Another dolphin day

The Safari has been a bit busy these last couple of days. We've missed some Bottlenosed Dolphins, we've been on the beach with another gang of Brownies but in the same place as the last post so not much different was found apart from a very nicely marked Blenny.

Best catch  of the day for the Brownies was reserved for just about the last dip of the net before packing up when one of them pulled out a small dark Eel-like fish, the first 5-bearded Rockling of the year.
We also had BD and Young Un AB (By eck he's not so young anymore - towers over the Safari he does) helping redesign and rebuild the work's bug hotel. Some time was spend looking for any inverts in the garden, pick of the bunch was this stunning freshly emerged Narrow Bordered 5-spot Burnet moth.

The tiny Deptford Pink wasn't out for BD's macro lens but three flowers had opened the following day.

Hope Little CV doesn't have those fingerprints on his database!

Yesterday we had an all day offsite Schools Science Conference so there was no opportunity for any wildlifing but we did take our big box of shells for the children to look at, it's amazing how few of them actually go to the beach even though it's no more than a mile or so away at the most from all their  homes. From the lab window we could see the Bowland Fells, no sign of any Hen Harriers well we were never going to see any anyway as the Establishment have made sure they've all been bumped off to a very devious masterplan. Please support this years peaceful protest Hen Harrier Day 9th August at several venues around the country.

Today we've been office bound and wasn't able to get out early doors. we did get out at lunchtime but it was dire. A wander round the garden was much more rewarding in the sunshine with Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White butterflies and a Silver Y moth. Lots of bumblebees too, at least four species, a mining bee and a shed load of Grass Veneer moths and we heard our first work's Meadow Grasshopper of the year.

Back in the office we saw we'd missed a phone call, a quick email revealed we'd missed a pod of Bottlenosed Dolphins coming down from the north quite close in. B*gger!!! Not to worry a text alerted us to the fact they were still about not far to the south of us. Grabbing the camera and bins we dashed out but were (slightly) disappointed to see they'd now gone into the river channel and were well out of range for pics but still gave a great display as they fed actively. No matter how far away they are a Dolphin Day is always a good day.

There seems to be a bit of a pattern to their appearances emerging, not that they appear everyday. But to stand the best chance of connecting with them. They have been appearing to the north about half to three quarters of an hour after high tide then working their way down southwards - how many? Varies but between 6 and 30 according to reports - taking them about an hour to get from North Shore to us at South Promenade and beyond. Today they were quite close in for some of their journey south one of them being reported as being between the end of North Pier and the seawall!!! Well worth having a look if you can, we can't tomorrow as we're exhibiting at a summer fete.

Where to next? We'll be keeping an eye out for interesting wildlife at the fair, might even take a few pots in case there's something to show the kids.

In the meantime let us know who's just to bright red in your outback.