A pool of Jewels in the mid day sun. #commonblue #damselflies @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Went in search of White Admirals in Queen's Copse where I had great sightings in prev. yrs. 1 unaccommodating male seen flitting around in dense wooded area, & only 4 Silver-washed Frits seen and again not interested in photos.🤷‍♀️ Lots of Holly blues, G.keepers ,M Brns @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

I found more Spotted flycatchers in a very different spot in Queen's Copse .Lovely to know they seem to be doing ok there. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

One of a few Southern Hawkers seen in Queen's Copse, as well as Brown Hawkers. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Beautiful demoiselle in Queen's Copse . Saw a few ,the only damselflies seen today . @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

One Juv Spotted Flycatcher in Queen's Copse fir tree clearing seemed unbothered by me sitting nearby pointing a camera at it. The light was very difficult at mid day but pleased with record shots as I rarely see these beauties nowadays. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Lovely to see Siskins feeding on the cones in Queen's Copse but difficult to pick up in the bright light behind them. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

In this clearing in Queen's Copse where I rested on the logs I was surprised to find a family of Spotted flycatchers.They were using the huge pines rather than Broad leaved trees I usually associate them with. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A different look to a Ruby Tiger. I think by me having to pick it up quickly from the ground before my Robin pal grabbed it. He even had the cheek to perch on the table I was working from. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

As soon as I went into the garden at 5.30 am Robbie was waiting near the trap. I'm sure he had found a few moths on the ground for breakfast but he hadn't tackled this Elephant Hawkmoth which was one of 4 trapped . The others were inside the box. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Lovely to see more butterflies in my garden this summer though most refusing to settle long enough for pics. They are on a mission! @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Didn't take long for this Red Admiral to find a very over ripe banana I put out this morning. It hasn't returned as yet, maybe lying drunk in the undergrowth. 🤪 @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @joelashton.bsky.social

In the dense scrub below my garden all day yesterday I could hear a bird squeaking, and later when it was cool enough to stand and watch I was rewarded with views of a baby Wren. Days ago,marauding magpies were upsetting a Wren there and I feared a nest would've been predicated

May be Pediopsus tiliae , Lime Hopper landed on my garden table while I was watching wasps investigating the tiniest morsels left on my dinner plate.Scarce but not in the south @ianbeavis.bsky. social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @buglife31.bsky.social

This little cutie turned up at 8 pm as I was about to retire indoors ,it would have been rude not to try a photo.#longtailedtit @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

When I went away for a week on 20 th June there were still young coal tits feeding all day long on fat balls along with many other birds but on my return the garden was very quiet. However, one Coal tit remains and follows me around like the baby Robins do.💚 @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

You have to admit Magpies are have superb plumage , but when one on my garden fence starts calling his 20 + mates down from the transformer wires nearby I draw the line on my hospitality. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

My old friend loves to see the birds at the feeding station on Soldiers Road after coffee and cake at The Kitchen,but today few visited when I put out some fresh food . Blackbirds usually feed on the ground here on crushed fat balls but this female had other ideas . @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

I've left a small patch of grass uncut as it has birds foot trefoil,selfheal ,hawkweeds and other plants growing and found my first Meadow Grasshopper in all the 43 yrs here .0nly ever found a couple of crickets before . @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

There are 3 bird baths and a small pond in my garden yet Robbie decides he like to drink the water from the drip tray under my pots of pelagoniums .🤷‍♀️ @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

One lonely Cinnabar caterpillar right by the side of the track at Badbury Rings. No others seen all the way around today @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

The eyes looked different so hope I'm right with Osmia spinulosa . Spined mason bee 🤔 at Badbury Rings . @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @ianbeavis.bsky.social

I noticed the gold face on this fly so thought it deserved a photo or three. Thinking Phasia hemiptera? @ianbeavis.bsky.social @suillia.bsky.social

Female Villa hottentotta I think , collecting sand for her sand chamber before laying her eggs in a host's nest . Spotted on a dry track at Corfe Barrows Reserve .Dorset #beeflies @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Early morning moth traps are now difficult for me most days but I wanted to see what I could trap in my garden .I did have a couple I haven't had before so I was pleased and 5 Elephant hawkmoths the most ever. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

I knew there was going to be trouble as soon as I opened my moth trap at 7 am . My little juv pal was waiting , how do they know already , and it had a footman and burnished brass. I would have happily fed him the house moth but it flew away . @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A pair of Buzzards over my garden this afternoon. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

A Green-veined white spent all day in my garden , particularly fond of the scabious. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A lone Red Deer spotted on the horizon on Exmoor, turned out to be a stag with one antler. So distant and with bad heat haze so quite chuffed to get a record shot

When I checked the bus shelter on Monday, as I do annually at County Gates, I thought the Swallows had fledged and flown ,but yesterday I looked again 😀👍 @somersetbirds.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social