Black Hairstreak at Glapthorn Cow Pastures, Northants

The Black Hairstreak is a very localised little butterfly with a distribution which is restricted to about 45 colonies in the South and East Midlands and with having a flight period of just a few weeks makes it an elusive little creature. There are a couple of sites near me where this butterfly can be found, but until yesterday I had failed in my attempts to see one. Glapthorn Cow Pastures is a Wildlife Trust site near Oundle and is nationally known for having a colony of the Black Hairstreak, indeed people have travelled from the other end of the country to see one. The flight period is coming to the end now and so we were extremely lucky in seeing at least 5 individual butterflies still looking in pretty good nick, apart from one that was very tatty.

Waxwing

Waxwings have been a bit thin on the ground this winter, but with one turning up at not too far off Corby, I decided to pay a visit on Sunday before seeing my Mum for Mothers' Day.

The bird had been seen in what is quite a usual spot for Waxwings, an industrial estate/retail park, frequenting a hawthorn tree just outside a pub. On arrival the bird was nowhere to be seen, but within 10 minutes it was showing remarkably well in said tree, feeding and even calling at times. The weather and light were dull and dreary, but I managed a few photos of what was my first bird of this species since the 'invasion' a couple of years ago.