Essex Birds and Butterflies monday 28th may

Spotted Flycatchers,  Him and Her at the ready

He offers her a beetle

She accepts it and raises her tail

The actual moment of conception

The beautiful Heath Fritillary

Two beautiful Heath fritillaries

Brimstone

Yellow Wagtails in a potato field

Green Hairstreaks Ingrebourne Valley

Green Hairstreaks feeding on birds Foot Trefoil in the field oposite the hedge at the top end of the path.  They differ by the number of white spots on their wings.

Flutterbies

Thank you God for bringing back the sunshine.  We promise not to moan about the drought next time.   Mind you Mate,  it was a bit strong to send the second Deluge,  I was starting to think about building an Ark.  Anyway,  the water has subsided and the pretty little butterflies have come out from

their bunkers,  and I saw some today,  I'm glad really,  just to take my mind off of that nasty Mr Sparrowhawk.

Small Copper

Brimstone

Grizzled Skipper

Small Heath

Common Blue

Green Hairstreak

Green Veined White

Mushrooms

Sounds of nature

From the gentle cooing of a Turtle Dove to the screeching of a starling fighting for its life in the iron grip of a raptors talons,   these are the sounds from both ends of nature.       My daughters garden, Norfolk.

The fight for life

Hiding the dastardly deed

The brutal ending

 "Turned out nice again hasn't it"

Marsh Tit at nest, Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk

Tree Creeper,  Lynford Arboretum,

Even more Wheatears

Wheatears are still coming in on the tip

Green Hairstreak, The hedge.

A Peregrine appeared above me over Berwick glades coming from the south,   then circled and disappeared over Berwick woods going towards Rainham.  I hope someone else saw it.