Monday 29 June 2009

Views of Upper Coquetdale

The visitor to Upper Coquetdale, whatever their interest, will be seldom disappointed. My two visits during the last week included views of a fine-looking Grey Heron, flying up from the river bank onto a nearby grassy slope ...

Grey Heron (Ardea cinera)

A Common Sandpiper calling from its perch on a fence ...

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

And lots of young Wheatears.

Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe); a juvenille

Along the Coquet there were clumps of Blotched Monkey Flower, garden escapees relocated now in splashes of mustard and blood-red cheerfulness on the river bank ...

Blotched Monkey Flower (Mimulus luteus)

River Water Crowfoot, and their reflections, in the river itself ...

River Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans)

And Wild Thyme clinging to a sunny, bank-side rock.

Wild Thyme (Thymus polytrichus)

3 comments:

holdingmoments said...

Looks like there's plenty to see there Emma.
Lovely set of pictures; the Water Crowfoot and the reflection, and the Wild Thyme my favourites.

Midmarsh John said...

Looks like a lovely place to visit, Emma. Love the shot of the Grey Heron.

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos Emma. I should like to see one Common Sandpiper or one Wheatear. No such look unfortunately.