Brockadale Nature Reserve (I)

After reading about recent sightings of Marbled Whites at Brockadale Nature Reserve we decided to take advantage of good weather with a follow up to last year's initial visit.  Glimpses of Ringlets, Meadow Browns and whites on from the path was a good start and once on the reserve we counted over 15 Marbled Whites (Melanargia galathea), feeding predominantly on red clover and centaurea.

This one is a female, slightly larger than the male, the underside has a brown tinge as opposed to the black and white markings of the male.

Fairburn Ings

From a recent visit to Fairburn Ings RSPB, here are a few butterflies and dragonfly sightings that we enjoyed during our wander.

Thanks to Dean for confirming this pair as Common Darter Dragonflies (yellow stripes on legs and yellowish patches on the thorax).  

A Six Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae) on a thistle

A Burnet with worn wing scales, thanks again to Dean for his help with this.

Small Copper on thistles.

Green Veined White

Warkworth

We stopped off at Warkworth for a cuppa and a stroll to the beach, within minutes of our walk we spotted a Roe Deer in a field adjacent to the beach road. It made its way slowly through the field & paused to feed in the hedgerow. Its coat matched the colour of the dock weeds dotted throughout the field.
Here its is to the far right of the pic almost hidden within the first patch of foliage and Coquet Island in the background (I like a bit of context now and again).

On the approach to the dunes this eye catching male Stonechat (thanks to Rambling Rob for very graciously alerting me to my initial bloomer)settled in a tree & then kindly perched atop the Public Footpath signpost.

As we walked up a steep North West facing dune the sun broke through and transformed the area into Butterfly central. Dotted with 12 or 14 Burnets a number of them in pairs, Small Whites fluttered around, a small blue butterfly flew at a distance, a couple of Small Skippers.

Small Skipper

6 Spot Burnet moth, Zygaena fillipendulae. Its a daytime flier, identified by 3 pairs of red spots on each wing. Caterpillars feed on trefoil and vetch which contain traces of cyanide, a nifty strategy to deter predators. The club shaped antennae can be seen clearly.

A patch of dainty Harebells

Large White, Pieris brassicae

A weather worn Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta on a flowering Teasel

On the borders of the marshland a Spinach moth Eulithus mellinata. The moth holds its wings at an angle to its body, with the hindwings virtually hidden behind the forewings.

On the banks of the River Coquet near the bridge. A mandarin duck Aix galericulata which I didn't notice it at first. What a pretty duck!