Algarve Bee Eaters, Berries, Butterflies, Pathways and Poppies.

This week has raced by, and it's time for anther Wild Bird Wednesday. I can hardly believe it's already mid week, as we have been busy on the farm with the orange and fig harvest. Thankfully I still have loads of shares from our hols on the Algarve, so I hastily put together a few pictures of some things I noticed on our walks in the country during our time there. I hope you enjoy.

The fields and hedgerows were ablaze with red poppies,...
 

but there were many wild flowers in the mix.
 

Poppies on one side of the path, and....
 

on the sandy banks of the other side, a Bee-eater's nesting site .
 

Here is one just outside the tunnel leading to his nest.
 

These brightly coloured berries grew everywhere in the hedgerows ,. It is the Mediterranean smilax, ( s. áspera) in fruit.
It's berries are unpalatable for human consumption, but they are a great source of nourishment for birds.

Many had what seemed like spider's webs tightly wound around some of the clusters.
 

The European Bee-eater can often be seen perched on fences and cable wires.
 

This one caught a bee in mid air. The Bee-eater can eat around 250 bees a day, it's main source of food, but they also eat dragonflies, and other insects.
 

Their bright colours are not evident in these flight shots, but they were very far away.
 

Back in the hedgerow, there was plenty to see.
 

The underwings of the Marbled White.
 

The Marsh Fritillary.
 

The Small White.
 

Some more berries without the webs.
 

You can clearly see the two elongated central tail feathers in this shot. Sexes are alike, but the female tends to have more green rather than gold on shoulders.
 

WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY
GOOD FENCES
SATURDAY'S CRITTERS
I'D-RATHER-B-BIRDIN