Connecting with Birds and Lowlife

8^th July.  Sam and I had made another date with a couple of birds at the Rising Sun Country Park and thankfully they didn’t let us down today, although I have to say they remained distant throughout our encounter.  We simply put this down to shyness and not wishing to be in the public eye.  Having ensured that we also made contact with Stan the Stag, we devoted much of the rest of our time to the low life of the park, and rumour has it that there is a good deal of low life to be found here.  Some images of the low life are added below.  With the morning being humid, but cloudy, we had some chances of capturing images of the Common Blue Butterflies without too much difficulty as they awaited the sun.  As the day went on, things got more difficult.  Anyone who says that macro photography is easy and without frustration has obviously never attempted to do any!  It is very rewarding when one manages to capture a decent image.  The birds weren’t forgotten altogether and we had Common Whitethroats and Reed Buntings singing nearby.  Other warblers heard were Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.  A Sparrowhawk was heard briefly as we headed to the café for lunch and during lunch Mistle Thrushes come to join us.

Sam lends a hand.

Tangled in webbing this Common Blue isn't going anywhere.

This Common Blue had warmed up and was soon on the wing

Still waiting

One of the three waiting to warm up.

After lunch we headed to Holywell where it was good to see so much work had been put into structures to attract bees.  Northumberland Wildlife Trust reserves are not all about rare birds, but sometimes when I note comments made in certain places it would seem that some think they ought to be.  Thankfully even the RSPB is attempting to shake off the image that it is ‘just about birds’.  All of nature needs a helping hand and that means action by individuals.

Meadow Brown

Proving an attraction.

 

We noted some of the birds which had visited the pond area recently, but have to say it was fairly quiet today.  The lake pond was perfectly still and I commented to Sam about just how much I like the atmosphere down here when there are few people about.  There were approaching forty Lapwings near to the public hide and something seemed to be agitating one of the Grey Herons which was making much noise.  Sam looked down to find someone had dropped their bag of dog crap behind the seat in the hide.  I can only assume that such people do the same in their homes!  Swallows, House Martins, Sand Martins and Swifts were all seen.  Skylarks and Sedge Warblers sang as did Yellowhammers which were seen well on top of the hedges at the avenue.  We listened to Garden Warbler singing before we entered the dene.  This was near the spot where I had seen Garden Warbler last year.

These Burnet Moths were very flighty in the now hot sun.

 

The dene itself offered some respite from the now hot sun and numerous Speckled Wood Butterflies flew along the length of the burn.

One of many Speckled Wood Butterflies

 

This Muscovy Duck proved to be very friendly. 

 

We hadn’t any definite plan so we decided to walk to Seaton Sluice, thinking that the pools on the way would be proving attractive to odonata.  All we found were Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies, although an unidentified dragonfly had shown at Holywell Pond.  I was surprised that there was so little about.  In any event it was a good walk and we ended the afternoon with a trip to the fish and chip café as Gannets passed close to land.  Lots of laughs and a very good day in the sun.