A busman’s holiday in pictures

July 2020 (2)

The gang of four

Over recent months volunteer work has been suspended and is only now getting going again, but remains very limited. Unable to work, four of us have been meeting up on Wednesday mornings for a Gibside wander and opportunity to reminisce. That largely dwells on things we’ve destroyed –rhododendron, western hemlock and Himalayan balsam – and some more positive activities, such as planting hundreds of trees, nurturing heather and encouraging grass snakes to settle down and have a family. And we’ve had time to take a closer look at Gibside’s wildlife. Here are some of our photographs:

Dipper on River Derwent

Leopard slug

Five-spot Burnet moth

A Hoverfly - Volucella pellucens 

A Hoverfly - Volucella zonaria

A Hoverfly - Cryosoxum cautum, having a drink

Pyramidal orchid - the first recorded sighting at Gibside

Time for a relaxing coffee break

Oh dear! - It's Himalayan balsam

Steve Wootten & Phil Coyne