Hoverflies

My walk around my Beccles Patch produced lots of Hoverflies which have migrated here from Continental Europe, these pictured were on Dandelions.

The Knopper Galls are forming on Acorns of Oaks and Spangle Galls on the leaves.

Fledglings

A walk around the patch today produced lots of newly fledged birds and a new nest of Stock Doves. This family of Barn Swallows were camera shy.

Summer Butterflies

Eileen and I walked the Beccles Marsh Trail, we saw loads of Painted Ladies, Commas and Large Whites which were still arriving from the east. This male Scarce Chaser was seen too, along with several Brown Hawkers.

Buddlija Butterflies

Loads of Butterflies on Buddlijas in Beccles today. >200 Painted Ladies >50 Large Whites, several Commas and Peacocks. A few Silver Y's too.

Lull Before The Storm

Walked the River Waveney Wall to Beccles saw >1000 Small Tortoishells, a record count after a few real bad years population wise. This afternoon we suffered heavy torrential rain and thunderstorms causing localised flooding. I hope the baby Lesser Black Backed Gulls were not drowned on the ground nests.

weekend off

No Nature study this weekend has I had a photo shoot for a US Magazine on UK farming of the Bygone ere.

Beccles Common

I walked the Common this morning. Found loads of Ragwort with Cinnabar larvae stripping most plants.

Stormy skies

We could not go too far today due to increased risk of showers, Some great storm cloud images were taken though

Sea Pea

Eileen and I visited Kessingland Beach to check the flowers for a forthcoming field meeting. As soon as we arrived thunder and rain clouds came up quick and we were only there a few minutes before the rain came down. Just enough time to photograph the Sea Pea (Lathyrus japonicus)

Urban Broomrapes

Along High Lea's Beccles Eileen and I saw some gardens that had Common Broomrape (orobanche minor)growing in the flower beds. I dont think the plants were placed there by the gardeners. I wonder if the residents knew what they were?

Browsing Beccles

Walked some sites in Beccles, including a waste ground site where I found some Common spotted Orchids and Common Centaury a new plant for my WFS Diary.
a Briza sp was found growing from a pavement crack too.

Meadow Brown Butterflies are abundant in Beccles including s few Ringlets.