Balls Wood and Amwell

A nice walk around Herttford Heath Common and Balls Wood was very productive with 1 Purple Hairstreak seen briefly at ground level and quite a few Silver Washed Fritillarys and White Admirals along the ride with Peacocks and Large White have gone up alot in the last week though due to the heat lots seem to be salting from the ride espcally the peaccocks. Also around were 15+ green veined white, 10+ small Whites 30+ meadow brown,6 comma, 30+ large white, 20+ gatekeeper, 30+ large skipper, 30+ small skipper, 3 Essex skippers, 6 brimstone, 15 ringlet and 8 speckled wood of the butterfly and of the dragonfly family a good number of Common Blue Damselflies, Coommon and Ruddy Darters and about 5 Brown Hawkers hunteing around.

Silver Washed Fritillary

White Admiral

Pacock sunning itself

Gatekeeper in the sun

Pair of skippers

 

Small White feeding

Common Blue Damselfly

Next visted Amwell as was just down the road and with the Buddleia around lots of Peacocks and large White where around just walking up to the viewpoint. From the viewpoint a number of Common Terns and Lapwings with the Lone Wigeon and the odd Pochard and Shoveler inbetween the Coots, Tufted Ducks and Mallards. On the shore edge had 1 Common Sandpiper and 5 Little egrets. Then walked round to the hide to see what else was around lots of young birds with Reed Bunting, Chiff-chaff, Green Woodpecker, Chaffinches, Blue Tit and a young Wren the hightlights.

Reed Bunting

Young Chiff-chiff

Chaffinch

 

Young Wren

Aldbury Nowers

Another hot day I could get used to this so decided to visit Aldbury Nowers started the day off with a Broad-Barred White moth posing well in the field at the bottom then walked round the fields Marbled Whites seemed to be everywhere a low mininium of a least 300 of them and even more of the Meadow Browns. Was good to see Dark Green Fritillaries at least 11 here often fighting also around were lots of Speckled Woods and Small Heath including a mating pair and a good selection of Small and Large Skipper and a vocal Green Woodpecker was around but not seen.

Broad-Barred White Moth

Small Skipper

One of many Marbled Whites

Mating Pair

Female Close up

Sharpenhoe Clappers

With the nice weather had a day out at Sharpenhoe Clappers always a great place to be at this time of year with quite a few Orchids around though later than usual which was advantage as there where still a few Bee Orchids around along with the commoner Pyramidal Orchid and Common Spotted along Fragrant Orchid. All the flowers around combined with the sun meant there were lots of butterflies around and with Dark Green Fritillarys and Marbled White in big numbers along with Common Blues and Small Heath a nice way to spend a few hours.

Bee Orchid

Feeding Dark Green Fritillary

Feeding Marbled White

Posing Small Heath

Then on the way hop was lucky enough to see a field of Red Poppies so a few images from that delightfully scene though iam afraid the camera in my hands can never do it justice.

Poppy Field

Last day in scotland

Ended the hoilday on a high with trip out to the isle of Skye once we driven out past the stunning lochs and valleys on route though rainy first thing driving up the road to Kylerhea giving some nice views the got to Kylerhea by which time it was starting to brighten up but while getting out the car all i could heardwas the sound of a Grasshopper Warbler calling and after much hunting appeared briefly after which carried on down to the Otter Hide had no luck with them but had sighting of a Stonechat and lots of Common Seals out in the river.

View from Kylerhea back to the main road

View across Kylerhea river

Then carried on back to the main road and headed to Portree but the day was brighting up quickly passing some lovely views on route. At Portree it was getting quite warm so had a nice wander and with the folk festival in town a nice festival feel to it.

View of Loch Sigachan from the main road

One of the mountain by the Lochside

Portree Harbour

Colourful houses at Portree

Then carried on up the road to the Storr which was looking impressive before having a little walk along the eastern coast giving great views across to Raasay with the bright sky before driving west to Uig to get some views cross country before heading south back to the mainland.

The Storr

Raasay from the coast

View from inland looking to the coast

The Cuillins on the way home

Spent the last few hours of the hoilday driving past the breathtaking beautiful of the scottish mountain to end a very successful hoilday.

Loch Long near Dornie

Loch Cluanie looking towards the Five sisters