Summertime at The Lodge

Painted Lady

Speckled Bush Cricket

Male Emperor

female Emperor, hovering to find somewhere to lay her eggs

Holly Blue

Gatekeeper

Wasps

Marmalade Hoverfly

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Hoverfly

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Autumn at The Lodge

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640 or Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Sunshine!

Red Admiral


Peacock


Hoverfly Volucella pellucens


Brown Argus


Small Red-eyed Damselfly


Common Darter


Bumblebee on Water Mint

Seven-spot Ladybird on blackberries. I haven't seen a proper ladybird at The Lodge for ages!

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, Extender EF 1.4x II

Bugs

female Southern Hawker

bumblebee

hoverfly

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Summer colours

Red Admiral

Bumblebee

Water Mint and Purple Loosestrife

Peacock

Bee on Marigold

One of those Volucella hoverflies which seem to be in fashion these days

Gatekeeper

Waterlilies

Small Red-eyed Damselflies

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D + EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Waresley Wood

After doing the Breeding Bird Survey nearby, I fancied a return visit to Waresley Wood.

This is Brownes' Piece, along the entrance track. I had Marbled Whites in mind but none were on show in the strong breeze.

Inside the wood, Ringlets were numerous

Essex Skippers

hoverfly sp.

Comma

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D + EF 300mm f/4L IS USM or Canon Powershot A640

Annual leave

Got to use up the last of my annual leave, so headed to Norfolk

Arnold's Marsh, Cley

Speckled Wood at Kelling Water Meadows

Celandines

Hoverfly

Alexanders, Smyrnium olusatrum (thanks, Roy)

Dead nettles (this is the kind of plant I can identify)

Er... red campion? No, Herb Robert (thanks Charlie)

Ramsons, or wild garlic... no, Garlic Mustard (thanks, Brian. I did say that I'm no good at plants, and I've just proved it)

What did we see? Started at Kelling Heath where Darren relocated the Great Grey Shrike just as we were leaving. Next stop was West Runton for two Shorelarks seen in a clifftop field; we couldn't find them but we did see a nice fly-by Hobby hunting the Swallows there.

Then on to Kelling Water Meadows, where there were lots of bugs and greenery down the lane (see above), a Ruff on the pool, a little flock of Yellow Wagtails containing two which looked vaguely blue-headed on a brief glance, a male Wheatear and three Ring Ouzels on the way to Weybourne.

I think we went to Cley next. The new visitor centre is very nice but the rainwater-flushed loo was a bit feeble. Nice idea, though. On the shingle ridge by Arnold's Marsh, we caught up with two Shorelarks; on the marsh itself were nearly 200 Sandwich Terns and an assortment of waders including a smart breeding-plumaged male Bar-tailed Godwit. Mustn't grumble.

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640 or Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM