Header 1

Header 1
All images below are clickable

Monday, 16 March 2026

Lodmoor Reserve - Peacock Butterfly


The first Peacock Butterfly that I have observed this year. This one below and featured a number of times in this post, was in very good condition and obviously had a suitable site for hibernation over the last Winter.


I also found this one below, but it looked rather more faded.


The usual number of Little Egrets could be observed around the Reserve.













This pair of Moorhens were checking out a suitable nesting site.


Located in another part of the Reserve in the vast reedbed area this Little Egret was searching for food. Most probably small fish or frogs.



Blue Tits like the small green buds shooting on the various trees at this time.





The weather appears to be getting more mild and we have seen a few days of sunny conditions.

Wednesday, 11 March 2026

Spring is Imminent

This is a scene from part of one of my local walks.
Some greenery, but not much on the trees yet.

A few flowers remain from the Spring blooms.



Two birds that are definitely making a lot of noise now.

Dunnock

Robin







 

Tuesday, 3 March 2026

Over the last Week


The Dunnock is normally a quiet bird often seen moving about the undergrowth. This all changes at this time during the breeding season. You will hear a beautiful melodic variable song, This makes you think there must be a different unusual bird about, which eventually when you see the bird it is a surprise. Most of the year you barely hear the Dunnock at all. The male and female looks the same. This one below was observed in the middle of a bramble bush singing away.  The bird has what can be described as an interesting life style. Males will pair with a number of females and look after several nests/broods. Females may also have a relationship with several males.







The Lesser Celandine below is a very common sight at this time. A common flower, but it makes an interesting image in the right pose and light.






A lucky break for me was the sight of this male Brimstone butterfly on the wing. That is the first time this year I have seen this species. It didn't pitch at all. It suddenly appeared so close in front of me and I was using a 600mm equivalent lens and just had to point the camera in its general direction.





A common sight at some of the local reserves I visit is the Mediterranean Gull. Very easily identified (even for me) with the black ring around the middle of the beak and the white ring around the eye. There is one little island at Lodmoor Reserve where they nest in a colony.





A female Blackbird searching for food around a patch of low ivy covered trees.