Comma Butterfly and Arctic Skua

  

I believe this is the 1998th post on this blog, although I know that some photos are missing in the very early posts, and maybe some posts were lost, I don't know for sure.

Below are two posts combined, the first is mainly from a trip to Crombie Country Park where I'd been tipped off about Comma Butterflies being seen. I found one that flew into the trees every time a small cloud covered the sun, but I got a few photos at a distance with a long lens!

The lower post is about two visits to Kinnaber links where I eventually found, but couldn't get even a bad photo of the Black Scoter on my second day. I did get a photo and some video of a juvenile Arctic Skua and some Red-throated Divers. It also includes some insects primarily Four Spot Orb Weavers which climbed all over me and my gear! 

Arctic Skua video, click here     Red-throated Diver adult     Red-throated Diver juvenile or adult moult?  

Sanderling in mid moult, click here      Four Spot Orb Weaver spider (Boris)     The Who - Boris the Spider

 Comma Butterfly

Comma Butterfly at Crombie CP

Comma showing underwing pattern, including the white comma

Alternative underwing photo

Peacock Butterfly

Peacock underwing lit by a shaft of sunlight through the trees

Red Admiral Butterfly

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Small White Butterfly

Common Hawker Dragonfly female, found dead in a pool where four males were hunting and squabbling

Rubbish photo of a pair of Black Dragonflies they just wouldn't land for a photo

This Common Darter Dragonfly like others prefer to sit in the sun

Emerald Damselfly male

Bog Hoverfly - Sericomyia silentis

Bog Hoverfly - Sericomyia silentis

Common Banded Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii 

Pellucid Fly or Hoverfly Volucella pellucens

Harvestman

Russula emetica, The Sickener, is found mainly beneath conifers (pines and spruces in particular) and occasionally also on mossy (fairly wet) heathland. NOT EDIBLE

The next stage of the Russula emitica above

Google Lens is suggesting Russula foetens, also known as Stinking Brittlegill mushroom but I have doubts....

Swallow

These photos below are mostly from one day at Kinnaber Links taken whilst scanning a very lengthy Common Scoter flock for Surf Scoters and a Black Scoter, on my second attempt I found the Black Scoter. I'm in the huff about the Surf Scoters

Arctic Skua sitting on the sea at Kinnaber Links

Forest Shield Bug

Four Spot Ord Weaver Spider, on my scope

Another climbing up my tripod leg

Adult Red-throated Diver, we're still at Kinnaber Links

Red-throated Diver, likely an adult further into its moult 

Adult again

A very new and intact looking Common Carder Bee in the garden

Small White Butterfly included for the apparent egg that it may have laid on the leaf

Garden Carpet Moth indoors