With sun forecast for Saturday, me and my eldest daughter took a drive out to Ainsdale for todays random act of wildness, to look for Lizards in the Sand Dunes.
We got to Ainsdale National Nature Reserve at about 11am and spent a good few hours walking through the dunes and in particular along the frontal dunes were I'd been told I would have the best chance to see any.
Unfortunately having my daughter with me meant I couldn't sit too long waiting to spot a lizard as she was starting to get bored and hot in the sun and wanted to go down to the beach.
I felt quite disappointed that today's activity resulted in me not being able to get a photograph of a lizard but I can confirm that I did see one with my own eyes as it ran for cover in the marram grass whilst I was making my way towards the beach.
Start of the walk
Heading of towards the dunes
Dunes in sight
Orchid
Making our way to the frontal dunes
On the lookout for anything interesting
Lovely wildflowers
Spiders web and burrow
Snail shell hanging on the grass
Walking one of the many
paths through the dunes
Five minute rest
Loads of these Beetles around
Nice colours
Wildflowers growing in the sand
Dunes
Meadow wildflowers
Another trailpath
Meadow Pipit
Broken Egg Shell
Cloud watching from the dunes
Interesting clouds formation
Daughter rests whilst I sit
and watch out for Lizards
Daisies on the dunes
Whispy clouds
Trees in the distance are
where we started our walk
The beach and sea from
one of the sand dunes
More daisies in the dunes
Pretty wildflowers
More insects
Marram grass were I
sat looking for lizards
Walking along the frontal dunes
Someone enjoying a bit
of Kite Skateboarding
Down to the beach
Beetle in the Frontal Sand Dune
Fungi growing in the dunes
Black Headed Seagull
Walking barefooted along the beach
My sand scribble
Lots of Kite Snowboarding
going on on the beach
Daughter sitting in the
dunes looking for lizards
Some walkers on the beach
Heading back
Dark Green Fritillary Butterfly?
Back near the start
Pine cone
Heading towards the woods
Woods at Ainsdale Nature Reserve
When I got back from Ainsdale I spent the late afternoon and evening clearing up behind the shed and found a lovely big spider in a box of wood. I managed to get a photo before it went into hiding.
After clearing up, me and my eldest daughter got the tent out and tonight me and her are camping out in the back garden. I'll update you on Sunday with how our night out in the open went.
The two man tent is up
Daughter adding some
blankets ready for later.
Great photos. Lots of lovely wildflowers but I was most excited by the fritillary as I've never seen that particular kind. Also didn't know fungi grew in sand! Am going to check how I can get there from here now - thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie.
DeleteAnother lovely day out and plenty of interesting finds, especially the wild flowers. Had a look at the beach too... add that to my list to visit.
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Thanks Amanda.
DeleteOOoh, the fritillary is coool!!! Well done, you saw so much!x
ReplyDeleteThanks Kezzie.
DeleteWhat a super day out, even if you didn't see as many lizards as you'd have liked. Those beetles are, I think, garden chafers. I've never seen fungi in sand before either! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Hope you enjoyed the garden camp!
DeleteThanks Louise. It was fun but we ended up damp after it rained thanks to a leaky tent.
DeleteGreat photos, sand dunes are amazing places to find interesting things. Hope the camping went well:)
DeleteYes Ian, definitely a Dark Green Fritillary.
ReplyDeleteI have never actually seen one yet.
Thanks for helping identify it Roy.
Delete