It's that time of year

Beech leaves, beechmast and wasp

Sweet Chestnut

Oak skeleton

Red Admiral

Oak

Brambles

Green Woodpecker hole

Leaf litter

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

Butterflies

Wall Brown (living up to its name)

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Copper

Red Admiral

Peacock

These were all taken on our way to the mythical Nanjizal valley (with the exception of the Small Copper which was at Nanjizal Bay). It's amazing what a south-facing granite wall, covered in flowering ivy, can do...

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Surf's up!

On the beach at Minsmere

Looking towards Southwold

The great British (?) tradition, the sandcastle

Ringed Plovers fleeing from the bank holiday crowds

Sizewell at 6.34 am. The Kittiwakes were screeching already

Darren tried seawatching but didn't see anything except butterflies...

Red Admirals (and a few Small Tortoiseshells) were crossing the North Sea (presumably from the Netherlands). This one made landfall on a nice warm metal NT sign

Can you feel the sand between your toes?

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

Garden stuff

Hobby

This photo was a bit lucky... After tea, I went for a wander round the garden and to mow the lawn (this is virtually a full-time job in itself). I was trying to get photos of the bees on the mallow flowers...


... when I saw some Swallows flying over. As I looked up, I saw a Hobby flying in the opposite direction, not very high up. As I already had the camera to hand - and switched on - I managed a few shots.

Looking at the brownish wings, I think it's a first-summer bird. Though I may be wrong. That means it hatched last year, went all the way to Africa, crossing the Sahara, and has come back again. They mostly eat small birds and largeish insects (eg. dragonflies).

Talking of dragonflies, there was a Brown Hawker in the garden yesterday morning, and a Southern Hawker this afternoon.

Anyway...

Red Admirals seem to be out today in good numbers

Darren saw SIX rabbits on the lawn yesterday!

Up to seven Peacocks were in the garden today, on the Buddleia or sunning themselves

Meadow Browns still around - this was one of the neater ones

Dusky Sallow moth - perhaps one of the two trapped on Friday night

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

Summer's here!

Lunchtime today finally felt like summer. The sun was out - for once - and so were the insects. It's about time, too.

(zoomed-in)

Emperor

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Comparison between Small Red-eyed (left) and Red-eyed Damselflies

Red Admiral

Peacock

Migrant Hawker

Common Blue Damselfly

Bumblebees

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