Lockdown Diary: Saturday 6.6.20

I took a bit of a drive this morning, and the two best things I saw were a beautiful female Marsh Harrier, flying along the River Welland, and a magnifiecent Barn Owl sitting on a fence line by the road, allowing me to take a few shots. It is a ringed bird, but it is not possible to read it, mainly because the writing wraps roudn the leg, rather than running parallel to it. It is something I have been banging on about for years, but I think the BTO will carry on doing what they have always done…

Barn Owl, near Crowland, Lincs, 6.6.20
In the afternoon, I went looking for Fly Orchids at Bedford Purlieus (a great piece of ancient woodland in Cambs, west of Peterborough). I found one over-mature plant, where all the ‘flies’ had shrivelled somewhat. However, when the sun broke through, a Dark Green Fritillary came out to play, and feed on the few thistles which were in flower. These butterflies are superb, and have only been in the Peterborough area for the last few years. They remind me of my youth, near the North Downs on the Surrey/Croydon border, where they the highlight of a summer’s day butterflying in the meadows of the downs.

Dark Green Fritillary, Bedford Purlieus, Cambs, 6.6.20