Me and Mrs PB in Yorkshire

So it was an odd week really, even before we left. It was mainly to give Mrs PB's sister a bit of a break from looking after Mrs PB's mum (recent onset dementia) but also provided us with free accommodation lol. I had to work the Sunday, so we drove up and didn't arrive until 9:30pm.

All week was a mix of sunshine and cloudy, with just a sprinkle of rain a couple of brief times. I think I'll break the week in two.... Wednesday was Bempton Cliffs day.... a photography paradise, and the rest, which was less of a paradise, but still an adventure into parts unknown 

On the Monday we decided on a quiet potter along the Swale, Richmond, round by Easby Abbey, and back into town.

First up, Green Veined White, barely peeking out

Followed by a Speckled Wood

Robin... unusually quiet

Mrs PB lived for a good number of years in Richmond, and as we walked she kept saying "I don't remember this" and "This has changed" ... forgetting it was 20ish years ago she left lol My one scenic shot of the day... part of the Abbey across the way

The Heron had been in the river, but kindly flapped its way up to a convenient branch... most of the time the river was obscured by foliage

But Mrs PB did spot a Grey Wagtail... looks youngish to me

There were a few Goldfinch flittering about

Whilst back on the river a Goosander was having a tidy up

In the trees lining the river a Blue Tit was singing it's head off

While a really tatty Red Admiral prepared itself for another day

Mrs Chaffie was busy collecting materials, I guess for repairs... unless it was for her old man fancy dress outfit

Mr Chaffie belted out an array of notes, VERY loudly

Almost back at the car, there were some steps down to the river by one of the bridges (by The Station if anyone knows it) and 4 more Grey Wagtails (2 adult, 2 younger) entertained me for a short while

Tuesday Mrs PB and Mum said they fancied Ripon, and the kind folks here suggested to me Ripon City Nature Reserve for the couple of hours they would be pootling...  If you're in the area and looking to visit (it's certainly worth it!!) it wasn't in my SatNav, but was on Google Maps, but a little misleading, as you have to drive in to the race course car park to find the entrance (I wasted half and hour trying to find it!)

Hundreds of little blue damsels were about, once I got my eye in, a combination of Common Blue and Azure

Common Blue to start

Followed by another Common Blue....flutterbye this time

And then 2 Common Blues.... 

Not sure what the bugs are, but they appeared to be making more!

The Common Blue butterfly was my first of the year I think, as was the Meadow Brown

An Orange Tip flew by, yet again refusing to pause for me to photograph.... But this Small White was kinder

And one of the aforementioned Azure damsels

Suddenly up a tree, a Reed Bunting was singing

Not sure on this damsel, the light was in all the wrong directions (obviously I'm not blaming the cameraman ), and the wing spot colour doesn't look right for any ID's

Two ladybirds in close proximity, with distinctively different markings

If I remember rightly, this is a Scorpion Fly

A tatty Speckled Wood sunbathed....cloudbathed....sunbathed.... it couldn't make it's mind up!

I wasn't really sure where I was going, and being aware of how time has a habit of running away with me when I'm out on my own, I decided to meander back to the car, and I got a surprise, flying toward me was a Common Tern

Another Common Blue butterfly, showing a hint of upper wing...the floozy!

I think this is another Small White, but I didn't see the underwing for confirmation (I know, Cin, I'm such a disappointment... but there was a big old bush in the way lol)

Then another first for the year, Ringlet

And thus concluded Ripon City... Definitely worth a visit!

Wednesday was Bempton Cliffs, which will have it's own post, and Thursday we went to Barnard Castle (the village not the castle) and when we got back I nipped out along the Swale along Reeth Road.. At first I thought I was in Small Blue territory... but it wasn't quite right... Chimney Sweeper Moth fits the bill much better

A..... White!

Another Orange Tip marched by, back and forth, on patrol, but never landing...Grrrr! The Green Veined White had no such qualms

Even the tatty one stayed still!!

The three of us sat in the garden that evening, watching the House Martins and Swifts swoop about through the semi-gloom. I took 60 photo's, and not one is worth posting!

Friday Mrs PB came over all funny, so went back to bed after checking in with Mum, so I had a quick Google, and went out to Nosterfield nature reserve. Unfortunately, being the fool I am, I forgot I'd set the camera for dull light, so about an hours worth of photo's are horribly over exposed...

Coots

There were a lot of Lapwings about, and I wondered if this may be a juvenile, but on closer inspection, I think its a young Black Headed Gull

A couple of time a Shelduck came powering in to lad, looking like it deliberately aimed at other birds, first time a Tufted Duck, and this time Gadwall and Shoveller had to take evasive action

There were a couple of Redshank mooching about the shallows

And looking at the beak, I'm guessing young Shoveller?

Every time I looked, the Coot had gained an extra chick

They were all from the initial viewing screen overlooking the main scrape and lake, I headed off to the hide, and along the path, Common Blue Damsel... probably

Ringlet

I hope your retina's haven't been too badly burnt, it's not long until I realise my folly!

I saw a big bug flying off to my left, cockchafer or something similar at a glance, I got a snap but not a great one

There was a regular back and forth of Curlew, from the water to wherever they were nesting

Finally the penny dropped...and I tweaked the settings for the last couple of pictures of a Nettle Tap moth and a Longhorn Beetle

And so concluded our week in lovely Yorkshire

As always, ID corrections are welcome

Thanks for soldiering through!

Stay Safe All