Shropshire - Red Kites

 A chance encounter with Red Kites at a site I wouldn't normally expect close views!

Carrying sticks and upsetting the local covids!

A couple of close passes...

A few Shropshire Butterflies from 2020

After writing a review of the 4th edition of WILDGuides 'Britain's Butterflies, I thought I'd go through some of the images taken throughout Shropshire during 2020 and most of which not blogged? Odonata and Orthoptera came first this year but here's a selection using the taxonomy order of the new book! Some of the species had full blogs, click on the links for more images etc...

First off Essex Skippers taken at Venus Pool on 13th July. More images here

No shortage of Small Whites at VP either, from July / August the first with cloud cover followed by another in sunshine!

Again at VP, wherever, whenever, Green-veined Whites were busy ensuring their population for 2021?

A hovering male Brimstone at Aston locks on 15 August plus another one at Venus Pool on 7th August.

One of my main aims of the year was to get some 'decent' images of Wall. Two visits in early August produced the goods, traditional... Full account here

and on flowers... 

Here's a Speckled Wood, in bright sunshine looking as if he want's to be a Wall?

A Ringlet on Bramble blossom...

A couple of angles on Meadow Brown...

The Bog produced plenty of Grayling on 24th July,  nice to see them busy on Bramble blossom.

The first of two Shropshire 'lifers' - Marbled White at Venus Pool on 10th July. Read the full story here

 

Here's Silver-washed Fritillary, one of several showing really well at Llanymynech Rocks on 26th July... More pics and full review here

And my second local lifer of the year - Dark Green Fritillary at Titterstone Clee on 16th July. I was looking for a certain Damselfly but this was a splendid surprise! More pics and full story here

Some striking Nymphalids starting with Red Admiral...

Not every butterfly was in large numbers, this was one of the least productive years I can recall for Painted Lady! This one at Llanymynech Rocks on 26th July.

Peacock as ever stunning in shade or sunlight!

A pristine  Small Tortoiseshell at Venus Pool on 3rd August.

A Comma at the same location on 11th July

Followed by this striking partly while aberrant version on 25th July... More pics here

A long season for Small Copper, pics taken in July and September...

Common Blue seemed to take forever to get going, this male at Venus Pool 6th August...

And finally, another aberration - this female 'caeruleomarginata' at Venus Pool on 29th August. A few more pics 

That's all for Butterflies in 2020, roll on 2021. If we aren't locked down, I may have a full year at these?

Oh and while you are here, check out my review of the new WILDGuides field guide to Britain's Butterflies, it's a must have!!

On this Day (May 30th) - 2008 Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher were in a declines and not 'easy' birds back in 2008! This one was taken in a Ryton garden on May 30th 2008 and I haven't bettered them since... (Thanks again Will!)

Late May is is a good time for Spotted flycatcher!! This species was voted 'best pic' from 2007 on the blog and I have a sneaking feeling that one of these may not be far away for 2008?

A 30 minute visit to a private site yielded about 15 secs of action! You learn to make the most of every fleeting chance in this game and fortunately I grabbed this one....

On This day (May 28th) - 2015 Common Cranes

Here's a turn up for the Shropshire list? Common Cranes in torrential rain near Crudgington on May 28th 2008

I had a feeling something might happen today! I was up early noting the heavy rain and low cloud as I prepared a nice big bowl of cereal...

A chance of something dropped in at Venus Pool? The cereal was put to one side and a quick drive down to check things out. Apart from a bedraggled Common Tern and 4 LRPs, nothing special.

I was just going back to the car when I got a call from a somewhat animated Andy L. Crikey Jim (or words to that effect!!) got two Common Cranes near Crudgington! I agonised: back for breakfast or the Cranes, I only had 40 minutes to get there and back....

No contest in the end and I'm soooo glad I didn't have to spend the morning at work fretting whether they would stay? The camera does lie as these record shots prove! It was torrential rain and total gloom as I grabbed these.....








Shall we dance? An interesting bit of interplay before one of the twosome strutted away....










Phew, back just in time and still manage to eat my breakfast before work!! Now then, what did you see on your way to work today' - nice one Andy!!