Turtle Doves in Tugley

Aren't these turtle doves beautiful.....

Sunday, 7 June 2009

Baby Blackbird

The young black birds are out and about now and looking cute. They are very vulnerable to predation by cats though so if you see one gently shoo it into a tree or if it can't fly yet (they sometimes leave the nest early), put it in the branches of a tree. Don't listen to the TV naturalists of this world who advise leaving a bird where it is to be eaten by cats (inevitably). Some birds need our help!!!!

Turtle Doves

The turtle doves are back, beautiful harbingers of spring.....

Our most endangered Blue Butterfly, The silver studded blue

This tiny member of the blue family is gravely threatened by habitat loss and occurs in tiny numbers on a few heaths in the south of England. The brown female is as delightful as the blue male and both can be seen flying together in June and July when they appear briefly before vanishing again for another year.

Gorgeous yellow hammer bunting

No words are needed to describe this lovely little relative of the canary. They are sadly becoming rare now and are on the red list of British birds so look out for them and enjoy their little voice while you can....look on the tops of gorse bushes....good luck

The Comma Butterfly

So named for the comma shaped marking on the underside of the hindwings, these are one of our most impressive butterflies. I love to see them flying over the nettles which are their caterpillar's food plant. They have a powerful flight but stop to bask often and I can never see enough of them.