GRUBBY GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER:

This summer a Great Spotted Woodpecker made it's nest in one of the trees on my driveway I had noticed the comings and goings of the woodpeckers and found their nesting hole where I waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of one or another, but after waiting some considerable time, I withdrew from my hiding place as I knew that they would eventually make their way to my balcony. The female came one dull cloudy morning looking decidedly dirty and disheveled. Her soiled face which was almost unrecognizable told me that she had been grubbing to feed her chicks. She lay on the ledge for a while just resting before making a move towards the peanuts, and I took advantage of her visit as the following images will show. 

 

. I never saw her male counterpart, and assumed she was raising her chicks by herself. I learned later she raised two chicks and she came to my balcony every day to  get the cake crumbs to feed them. 

I w1ll be linking up to Eileen's blog "Saturday's Critters" and "Wild Bird Wednesday" Stewards blog.

INSECTS AND FLOWERS:

Some nature shots taken in my garden. This month has been unbearably hot, the searing heat making it difficult to breath. These photos were taken early morning, and at 11am I close the wooden shutters to try to keep the bedroom from overheating, but as the temperature rises the panes of glass and wooden shutters  which are inside the bedroom become too hot to touch and radiate heat right back into the room.We were under the impression that stone houses keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter, but nothing could be further than the truth. We do not have air conditioning but use fans to cool the air, where ever they are needed most. After the birds have eaten they disappear into the shade of the trees only to emerge on my balcony later in the evening, Only the flies and insects of the insect realm appear to enjoy the hot temperatures.

 

The Speckled Wood.

Bumble bee on French Lavender

Banded Bush Beetle  Trichius  fasciatus on Hawthorn flowers.

Marsh Fritillary

Same as above.

Dimorphotheca ecklonis daisy flower

Female Broad Bodied Libellula

Same as above. The males have grey blue bodies

Side view of  Wall Brown butterfly.

Crap Spider on clover.

Black - eyed Blue butterfly

same as above

Climbing Rose vine

Unknown Fly.

Two planters with Begonias on my balcony.

Spirea bush

Meadow Brown butterfly.

same as above.

I will be linking to "Saturday's Critters" on Eileen's blog where you will find many different animals.

Click on the side bar on the icon and it will take you there, and you can join in the party.

MOSTLY GARDEN PHOTOS:

Hello everyone, I'm back from my long break, and want to thank each and everyone of you for the lovely comments you left on my last post. Pedro is still here and I am enjoying the time we spend together and our birthdays with the rest of the family were celebrated with much gaiety and enthusiasm. We didn't do anything special on other occasions, only a few outings, but it never matters to either of us, as we always have so much to talk about that each day is new and interesting. In the mornings whilst Pedro works and it 's cooler outside, I do my chores and take photos around the garden, and here are a few I managed to capture.

I was sitting  in the shade on a low stone wall  which surrounds the garden catching my breath after a visit to the orchard to collect a few oranges, when I heard a rustling noise to my right and saw a large Occelated lizard just a few feet away. emerging from it's underground  hibernating place. It saw me, and stopped moving, but I knew that if I kept perfectly still, it would eventually scurry away in reptile fashion, as hunger is  a great incentive. Only the day before I had seen two large lizards hunting in the front garden. 

A few flowers still in bloom in the garden.

On another morning I captured a few images of the Marsh Frog .

The Mountain Lourel just coming into flower.

The Eurasion Jay is never far away when there are peanuts to be had on my balcony.

This is Wilma, the female Great Spotted  Woodpecker visiting my balcony.

I would judge by it's small stature that this is a first year female Red Squirrel.

More Flowers.

End of a lovely day.

I w1ll be linking up to Eileen's blog "Saturday's Critters". I have missed seeing her sightings and photos and seeing all the different creatures that my blog friends have posted. See you as soon as I can.