Cream-coloured Courser and Small Blue

I nearly didn't go for the Cream-coloured Courser in Herefordshire yesterday, what a massive mistake that would have been! I only heard about it in the morning when I got a text from Bun. He wanted to go, obviously! I was umming and ahhing, not really feeling up to the long drive and eventually decided not to bother. Then I heard that Nick was going to go after work and that would mean that I'd only have to drive to Bristol, so that's what I did. We got to Nick's house at four-ish and were looking at the Cream-coloured Courser at six-thirty. There were only around fifty people there and the bird which was always more or less in view, was not only seriously good looking but also highly entertaining ( well, some of us live very quiet lives so are very easily entertained). I'm so glad I decided to go. We were discussing just how attractive the bird was when Bun enthused "It couldn't be any better looking" to which I replied "Yes it could. It could be blue". Talking of which on Saturday I finally had success in my search for a local Small Blue, with one on Axmouth Beach in the exact same place as the previous two years. On Sunday I saw two more, this time on Hooken Beach near Branscombe, but only one in the same place today. These are just the first few males and I think there's still a while to go before their peak emergence. On Sunday I didn't see any Wood Whites but there were oodles of 'em today. I saw around a dozen and Dave saw a lot more further towards Branscombe. Several females were egg-laying so they haven't been wasting any time since emerging yesterday and today!

Cream-coloured Courser Twitch

 Open it to see if you know anyone...you know you want to.

This was our cue to head for home. The bird flies off to the 'sunny side of the mountain'

If you enlarge this photo you can see the bird just by the left ear of the bloke near the centre.

Bun , Nick and a bloke who'd obviously come straight from the office.

 Actually there were quite a few of those.

You're looking the wrong way! look at this....

 Back of its head's the best bit! look...

Very, very handsome. Better in blue?

Uhm? On second thoughts, I think not!

A short video clip..I Couldn't keep up with it!

Butterflies and Stuff

First Small Blue of the year. This one on Axmouth beach looks a little worn already so probably emerged a day before I spotted it on Saturday.

Today's male on Hooken Beach is very fresh in comparison.

Wood White.  

The female in the bottom photo is egg-laying.

Mining Bee, Anthrophora plumipes

Plume Moth. Platyptilia gonodactyla?

Green Tiger Beetles.

Horribly beautiful or beautifully horrible?!