It's always good to be out and about!

July 22nd Sheila and I went up to Saltholme just for an hour or so. We hoped to catch up with a photogenic spotted redshank at Phil Stead hide. Maybe a bit elusive [we thought it had gone when we arrived] and a bit further away than I might have wanted but very nice anyway. [Plus small supporting cast!]

July 24th: North Cave and Blacktoft. I was looking for dragonflies and butterflies when a buzzard flew over the far lake.

Shortly after that I spotted a family of great crested grebes out on the main lake. I got close to the water's edge and sat on a bench and waited. The light was a little strange but I quite like some of the results...

A few butterflies...brimstone being very co-operative: same butterfly at several locations. I just followed it around.

Back-lit

I moved on to Blacktoft, glad to have a spell of air-conditioned comfort with a drink to refresh me. Blackwits.

Spot all 4 species!

Eventually after being spooked a couple of times they left for Singleton. Four species! Did you spot the greenshank asleep on the mud, bottom right-hand corner of the photo?

Oh well, here's a comma butterfly at Blacktoft whilst, coincidentally, Sheila photographed the next one the same afternoon back home in the garden. I

think she got the better photograph!
 

Final shot from Blacktoft: a green sandpiper at Marshland.

Housebound today [26/7] as we have two grand-children with us. It's going to be a long day! However I took the opportunity to photograph our daylilies in the garden. They were planted quite a few years ago and have done amazingly well this summer. Just photos...

A bientôt!