Two Lifers and a few other things to show.

Hello again. Well we've had some beautiful weather haven't we, but this coming weekend looks a little grey and miserable. I'm not gonna let it get me down as I've had some fabulous photography opportunities and have obtained some fab shots.

Firstly "Tree Heron" finally got himself into a position where I could get clear shots of him.

A little distant and a bit of crop but not too much, he's about 4 feet over the water here, but he seemed quite content to stand there for a long while.
The Mallards are losing a lot of ducklings and the locals are wondering if, along with the Pike and the male Swan,  he might be responsible for some of them disappearing.
We know the Pike are having some as the bailiff and residents have seen them disappear off the water. We also know that the Swan has killed a couple. He also has driven off one of his own youngsters, treating it very harshly. I know they are not sentimental but is this normal? One of the chicks was not right, it had a deformed neck and a limp, that one disappeared very soon after hatching, but the second one seemed physically ok. But the male really hounded the second youngster, pulling it by its neck and pecking at it.

Anyway, moving on. There seems to be very few butterflies around at the moment, at least in Herefordshire. With the exception of Small Tortoiseshell and Large Skipper, numbers seem right down. 5 Spot Burnet moths are also being seen in very large numbers. A trip up to Whitchurch in Shropshire to spend the day with my brother Alan was a bit of a disappointment, we did get the Silver Studded Blue that we went for. Only males though, no females to be seen.

We then went to Whixall Moss for the dragonflies, in particular Black Darter and White Faced Darter, unfortunately the weather took a turn with high wind and it was really a wash out. All we got was this Emerald

We did get buzzed by something though.

This Helo took great delight in buzzing over our heads, very low. This is full frame taken with the 70-200 lens. I think they are out of Shawbury where there is a training school. He was around for quite a few minutes buzzing back and too, and hovering some distance away from us, in all fairness it was the best thing that happened all day. We did see Large Heath butterfly too, but the conditions and their love for staying low in the grass meant I didn't get a decent shot.

A trip to Gloucestershire to spend the best part of a day with Mike Smith was arranged and very much enjoyed. Two life time firsts were seen and photographed. White Admiral are butterflies I have never seen before, but Mike took me to a spot where not only would we hope to see them but also possibly get a shot or two. They were around, I think we probably saw over a half dozen, but they came to rest on only one or two occasions and then only briefly. I did manage 5 frames of the underside of one.

Stunning just doesn't seem to do it justice.
As if that wasn't enough, after treating me to lunch Mike took me to a spot near his home which we hoped would produce some Blues, again there were a few about, but only Small Blue. I didn't mind as I've never seen or photographed them either. Surprisingly the ones we got to photograph, were covered in Ticks or some kind of parasite.

Photographing them wasn't easy either, steep sided hill, habit of either hitting them or the surrounding grass with my tripod and their desire to fly off everytime I got near soon had me frustrated and Mike laughing at my pathetic efforts. I could not believe how tiny they are, Britains smallest Butterfly apparently. Andy Carey once correctly identified a Common Blue picture I sent to him thinking it was a Small blue, he said at the time that when I saw a Small Blue I would know it. You were dead right Andy.   

The Marbled White, of which there were plenty were also suffering with Ticks.

After a brew and sandwich back at Mikes it was off to see the Little Owls which Mike has worked hard to get to accept his vehicle in close proximity. Mike promised me close up stuff and he didn't fail to deliver, with a little patience and a fair few mealworms we were soon treated to visits from what Mike believes was the male bird, and close didn't even cover it.

Using my 70-200 lens this is without doubt one of the best shots of a Little Owl I've got. I also eventually managed to get the timing right to get the owl in flight, something Mike has down to a tee. I've put a shot or two more on the Smugmug site. (see my links).

Thank you Mr Smith for your hospitality and company, it was a great, fun, day with laughs a plenty and some fab photo opportunities. We must do it again soon, although some improvement with the catapult is required.

Finally I've spent a little while doing Dragonflies nearer to home. Here are a couple, The Black Tailed Skimmer and the Golden Ringed.

Come back soon, don't forget to check out the Smugmug gallery.

So much for the good weather!

What a change in the weather we've had these last few days. Very few opportunities to get out and about. Fortunately when the opportunity has presented itself I haven't had to go too far in search of stuff to photograph.

Mostly little stuff to be honest but a trip to Wellington gave me a nice view of a Whitethroat.

I've cropped it in a bit as it was surrounded by foliage, nice to see it busy feeding its young. In exactly the same area as the year before last. Everything is busy with young now, if we get a few nice days together I will definately spend more time trying to photo other stuff there.
The 4 spotted Chasers are about in huge numbers now, I caught this one with the 600 lens.

I also caught a freshly emerged Black Tailed Skimmer, check out Smugmug for that.

Nearer to home I saw something I've never seen before, a swarm of Honey Bees, they were in a hedge on the country park

The quality isn't brilliant as it was taken with the macro lens at a distance. There must have been several thousands of bees in the swarm with lots also flying around.

Quite a few bits of small stuff have kept me glued to the computer and books trying to confirm identities, some of the easier ones are here.

Harlequinn Ladybirds,

This Flesh fly, why is it that these give me the creeps? Is it purely because the name conjures up all manner of images?

This beautiful micro moth, Nemophora Degeerella.

and a final stage Oak Eggar moth caterpillar

Absolutely stunning in my opinion.

Things in my garden have been hectic too, I've had the Blue tits fledge from the nest box, I was a little worried about this chap as it seemed very tiny and hung around my patio for over 24 hrs.

But its parents made sure it didn't go without its fair share of food.Roxy, my Westie, was extremely gentle around it. I was concerned that she would try and kill it but she didn't. she merely had a sniff once or twice. At one point I lifted it off the patio onto a low branch of a big climber plant I have up one part of the garden fence. I was concerned that if Roxy didn't get it the magpies would. Its parent found it no problem and it sat on the branch very contentedly until after tea when I stopped checking.

Poor old parents are looking extremely ragged as usual after raising the young.

I've had Goldfinch and Greenfinch in the garden regularly, the Greenies are extremely flighty so only a Goldie to show you I'm afraid.

I've also had Great spotted woodpecker and a plethora of Squirrels, with four in the garden at once on a few occasions.

I saw my first Large Skipper of the year, I think, yesterday. I don't think it was a Large Skipper, it definately was, but I think it was the first I've seen this year so far, I also am reasonably confident that I saw a Painted Lady on Sunday but it didn't stop and my eyesight isn't brilliant so I couldn't swear on it.

I went for a walk with the children around Cannop Ponds in the FOD on Sunday too and a lovely evening we had, I got pics of a Green Tiger Beetle and a Dor Beetle which can both be seen on the Smugmug gallery in my links.

Springwatch is back and I think its been better this year, so far, than the last few years, I was particularly interested to see the piece about Cuckoo's. There seems to have been a lot more photos on Birdguides this year of Cuckoos, I wonder if it's because there are more around this year or maybe it's just because there are shed loads more people out there with cameras. What do you think?

Anyways, sun is predicted for tomorrow (thurs) so I will be up early with the camera.

Oh yes just one more story to tell you. A nearby friend who lives on the side of the Belmont pool claims he'd seen what he believed to have been an otter, two nights on the trot, on the roadside by the lake, during the night between 1.30 and 3.30. He suffers with his feet too and is often unable to sleep so he sits looking out at the road infront of his house, He was convinced it was too big to be a mink.

Well, I thought about it and decided I would give up a few hours last night (Tues/weds) and go and sit and see what turned up. So at 12.30 I drove my car up there and parked far enough back from where he'd seen it, but still close enough to have a good view, and waited. I had my camera with me, with the 300mm lens thereon. At 01.15 a juvenile Fox trotted passed, and didn't stop, and during my 2hr 45 mins vigil two cats came by. No sign of an otter. However at 01.40 the ducks on the lake started to make a racket, something was clearly disturbing them, there was a lot of splashing and quacking, this went on for almost an hour and at one point it was so loud I thought something must be chasing the birds. I didn't see anything though and after an hour it calmed down to quietness again. I was intrigued.
Whilst sitting and waiting, and this is the point of my tale, I decided to test the 5D and see if it would work in very low light. I played about with it and tried lots of different ISO settings etc, and I was amazed at how good the pictures of the cats and the fox were that I took. Don't get me wrong there was shed loads of noise evident even in camera, but with no flash I couldn't believe I was getting clear shots of my subject matter at all, just by the street lighting. Unfotunately, and this is the depressing bit, I can't show you because in my half addled sleepy state when I got back in I erased them.
But should I be tempted to go and have another go one night soon I will keep a few shots. Suffice to say, I was mega impressed.

Beautiful weather.

Well it's been a fabulous few days and I feel as if I've made the most of it with lots of new stuff photographed.

I've seen the Cuckoo again

In almost the same spot, but unfortunately still from a distance. I would contemplate sticking my hide up but unfortunately its right next to a road and you know what that would mean.

I added 3 beautiful butterflies to the Smugmug album and some stunning caterpillars too.

This is the caterpillar of the Yellow Tail Moth. not in its full stage quite.

I had an up close and personal moment with a Scorpion fly.

Such a beautiful critter, landed on my hand whilst I was doing other stuff.

I spent a little time with the terrapins at the lake.

I spent some time at Wellington Gravel pits and added some birds to the yearly list, including Hobby, Little Owl and Little Ringed Plover. I also got my first dragonfly of the year, a 4 spot Chaser.

and the little bugs have continued to please,

Dock leaf shield Bug, coreus marginatus.

The tree Heron still won't play ball.

Star shot of the week is, Mayfly, Ephemera Danica.

 I don't want to get too repetative but I'm adding stuff to the Smugmug site on a daily basis almost, if you haven't had a look for a while, please do.

Drives me crazy

As you are all aware I have a liking for close up/ macro photography. I love nothing more than being on my hands and knees photographing some wonderful small critter or another. It hurts my knees and back something chronic though.

What I don't like so much is trying to correctly identify the critters I've caught. I have a number of books that I use and I search the web if I have an inkling of what it might be, what family/genus etc. Regularly though I am stumped. The following is one such critter.

I've never seen one before, it was only maybe 3-4 mm in body length. I'm guessing its not reached its maturity yet and may look completely different when it does.

In addition, what reference books do you use? If any of you can suggest a book that you have found invaluable I would be very grateful.

I've added a fair few shots to the gallery site over the last week or so, if you haven't had a look for a few days you may want to do so. Thanks

P.S

A Temminks stint has been at Wellington Gravel pits for a few days, Have I seen it? what do you think? Its the bird on the left.

Don't fret all you purists, I'm not claiming it as a tick for the year/lifer. That could just as easily be one of the many Common Sandpipers that frequent the pool, it was about 300 yards away. The books suggest that at that distance it might be difficult to tell them apart, and I sometimes wonder about these alleged sightings. The bird on the right is a Greenshank for size comparison.

Foot note:
I have had the creepy crawly identified, It is a nymph of a mirid bug called Calocoris Alpestris. Thanks to Joseph Botting at britishbugs.org.uk for his help with identification

First of the year

Since my last post I have a couple of chances to get out with the camera. I've done mostly small stuff, But for the first time ever and with the first of the year I have a photo of a Cuckoo. It's not a good photo but it's a photo.

I went out with the camera yesterday (weds 30th) with the intention of doing small stuff, hopefully Orange Tip butterflies, and at a spot I visit regularly whilst setting up the small macro kit I heard a Cuckoo calling and it sounded really close. I grabbed the binos for a look see, and there it was sitting on a telegraph wire some 100-150 metres away. Quickly change the camera onto the 600 and shot off 4 frames. Paused to check and found that the camera was as I'd left it yesterday, F14, -1,  iso 200. Bugger!! but i've managed to just about get a working record shot.

Unfortunately by the time I had reset, it was up and flying towards me and over my head. Lesson learned for next time believe me. Absolutely thrilled to hear, see and photograph one this year though.
Star of the small stuff is a toss up between this,

Large Red Damselfly.

and this,

Vine Weevil.

Come back soon, will have more to show.