Sunday 26 June 2011

Sunday safari

A mist hung over the garden early this morning.
For a brief moment, I thought I had missed summer and stepped into autumn.
The nursery web of the wolf spider, looked quite eerie.
By midday, temperatures had risen.   No fluffy clouds today.
Bees enjoyed comfrey blooms,
and cerinthe.
It appears hoverflies like them to.
This little chap seems to have the right idea.
The warmth brought  butterflies into the garden.    The small skipper never stays still, I was lucky to get this image.
Meadow Browns arrived around two weeks ago.
 Drone flies feed alongside honey bees.    They are very similar.
 This insect is new to me.   I believe it is Lissonota Sp. (Ichneumon wasp).  
A sparrowhawk is hunting in the garden.   He has already taken two young birds.    I saw him on both occasions.    I was rooted to the spot the first time.  He was only a couple of metres away, when he flew off with his victim.

It looks as though the next few days are going to be hot hot hot.......

Happy Sunday safari

18 comments:

  1. We too woke to a billowing mist but it has burned off to give the first really warm summery day since April!"! It's what June should be like and I mean to enjoy it.

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  2. Great safari, Cheryl. Hope the weather isn't too bad.

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  3. Hi Jane,

    I did not realise you had bad weather during May and June.
    Enjoy this hot summers day.....and I do hope that July holds better weather for you.

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  4. Hi ncmountainwoman,

    According to the weather forecast we are going to have a mini heatwave and should then go back to 'normal temperatures' Whatever they are :)

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  5. Hi Cheryl,

    Beautiful photos :)

    No mist here this morning, just hot hot hot. I will definitely have to water the plants, some were very unhappy earlier

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  6. Hi Liz,

    Fortunately we have had such a lot of rain I do not need to water. We are expecting storms on Tuesday, so hopefully the garden will get another good soaking.

    Tonight temperatures will now go below 21C......way too hot for me.

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  7. Greetings from Finland. This, through a blog is a great get to know other countries and their people, nature and culture. Come take a look Teuvo images and blog to tell all your friends that your country flag will stand up to my collection of flag higher. Sincerely, Teuvo Vehkalahti Finland

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  8. A mini heatwave? Wow. It will be nice to have a few days of sun after monsoon season though. :)
    Beautiful cerinthe photos and wonderful wildlife as always. I agree the spiders web looks rather spooky, a bit like a fairytale where everything has been frozen in time for hundreds of years!
    xx

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  9. Your Safari photos are good Cheryl. You got a good capture of that ichy wasp. The heat is coming in here tomorrow too. Summer temps will be upon us for some time probably. It has been a beautiful past few days. Have a great week.

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  10. Hi Cheryl...I love those little fungus..I think a tiny fairy should be sitting under one!!
    lol
    The purple flower with the butterfly is lovely...and so are all photos of your Safari!!
    I wasn't feeling great today..allergies grrr!!
    The pollen is so thick, that everything in the house even has a yellow coating of it!!
    I just puttered outside today!!
    Grace

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  11. That little froggie is so sweet! I'm sorry you had to watch the sparrowhawk flying off with its prey. It's rather upsetting, but we know the ways of Nature. I've found a couple of dead chipmunks on the lawn and know my cat is the hunter.

    Summer has truly come to your garden, Cheryl. Heat and rain and bugs and butterflies. Your photos welcome in the season.
    Happy Sunday Safari.

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  12. I have little toadstools popping up all over the yard, too; they make me think of little fairy umbrellas whenever I see them. That is so sad about the sparrowhawk. I've seen hawks and vultures around here lately, but thankfully I haven't had to witness their prey.

    Beautiful captures of all the bees! With my little point and shoot camera, I've can't get a good shot of anything but the bumblebees. The honeybees never stay still for long--I have so many blurry photos of my nepeta and salvia that I think it's time to give up on them:)

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  13. A lovely serene and Summery safari Cheryl :) Beautiful photos again, my favourite is the frog looking just as if it should be illustrating the pages of a fairytale book. How lovely to have skippers in the garden too.

    The extreme heat and high pollen levels are doing me no favours at all. After a sunny start today it has turned dull and windy. I don't mind rain but am hoping we won't get thunder and lightning. I don't like it much and Louis our frail and elderly dog hates it!

    A Sparrowhawk has been visiting my garden too, I know it is all part of Nature and they say it is the sign of a healthy garden but when it takes young birds it seems so sad that their little lives are ended almost before they have begun...

    Wonderful photo of the nursery web, quite eerie looking!

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  14. Cheryl, walking on your wildlife safari is such a joy. I can almost hear the hum and flutter. Beautiful images especially of the spider web - you were up early to catch the light at its best.
    We have sparrowhawks too - they take the pigeons!
    thanks for the breath of fresh air!
    Laura

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  15. Dear Cheryl,
    Your photographs continue to amaze me. Each one so beautiful. Your words and photographs make me feel as if I am standing near as the Hawk hunts and the bees gather pollen. Always I am delighted to see the butterflies.
    Stay cool. We also have the hot and humid weather. I pop outside and keep the water fresh for the birds and bugs.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  16. Dear Cheryl,
    I seemed to have lost my comment....
    Once again I felt as if I was right beside you as the Sparrow Hawk hunted. So delightful to see the Meadow Brown, a charming butterfly. Hope the heat wave is over and you once again can enjoy the gardens. I love the cool mists of Autumn...
    Happy Safari,
    Sherry

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  17. The frog on the lilly pad definitely has the best spot for a hot day.
    nellie

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  18. Hi Cheryl,
    Happy Summer! I just love that image of the frog on the lily pad. I'm amazed it didn't jump off before you got the shot. I sometimes think they have wrap around vision.
    David/ Tropical Texana/ Houston :-)

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