Cornwall with the family

Just to continue my theme of birds on round straw bales, here is a Buzzard using one as a perch, in a field next to Nanquidno Valley, near St Just.


Southern Hawkers were relatively common in suitable habitat. This one is along a small stream at Kelynack.

We saw several Golden-ringed Dragonflies, always along fast flowing streams. This one is at kelynack.

This Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary was at Nanquidno, it was the only one we saw.

Choughs have returned to Cornwall, we saw a pair along the Cliffs at Nanquidno, but unfortunately they were always at a fair distance, hence the poor picture.

Although I'm a poor botanist with the aid on Pete and Nina, my son and daughter-in-law, we found a few nice plants at Nanquidno. Above is a Lesser Snap-dragon, a bit like a miniature Antirhynum.

This is a Field Woundwort.

Another small flower that looks familiar is the Field Pansy.

And lastly a Corn Marigold.

Next to the field that held all the wild flowers above was a very wet area where there were several Keeled Skimmers.

One of the most colourful of the British Odonata is the Beautiful Demoiselle. They are often found with Golden-ringed Dragonflies as both inhabit moderate to fast flowing streams. Above is a male.

This is a pair of Beautiful Demoiselles. The male, below frequently opened and closed his wings to show that this is his territory. There are often large groups of males chasing and displaying from prominent perches.