karen's country calendar

 A visit from my sister usually means we can go out and about bird and butterfly hunting together.  Our original plans to search for the beautiful Swallowtail butterfly were shelved as it is near the end of the season and chances of seeing them were getting slimmer so we elected to visit Minsmere on the Suffolk Coast which was a first visit for my sister.  There was plenty to see although not as many waders as expected.  We did see a variety of gulls and terns with a Mediterranean gull and Kittiwake playing "Where's Wally" amongst the many blackbacked gulls and providing me with two new ticks for the year. There were numerous sand martins nesting in the purpose built bank and in the popular Bittern Hide we were treated to a several Bittern fly pasts and a view of a kingfisher perching in the water channel.  Dragonflies were also seen including an ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly and the large green eyed brown Norfolk Hawker patrolling up and down a ditch. After Minsme

 This time of year, I usually visit Therfield Heath to see the marbled white butterflies which are in  abundance and today I wasnt disappointed.  It was a warm sunny morning and as soon as I arrived I could see many white butterflies flying amongst the long grass but only rarely settling on the few flowers amongst the grass  and usually a distance from the path so it was not easy to get close or the waving grasses were in front making focusing difficult.  However, I managed a few shots.  I also saw about a dozen Dark Green Fritillaries flying fast over the meadow or crossing the path in front of me but not close or slow enough to see clearly and certainly none showed the slightest intent of settling!   However they are usually still about in July when  I plan  to next visit to see the Chalkhill blues so hopefully I may get a photograph then particularly if there is a bit of cloud floating around to give the occasional shade. I also saw tortoisehell, large white, meadow brown, small hea