Altenberghutte (9th August)

I was working in the garden again today so got to the hut overlooking the valley only by the afternoon.  This time my brother accompanied me in hope of seeing the Black Storks he had missed a few days earlier.  We waited for nearly two hours only to see 1 Peacock, 1 Wall Brown.  We had almost given up when I sat down to pack away and I noticed a black spot circling over some conifers in the distance.  We set the scope up again and soon were looking once again at a BLACK STORK!  It came gradually closer, before flying below a clump of trees out of site a well rewarded highlight.  My highlight of the afternoon however was seeing my first ever PURPLE HAIRSTREAK flying around the low canopy of some oak trees.  The last birds for the day on our bike ride back included a Hobby and 1 Red Kite just before we reached home again.

Purple Hairstreak 

 

pale morph Buzzard

Meerfelder Maar, an ancient volcanic crater filled with water, also were we went swimming in the evening after a long day in the sun