Caspian Tern

A new Britist tick for me this afternoon with a Caspian Tern on Trent Falls just off Alkborough, very distant so heavily cropped photos!

The return of Ivy Broomrape!

We thought we had lost these in the garden but suddenly two spikes appeared

Orchids and Burnets

I had a walk round our local pond yesterday The Blue Lagoon and was amazed at the amount of wildlife.  Top of the list but no photos were at least three Emperor Dragonflies hawking round the lake and hunting around the brambles.  Bird wise a pair of Great Crested Grebes were carrying chicks on their backs and Little Grebes have also bred. I counted 20 spikes of Marsh Orchids which was a surprise, I have seen Bee Orchids earlier in the summer also  and another surprise was a small colony of Five-spot Burnet moths.  Lots of Buff-tailed Bumblebees and Common Carders also feeding on the grassy bank. Here's a few snaps

Lesser Stitchwort

Five-Spot Burnet

Marsh Orchid

Cinnabar Caterpillars another increasingly rare sight

Centaury

Lady's Bedstraw

Red Soldier beetle on Ragwort

Lesser Stitchwort

This site also holds Grayling Butterflies a nationally scarce species!