Garden

A selection of birds and bugs from the garden so far this year, particularly some of the new arrivals.

Male Blackbird squaring off against an upstart Starling

Blackbird and juvenile ("Squeaky")

Blackbird feeding

7-spot Ladybird

Bee

Peacock butterfly

Zebra Spider

Zebra Spider

Green Shieldbug

Fly in tulip

Female Blackbird with a "gob full of squidge"

Tulip

Robin

Male Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch

Fledgling Robin

Female House Sparrow

Soaked Blue Tit

Blue Tit Shower

Common Ink Cap

Common Ink Cap dissolving

Coal Tit

Fledgling Coal Tit

Coal Tit

Goldfinch

Canoodling Collared Doves

Marbury Country Park

A revisit to Marbury Country Park, after many years. Quite a lot of woodland and wildflowers, although it does get very busy by midday.

Never seen so many harvestmen, legs everywhere!

Emerging acorn

Harvestman with legs akimbo

Harvestman

Spider

Bumblebee

Bumblebee

Green Shieldbug

Fly

Cranefly

Cranefly

The waterside near our lunchstop benches were hopping with small frogs and toads. Not as cooperative this time, I ended up with muddy knees and elbows but the only good shots were from one climbing up Gill's arm.

Common Toad

Common Toad

Hoverfly

Greenbottle

Hoverfly

Hoverfly

Ladybird and aphid "lunch"

Rufford

A very long walk around Rufford, taking in Martin Mere and Mere Sands along the way.

Rufford route

Hoverfly

Tortoiseshell

Tortoiseshell

Green Shieldbug

Gill hard at work

Hoverfly

Tortoiseshell

Small White

Small White

Common Darter

Common Darter

Common Darter

Common Darter

Moorhen

Buzzard

Buzzard

Common Darter