After my eclipse fun early this morning, managed to get out later in the day for a run on the 10km Owl Road route. Luckily my NB680 v2 were up to it, and conditions were dry.
Were there any owls on the Owl Road? Don't be silly! But what was about were a lot of kestrels giving some really powerful displays of flying. One gets accustomed to seeing them on the hover, going up and down like a lift in their quest for rodents, but when they let rip and fly at speed, they are so impressive.
One flew past me as I ran along the 64, possibly chasing after another impinging on its territory. Its narrow wings powered through the air, one beat seeming to move it tens of metres. It made me feel like I was trudging the ground in lead boots, permanently wedded to the dull ground.
There was a fieldfare interlude in the Cotham Flash field, they are evidently still around but may be gone with the next decent south-westerly, before I came across the Sconce Park Kestrel, surveying its world from a set of goalposts. I tried to creep as close as I could, but the bird was far too wise, and skimmed the ground before heading off over the earthwork.
In the end, even with photo stops, I still went 10km in under an hour, but the lack of bumblebees and butterflies was a bit disappointing.
They seem to be up everywhere but here!
Si
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| Sconce blossom... |
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| ...and now with added bee! |
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| Interesting looking plant in Hawton |
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| Probably why there weren't any butterflies this afternoon |
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| Kestrel keeps watch |
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| Kestrel flies off |
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| Sun on the Navigation |
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| Alder catkins |
The interesting looking plant - lovely photo) is Lungwort - very popular with bees especially the Hairy footed Flower Bee - worth looking out for! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks I will do when I come trotting by, I thought it might have been some sort of wort but didn't want to make myself seem stupid if it wasn't
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