Fungi time.

Much the same things spotted on my walk today although fungi are starting to pop up all over the place.

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Since my walk last Sunday afternoon many fungi have appear large groups of large Parasol Mushrooms were giving a good show some solitary others in quite large groups.

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Another Common Blue Butterfly this time as well are getting some pictures of the top blue wings today I was able to get some pictures of the under-wing.

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I thought this dragonfly made an interesting picture when it landed on the barbed wire.

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Spot the green Grasshopper on this field mushroom (between the yellow lines)

Looking Up!

I took a moment on my morning walk to lay down under a pylon and look up & relax!. Having had 10 days trying to support dad while in hospital without being able to visit due to no visiting orders due to COVID . I spent hours on the phone with many calls not being answered doesn’t help a difficult situation. Thankfully against the odds he is now home and doing well.

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I continue to chase some Hornets who were chasing wasps to eat.

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Another great wildlife observation this morning and a 1st for me was a Wasp Spider. Coloured like a common wasp which is said to help keeps it safe from predators, It can be found in southern England, but is spreading north.

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This lovely bright butterfly, the Small Copper is a small butterfly they can be seen throughout the summer between April and October. Adults can be feed on Ragwort and thistles, while the caterpillars feed on Common sorrel and Sheep’s sorrel. Found in dry, sunny habitats, including heathland, woodland edges, waste ground and downland.

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And September arrives.

A Buzzards viewpoint. High on an electricity pylon is this Buzzards favourite perch.

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After several walks in the fields close to home and seeing Hornets almost every time I was pleased to get this one on the ground and take some pictures. When in flight it is clear they are hunting. Both adults and larvae eat mainly insects. Adults may also take spiders. Size 25mm in length.

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Common Blue and Comma Butterfly’s at their best.

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There were also a lot of Hornet Mimic Hoverflies this morning which proved an easier target to film than the real thing!

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As well as the Hornet Mimic Hoverfly many species of hoverfly mimic bees and wasps with their markings in order to gain some protection from predation.

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An adult crane fly, resembling an oversized mosquito. We called them “Daddy Long Legs” as kids. They seem less common today.

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Nature all around.

A bright Sunday morning walk, with lots to see and record. Berry’s, acorns. Thistles and grasses have gone to seed.

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Oaks are the host plants for more than 70 species of gall wasp.In its larval stage these insects that induce the plant to produce abnormal growths, known as galls, that enclose the developing larvae.

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This Hornet is making short work of this Wasp for his lunch – hunting along the edge of a Bramble bush this Hornet had grabbed a Wasp feeding on the Blackberry’s. I was only able to get a picture of the hornet as he had stopped to feed. It does give you a good idea of the size of this insect.

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The Hornet mimic hoverfly is the largest hoverfly species found in the UK. It is an excellent mimic of the Hornet, but is harmless to humans. It was a very rare visitor to the country up to the 1940s, it has become more common in Southern England in recent years, and spreading northwards. The adults are migratory and the larvae live inside wasps’ nests.

There were many different species of flies enjoying Blackberry’s and sunshine.

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A Solitary Wasp (I believe).

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Painted Lady Butterfly.

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Speckeled Wood Butterfly – a tatty end of summer example.

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Dragon fly.

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Summers end ?

A walk in familiar fields this afternoon to enjoy nature on my local patch for a few hours. There is a definite end of summer feel in the meadows with thistles grasses and flowers all going to seed.

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Nearing the end of our walk next to the M27 Motorway was a mother Roe Deer with 2 fawns probably the family seen earlier in the early summer the 2 youngsters have now lost their spots.

Mum has a damaged left ear.

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very short film.

Not many Butterflies about today just a few Large Whites.

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A distant picture so not that sharp but a picture of a distant juvenile Cuckoo. This is the first Cuckoo I have seen for years.

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Cooler by the sea today.

A morning by the coast with a threat of thunderstorms which did not arrive. A slight sea breeze thankfully took the edge off the very hot heavy weather of the last few days.

Some coastal traffic on the Solent to observe while bird watching.

A flock of incoming Turnstones.

Most of the Black-headed Gulls have now lost their black(brown) heads as they move out of their breeding colours.

Common Terns enjoying the fishing.

Sometimes you just wonder “will it go down!”

 

Inland from the beach spotted this Painted Lady Butterfly – only the second one I have seen this year.

The Painted Lady is a long-distance migrant, they spread northwards from the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, to mainland Europe and reaching Britain and Ireland. In some years they are very abundant.

Garden Watch.

Bee and Holly Blue Butterfly.

This  Holly blue was in my garden this morning a small blue butterfly that emerges in early spring, from March to May, and then again at the end of the summer between July and September. The foodplants of the caterpillars are mainly Holly for the spring Butterflies and Ivy for the summer ones, although a wide range of other plants liked including bramble and gorse.