Alnmouth

A visit to Alnmouth  parking near the bridge and walking along the river to the beach only produced  2 Shellduck some ever present Canada and Greylag  a few Curlews and a Hare, on the beach Common terns where fishing in the small pools left as the tide receded a group of Terns and Gulls where on the far shore with the Aln stopping anyone from walking either way the birds find refuge here about 40 Sandwhich Terns and 10 or so Common Terns, with an assortment of Herring and Great Black Backs  , ended up having picnic lunch looking onto the flats where the boats moor , another walk along the shore two check out 2 distant Little Egrets .

Called at Druridge Bay on the way back and had a look at the Lesser Butterfly Orchids , and some Common Twayblade

 This has to be the largest bit of Lego I have ever seen !!!

 Fantastic beach here at Alnmouth

 Looking across to the other side a rough track leads down to this side it is rough but worth a visit

 Looking back with the sea wall in the foreground

 Two Litttle egrets Aln Estuary

Common Terns feeding in the small pools

 Lesser Butterfly Orchid

 Common Spotted Orchid

 Common Twayblade

Marbled Whites

Went down to Wingate Durham to have a look for Marbled Whites , also to check for any Orchids large number of Common Twayblades varying in height  from a couple of inches to 12+ " a rather plain orchid till you have a close look at there structure, plenty of Common Spotted Orchids again varying enormously in size depending I suppose on the soil depth , Frog Orchids have been recorded in the past but I could not find any, no surprise there, Bee Orchids also present   I would have thought there where lots of unusual plants but unless they have a distinctive flower I probably would not notice them, Greater Knapweed  a very common and showy flower , and  St Johns Wort (slender ?). Picked up the first Marbled White flying high it just looked like a dirty white, eventually followed one till it settled very briefly a couple of times allowing me to get a couple of shots an impressive creature indeed , actually as are all Butterflies they just seem to sum up warm summer days . 

 Slender St Johns Wort ?

 Greater Knapweed

 Marbled White

 Marbled White actually the same one re- settled

 Common Twayblade

Common Twayblade three very healthy spikes

 A few of these fungi  around probably common but just caught your eye even though they are very small

 As I sat on the grass for my lunch I noticed this Slug , so camera out I took a couple of shots , a very intricate red and black  pattern along the foot of this specimen

I'm sure I have had these before , they will be on the blog somewhere the name Latticed Heath comes to mind .