If you're thinking 'it's been so long since he posted anything that he must be working like a dog between jet-setting off to glamorous holiday locations', well, you'd be half right. The first half, specifically. The photo year list, around which this blog has been themed in 2015, ground to a shuddering halt on 202 following a Father's Day
Terek Sandpiper. After bursting through the 200 barrier in style, with 3 lifers among my last 4 additions, I have had neither the time nor the energy to add to it, with some eminently achievable target species remaining unsnapped.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefCsOc0HkjCek3513NMd8-tNToztIcjThCUG4WF8m-7nPm8uYOoa7fmKVW2yHVCdhbG2LtEgnsm-kO3pXZnUgnZP6bEwBueNHEolZbiwtlYeqGVNe9AcccQcjII7_gUiE1lRzTepijcaJ/s400/Blog+SWF.JPG) |
Silver-washed Fritillary (male) |
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Gatekeeper - male |
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Meadow Brown |
The closest I have come to escaping the thraldom of wage slavery was a trip last weekend to see my parents in North Devon. Mainly bumbling around busy beaches and arcades, so not a lot of time for wildlife watching, but a walk from Lynmouth up the river to Watersmeet produced a family of Grey Wagtail every 100 yards or so, a couple of Dipper and a hyper-active Shrew - I think a Common Shrew, but how does one tell for sure? Star of the walk though was a stunning male Silver-washed Fritillary.
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One of many young Grey Wagtails on the same |
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And who doesn't love a newly fledged Robin? |
Still, August is fast approaching and with some holidays booked, including a few pelagic trips out of the Isles of Scilly, I aspire to resuming a better balance of work and play very soon, making this Jack a slightly less dull boy, I hope. Stand by for an upsurge in average photos, tawdry narratives and cheesy puns in this space. I know they have been missed.
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Shrewd move. And he's back! |
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My book says Pygmy Shrew's tail is hairy, and this looks pretty bald. However, it also says Pygmy's tail is 70% of head and body length, Common Shrew's just 50%. But this tail looks nearly 100% of body length. Perhaps they only measure them once they've been run over. Anyway, that confused me. |
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Common Shrew has 3 toned fur - brown on top, paler on sides, paler still underneath. Pygmy 2 toned - brown on top, paler under. While this looks 3 toned in the photo, it's a tough call to make on a tiny mammal which bombs around at 100mph in the dark. |
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Anyway, a charming beast, snuffling it's way along a woodland path. |