Not quite

A couple of tours in this post with some of the birds just not quite in range. The Golden Eagle we saw just never came close enough for a decent shot...

...unlike the mating Golden-ringed Dragonflies that were quite approachable.

A WT Eagle showed very well but I managed to get the camera strap caught up so the best I managed was a quick snap as the bird disappeared behind the trees!

The first tour we managed to see an Otter but we probably didn't devoted enough time for the furry beast on the second day so we missed out. We did photograph lots of stuff on the second day though starting with a nice Golden Plover.

There were a couple of Common Gull chicks on the shore too.

It wasn't just the birds and mammals that we covered as the plants are of interest too - Greater Butterfly Orchid seem to do quite well despite the constant grazing that goes happens along the verges.

We saw an Adder at a new site and got another at my usual site.

Most of the Red Deer are seen at a distance so it was nice to get this stag close to the road.

Meadow Pipit might be a common bird but it's worth having a closer look at this attractive bird.

You wouldn't give it a second look if it was next to a male Stonechat though!

I mentioned that Whinchat seemed to be in short supply this year but there seems to have been a late arrival of these birds as they are in all the regular spots now.

End of June.

Some photos from the last few tours just to give some of the highlights. The Red Deer stags are starting to look good now and they should get rid of the velvet in July - I wonder if it'll be later with the cold spring.

The Tree Pipits have spent a bit of time being quiet but now they are back displaying again.

The Whinchat are still bouncing around but I haven't seen any young birds yet even though I do know that some are out of the nest.

The WT Eagle and Golden Eagle both have a large chick that should be on the wing by the end of July. Otters are still being seen on most days but we did miss out the day we saw this oiled Puffin.

It was a bit of a wet and windy day but we did find another auk - Guillemot.

The Linnets seem to enjoy the wet grass...

...and the Greater Butterfly Orchids are in flower at last. They don't seem to be lasting very long this year and a whole bunch of this species was munched by...

...Red Deer. Quite a pale looking beast on the right and a spotty youngster in the middle.

This female Adder has showed reasonably well over the last month.

I did say the Whinchats are showing well so here is another shot!

It won't be long before we stop seeing the Snipe on a post so here is, possibly, the last one for this year.