Black-eyed Peas

Taken to the sounds of two cuckoos this morning. 

On getting out of the car I took a minute to stand still and listen to the bird song pouring from the woods around me. Utterly beautiful. A treasured moment in time. 

I am being stalked by cuckoos nearly every day now who are actually having a laugh at my expense. They know how much I want to get one in my sights, are tantalisingly close but just out of reach.

These two huge black eyes stared over the grass at me. He had a fairly aggressive stance but I was going nowhere. This is a banded demoiselle male. So many are out and about now on the banks of the River Severn and when the sun comes out they flutter with their translucent blue wings and body shimmering. So very dainty. 

Heading off home I then picked up the dogs and we went for a walk further down the river. In both areas the small tortoiseshell butterflies were littering the nettles,  demoiselles were in abundance and huge black-backed gulls cruised down the waterway occasionally diving in for fish. Tilly thankfully behaved herself as everyone by this time was out and about for their Sunday constitutional.