Friday, June 17, 2011

June 17 2011

Having done nothing on day one of my long weekend, day two would be different!

I left the house with the sun shining and warmth, but the forecast was for that not to last, so I was in a race with the weather.

My target today was Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Sweethope Lough. It’s the only site where I have seen them in Northumberland, but I have succeeded every time when the weather has been in my favour. The closer I got to my destination, the cloudier it got, till the point where it was actually raining as I drove the last mile. Light rain, but still wet!

When I parked the car it had stopped raining, but the temperature was down and the cloud cover was total; no chance, what am I doing?

I’m here, I might as well have a look…

Small Pearl-bordered FritillarySmall Pearl-bordered Fritillary Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

…and also a Green-veined White…

Green-veined White
…the only two butterflies I saw!

Common Buzzard were just that, common. Every where today, from Cramlington to Sweethope. Plenty of Common Crossbill to, at Sweethope and then nineteen at Banks Pond on the way back (on Wednesday morning, I had nine fly over the house). At Banks, three Four-spot Chaser and an Emperor, but no pictures.

2 comments:

PCF said...

Thank you Richard. I've just come in having had a flock of about twenty Crossbill fly over me and I thought I was cracking up.
Great shots of the Fritillary and loads of time yet for the Emperors!

Richard Dunn said...

No, I dont believe your cracking up!
They were headed your way when they left Banks.
The Frit was a bit raggy, although the shots are canny. I had it climbing over my hand, that was nice.
As always the Emperor didn't settle, so just had to be content with watching it, like you say plenty of time yet