Not so much a diesel fest...

...as a whinchat extravaganza!

I split the morning between Fen Bog and Ellerburn Bank. It was soon obvious there was a ''diesels in the 70s'' event on the NYMR. Diesel

Deltic I had come for something else however. So far this spring I hadn't encountered any whinchats - a bird for which I feel a special affinity. Fen Bog usually has a few nesters and in fact I photographed 3 pairs on Sunday and soon knew roughly where 2 of the nests were. I think no more comment on whinchats is needed: here they come!

Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat

I also saw my first small heath of the year at Fen Bog...  Small Heath

...whilst at Ellerburn Bank I saw a rabbit protected butterfly orchid...

Butterfly Orchid ...chimney sweep moth and common blue butterfly. The latter two were away too quickly for me but I did manage to swap to the macro lens to photograph this argus butterfly. Brown Argus

229 UK 2016