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 .

Frustrating Weather 29-6-09

Lead Belle Or July belle

This weather is rather frustrating for me ,warm it may be ,but so changeable went up the coast the other day stopped near the power station for a walk it was a sunny spell and I counted about 20 Common Blue nearly all males with just a few females , also Red Admirals, Ringlets, & Meadow Browns , various amounts of damselflies at most suitable locations, Willow Warblers & Chiffchaffs still singing family of Whitethroats, stopped beside the travellers camp and looked up the stream very overgrown as is the pool nearby could be anything in there, the flash dried up now, a quick look in at Cresswell the Goosander on the sand beside the hide in heavy moult, Common Sandpiper here also. Druridge pools from the screen had little on show, the track to the hides was good for Butterflies as the sun as out again walked right to the end getting a few shots , went into the hide to find a mist over most of the pond , I ended up in the car for a coffee to see what would happen as I wanted to go to East Chevington to check the north pool , I thought it had cleared enough to be able to see the terns so off to east Chev, Greenshank & 3 redshank , a couple of Arctic Terns & 3 1st summers in with the 10 Little Gulls and numerous Common & Sandwich terns.

A couple of Juvenile Herons outside the hide Druridge Pools Mutes with Young also

Latticed Heath ?

And another paler version

Plenty of Common Blue out today

Common Toadflax starting to flower

A couple of Red Admirals ,this on Viper's Bugloss

Common Blue female

More Ringlets out every day