10/11/2020 I went for a walk......

 Maximum temperature here today 16⁰C, minimum 9⁰C.  1 mm rain measured this morning.   9km/h South-westerly winds with gusts up to 27 km/h.  

I went for a walk on Saturday, with my printed form saying I was allowed out (lockdown rules), and within my 1 km radius of the house.  Blue skies and sun and so many surprises!!!  It was like spring!.

Fabulous weather looking across the fields.

I have never seen so many acorns as this year, they are everywhere.

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus).

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris).

Blue Echium (Echium vulgare).

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) and Greenbottle-fly.

Common chicory (Cichorium intybus).

Clouded Yellow probably (Colias crocea) but there are 4 different Clouded Yellows and I cannot tell the difference!  I saw at least 5 different Clouded Yellows while I was out, but they all might have been the same species or not!!

As above...

As above.

Caterpillar of a Fox Moth - (Macrothylacia rubi)....

I moved it off of the road onto the verge and it rolled up into defence mode.  I waited a while to see if it would uncurl, but I gave up after a couple of minutes as I was only allowed out for one hour.

An abnormal growth on a dog rose caused by a species of gall wasp (Diplolepis rosae). The adult wasp lays eggs in the buds or developing leaves during mid-summer period.

More photos to follow - our connection seems to be slower than normal if that is possible!!!!!

My local list of wildflowers. (90 Species 23/08/2020).

See also my

 Bird blog

Joining up with My Corner of the World.

Photo competition running until 31 December - colourful photos.

B u n t

Let us all join in great fun.

14/07/2019 Wow what a weekend of sport, but I managed a quick walk out early before it go too hot.

Maximum temperature today 27C, minimum 16C.  Dry. 18km/h North-easterly winds with gusts up to 43 km/h.  Still, no sign of rain in the forecast for the next week so lots of watering!!

My first photo was of the neighbour's gladiola.

A little further on I saw this flower that I have been unable to ID.  I found an identical flower on the internet that said it was an orchid but nothing further,  I am not convinced though that it is even an orchid!

Common chicory, (Cichorium intybus)

Blackberries forming.

I think this is a Marbled white (Melanargia galathea) but it was still for barely a second for this photo.

Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina).

I think this is a cranesbill from the geranium family...

as above,

Saint John's-wort.

Cattle keeping an eye on me....

as is this youngster number 88...

and I guess dad is also being watchful as well.

Maize.

Making hay while the sun shines...

and obviously, it is coffee time.

Sunflowers in abundance...

and the bees seem to be enjoying them.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

19/07/2018 A few more photos from the week away.

Maximum temperature today 31C, minimum 16C.  Dry; 13 km/h North-westerly winds with up to 26 km/h gusts.

As always I am not certain of my ID, if anyone can help out I am always appreciative.

Driving down to Bergerac there were fields and fields of fruit trees. I only thought of taking a photo when we got near the end!

Ghost sign - Valentine les belles peintures. It seems this was (is?) a type of paint.

Walking through the forest there was a lot of this plant.  I think it maybe broomrape but I am not sure.

Chicory,

Possibly Giant Bellflower.

Blue Featherleg or White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes).

I think this may be a skimmer dragonfly but I am not even sure of that!

Think this is same as above!

There were a lot of fish in the dam but what I know about fish types is dangerous, they were quite big.  About 0.6 meter (2 Foot)

Peacock butterfly (Inachis io)

Skippers are a family, Hesperiidae, of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) I am not sure which skipper this is.

Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria).

As above.

Just a spider web, but so much work goes into this creation.

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 17 of the birds seen in Africa.

11/08/2017 A walk to the next hamlet and what I saw along the way.

Maximum temperature 22C, minimum 12C.   9 km/h NW wind with 28 km/h gusts.  15 mm rain measured.

The first thing I see as I leave the house and walk around the corner is our neighbour's barn.

I just love these chicory flowers that are everywhere at the moment.

Clover flowers.

Bladder campion or maidenstears (Silene vulgaris).

Daisy with a fly.

Gatekeeper butterfly, female.

Gatekeeper butterfly, male.

Raspberries.

A rose bud peeking through a fence.

Rose hips.

It this a fungus growing on a rose plant?

Cuckoo Pint seeds.  A member of the Arum family and poisonous.

Thistle....

and another thistle with a bumble bee.

 Large Yellow Rest Harrow

Wisteria.

For those that might be interested, I have started my blog on our South African holiday earlier this year.