A little disturbance

On a recent visit to Gosforth Park NR, I had just reached the entrance alongside the visitors hut, when a pair of Wren started to create one almighty racket.
A Blackbird joined the din.



I thought I'd just stand and try to see what was the cause of all this fuss.
Sure enough a young fox came trotting through, right under the Wren, had a sniff around then calmly trotted off again


Calm returned

Quiet but busy

Things were very quite as I strolled up the bridleway last evening at Prestwick Carr.
Bird calls were almost totally absent presumably because no longer are territories to be marked out, or the need to attract mates. Just the occasional warning call as I wandered past. Although I don't know what its called there seems to be other very quiet single note calls which birds make as though simply to let its mate know 'I'm just here', but no doubt I've got that wrong.
However there was still plenty of activity on the carrying out of family responsibilities. Almost every bird I managed to photograph was carrying insects and grub.
I was surprised to locate three different Sedge Warblers along the path.




Curlew were calling from the fields to the west and a Sparrowhawk was patrolling the field to the east.
Meadow Pipits and Whitethroat also were still rearing young.

Deadly Damsels

With their colourful appearance and those big eyes it is easy to think of Damselfly as a cute little insect.





and maybe they are but this one below took up this threatening stance when another approached too close to its liking



and this one makes short work of its recently caught meal



I have been surprised this year at the number of Damselfly about. Every body of water I have visited has supported them in good numbers.

Weetslade Dragons

It was a bit late in the day to look for Dragonfly but a wander around the ponds in Weetslade Country Park this evening produced the goods
Black-tailed skimmer

This was very easy to photograph since it would not rise unless I was less than a couple of feet away. Saw only the one.

Four-spotted chaser - There were four or five on one pond and a couple on the other

Was unable to identify this one, which I am guessing is egg laying?


Amongst the wildflowers were many Ringlet, Small Skipper and Common Blue.

Plenty to watch

A short walk along the bridlepath which starts at Banks Pond last evening brought a nice selection of butterfly, moth and insect.
Common Blue

Small Skipper

Ringlet

Ringlet

Burnet Moth

Have been unable to identify this Damselfly - any ideas?


This is the stretch where they were seen

Longframlington Swallows

A couple of days ago we visited Longframlington Gardens where there were good numbers of Swallows with their brood on the wing.
Here are a few waiting to see if there would be any more meals provided



There were dozens of these Chimney Sweeper moths in the wild garden



During a brief stop at Felton we had a few minutes peering over the bridge where, I think, these small Brown Trout were idling the day away

Dragonfly

Am trying to get a handle on the location of Dragonflies around a number of locations.
I started out being really optimistic having earlier located many Damselfly in just about every spot I looked and in great numbers - Stannington, Gosforth Park, Havannah, Blaydon, Gibside, Prestwick Carr, Banks Pond, Big Waters.
But although this warm weather turned up, The Dragons hav'nt. At least not yet in any great numbers.
Only Banks Pond, and Big Waters have come up with the goods so far, but we shall press on.
Yesterday, Banks Pond had at least two Emperor as well as Four spotted Chaser


The Emperor's just would not alight. Watched a pair for 30 minutes and never saw them stop yet.