I had a very brief visit down to the RSPB reserve at Strumpshaw fen, the journey that so many people make for the Swallowtail Butterflies.
2017 was the year I was determined to see and photograph them after failing on a few occasions, so with news they were in flight and a good day of sun I was off heading south at 4am in the morning arriving at 8:30am after a 185 miles.
I walk around to the famous garden where the Swallowtails visit, but I was a little early so I had a look around picking up Cettis and Reed Warblers as I waited, Azure Damselflies and Large Red Damselflies.
An hour past before 1 Swallowtail appeared which I and a few other folk enjoyed as it feed amongst the flower bed, the spectacle lasted about an hour, before the Swallowtails dried up so I made my way back to the visitor centre and did a bit of birding as well. Here a Cuckoo took flight across the reserve, Grey Heron among the reeds and a Marsh Harrier flew thru
Swallowtail Butterfly
Huddsbirder 