9th-12th July 2018
And then the Balloon went up!
Something from a few weeks ago: on a very hot day our bird bath, much frequented by our house sparrows, was occupied comprehensively by an overheated wood pigeon. Cock sparrow looks on in disgust! [photo by Sheila]
July 9th - Barry and I went to Flamborough area. We started at Thornwick Pool. Fairly quiet... an impressive stand of marsh orchids on the far side.
A couple of little ringed plover were present and house martins were dropping in to collect mud. You had to be quick to catch them!
Green-footed gallinule youngsters [translating the latin binomial: gallinula chloropus] also known as moorhens!
Small skipper outside the hide plus a speckled wood butterfly which, unusually, held its wings closed on landing.
We had a coffee at Bempton RSPB. Jackdaws were very tame.
We headed down to the cliffs for the obligatory gannet fiesta. A linnet was showing where we had hoped to find a grasshopper warbler.
There were still quite a few puffins around.
Gannets!
Kittiwake chick - some of the youngsters were much closer to being ready to go than this one.
Our search for the gropper proved fruitless. Juvenile swallow on a gate.
We spotted swallows gathering mud from a pool by the overflow car park. One of those special moments.
My favorite shot
July 10th - visit with Sheila to see the ''teaspoons'' at Fairburn Ings. Great views of the family in a scope but too distant really even for 700mm equivalent of lens magnification. Still, you get the idea.
Parent incoming.
Four youngsters buried in the foliage!
July 11th - southern hawker dragonfly popped into the house. He left unharmed.
July 12th - trip to Saltholme to see a grasshopper warbler but we failed even though it was seen by others when we were in the wrong place! Made do with a confiding sedge warbler in the car park. It didn't mind how close you came. It was his bush and he wasn't to be dislodged!
Finally this morning [July 13th] much excitement down our road before breakfast. A hot-air balloon was perilously low over the adjoining street.
It drifted over the A59 gaining a little height and missed Manor School - just!
Finally finding the right kind of current the balloon did really go up!
