Turtle Doves

After checking all spring I finally refound last years Turtle Doves at Hutton Cranswick. They bred last year and Im hoping they have done the same this year. Two birds were on wires just outside the village in a shower this evening on my commute home. Poor pictures below.

Not the greatest pictures but I will endeavour to manage better before the summer is out.

Bat revisit

I have been told that the ear on my bat may be the key to speciating. Concensus has been a myotis, principally Natterers or Daubenton's - both common enough round here.

Bat Ear

Also some really sad news. My wife, Angela lost twins this weekend at 10 weeks pregnant. We are both cut up and pretty numb.

Went for a Rat, Got a Bat

Went down to Nafferton Beck to take shots of Water Voles and whilst I got brief views I was left disappointed. I was considerably happier when I noticed this mid-sized bat roosting on the outer aspect of the footbridge. Any ideas for ID?

Also had a Sparrowhawk shoot through. Continuing the theme of inverts here are three more for ID.

Hylobius abietis - Pine Weevil?

grasshopper sp.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee? Bombus terrestris?

Entomological Idiocy?

In an effort to keep myself distracted without bunging three million quid in my cars fuel tank I have been playing with the idea of pan-species listing...or in my case looking at the invertebrates in the garden. Now I managed to deduce a few bits and pieces but I am a complete novice never having had any interest in this field before. I need help with some ID's if anyone could or knows someone that could?

I think this is your bog standard House Fly Musca domestica

But I have a few other flies that I have no idea over. And some bits that I don't even know if they are flies.

I also managed a few beetles. First up was the standard shiny yellow flower loving job which I have no idea what it is called.

followed by this sneaky devil hiding amongst them on a flower head

As for Bees I think this is Garden Bumblebee Bombus hortorum

While I think this is the Common Carder Bumblebee Bombus pascuorum

I also saw Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius which I know is common but was good to see. I made a mess of various other photos but will endeavour so please help a poor referenceless innocent and ID my arthropods.

Pissed Off

Went for the Flamborough Stone Curlew yesterday, safe in the knowledge that its a night migrant. I hauled Isabeel to North Marsh from North Landing with scope, camera and bins. And I was greeted with, that fat,twat in the hat has just entered the field to get a photo and flushed it to the horizon - did you see it fly? To which I swore. It was such a selfish thing to do by a very noted birder. I wont name him here as that isnt fair but the long-walk back took ages and felt 3 times as far. Gutted...

I'm a Winner

Just a quick post to say that I was the very fortunate winner of the year's membership of the BTO from the Talking Naturally Podcast TN 33. I would like to thnak the BTO for my membership and Charlie Moores, webmaster and podcaster behind Talking Naturally for the prize which will be put to good use I can assure them. Cheers!

Quail of a Time

I went for a walk down by Wansford Beck this evening in an effort to hear Quail. Aside from stacks of Swifts and Swallows feeding on the Mayflies, a Roe Deer was stood watching me in the field before breaking left.

A couple of Yellow Wagtails chased across the field and a Corn Bunting piped up on the wires.

It really is a Corn Bunting!

A group of hares were pottering about on the far side of the fields as were a couple of Barn Owls including one which gave a flyby as the light dropped.

As I was growing dispondent a single Quail piped up with just a single phrase. I was delighted! Before I could get too excited a Hare ran up to me as I was stood behind a tree and sat down. Oblivious.