Time to get the camera out againAnd spread some joy

[enrico]

Managed to get a rough shot of a sparrow hawk on the fence post of our neighbours field. Grabbed the scope and shot on my iPhone.

It was preening itself before deciding who’s garden to go to for lunch. Probably fancied a blackbird. A rare treat.

They love our goldfinches, we have a merlin that has taken a fancy to them too!

 

[elainemary]

They love our goldfinches, we have a merlin that has taken a fancy to them too!

Only the second I’ve seen on our land. Swooped onto our bird feeders and narrowly missed a blackbird

 

[Antipodes]

Coral fern with hints of hexagonal patterns in its natural formations.

 

[enrico]

Coral fern with hints of hexagonal patterns in its natural formations.

Love it, well spotted

 

[Beegarden]

This is a view across the flooded wetlands today. The line of posts is the river bank. The river is at 8.6 meters deep and the floodplain flood-View attachment 38546spills have all worked to flood the surrounding land to save all the houses. If you zoom into the oak tree that usually stands in the middle of the field you will see the small egrets roosting there as the water is too deep for them now

Wow, very sad, but beautiful. I guess Little Egrets in Somerset are almost like blackbirds here! Also, just for future reference, Enrico, your pretty 'garden warbler' isn't dull enough; it's more likely to be a Chiffchaff. Lovely to have in the garden.

 

[Goran]

This winter when snow fallen noticed some new birds ( group of about dozen of them), when I searched I found out that are bullfinches - turns out pest to orchards.. Of course nothing good can hit me..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This winter when snow fallen noticed some new birds ( group of about dozen of them), when I searched I found out that are bullfinches - turns out pest to orchards.. Of course nothing good can hit me..

they are only a problem in the spring as they damage the fresh buds on the fruit trees, but you need to have a heck of a lot of them in your orchards to be a real problem

 

[enrico]

Don't you just love them

 

[JamezF]

Don't you just love them

Is that from today?

James

 

[enrico]

Is that from today?

James

No, a few years ago but all the same crocus are open and the bees are on them. A bit wet today

 

[Antipodes]

Apples ready for harvest in the afternoon autumn sunshine.

 

[Martimart]

Slightly off topic, but hope it brings a smile to peoples faces, I bought a selection of old hats from EBay. Probably the best of a bad bunch… none fit! They are really for the kids dressing up… I am thinking I could attach a bit of netting and make a veil.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Slightly off topic, but hope it brings a smile to peoples faces, I bought a selection of old hats from EBay. Probably the best of a bad bunch… none fit! They are really for the kids dressing up… I am thinking I could attach a bit of netting and make a veil.

Well done you for posting this photo of yourself.

The dressing up box is a big part of the grandchildren's visits to us.

 

[RJC]

looks like someone has been throwing those small polystyrene balls in the hedge...

 

[enrico]

The bees love the species tulips.

 

[Newbeeneil]

The bees have minimal flight to the laurel but would rather flyover a mile to the rape it would seem!

 

[Antipodes]

A pair of meadow argus butterflies on a kunzea bush. Distracted enough to allow me to get close.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In 2019 the U.K. was beautifully invaded by Painted Ladies. They were on every Knapweed in our fields. Thousands of them.

 

[Antipodes]

In 2019 the U.K. was beautifully invaded by Painted Ladies. They were on every Knapweed in our fields. Thousands of them.

Apparently the Meadow Argus has been seen in the UK, perhaps as an accidental import, and known as Albin's Hampstead Eye.

https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=villida

 

[Antipodes]

In 2019 the U.K. was beautifully invaded by Painted Ladies. They were on every Knapweed in our fields. Thousands of them.

I think that Meadow Argus is possibly the most perfect butterfly I have ever seen. Of course, flying together before they landed did make for an unusual sight.