Still lots of colour around.

Only one Gull, a Great Black backed, was brave enough to face the winds yesterday when the new tide had made its way to the furthest corner of the bay. However I was not only looking for the Birds-I am always on the lookout for anything else, and I was curious to see which Wild Flowers were still in bloom. Yet I had not much time, so I was forced to take only the short route and had to forego the higher back road where I would usually find most of the Wild Flowers and Insects.

The hedgerows were glowing with life! Holly and Honeysuckle were showing off their branches stretching far out of the hedgerows, laden with berries. Also Blackthorn I believe, but I still have to learn a lot more before I can definitely spot the difference between these. Despite the cold weather and it being late in the growing season, this Fern had started sprouting as if it knew of no boundaries.
When lifting the camera and focusing on the Hooded Crows, and settled on the little bridge at my previous home, I was aware of a truck closing in behind me, and so I moved off quickly. I let it go past, and discovered that it was one of the county council which was trying to repair the road surface as well as it was able to. It is a very bad way of making roads passable for any traffic in my view, because it will only last till the next heavy rains have swept this lot out again.
Anyway, here are some photos. .




Herb Robert, one of those sweet flowers which are often hidden in the Grass.

This Daisy was hard to photograph, as it was swaying right to left in the wind.


This, I think is an Upright Hedge Parsley, but I still have trouble keeping them apart.



Seedhead of what I believe to be another Upright Hedge Parsley.

And of course, a couple of Hooded Crows too. I spotted 5 in this tree.





Sticking with the yellow theme is this one growing against the wall, stopping the tide from flooding the road.


Bird'sfoot Trefoil, one of my favourite Wild Flowers, still popping up everywhere.


And between the latest houses of the estate and us, the result of the latest weather was quite easy to spot in long and high grass: even the birds would have to pinch deep in order to find this fruit of the Hawthorn, I believe.

Some of Last month's Insects.

When at Rehabcare, I always need to take time outside. Also a leftover from the smoking days I guess, plus I need the fresh air and such. I usually sit and wait at the planters with Nasturtium, where I'm bound to spot anything with six legs and wings. I love it how sitting still just brings them to you-well as long as your waitingroom has plenty of juice in its flowers. I often sit like this along the backroads and main roads too, something not very suitable really and certainly not in summer with its continental tourists which still have difficulty coming to terms with Left-hand driving.



Sometimes the Lumix still surprises me, in how her photos turn out in detail, like with these Insects.



Last month I finally saw the Red Admiral Butterfly I had been hoping to spot this summer. It took me long enough, even though I am living right within its favourite veggie shop, so to speak.
These photos I took on one of my trips to the bay. It was the Little Egret photos which, on that day, took precedence.

I stopped when I spotted a Bee walking from one head of Hedge Parsley flowers to the next, smaller head of the same plant. So of course, I had to stop and watch it sample the different wares on offer.

A little earlier, at the shingle strand, where the Wild Strawberries grow beside the bridge, and along the backroad, I'd spotted these,

A 2nd generation Red Admiral Butterfly


Wild Strawberry with Insect:
'Junior', I'm just as Big as the Other One! !

And here with a Wasp,


I love the Sun reflecting off the wings of this one: (any ideas as to its name?)



Isn't the grass always greener on the other side? This Bee I spotted sitting in the middle of the flower-head first, and then it started to take nectar from the small one ahead before making the crossing itself eventually. It had me sitting mesmerised at the side of the road for ages, not hearing(in a way) the cars going past, inches from my wheels. Funny what can have us humans occupied so much.





Wild Strawberry

Some Insect photos from last month.

Last month I finally saw the Red Admiral Butterfly I had been hoping to spot this summer. It took me long enough, even though I am living right within its favourite veggie shop, so to speak.
These photos I took on one of my trips to the bay. It was the Little Egret photos which, on that day, took precedence.

I stopped when I spotted a Bee walking from one head of Hedge Parsley flowers to the next, smaller head of the same plant. So of course, I had to stop and watch it sample the different wares on offer.

Before, at the shingle strand, where the Wild Strawberries grow beside the bridge, I spotted these,

A Red Admiral Butterfly, Vanessa atalanta


Wild Strawberry:



I still have some pictures of the late Bees and other Insects I encountered on the 26th of last month.

Hedgerow Illuminated

I've always loved hedgerows; they are so alive with little colonies, and are in fact a warren of different lifeforms, all varying in size, specie or source of food needed to keep them alive. And ecerytime I am astonished to see predator and prey living quite close together within these living high rise communities. Here a House Sparrow takes advantage of the veggies growing in his roof terrace, and whilst waiting for the crop to ripen he feeds on the Insects attracted by the safety the leaves and buds of this Wild Ivy offered. Which in turn had to fight the Holly for space on the hedgerow to growAnd although seeing Holly with its berries delights me, I am not so sure of the fruit the next hedgerow offers to us and more importantly, the Birds and other creatures depending on them.And down the far end of the bay, where I usually stop for photos of Herons or Little Egrets, something else seemed illuminating the landscape today, right on the inner most bank I found these Nasturtiums, obviously escaped from either garden or more likely a tidy towns' planter, These Nasturtium would have the perfect view over the bay from where they grow and look at this,
While this is the view eastwards into the heart of Dunmanus from the bridge at the COI.
also this gives a good indication of the width of our cosy bay, and the distance my Lumix needs to cover to capture Herons, Egrets or Cormorants; all favouring the deeper end which runs along the far bank with the trees.
I could not resist a picture of this late blooming BrambleOne thing is for sure: One truckdriver is not very happy to fork out the money for new lights and whatever damage he caused to his truck. And I wonder what will be living in these lights in a year, say.