A High Flyer

The Purple-shot Copper ( L. a gordius)

It's now been two years and thirty days since I started my blog. It was a Mother's Day present from my daughter, and one of the nicest gifts I have ever received, and one that continues to give me pleasure. She helped me set it up, and even chose the header photograph, one she already had in her possession. I have kept the same header all this time for sentimental reasons, but now think it's about time I changed it every so often,:)) especially since I feel my photography has improved a little. You still won't always see sharp images, but I hope you will see beauty. The Purple-shot Copper have upperwings that are coppery orange and dark-spotted in males, but orange-brown with dark spots in females. Both have violet sheen.Found in mountain meadows.Wingspan 4cm, and flight period from June to July.

An Awesome Ruler

The Emperor Dragonfly   Anax imperator
 

 

An easily identified dragonfly by the blue abdomen with black line. It's the largest European dragonfly, and I was lucky to actually get a still shot, as it is very fast flying, and it led me a merry dance as I followed it around my garden:) It finally came to rest on top of the climbers on the pátio.

Beautiful Demoiselle 2

The Female Beautiful Demoiselle    Camopteryx virgo 

 

Thank you all so much for all your generous comments whilst I was away on vacation. It was a restful holiday and I will be showing you some of the photos I took, but for the moment want to show you a few dragonflies that came to my garden before I left. Will be catching up with all your blogs as soon as possible:) The Beautiful Demoiselle is a European damselfly.They measure 30 to 40mm in lengh. The females are a metalic greenish-bronze with brown tinted wings, each with a white stigma. They can be seen flying and resting by fast to medium flowing streams.The females lay up to 300 eggs at a time on submerged vegetation.

Marbled Marvel

The Western Marbled White
Melanargia occitanic

 

 

I will be taking a vacation for a few weeks but will leave you with these photos of the Western Marbled White which is 27mm, and it's wing span is 5-5,5cm. Flight period is May to July,and range SW Europe, from Portugal to W Italy. Frequents grassy hillsides and meadows on lower mountain slopes, from 1,000m to 1,500m. I wish you all a happy weekend, and happy snapping. Will catch up with all your blogs on my return.

Beautiful Demoiselle

The Male Beautiful Demoiselle   Camopteryx virgo 

 

Both male and female visited my garden last week. Today I would like to show you the beautiful male Camopteryx virgo.

Greenfinches Continued

Female Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

 

 

 

The adult male Greenfinch has as you can see on a previous post an attractive yellowish green colour, whilst the female shown here, has a much duller brownish greyish green colour, different again from the streaked juvanile. It's a small bird of (15cm) with a relatively heavy pale triangular beak. All have slightly forked tails.

More Finches

Juvenile  Greenfinch   Carduelis chloris
 

 

 

 

 

 

The adult female has grey-brown slightly streaky upperparts. The upperparts are tinged with yellow, and there is less yellow on the wings and tail than the male. The bills and legs of both sexes are flesh coloured. Juveniles are similar to females but have darker streaks above and below.This one is  pretty heavily streaked, so  must be a juvenile! I have taken quite a few photos of Greenfinches and will be showing more in other posts. 

A Finch

The Male Greenfinch     Carduelis chloris
 

 

 

 

The flash of yellow told me that the greenfinch was back. I had seen it hiding in the conifer the day before, but it didn't come to the feeder. I threw a few sunflower seeds on the ground as I do every evening and hoped it would be brave enough and hungry enough to come down in time for me to get to my hide before the light faded.It came, and eventually brought all the family which I will show you on another post.

The Mountain Laurel

The Mountain Laurel   Kalmia latifolia
 

Today I want to show you my favourite shrub in the garden, the lovely Mountain Laurel. It's an evergreen shrub/tree with dark green glossy leaves which belongs to the heath family, and is a close relative of the rhododendrons and azálias. Mine stands 1 meter 50 tall, by I meter 20 wide, and I just love the large flower clusters, and tiny buds which form in May. It is the spring and summer flower display that make it a special part of my woodland garden. The showy light pink to white flowers resemble shallow cups or bowls l inch wide, and are borne in clusters, best seen in my last photo. They are great for cutting and make beautiful floral displays.

A Little Clouded Today

The Clouded Yellow Colias crócea ( Pieridae )

 

 

Resting Clouded Yellows rarely if ever open their wings fully. In flight the dominant orange-yellow wing colour can be seen. The upper wings have a broad dark brown margin.

Green Demoiselle

The Beautiful Demoiselle   Calopteryx virgo  The adult female

Jay Days

The Jay
Garrulus glandarius

A Butterfly of Rank

The Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Nymphalidae)

 

 

 

 

The Red Amiral's jet black upper wings are marked with bands of red and white spots, with a single blue spot at the base of each hindwing. The underside of the forewing has a similar pattern and colouring,however when resting this is often concealed by the more cryptic undersurface of the hindwing, which is marbled smoky Brown, bluish and black.The Red Admiral is found in almost any flowery habitat.

A Hawker

The Female Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly
Orthetrum coerulescens