Unlike last June, the rainfall this time came in two short but heavy bursts at the beginning and the end of the month and for the most pat it has been a rather pleasant time.

Making the most of the fine weather our rabbit population has seen a slight increase in numbers, much to the delight of Smidge our small terrier dog who loves to try to catch them.

Here are two that Andrew our webby managed to catch with his camera.

Also caught on his camera was this fledgling swallow just prior to its leaving the nest.

The photo on the right show it and its siblings a couple of days later having moved out of the nest.

Anxious to prove that he could also hit a moving target Andrew also captured this adult swallow as it pulled up to avoid a gate in its flight path

Also caught in flight was this Bumble Bee, as it came in to land on this Foxglove.

Although they are mostly seen with flowers that are a reddish pink in colour, you can , as the image on the right shows, find them with all white flowers.

Our friend the Bumble Bee's taste was not restricted to the Foxglove.

As this picture shows the Poppy also holds an attraction for it.

A second type of poppy to be found on the farm is the long-headed poppy shown here on the right. It can be distinguished from the common poppy by the elongated shape of its seed pod.

 

 

These purple and yellow flowers belong to the Woody Nightshade.

It is not quite as poisonous as its cousin the Deadly Nightshade, but I strongly suggest that you look but don't touch either of them.

This large fungi is an immature Puffball. Eventually it will open at the top to release its spores.

Another word of caution here, Although the likes of the common field mushroom are non poisonous and very tasty, many of the fungi you find are in varying degrees poisonous with symptoms ranging from nausea and stomach cramps to death. If you want to go collecting wild fungi to eat start by going out with an expert, that way you will live to enjoy your harvest.

On a final note for this month, while photographing the Puffball, Andrew disturbed a small rock, underneath which he discovered a colony of Red Ants. Ants are highly organism insects and their first priority was to move the immature pupae (shown right) to safety, while others, if Andrew had given them the chance, would have expressed their disapproval of his action.

However he replaced the stone and discreetly left them alone.

Well that's about it for now,

See you next month Phil.

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