined Whites, and an odd Painted Lady. There were numerous Little Egrets on the shore, along with Lapwings and Curlews, and in one of the fields behind the embankment an Emu!! Not often one sees of those that's not in a zoo.

Very pleased to spot another Jersey Tiger Moth in our garden (first one spotted last year.) This one looks a bit worn at the edges but it's in a similar place to the one we saw last year, we've let a lot of nettles etc grow so hope this has helped. One thing about moths, they don't fly off as you approach with a camera! 

More like what have I not seen.

With the exception of a juvenile blackbird and a wood pigeon, all other birds have stopped coming to our garden. The feeders have lasted over two weeks and are still half full. They used to last about 2/3 days until about 2 weeks ago.
There were often up to 20 sparrows constant stream of blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits up to 7 blackbirds, several robins, greenfinch, goldfinch, now nothing. Even the sparrow hawk gives us a miss.

Not usually home much this time of year, so not sure if this is normal.

We have a lull too but they're starting to return, plenty of free range food available here so there's a good choice around.

For the last 8 or 9 weeks weeks I have regularity cut two large orange in half and placed on the lawn near our main patio off the rear of the house. Usually added a nother couple every week. We have been rewarded with up to 8 red admirals feeding and others resting nearby. Usually see them at the bottom of the garden on the Buddleia at the bottom of the garden but not as visible from the patio. 

EMUs you should see "the Wild" Walabys on Dunstable downs 

We have a couple of resident lLttle Egrett on our chalk river at the bottom of the valley

There were Bennetts Wallabys running wild near " The Roaches " in Derbyshire until about 2003.  Not actually escapes but released at the start of WW2 when Private Zoological Collections were banned.

A fair few drivers telling the tale of what they had seen late at night round there came close to being breath-tested by disbelieving bobbies or at least those with a wicked sense of humour !!

Paid a visit to a Durham Wildlife Trust reserve at Low Barns, near Witton-le-Wear, today. They are former gravel works and there was a circular walk plotted out. Very enjoyable. Watching over 300 Lapwings take to the air from a scrape when a Sparrowhawk flew over was memorable. Fortunately all escaped being lunch.

Later on we saw a female Hobby being mobbed by House Martins, brave little souls.

Free of charge if you are in the area and not bad for a pushchair or wheelchair with only one or two indifferent areas.

On a walk from site alongside the River Wear we had the full compliment of birds to be seen including a Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser and Heron. A nice accompaniment.

There is a fine stand of conifer trees on the edge of the site and we have watched our very own mini murmuration of Starlings every night. They gather on the telephone wires then take off and fly around gathering new friends as they go, twittering away, until they gradually all settle down into the trees. Only about 100 of them but enjoyable all the same.