Sunshine came softly.

Well, what a week. Fabulous sunshine, great company, my little grandson and family on the door step and a couple of lifetime firsts to boot.

In a week where I drove best part of 800 miles you might think I wouldn't have had chance to do much photography, but I did squeeze in two complete days with the camera, one of which was a day with Mr Carey. I drove up to meet him in Silverdale, Lancashire. He was up there doing orchids and butterflies.

We met at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve but were soon on the road to a couple of locations for orchids, one of which produced lifetime firsts for me of, Ladys slipper Orchid and Duke of Burgundy butterfly.

Back at Leighton Moss and refreshed with a brew we watched the Avocets and their chicks. Mr Carey kindly treated me to tea at the Silverdale hotel and I left him at about 8pm and headed home, chuffed at both seeing him for the first time for ages and for having had a great day.

As previously mentioned, my daughter and her family were holidaying at Rhyl for the week. I went down to Hereford to collect them on the Monday and on Wednesday I went and spent a few hours with them. We went to the Welsh Mountain Zoo at Colwyn Bay. Now I'm not a great lover of zoos. I do appreciate that they do a lot of species protection but it pains me something awful to see tigers, bears and snow leopards stuck in tiny little enclosures, along with other stuff that although not so magnificent equally should be in their natural habitat. However that said I do feel that the Zoo has the animals interests at the forefront of their mind.

Back to photography a trip to Burton Mere RSPB reserve produced shots of a Red Eyed Damselfly,

and Azure Damselfly,

and a smashing Cardinal Beetle

Having returned my daughter and co to Hereford on friday I was determined to make the most of the weekend and a trip on Sunday was to prove to be an amazing day. I decided to got to Whixall Moss Nature Reserve in Shropshire. Its not far from Whitchurch and is managed by Natural England. Its a peat bog area full of all kinds of species of flora and fauna. High on my list of hopes, infact top of the list were White faced Darter. A very rare dragonfly which occur in good numbers at the site. I had hoped for others too, I was hoping to add to the chaser list as well. Curlew, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, and Meadow Pipit were seen or heard, Green veined white, Large white, Brimstone, and Speckled Wood were seen. Azure Blue, Large Red and Blue tailed Damselflies were seen. 4 Spot Chaser were seen and photographed.

The stars of the show though were indeed the White faced Darter.

Seen and photographed for the first time ever, I was so chuffed. Such a stunning little Dragonfly.

One other occurence made the day brilliant, whilst on my knees getting wet trying to photograph a 4 Spot, I happened to look up and saw a Hobby circling the pool I was knelt by, it came closer and closer until it flew directly overhead. I have never had such close up views of a Hobby, it took my breath away.

I will definately be going back in the near future.

Other insects I have photo'd this week.

Top to bottom, Dung Fly, False Oil Beetle, Leaf Beetle and a Saw fly and most unusual shot is this of an empty Dragonfly larva, probably 4 spot Chaser.

My dog helped me find this, I was calling her back from the waters edge of a local pond when I saw it.

Looks like variable weather this week but I'll be out when I can.

Two Days of Summer?

My oh my, what a glorious weekend. Super sunshine, low winds, just fabulous. I had decisions to make, was I going to go to Burton Mere to hope to get some of the warblers knowing that it would be heaving with people or was I going to look for tiny stuff which I could do on my local patch.

I decided on the second option but I also chose to add a couple of trips to areas new to me too. I have recently rejoined the Nature Trusts.and decided a visit to North Wales Trusts site at Marford Quarry. It is as the name suggests the site of an old quarry which has been allowed, with the help of the Trust, to return to nature. I had no idea what was going to greet me, but I was excited all the same. I was there on saturday morning by 07.15, the sun was just climbing over the tip of the quarry and there was a tiny chill in the air. Full of ups and downs and fenced off areas where the growth of species such as Twayblade Orchid are being encouraged. It also has areas where tin and felt are being used to give slow worms somewhere to rest and warm up. I was lucky enough to see and hold a slow worm, with the help of one of the trust volunteers, and to see a shrew under one such tin sheet.

The stars of the visit that I managed to photograph were my first Gorse shield bug and my first Dingy Skipper.

 

I was disappointed not to see any other butterflies with the exception of a single Orange tip. However I had left by about 11am.

So back then to my local patch. I had decided to stick with the small stuff. I had seen a Large Red Damselfly at one pond in the village earlier in the month but a trip back had failed to find it again. A trip to another pond gave me opportunity to search for some more.

I managed to see a few other things too. The first is a Click beetle, the second is a Liocoris Tripustulatus -a plant bug.

Sunday saw me out early again and still local. I was still after the small stuff. My legs give me so much trouble these days that I have started to shy away from carrying the big lens. I will when I have something particular in mind, like the warblers at Burton Mere. Although I am once again considering selling the 600. I could spend a little of mums money to change to something a little lighter.

I got up close and personal with a Green Veined White.

and a 14 spot Ladybird

I also got a rather smart pic of a Scorpion Fly.

and another long named fly.

A Rhingia Campestris, recognised by its large snout.

My trip out on Sunday was to the New Ferry Butterfly Park on the Wirral. A Cheshire Wildlife Trust site. It has over 28 species of butterflies regularly seen there of which a lot are resident. Its the site of an old railway siding. It was very disappointing as I only saw 4 species. It is well behind on the growth if the grasses and plants that the butterflies require. However the trip was not completely lost. I got the following stars.

A Four Spotted Chaser.

and a Common Lacewing.

I will return in a few weeks, to see what else they have.

Back on the local patch I finished off the day with a beautiful little arachnid. The Araniella Cucurbitina.

Its a tiny little spider, but still a cutie.

I was a bit disappointed that I didn't go to Burton Mere in the end as they had a couple of rarities ther, one of which I can remember was a Temmincks Stint. Still I will hopefully have other chances.

Earlier in the week I got what I think is my best shot of a small critter. It is a Curculio Venosus, an Acorn Nut Weevil.

It is a tiny thing 3-5 mm long, truly stunned to find it and even more so with the resulting photo.

Well the weather has turned again and looks set to be shitty for the next few days so I guess that it is summer over for this year. Lets hope not.

Back to normal

Blog problems are solved. Brian Williams gave me a pointer and I have put it right. Big thank you to Brian. However I am still thinking of trying something different so there could be changes in the near future.

Blog Problems

I'm having problems with the blog.

All my old photos are not showing up, I've no idea why. I've tried to contact Blogger but nothing has happened as yet. I may cancel the blog and go with another provider. If any of you have an idea whats happening to my site drop me a line please, b_davis20@live.co.uk

Small is beautiful

I enjoy small photography, close up stuff. Its been a slow start to the year, I think it's still a bit too cold for most things. I am certainly not seeing the butterflies I would expect to see. I have seen one Hawthorn shield bug whilst out with the dog, and most little creepy crawlies seem to be avoiding me. I have had a butterfly or two though. This pair of Green veined mating for instance.

I have also had a few flies.

and,

It always seems a challenge to try and get smaller stuff. This was quite tiny.

Whereas this Alderfly was slightly bigger, it was on my car.

and this drone fly.

I caught this Robin collecting it's own small stuff in my brothers garden it was taken with my 55-200 macro.

Other than this stuff its been plants and horses.

Teasel.

The ponies are free roaming ponies on Bickerton Hill, Its the site of an Iron Age fort, one of several along Cheshires sandstone ridge. There are a number of groups who maintain the area trying to return it to its former condition of heathland. Its a lovely spot but on the day I visited it was cold and overcast.

Looks like the next few days are going to be wet, so not sure what I'll get or when.