Moths

Two of the most photogenic and beautiful moths caught on the 17th, the night was warm and
humid, perfect for mothing. The first for the year, Swallowtail and Elephant hawk moth.

Ellerburn bank

I spent a few hours on a warm sunny morning last week in heaven. Just lie down, close your eyes everything is just perfect. My childhood days playing in endless fields like this come flooding back. At least 3 pairs of yellow hammer and many common species present. One of my favourite stunning butterflies Marbled whites out in numbers along with small skipper and rinlet. All of these could not exist without the variety and number of wild herbs and flowers. I have included just a few of these, well worth a visit!

Fulmar

The odd fulmar patrolling the headland, graceful silent effortless flight when there is any available wind, unlike the acrobatic noisy kittewake. Both species seem abundant in this area.

Herring Gull

An untimely end to a young kittewake. Almost as soon as it fell off its ledge it was pounced on. It took a few minutes of pecking to kill it, fly off and swallow it whole, not a pleasant sight but a necessary one, as the bird would have died sooner or later. Taken from the road under the kittewake colony at Scarborough castle.

Peregrine

After resting, preening, sunning and eyeing up prey this juvenile bird joined its siblings and took to the air. All shots were taken using a 1.4 converter and the birds were not close. Such an amazing master of the air, a truly wild spirit.