Kingfisher Returns!

 

The Fisher King taking a stickleback from my pond - Kingfisher Heaven!

 

Stop the killing of bees Sign the petition.

Sign Petition here

https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/ban-bee-killing-pesticides 

Bees are essential for our survival. They pollinate much of what we eat and play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems around the world. But the last decade has been devastating for insect populations, and bees have been hit hard - with populations shrinking by a third in the UK.

Bee-killing neonicotinoids have been banned across Europe since 2013, but the UK government has just approved these deadly chemicals for emergency use - posing a lethal threat to bee populations

Blue tailed Damselfly

 

 

Wildflower Day

 

Butterfly Bonanza

Comma Butterfly on Dogwood shrub

Large  Skipper

Green-veined White

 

Cinnabar moth - Tyria jacobaeae

 

Cinnabar moth on burdock leaf.

Scarce Chaser (Male) - Libellula fulva

 

Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata

Click to enlarge. Not a great picture but a record none the less.!

 

Red-eyed Damselfly - Erythromma najas

Male. The small red-eyed damsel male can be identified by a small black x shape mark on the last segement of the abdomen.  

 

Common Darter

 

Wildflower Time - What's not to love!

Bladder Campion

Corn  Camomile 

Sorrel

Wild Carrot

Brown Hare - Leverette 

Common Vetch

 

Large Skipper Butterfly (M), Common Blue and Azure Damsel (F)

Large Skipper

Common Blue on a Cornflower

Female Azure damselfly 

I rescued this damsel from drowning in the pond. She was submerged while still being held at the back of the neck by the bright blue male. After her wings dried out, she was able to fly away. 

 

Azure Damselfly and White-tail bee

 

Common red soldier beetle

 

A Facinated Oxeye Daisy!

 

Well I never... Apparently this us what is known as a 'Facinated' flower. It's a quite rare event caused by a number of possible causes including, genetics, virus or fungal infection etc.  In a field of tens of thousands of daisies I was lucky to spot this unique bloom. 

Scarce Chaser Dragonfly

This is a first for me either at Longbeach Farm or anywhere. Pleased to add another species of dragonfly to the list of Longbeach residents.

The extra picture below is a follow up to a previous picture of recently emerged Dragonfly exoskeleton only this time it seems that this stem of Reed mace was very popular with several dragonflies selecting it as their preferred exit route. 

Orange Tip, male and female comparison.

 Male with Orange Tipped Wings

Female with Grey Black tipped wings. Easy to confuse with Large and Small White butterflies if you are not paying attention. 

Small White Butterfly on Red Clover

 

Bladder Campion in bud.