Butterfly bliss

Late August, and we have a good selection of nectar bearing plants at their peak:  Sedums, Russian Sage, Verbena and Catmint are all excellent for hoverflies, bees and butterflies.

Silver Washed Frit. ( with matching food plant!) (c.OOS)

We had our first Silver washed Fritillary last week, a lovely insect that remained with us for a half hour or more. 

Constantly present are the Small and Large White butterflies, easier to admire these when you dont have a crop of brassicas to protect!

Green Veined White (?) (OOS)

Large White on Verbena (c.OOS)

A Small Copper out on the lawn made it a nice weekend for watching and photographing insects, though birds are beginning to come back to us in numbers: 

Small Copper (c.OOS)

Chaffinches are flocking around here since excess grain from the harvest spills over on every corner.  We still have late nesters: a Wood Pigeon has a nest with well grown young located in a Cypress tree, demonstrating a use for a much maligned tree species.

Young Wood Pigeon, sitting tight (c.OOS)

 Swallows are doing well everywhere with first and second broods gathering in noisy mixed flocks:  the ones in the photos below are well advanced and are located inside the Pat Walsh hide on the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve..

How could you refuse! (c.OOS)

Swallow nest (c.OOS)