Blue, Crested, and Coal Tits.

 

  

 

This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

His Eminence and Her Majesty.

The Cardinal  Argynnis  pandora (Nymphalidae)  

 

The hindwing is pale green with silver stripes.

 

The ground colour of upperwings is buffish orange with an extensive greenish suffusion..

 

Similar to the Silver-washed Fritillary, but with more pronounced wing markings.

 

It's wing span is 7-8cm, and flight period from May -July.

 

The Queen Of Spain Fritillary    Issoria lathonia (Nymphalidae)


 

Orange ground colour with bold black spots. The large silvery spots on the hindwing underside are unique to this species.

 

 

The wing span is 4,2cm, and flight period from Febuary to October.

 

On his Look-out

The Buzzard   Buteo buteo

Two young buzzards hovered over the fields for a few weeks hunting for prey. They moved away when the corn became too tall for them to see the ground. They always perched on the telegraph poles and wires,which don't make pretty pictures,but it was the only way I could take a few photos.

This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

A Hunting We Will Go

The Ocellated Lizard has been very active in the garden, hunting for insects, but also sunbathing and resting in the shade.

When the temperature rises they come out of their hiding places, and hunt, sometimes in pairs, or with their young.

They are particularly green and blue at this time of the year and  their colouration increases with bright sunlight.

As usual I have taken far too many photos for one post , so I'll devide them up and make a few posts to show you.

I can't seem to get enough of these guys, and am often surprised at how large they can be, almost like little crocodiles.
It's Europes largest lizard, measuring 1-2ft long, but they may reach 3ft in length.

Having to cut their tails off the photos is a shame, but it's the only way to get a closer shot.

I think this must be a mother with her youngster. It was fun watching them hunting, and seeing their long tongues flick out .My husband and I befriended a young Ocellated lizard years ago, and we named him George. He became quite tame, but when we returned from holiday one time,he had disapeared. We never discovered what happened to him.:(

Resting under the chair I had been sitting on moments before. they watch and wait for any sign of a snack.
 

Composed Cormorant.

The Cormorant  Phalacrocorax carbo

  

There are three large lakes in the park near where we live, and on an outing last year I saw this fabulous Cormorant calmly surveying the water in one of the lakes, and later taking a swim in another. It was the first time I had actually seen one in the wild, and it was a real treat.


This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

The Pond

I see you!

There you are!

 

A lucky find.

Our Pond

There are still Newts here,

Another picture of our pond.

Visiters fly in from time to time.