Summer Lull in Excitement

 The long dry and warm spell continues and I have to say I'm enjoying it. It's good to go out each morning  without a coat, although I always wear a hat to protect my head from the sun.

Unfortunately I've seen nothing that you wouldn't expect to see at this time of year, so I have no great news to report. Our local wildlife is always worth watching though as you never know what may occur or pop up.

Magpies appear to be increasing in number around the Mere but are very wary of being approached so I haven't taken many pics of them. This morning I got one in a tree with a Yellowhammer for company.

Magpie and Yellowhammer

Gatekeeper butterflies have been a feature of the last week or so, with good numbers seen most days.

Gatekeeper on ragwort

The white butterflies are also being seen regularly, but in nowhere near the numbers of previous years - no doubt gardeners are pleased as their produce won't be under attack from the "cabbage whites". Ringlets and Meadow Browns keep the interest going as I walk through the fields, as there always the hope that something different will appear.

A pair of Meadow Browns

As I check the grass and flowers for butterflies I also see more and more bees now. One afternoon I managed to see six different species of bee which is encouraging. We would of course be better off with more habitat for our insects and also a reduced amount of pesticide being used, but hey ho - I'll just get on with life rather than moaning all the time.

Damselflies. I've only managed two species this year to date so I need to get a wiggle on and get out more.

Two for the price of one - Common Blue Damselflies

Five for the price of one - more Common Blue Damselflies

Not much to excite me along the sea front these mornings, although 26+ Sandwich Terns one morning was good to see, with several juvenile birds in and amongst.

Sandwich Terns on one of the sea front groynes.

Sandwich Tern calling

Adult and juvenile Sandwich Terns

Juvenile Sarnie

A successful dive into the sea

I'm always on the look out for a decent viewpoint from which to get a tern diving. I followed a young bird with my camera as it dived, but it was a bit distant so the images aren't very good.

Sandwich Tern diving

Entering the water

Unsuccessful this time

The only other bird of note within camera range other than the usual gulls was a Lesser Black-backed Gull that flew along the shore.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

The Lapwings have now finished breeding but are still mooching about. One was circling me as I walked along and it showed signs of post-breeding moult with missing primary feathers on both wings.

Moulting Lapwing