The Purple Loosetrife is in full bloom around the lakeside which is looking beautiful right now.
This photo should be called...spot the bird! I knew I was miles to far away for a decent photo but.....
......I can never resist trying to take photos of our Kingfisher. They're such charismatic birds and this one let me know it was there by its distinctive 'desperate' sounding whistle. This photo is heavily cropped from the one above. There's no such thing as colour clashes in nature I think.
We have some felt squares placed around the reserve to try and attract Slow Worms and Mice and Voles etc. As I walked around I carefully lifted up various of these squares and the only thing I found were several Toads. This one stayed still long enough for me to grab a photo. It's only about an inch long. 
Even though the sun wasn't shining, there were quite a few butterflies about. Mostly there were Gatekeepers. This one is the male with those dark patches on the fore wings.
And this is the female below, looking a bit more washed out.
Earlier in the year we had an invasion of thousands of Painted Ladies from the continent. These stayed over here to breed and we are now seeing the newly hatched ones everywhere. They are amazingly fresh looking compared to the tatty ones that came over originally.
I hope the weather improves so I can get out again soon.
12 comments:
Jenny, it's great to see the fresh new Painted Ladies & of course your Kingfisher - stunning colours whatever the background. FAB
Sorry about sending the used weather over your way. Love the bug shots. Your kingfisher whistles? Ours rattles.
Nice to see the Kingfisher in that setting Jen and that Painted Lady is just perfect.
Sorry about the weather Jenny, I hope the sun shines for you soon! The Kingfisher is just beautiful. Oh, and yes it is raining again here!
Your Kingfisher is so much brighter than ours, which is a soft grey-blue; however, ours is just as difficult to photograph! Yours is gorgeous. Love the butterflies, especially the one you've used in your banner!
Beauitul Jenny! That kingfisher really gives itself away by bending over that loosetrife! I guess summer finally arrived in the NE so maybe they will push it your way. I happy that I can't be blamed for that anymore!
I would never have spotted the kingfisher if you hadn't cropped the photo....you have a good eye :-) Very colorful! I think kingfisher are such interesting birds, but seldom get a chance to see one. The Gatekeeper butterflies are lovely! We had a terrible storm the other night, but then everything cooled off and it is mild at the moment. Hope you get a weather break soon.
That king fisher really stood out amongst those pretty purple flowers! Enjoyed all those butterflies too! I haven't seen many this year.
Hi Frank, first of thanks a bunch for your instructions to get my blog award up. One day I'll get lucky and be closer to a Kingfisher for a decent photo.
Hi Steve, I know you've had a gut full of bad weather over there. Perhaps it will be an Indian summer for both sides of the pond! (-: Yes, our whistles. I've heard your Kingfisher rattling and they seem just a skittish when it comes to getting photographed if I remember right.
Hi Roy, it was certainly very colourful! (-: The Painted Ladies are just soo fresh looking right now. Are you getting any over your side of the country?
Hi Julie, I'm sooooo sorry that you're getting rain AGAIN! We did have a bit of summer back in June, so we'll see how August progresses.
Hi Kelly, yes, our Kingfisher is one instance where I think we have the more colourful bird, but when it comes to warblers, you win hands down!!! (-:
Hi Evie, that's a thought, maybe you could blow some of your hot southern sun our way....not too much thought otherwise we'll be complaining about the heat! We Brits love to moan about our weather....it's a national pastime! (-:
Hi Mary, do you have a river near you? I think that your Kingfisher prefers that habitat, tho I might be wrong in that...I believe that we might get a bit of nicer weather this Weds/Thurs. I shall believe it when I see it! (-:
Hi Shelley, do you get many species of butterfly up there? Yes, I think it would have made a fabulous photo if I'd been able to get nearer to that Kingfisher on the Loosetrife. As it was, I was pleased to get that distant one anyway!
Hey Jen, just got some new Painted Ladies today. First of the new batch I have seen.
Jenny sorry 'bout the weather. Shame on us for letting that "stuff" get over the puddle to you :) The Kingfisher on the Purple Loosetrife is striking!
We have some moles/voles that you may have, no problem!
The Painted Ladies, beautiful. I hate to see tattered butterflies, I worry about what they have had to go through...
Thank you for the hour at Rodden.
Hi Roy, it's been great this year. Sometimes I don't see one at all.
Hi RR, that's very kind of your, but I'll let you keep your moles and voles. (-: Those butterflies to have to run the gauntlet in their short lives. Our Flopadom is not helping I'm afraid!
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