Still here - just!!!

The Safari just about survived tthe onslaught and was able to get out for an hour in a bit of sunshine - so we wazzed round to Patch 1 and the White Letter Hairstreaks. Before we started to stake them out we went to investigate a couple of fungi we had seen this morning. A big brown one about 15cm across...

And one that looks like it could be 'Supermarket' Mushroom aka Field Mushroom.

In the butterfly glade we scanned and scanned both sides of the trees at all levels and came across a pair of twizzlers that were suspicious in their small size but nothing gave their true identity away as they disappeared over the trees never to be seen again. Lots of Speckled Woods were out as was our first second brood Peacock. Two Gatekeepers were nice to see, it seems they are now reasonably well established even if in only small numbers.

Plenty of skippers including this fresh Large Skipper.

Did you spot the Blackfly aphids under the flowerhead?

A few Small Skippers and loads of Meadow Browns about enjoying the chance to stretch their wings after the recent deluges.
We chased a couple of Holly Blues around without success and then did the same to a male Common Blue before finding this more sedate female Common Blue.

Same pic treated differently.

Bird-life included a tree-top skimming WLH chomping Swift, and six low-level Swallows (family party?). Another Sparrowhawk was seen again, this time being mobbed by a gaggle of Magpies.

We finished in the glade chasing another potential WLH round the tree before that too disappeared to where-ever they disappear to.

A couple of Black Headed Gulls finished the afternoon off nicely...

Then Wifey's sister rang and sh*t hit the fan...

Where to next? Exhibition hanging at Stanley Park visitor centre tomorrow morning and then we might have a short round the park, but we'll have to be quick VIPs arriving for a slap up feast.

In the meantime let us know what's been giving you the run around in your outback.