21/06/2026 Catching up with the first part of May while it is too hot to be outside!!

 The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 38⁰C but feels like 44⁰C, minimum 24⁰C. 20km/h Easterly gusts of wind. Phew.

Wildflower (Orlaya grandiflora) Lace Flower

Pansies.

Typical spider but I cannet get much further with ID!!

My Favourite Chateau in La Rochefoucauld, 15 mins from home, so we see it often.

Thick-legged flower beetle (Oedemera nobilis). This is a female, she has not got the muscle that the males have :-)

Same as the shot above, with a wider view of the Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare). 

La Marguerite.

The 8th of May - Remembrance day in the local village.

France marks the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8th each year – it is a national holiday, and is called 'National Day' in France.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)....

Les Lézards des murailles.

Yet another spider without ID, see the underneath below which looks so different....

Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena) with a Common Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) le cercope sanguin.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Le Cuivré commun ou Bronzé - on Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans).

Lace flower with a Beehive beetle (Trichodes alvearius) le Trichode des ruches ou Clairon des ruches.

Solitary bee larvae are the victims of the voracious appetite of this beetle's larvae.

See above. The small Carpet beetle is on the left of the photo (Anthrenus verbasci). L'anthrène du bouillon blanc ou anthrène bigarré des tapis.

Four Spotted Crane Fly (Nephrotoma quadrifaria). Tipule à quatre tache.

Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba). Also called an Owl moth or Le Hibou in French.

A male greenfinch (Chloris chloris) Le Verdier d'Europe,  and a male sparrow (Passer domesticus) Le Moineau domestique taking a drink.

Four different insects on the Lace Flower, the main one being a Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Abeille européenne.

Rosemary beetle larva (Chrysolina americana) la chrysomèle du romarin.

I think I have managed to ID this spider and it is (Runcinia grammica). It is a species of araneomorph spider in the family Thomisidae. It is apparently called a Grape Seed Crab Spider, or in French, Le Thomise rayé.

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) Pigeon ramier.

Small tortoiseshell (I think) (Aglais urticae) La Petite tortue ou Vanesse de l'ortie.

As above. The beetle at the back is a Grey rose chafer beetle (Oxythyrea funesta). La Cétoine grise .

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) Le Pic épeiche.

If you look carefully at the top photo, you can just see some red on the back of its head, proof that it is a male.

As above.

Spotted horned longhorn beetle (Paracorymbia maculicornis) on a Californian Poppy. Lepture à cornes tachetées.

As above.

I just might get to finish May photos if this heatwave continues for as long as they say it will!

04/06/2026 Trying to catch up a bit locally!!

 The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 17⁰C, minimum 11⁰C. 25 to 54 km/h West/South/West winds. 34% chance of rain.  Last week we had temperatures up to 38⁰C, what is going on??

The last photos I blipped locally from home were on 11 January, then South Africa took over.  Lots of catching up to do, but little time as the garden is being very demanding!

The neighbours' lambs 13/01/2026

24/01/2026 Eurasian nuthatch, wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) Sittelle torchepot.

25/01/2026 European Starling (Sturnus Vulgaris) Sturnidés.

01/02/2026 the last photo I took at home before leaving for South Africa.

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis).

Returning home 08/04/2026 this is what our lawn looked like!!! Also, the reason I have had little time to catch up with other things!

Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) Le pavot.  Daffodils on each side.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) Le Lézard des murailles.

Top left - Cowslips (Primula officinalis),

Top Centre - Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).

Top right - Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosa Ranunculaceae).

Bottom left - Common lawn daisy (Bellis perennis) and Sweet violet (Viola odorata).

Bottom Centre - Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum).

Bottom Right - Sweet violet (Viola odorata).

Bladder campion, White Cockle or maiden tears (Silene vulgaris). Le Silène enflé.

Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) Le Tircis.

Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) La jacinthe d’Espagne.

Green-veined white (Pieris napi) Piéride du navet. 

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Le Cuivré commun ou Bronzé.

There seems to be some confusion, as in English it is a Small Copper while in French it appears to be a Large Copper!!

One of the garden wasps, but I just liked the shadow!

Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) la renoncule bulbeuse.

Dove's-foot crane's-bill (Geranium molle) Le Géranium à feuilles molles.

Black or Common Redstart Female.  I cannot decide which!!

This brings me to the end of April. May will happen when I have more time, but now June has already arrived!!

Part 5 of our holiday in South Africa.

 Back home in the Charente, the weather is still very dismal. The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 15⁰C, minimum 8⁰C. 25 to 54 km/h North/West winds. 90% chance of rain.  As I type this, I have a jersey and a fleece on in the house!

These two elephants were right next to the fence that was in front of our accommodation at Crocodile Bridge, which was our last stopover in Kruger National Park.

Ostrich (Struthio camelus), both males.

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus).

Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca).

Bushbuck (Tragelaphus-scriptus). This little fellow had somehow sneaked in past the entrance into the camp, and I took this photo right at the back of the hut we were staying in. I presume it did this quite often, as though it was nervous; it was not that frightened of me.

Lions (Panthera leo melanochaita) spotted in the road on a late return to camp, these photos were taken in the car's headlamps.

As above.

White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). They are dehorned every 18 months to try to prevent poaching. Very sad that this is necessary.

Water Monitor (Varanus niloticus).

Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus).

Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) and an Impala (Aepyceros melampus).

Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus).  Warthogs often kneel on their front legs when feeding. Their calloused, bony “knees” help them to comfortably rest on the ground while feeding on roots, fruits, and grasses.  This fellow looks like it has just had a mud bath.

Burchell's Zebra see above.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus).  Look carefully, the second leg is tucked in under its tummy,

African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus).  One of my favourite animals, next to the leopard, but sadly endangered, although they are improving in numbers.

As you can see, this female has a collar to monitor pack movements.  This allows conservation managers to take quick action in protecting these animals.

Wild dogs as above.

Another Water Monitor.  This one had somehow made its way into the camp as well.