I will try a different walk one of these days. But there are so many different things I'm finding on this particular walk, that it's hard to drag myself away to go somewhere different.
I mean if hadn't walked it today then who knows I may never have seen my first ever Wall Brown butterfly. I was so lucky to come across it. It landed on the wall next to me at Rufus Castle and I managed two shots before lots of walkers went by and put it up.
Other highlights were a Sand Wasp which could well be Ectemnius sexcinctus. It was on the "Hoverfly bush" at Pennsylvania Castle where there are still hundreds of Marmalade Hoverflies and now 2 Orange Muscid Flies (Phaonia pallida).
In the grounds of St Andrews Church there was 3rd instar nymph of a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) and as I was heading up the steps I came across an unusual fly to ID later. In fact the fly was actually a hoverfly Ferdinandea cuprea. It took me ages trying to find out what it was and eventually someone pointed out to me that it was actually a hoverfly.
The female Kestrel was doing well over the rough ground north of Church Ope Cove and on several occasions managed to catch what I presume were grasshoppers.
Out to sea, which was pretty rough to say the least, there were at least 12 Gannets heading south.
Here are a few images from this afternoon.
My walk this afternoon
Church Ope Cove
The view from Rufus Castle looking south
Gannets heading...
......south towards the Bill.
This female Kestrel was.......
.....doing really well.......
........catching what I presume were Grasshoppers.
And then it was back up again for another hover.
An interesting looking fly......
.......and in fact not a True fly but actually a hoverfly, Ferdinandea cuprea. A first for me.
And this is a Sand Wasp, most likely Ectemnius sexcinctus ........
........it was marching up and down the leaves of the Elder.......
.....looking for prey.....
.........and looking really menacing.
Glad I'm not a bug, look at those eyes and fangs. It's favourite prey is hoverflies!
One of 2 Orange Muscid Flies on the Elder today.
3rd instar nymph of a Common Green Shieldbug.
Large White.