Skipwith to North Cave

Barry and I went off early to avoid the dog walkers [partial success only] and see wood lark on Skipwith Common [total failure]. We should have skipped Skipwith. However we did see a few kestrels and willow warblers but, all in all, it was very quiet.

Kestrel So we upped sticks and headed for North Cave Wetlands. Damselflies were everywhere again as were a number of butterflies. First comma of the year included along with ringlet, small skipper and meadow browns.

Small skipper

Small Skipper Ringlet

Ringlet Comma

Comma Comma The damselflies included blue-tailed...

Blue-tailed Damselfly ...and common blue.

Common Blue Damselfly Common Blue Damselfly This is an immature male common blue damselfly.

Immature male common blue damselfly. Some dragonflies were whirring around us so fast it was hard to track them. Ironically a helicopter came over as I was trying to photograph an emperor dragonfly.

Freezing a dragonfly in flight is hard. Simply tracking them in the viewfinder can be disheartening. Suddenly I had one. I know these aren't perfect but as difs* they are fine by me!!

*dragonflies in flight!

Dragonfly sp. This one is the nicest.

Dragonfly sp. A bordered sallow moth was found by Barry as was the ruby-tailed wasp.

Scalloped Oak Ruby-tailed Wasp (Chrysidinae) Thanks to chrisbrooks on ispot for the identification.

This flower on the south facing bank near the Turret Hide attracted me. It is Common Centaury, centaurium erythraea, a member of the gentian family as Barry rightly suggested.

Common Centaury, centaurium erythraea. N.Cave Finally the grasses growing in the sacrificial crop field made an interesting image in the strong breeze. I like this image although the only other person I have shown it to wasn't imopressed!!