Butterflies, Buzzards & Skylarks

Peddars Way, Threxton – Saturday 23^rd May 2015 

Green Veined White

We’re dog-sitting this weekend for our son & daughter-in-law, their dog Willow. We decided to go to Peddars Way at Threxton to take her for her evening constitutional. We didn’t want to be out too long as there was a Speedway Grand Prix from Prague on the TV.

We left home about 5.15pm and we were out for about an hour. It was quite overcast with some bright spells, a gentle breeze and the temperature was 17˚C. Jan took Willow for her walk while I remained in the car.

Peddars Way Threxton

I could hear occasional shot gun blasts far across the brook and corresponding with each blast were crowds of Corvids and Wood Pigeon taking to the air before settling down again.

Green Veined White

In the field on the opposite side of the B1108 I could see a single Pied Wagtail and several Skylarks. I scanned the horizon for raptors and eventually 2 Buzzards came into view, again on the other side of the road. They circled around quite close but gaining height all the time until they disappeared from view.

There were birds singing in close vicinity to the car but slightly behind it so I couldn’t see what they were. Again on the other side of the road I saw a Kestrel, Heron, several Swallows and just before Jan returned to the car 2 Shelduck came into land. I kept scanning the nearest trees as last year we saw Little Owls in one of them but there was no sign of them.

Aberdeen Angus Cattle

Peddars Way

Jan returned to the car and when I asked her if she’d seen anything she gave a rather smug “Um-hum,” which I knew meant she had and she had got some photos of it as well. She’d seen and heard Swallows, Skylarks and some Aberdeen Angus Cattle but she had also seen a Green Veined White Butterfly and a 7 Spot Ladybird and got some lovely pictures of them as well.

7 Spot Ladybird

Willow had obviously enjoyed her walk taking in all the new smells and Jan had as well (the walk not the smells, that is).

View From Peddars Way

What we saw:

2 Buzzards

Skylarks**

Kestrel

Pied Wagtail

Heron

Corvids*

Wood Pigeon*

2 Shelduck

Swallows**

Several unidentified Gulls

Green Veined White Butterfly

Day Flying Moth (unidentified)

7 Spot Ladybird

* = Too many to count

** = Several

Keep your eyes peeled and good spotting.