AMENDMENT - I have received an e-mail from Fred Elliston who has advised me that the orange/red bugs are in fact Soldier Beetles. Thank you Fred.

I took this at Par this evening... there were lots of these orange/red bugs, all doing the same thing! They do appear to be mating in their own special way, but as bugs are complicated creatures I suppose its best not to assume! I'm also having trouble ID'ing them in the short space of time that I have.



This Stick Insect (if that's what it is) was on the bath last night. Very green and rocking from side to side... !



Par this evening...



Par again...



Par...

Yet more images from yesterday...

Some colourful wild flower shots taken on our travels yesterday... Bugs included!

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:-)

I’ve been out all day, not officially bird watching, but I made my list and much more, and I’ve met some lovely people (and very knowledgeable). I’ve seen so many plants (and I ID’d 4 by myself out of what seemed like hundreds!). I could not remember them all, even though I was told what everything was so I have looked through the on-line guide and highlighted just a few of them as listed below (hopefully I have got them right, and I must start getting more pics of plants, as they are so interesting):-

Chamomile, Wild Angelica, Oregano, Evening Primrose, Speedwell, Teasel, Thistle, Nettle, Bramble, Foxglove, Meadow Foxtail (I think), Ragwort, Cow Parsley, Spleenwort (I think), Dock Leaf, different Heathers, Celandine, Lichen, various Ferns, Juncus and many many more!

Plus, I have seen a Charm of around 50 Goldfinches, Butterflies (even though the weather was not too good for them), Insects, baby Toads and Rabbits. Oh, and Fox poo!

I also had a very unexpected life tick… Green Woodpecker (which as usual I would not have ID’d had I not been out with an experienced birder) and I had to come home and break the news to the Abbot! Sorry, but I have faith that you will tick it soon (that is if we can ID it!!!).

No Bird pics and only one the following was taken by me I think, although they were taken on our little Nikon, which produces much clearer images of insects than my big heavy lens (probably due to the user and not the lens though)...

This little one will be a Painted Lady Butterfly soon...



Three images of a Great Green Bush Cricket, which looks a lot bigger in real life...

My day list (including my morning head count in the garden):-

1. Great Crested Grebe
2. Cormorant
3. Mute Swan
4. Mallard
5. Buzzard
6. Juv. Moorhen
7. Greenshank
8. Curlew
9. Black Headed Gull
10. Herring Gull
11. Great Black Backed Gull
12. Woodpigeon
13. Collared Dove
14. Stock Dove
15. Green Woodpecker
16. Great Spotted Woodpecker
17. Swift
18. Swallow
19. House Martin
20. Pied Wagtail
21. Wren
22. Dunnock
23. Robin
24. Song Thrush (heard)
25. Blackbird
26. Blackcap
27. Whitethroat
28. Sedge Warbler
29. Willow Warbler
30. Spotted Flycatcher
31. Great Tit
32. Blue Tit
33. Coal Tit
34. Magpie
35. Jackdaw
36. Rook
37. Carrion Crow
38. Raven
39. Starling
40. House Sparrow
41. Chaffinch
42. Goldfinch
43. Greenfinch

Un-ID'd moths visiting my kitchen recently...

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18.07.09 - Now ID'd thanks to John Rowe ... Small Magpie & below... Buff Arches
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Got out unexpectedly for a while this evening. I wanted to have a look at Par Duck Pond (where I was lucky enough to see and hear a family of Jays), Par pool and beach and then Porthpean over the Bay with the scope as I'd been told there was a Common Scoter lurking in a nearby bay on Saturday, but I failed to find it! I did see a lot of H Gulls, GBB Gulls, Sparrowhawk and the Juv. Song Thrush (well I think it is!) at Porthpean though.


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Un-sociable Juv. Great Black Back
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My day list:

1. Little Egret
2. Grey Heron
3. Mute Swan
4. Canada Goose
5. Mallard
6. Buzzard
7. Sparrowhawk
8. Kestrel
9. Moorhen
10. Black Headed Gull
11. Herring Gull
12. Lesser Black Backed Gull
13. Great Black Backed Gull
14. Woodpigeon
15. Collared Dove
16. Swift
17. Swallow
18. Reed Warbler (heard)
19. Pied Wagtail
20. Wren (heard)
21. Dunnock
22. Robin
23. Song Thrush
24. Blackbird
25. Great Tit
26. Blue Tit
27. Jay
28. Magpie
29. Jackdaw
30. Carrion Crow
31. Raven
32. Starling
33. House Sparrow
34. Chaffinch
35. Goldfinch
36. Greenfinch
37. Linnet