I thought we'd end the working week with a few stunning insect images taken on the heathland here by Alan Burrows, along with a very quirky bird-a 'pink' magpie!, taken by Trevor Boyd from his house in Royston. I've searched and there are a few reports of these from around the country, so it's not totally unusual, but certainly strange!.
The lingering two bramblings finally left us on Sunday 22 April, a hobby was first seen on this date and on several days this week, while a pair of linnets look interested in raising their young on gorse on the new heath.
Anoplius Viaticus, black-banded spider-wasp.
Arctosa Perita (sand-bear spider)
Green-tiger beetle. Alan Burrows
'pink' magpie in Royston Trevor Boyd
However would a magpie come to have such unusual colouring> I've never seen this before.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.