Swallowtails and Sunsets Norfolk june 11 th 2015

This morning a quick walk down to the beach with the dogs , its very warm and sunny and at last the wind has dropped a bit.    We stayed out longer than expected just sitting in the sun throwing the ball for the beasts :D

 A really beautiful morning on an almost deserted Norfolk beach , sitting in the sun throwing the ball for the Terrible Twosome :)

                                                          HAHA!      sandy face Mollster

 After lunch , a last trip to hopefully see a Swallowtail butterfly at Strumpshaw , the wind is the lowest it has been all week and being warm and sunny this has to be my best chance to see one.

 We are not going into the fen site, but walking down the track to the Doctors garden which is a very good spot for them ,the main Swallowtail breeding area is just the other side of the railwayline.

 Not a sight of Any species of butterfly on the flowers ,its clouded over a bit unfortunately ,but we continue down the path to a small hidden clearing a couple of fields away But Again Nothing to see!

Walking back past the small meadow next to the doctors cottage and a Yellow flash signified my first ever sighting of a Swallowtail YAY!    

                                Quickly putting on my 100-400mm lens i manage a few images.

 Then on with 100mm macro and after ages following manage a couple of closer shots ,unfortunately  its wings are a bit damaged :(

                            Into the next meadow and in the sheltered corner.........................


                                                                Thats a better one :)

After a successful afternoon the weather is looking very promising for a decent sunset tonight , i think another long walk to Brograve is called for.  Even Jan agrees surprisingly  lol
The Horsey Mill looks awful without its sails!   they are being renovated after damage over the winter i believe.

 The path follows the Waxham new cut channel from Horsey Mere ,   nice light over the mere as we walk past.

                                                 A Marsh Harrier is circling overhead :)

                          and flying past ...............    whatever type of geese they might be   lol

At the Mill in good time for the sunset , after a load of long exposure images that didn't work , i wait until the sun has almost set before shooting this 3 frame hdr image. the sun is lighting up the small drain beyond the mill where the owls were hunting earlier in the week.

 My favourite image with the colour at its strongest , the sky has lit up nicely tonight with the wispy cloud :)

The end of a superb day in Norfolk , the last two days over the weekend are looking rubbish weather wise so this may be my last sunset image of the week.