Trying to make the most of the last of the sunshine

The Safari got out for a long lunch yesterday. Patch 2 was very quiet so we took the camera for a stroll round the work's garden. We were looking for butterflies, one species in particular but the sun had gone in by now and that make our target species might be a bit trickier.

There were still several Ragwort plants with Cinnabar moth caterpillars munching them bare.

Above them in the hedge the local House Sparrows were noisy and active.

Near to them we heard the high pitched begging calls of nestlings but it would be a while before we learned their identity. Butterflies were plentiful with Small Whites the most numerous.

Followed by Meadow Browns.

The hoped for Grayling hadn't made the few hundred yard flit from the dunes to the south. Or if one did it wasn't around when we were looking.

When we got to the end of the hedge and associated wildflowers we turned round to see a Dunnock on the lawn a ways off. It hopped around a bit grabbed a morsel and took it to the hedge from where we heard the heard the begging youngsters again - mystery solved.

Still keeping our eyes on the flowers, just in case of a Grayling, we saw plenty of Red Tailed Bumble Bees mostly on the Ragwort. Watching them we spotted another much smaller bee working the flowers.

We're fairly sure it's the tiny Colletes daviesanus which we've recorded here in previous years.

Today we've had a day off pending an adventure northwards this weekend. We concentrated on the flowers blooming in the garden

Wish you had smellavision - this one is delicious

Purple Loosestrife buzzing with bees

Oregano

Salad Burnet - in a pot donated by a local botanist

Honey Bee on the Oregano, lots of them being busy today

In the afternoon we had to take Wifey up town for an appointment and while we waited we set for the big park with the big camera and met up with BD for a couple of hours to see what we could find.

We haven't processed those pics yet so here's a cute cygnet off the phone - shame about the bag of turd in the top corner.

Sadly there were far too many people walking round staring at phone screens playing Pokemon, they were passing inches away from amazing real creatures all with awesome super-powers, if only they could be made as interesting and 'important' as the digital nonsense...how can we do that before it's too late?

Where to next? You'll have to wait to find out about our adventure to the north.
In the meantime let us know who's buzzing around in your outback.