Sunday 15 May 2011

Friday 13th. May 2011

Managed to publish Friday's post this morning , and am hoping this one will work too . As I am unsure if this will be a waste of time trying , will use the 'picture and comment' method .
Went up on the Common Friday morning for a look around .
In one of the glades we worked on in the Winter , I found this Chiffchaff .
And it wasn't long before he started singing .
Whilst photographing him , I noticed movement further back in the woodland , and found this female Great Spotted Woodpecker with food in her bill .
After a good look around , she entered the nest hole . No sound from the youngsters , must be very young . A group of dog walkers were approaching , so I went to see what else was about .
This female Large White was nectaring on Goatsbeard/Tragopogon pratensis also known as Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon , as the flower closes up about midday .
Whilst looking for Brimstone caterpillars on Buckthorn , found this spider , which looks of the Crab family , with what looks like a youngster underneath .
Soon after , found a Brimstone caterpillar .
As I photographed it , another spider arrived , and decided that the caterpillar was to be it's next meal . Predation like this is why only about 3/5% of eggs laid by a butterfly survive to become adults .
Going back to the clearing later , when the dog walkers had gone , it was the male that was found outside the hole .
He was less wary about looking around , but unsure of what was inside the hole each time he looked in .
Not so easy to get a shot of either bird on the way out .
And of course , with all that food going in , something has to come out ! I'll keep an eye on the nest in the weeks to come and hopefully get some more shots .
By now , the Chiffchaff was singing from the top of a dead Birch .
On the patio at lunchtime , a pair of Large Red Damselflies in tandem , stopped for a rest on one of Carol's Hosta plants .
And a very tatty Peacock came to nectar on the minature Lilac .
Carol's foot is much better now , the swelling having gone well down . Hopefully another couple of days and she will be able to walk normally .
Here's hoping that this post will publish .

3 comments:

Alan Pavey said...

Hi Greenie, Well done with the Great Spots, they are fascinating to watch when they are busy feeding, the Chiffchaff pics are really good too.

ShySongbird said...

Glad you have been restored to some semblance of normality Greenie! I have just caught up with Thursday's post which I haven't seen before, presumably a victim of 'the troubles'. Nice to see the Golden Skipper and the Fragrant Orchids on that post.

The GSW nest was a great find and lovely photos! You must keep us up to date with that. Lovely potos of the Chiffchaff too.

So glad Carol's foot is improving, it is bound to take time but the ice packs sounded like a good idea.

Warren Baker said...

Well done Greenie! Good to see you back reporting the comings and goings of all the wildlife :-)

P Hairstreaks next up ?