Alastair Swinnerton

Common Blue brightening a grey day at Ham Hill @savebutterflies.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social #somersetbutterflies #yeovilcountrypark #ukbutterflies

Lyde Road end of the Yeovil Country Park Riverside Walk, Marbled White and Painted Lady, first one I've seen this year. I was going to crop them, but then I decided they looked nicer in situ. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social #somersetbutterflies

Also a lovely little Grizzled Skipper

Cerne Abbas this morning - Marbled White, Small Heath & Six-Spot Burnet, and a nice Syrphus rebesii, common but pretty. Also saw a Duke of Burgundy, my first, and almost got a photo when one of the dogs put it up @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

This photo says two things - 1) that's a pretty successful brood for the Blue Tits, and 2) I'm going to be buying a lot of fat balls! @somersetwt.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social

The butterflies are beginnning to appear on the Riverside Walk. A good few Meadow Browns at the Lyde Road end, as well as this Marbled White and Red Admiral. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social #butterflies #uknature #naturephotography

Greenfinch and Goldfinch briefly allowing one of the young Blue Tits some feeder time @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

Early Bumblebee (I think) on the Geum, back garden yesterday @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

A morning of photo firsts on the Yeovil Riverside Walk - a Black (not Red)-Headed Cardinal Beetle, and a Reed Warbler trying to hide in the reeds. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social

I was photographing Greenfinches and Goldfinches and their newly-arrived young in the garden earlier, when this chap turned up. Haven't had a Woodpecker in the garden for ages. @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social @btoengland.bsky.social

@britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Azure Damselflies, including several variants of the less common female blue form @rspb.bsky.social Ham Wall the other day #damselflies

Orange Tip female, Small White, Peacock and Cinnabar at @rspb Ham Wall the other day #ukbutterflies @somersetwt.bsky.social

Pink Bluebell at #yeovilcountrypark Ninesprings @somersetwt #wildflowers #wildflowerphotography #bluebells #closeenoughphotography

Pollen Beetles, Byturus ochraceus, Ham Hill this morning - one of my favourite beasties @somersetwt.bsky.social @dandelionappre1.bsky.social #britishbeetles #britishbugs #britishinsects #yevilcountrypark #hamhill

Small White in the tree-lined avenue at Montacute Park this morning @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk @treelinedlanes.bsky.social #ukbutterflies

Thanks Jack 😊

Too cold and windy for butterflies on the Yeovil Riverside Walk this morning, but nice to see more Spring flowers emerging, Cuckoo Flower, Lesser Periwinkle, Wild Garlic, and particularly the Red Campion @somersetwt.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social #wildflowers

So I was sitting outside my sister's place doing a bit of dog-sitting, and happened to have my camera in my hand when this ran past, but not before it had stopped and looked at me... @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @nature.com #ukmammals #ukstoats #ukwildlife #stoatallywonderful

Yeovil Riverside Walk this morning, Common Carder & Tapered Drone Fly, Eristalis pertinax, strangely my 1st pic of one there @somersetwt.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #hoverflies #droneflies #bumblebees #ukinsects #ukbees #ukwildlife

Dotted and Dark-Edged Bee-Flies on the Yeovil Riverside Walk this morning, many others, as well as at least 4 singing Blackcaps, these being two of them @somersetwt.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

Bluebells emerging at Ninesprings, Yeovil Country Park #wildflowers #springflowers #wildflowerphotography #springishere

One of several Speckled Wood on the Yetminster Mill Walk (saw a Brimstone and a Comma as well but they wouldn't sit still), plus a lovely tree-lined lane (technically a bridle path), and a carpet of Celandines @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @treelinedlanes.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Thanks Jack

And it was all yellow. The verge opposite us this morning, taken with my trusty and still superb 30 year old Tamron 90mm macro lens @dandelionappre1.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social #wildflowers #springflowers #wildflowerphotography #tamron90mm

Yellowhammer and Red Kite at Lenthay Common, Sherborne. I'd seen the Red Kite in the distance, but as we were heading back it came down low, right over my head @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social #wildlifephotography #dorsetbirds #raptors

Just looked at previous photos from there, and I have one in almost exactly the same place, on the same day in 2020.

Just over the Dorset border from Yeovil, it was in the field between Babylon Hill and Compton Road

Small Tortoiseshell in the back field just now @europebutterfly.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @somersetwt.bsky.social

Thanks Jack 😊