Thursday 17 October 2013

Robin's pincushion

Isn't it a great name!!!! Robin's pincushion is actually a gall caused by the tiny larvae of a gall wasp - found on wild roses - this is in the hedgerow on our lane



photography by Angela Smith

Sunday 22 September 2013

rotting damsons - provide a feast

We went looking for speckled wood butterflies today - having arrived at the place in full sun, where I have seen plenty all week, not a single one appeared - we stood waiting to see one for a good five minutes or so and then caught a glimpse of one, so we moved on to where we saw it and found the reason why they weren't in their usual spot. They were feasting on rotting damsons...






we counted at least a dozen, several landed on me as I was taking the photos too and
others were landing on vegetation near by




Thursday 19 September 2013

An Autumn walk - along the hedgerow

Just a few pictures from today's dog walk

speckled wood

sloe

hawthorn


hazel

hazel

Add caption



hazel

damsons

Monday 16 September 2013

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Small pearl bordered fritillary - Isle of Mull

Sitting in the holiday cottage garden on the Isle of Mull enjoying the warm sunshine, watching the tide come in and the bees buzzing around the clover on the lawn,



 a small heath butterfly landed near by,





 so a  butterfly hunt followed to see what else we had fluttering around the garden. We followed the small heath to a patch of flag iris to the rear of the garden, and up flew a blue! with the help of Mr S who followed the blue butterfly with his eyes and called up directions, I picked my way carefully through the irises to get to the blue. On my way I caught a flash of orange out of the corner of my eye, so I then ignore Mr S's directions and veer off to hunt for my orange butterfly calling down to Mr S' I think we have a frit!!!!' Mr S doesn't hear me and is still giving me directions to the blue - 'But it's a frit!!!!  I find it sitting on a leaf close to the ground surrounded by iris leaves and Mr S comes up to see what I have found. Sure enough it was a fritillary, a beautiful small pearl bordered fritillary -






We never did get to the blue!

Monday 24 June 2013

Amazing what you can find on fence posts


Not always what you might expect 


Dunnock

Pied wagtail

wellington boots 
Isle of Mull - full of surprises!

Isle of Mull

Bunessan

Bunessan


Bunessan




Bunessan

Bunessan

Tobermory

Tobermory

Tobermory

Tobermory

Tobermory

Aros







Kintra



Ardalanish

Ardalanish