On our way down the Northumberland coast we stopped off at a few lovely spots, calling in at Druridge Bay. Yet again the butterflies didn't disappoint. We spotted 4 Small Skippers Thymelicus sylvestris, a widespread butterfly, I think its a female as it lacks the male's distinctive black wing mark. 
Amonst the dunes an abundance of Cinnabar moth caterpillars, the larval foodplant is Ragwort and caterpillars fed communally on their foodplant. I spotted a few Cinnabar on my last visit to Druridge Bay.
The larvae need long grasses on which to pupate and produce a papery yellow cocoon.
On the walk to the hide at Druridge Pools. I was delighted to come across my first Fritillary. 
I have to admit that I was struggling to identify it until I came across this view of the underwings which I think is Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja.
Two Green Veined White, I was pleased to capture this one, note how the one on the right has its abdomen raised. A defence mechanism or mating behaviour?
A slug chomps its way through a small cap & stem fungi. 
At the end of our wander we spotted this albino rabbit in the dunes. At first we wondered how it managed to survive as it stood out like a sore thumb but maybe it is camouflaged in the sandy dunes. We saw a similar coloured rabbit in the vicinity a couple of months previous.
Down the road at Creswell, Lapwing, Mallards, a pair of Shelduck with two young, Redshank, Curlew, Grey Heron. As a small aircraft flew overhead 40 odd Lapwing took to the sky. 
Our visit to Druridge Bay, Northumberland provided a butterfly bonanza. Walking to and from the Druridge Pools Hide & meandering through the dunes I virtually doubled my annual tally of butterflies in one day, outstanding!First up Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui) on red clover, a long distance migrant from Africa.
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is the most widespread blue butterfly in UK and found in a variety of grassy habitats. Feeds mainly on Common Bird's-foot-trefoil.
Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae), a day flying moth, wingspan 32-42 mm. Favours well drained grassland habitats, where the caterpillars feed on ragworts & groundsels.
Latticed Heath moth (Chiasmia claratha) wingspan 20-25mm. 
Small Heath, (Coenonympha pamphilus), widespread, flies only in sunshine, generally stays near to the ground & its wings are kept close at rest. Found in grassland habitats where its foodplants are fine grasses.
Lots of Pipits flying to and fro & settling on shrub tops.
Thanks to Nigel K for identifying this as a Meadow Pipit Anthus Pratensis.
Northumberland Diversity have a really useful brochure to help find your way around Druridge.
Amonst the dunes an abundance of Cinnabar moth caterpillars, the larval foodplant is Ragwort and caterpillars fed communally on their foodplant. I spotted a few Cinnabar on my last visit to Druridge Bay.
The larvae need long grasses on which to pupate and produce a papery yellow cocoon.
On the walk to the hide at Druridge Pools. I was delighted to come across my first Fritillary. 
I have to admit that I was struggling to identify it until I came across this view of the underwings which I think is Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja.
Two Green Veined White, I was pleased to capture this one, note how the one on the right has its abdomen raised. A defence mechanism or mating behaviour?
A slug chomps its way through a small cap & stem fungi. 
At the end of our wander we spotted this albino rabbit in the dunes. At first we wondered how it managed to survive as it stood out like a sore thumb but maybe it is camouflaged in the sandy dunes. We saw a similar coloured rabbit in the vicinity a couple of months previous.
