Across the meadows to Shelly
It never fails to amaze me that so much wildlife live so close to us, and yet it is so easy to miss. However, if you go out with looking for wildlife, or photographing as in our case, then you can often be enchanted or amazed by the variety around you. Today was a walk across a local meadow and by the River Brett, with an aim in mind of seeing anything in the way of dragonfly or such. We were not disappointed.
The first thing we spotted by the old Mill, was the Wagtail. This grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. The top of the bird you will see is more gray.
Our Wagtail flew to a perch on a branch and then down onto the Lily pads on the river surface, where he did some hunting for insects.
Once in our intended spot by the river, it was fairly easy to get images of the Banded demoiselle, which were everywhere. This one is a female.
And this one is the male.
And when you have one of each then this is what happens - as usual!
Then a Gatekeeper butterfly settled nearby.
Followed by a Meadow brown.
And then a Small White.
Large Bindweed covered in Flower Beetle (Altica lythri). All within a mile of the front door!
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