Day out in scotland

Meet up with my cousin so we decided to head for Dumfries & Galloway so we first headed to Ken-Dee Marshes which is always a great walk though later than we been before in the years it was lovely with the sun shinning and the butterflies flying (Orange Tip and Large White). Walked to first hide and on the way had a nice encouter with a beautiful Dor Beetle with its shinny purple sheen. Not much around the feeder so carried on walking and had nice views of a Pied Flycatcher going into its nest box and a family group of Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the woodland along with a pair of Spotted Flycatcher and also heard the wonderful sound of the Wood Warbler.

The Dor Beetle

Pied Flycatcher on the box

Spotted Flycatcher feeding in the trees

After the morning walk headed to Loch Trool were we climbed up Buchan Hill (which also was one the places where Robert the Bruce won ones of his battles against the English) giving us some lovely views overlooking Loch Trool and some of the Gallowway Forest Park a beautiful place but surprising undervisted campared to a lot of scotland.

Loch Trool

Up in the Scottish Hills

Bruce's Stone to mark one of his battles

 

A wet day in Lancashire

Next day headed to Lancashire orginal planned to Arnside Knott for the flowers and the butterflies but the rain put pay to that so headed to Leighton Moss instead always a good backup. Despite the heavy rain had a nice walk around with lots of duck and geese enjoying the waters and lots of squabbing lapwings and plenty of swallows and swift overhead, intresting to see how the wildlife cope with this british summer we are having. Walking back from the hides could hear Reed  Buntings, Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers and in the Woodland section had Blackcaps Singing and Nutchatch feeding then at the feeders by the shop had brief view of Marsh Tit with the Finchs and Tits on the feeders. Then at the Morecambe Bay Hide nice to see all Avocet chicks doing really well with a good number feeding and been looked after by the parents. Also around here were Curlew and Oystercatchers and a lovely family of Wrens in the scrub.

Gadwall in the rain

Great Crested Grebe also in the rain

Nuthatch in the woodland

Then as the rain had cleared by late afternoon and had been told about some special orchids nearby headed to Gait Barrows NNR where i was met by a pair of Marsh Tits who seemed to have a nest nearby and while walking heard a Owl hooting this was 4pm so seemed a bit early then headed to see the
Lady Slipper's Orchid which is such a beautiful orchid unlike any i have seen before.

Friendly Marsh Tit

Lady Slipper's Orchid

Group of Lady Slipper's Orchid

Orchids after the rain

Back to Yorkshire

Back to my break away and my second day was spent in the Yorkshire Dales headed to Buckden though passed through Grinto Moor so had more Red Grouse Sighting seem June is the best month to see them with young grouse been looked after by their parents. Had nice Sighting of Curlew and Lapwing and a Snipe flowover as well.

Red Grouse Pair

Crossing the road

Calling Curlew

Curlew close up

Next arrived at Buckton so started from the car park to do a circular walk around the hills so stretch was a walk up the hills beside the woodland overlooking the River Wharf where they was 1 Male Redstart and a Buzzard overhead they climbed to the top were there some nice views over they valley before carring on walking around the hilltops over looking the woodland of Hubberholme where there was 1 Pied Flycatcher and sereval Redstarts performing well and a few Wheatears at the top of the hill and some big flocks of Starlings. Then climded down the hill to walk aback along side the River Wharf were I had a few Grey Wagtails and a Common Sandpiper and to top the walk up just before the car park a showly Tree Pipit.

Valley View

Male Redstart

Female Redstart

A sunny day brings the butterflies out

After the weather we had recently nice to have a few sunnt day so popped down to Bricket Wood Common where I had  Large Skippers, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Brimstone around the Common and in the Woods were Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and a Green Oak Tortrix Moth. Also around were Buzzard, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Broad-boadied Chaser.

Green Oak Tortrix Moth

Brimstone head

Feeding Brimstone

Then doing my transect around Heartwood Forest had had 19 Large Skippers, 38 Meadow Browns, 1 Brown Argus, 3 Common Blue, 2 Small Heath and a Painted Lady along with a Silver Y Moth, 6 Mother shipton moths and 1 mystery moth. Birdwise lots of Skylarks quite a few feeding their young, Meadow Pipits, Whitethroats and Red Kite and Buzzard Overhead.

Mystery Moth

Common Blue

One of many Large Skippers

Small Heath still only one or two records a year on the transect

Young Skylark

Local Little bittern

Last weekend down at Stocker's Lake a Female Little Biitern was found so had to go and see this little fellow and was glad i did as was such ar charming bird though very popular when i went on sunday. At first was just hiding in the reeds but after a little while decided to go hunting and manged to catch a few fish though with one had a bit of trouble getting it down but did mange it. Also on site were Sedge and Reed Warblers calling and Common Terns Hunting along with Common Blue Damselflies and Blue-tailed Damselflies and even Specked Wood and Large White Butterflies around as the sun was out.

Little Bittern with Dinner

Trying to get dinner down

Neck at full stretch

Out in the open

Little Bittern flying out the tree

Female Common Blue Damselfly feeding on greenfly

Away again

After a few back at work had another break up in the Lake District with my family but first had a stop in the Yorkshire Dales where first had a nice walk around Bolton Abbey where had my first Pied Flycatcher of the year i think about four in the end, sadly no Wood Warbler this year maybe due to coming up slightly later but Lots of Sand Martins and Pied Wagtails around though stunning view over the valleys on the way out.

Then drove up to my stay for the night via Grinton Moor where there were lots of Red Grouse infact the most i seen in one place with all the young ones also around were Curlews, Meadow Pipits (everywhere) and Wheaters.

Pied Flycatcher

View of the Valley

Red Grouse in the Heather

Meadow Pipit with Food

Curlew into the clouds

Curlew incoming

Back to the Farnes

The hightlight of the trip up north was a visit to the Farnes a birder's pardise first we went around the islands seeing hundreds of different birds fishing and hunting in the water manily Puffins and Guillemots but Razorbills and Shags as well with Kittiwakes and Gannets flying by and a few seals in the water. The sounds these coloneys give is amazing for anyone wildlover a top place to visit and highly recommended.

Then we landed on Inner Farne were we could walk around with pretty close views of the Auks and Shags and Artic, Common Terns were very close a wonderful experienceand just beautiful just watching the birds and listerning to them also on the island were Wheater and Water Pipits along with Sandwich Tern further in. Overall a wonderful trip .A selection of my images below.

Artic Tern with Sand Eel

Hunting Tern

Tern on the rock

Guillemot swimming by the boat

Guillemot Turning egg over

Shag on nest

Young Shag

Fighting Puffins

Puffin on the rock