I went to The Lodge this morning to do some recceing for the Beds bird race team. I failed on that front, but had some photographic successes.
Birds. Yes, I photographed some birds!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsSTERVhxhh6SgTPp5juzDKqZKvz1GDgB8n1rPXa_OdACVTSMOGOT8ecyzqGAGIlA8j8YnVSf0A9FnkYt69JgnzLQteHRczUbQBOEFVfkoa0X3Z4a_Ok-hnquK4eY6a6dfoTF/s400/blackbird_1401.jpg)
Here's one that fledged earlier: baby Blackbird
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-djOswwlLRneujPeXwVKd41zjn5t4r3uaRTLP8JAj43n7mQQ45govFAA5NcgZpazxhGvszn0YEQJSnAFtITzyyyXiuR7YvU6oKVNPK8t_5Ukeki9p5E5o7UwHOl4MSYcCiS-B/s400/robin_1442.jpg)
Another delivery of still-wriggling caterpillars on its way to a Robin nest near you
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OE-RN0mr7aD8HgQB8gqsz8glW2Ikv71LDtL14Oq6-bfJmJ7Psx1Bw5V8XatV81SuGBbpp-WmuF21hLzSuwJh77x8co1i1V5BdWWQsHewztM-cf3oQJT-hTKsUa1uOpD36VVa/s400/grasssnake_1434.jpg)
A tiny Grass Snake swimming in one of the ponds. Whether it was after insects or newts (both plentiful, I'm not sure)
Odonata. Yes, it's dragon- and damselfly time again.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfXqT-ahpPQ7Na7nPmbO5_0ecPD_menQB57jpquSGM3ty_3RhP5J9zEmkU6HBWuMbaUfnKgY3aj3B3sa49U2XE81hkBIAndAImQJO0BD9T2BCLYplz4uO-OGLfOUK49OqC2s1/s400/hairydragonfly_1418.jpg)
Female (I think) Hairy Dragonfly
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtMncpjlxm0Wym3eO_cFDGw3zECLybHM1ctw5UqOv4o-5Tb5GzCXkuyKiVhNqRl2wrpeXXJtyqWSnd1bwke1VTC03W4pwMCO36G5VftV5c-qPPMu5T6VAbr5Gvmr78SChNwhS/s400/hairydragonfly_crop_1418.jpg)
Zoomed-in, you can see the hairs
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNSN2M93nbzthf4vGKWl0p6UIEJlYpTL_uX5hMGpY_qWZhOug2rBTrtavB02be4EmAqeoNXzKH0cSDVYpldV3OVX5qceMFxhF-x4mGOoCBsPlRFq-fa7gOCSaYIVlGSJ_Wmg5/s400/largereds_1439.jpg)
Large Red Damselflies: mating
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30L3E7unm9GDWA6qYuucL-x7YlYK08YkSxqi-xboufxTTfZPt_5O4Iq1jzv90sldn6qMduskDNthyJ7SexD1J-mD_-k0njn2qIBlpIdkdW2zqHb4GKlM7-u0CBNaMbadrQr61/s400/largered_1363.jpg)
and teneral (just-emerged)
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINEgIJM_mrQzuLpU0VTW5xGrv45HbpTQ-JthCnjlD6-EK7imkklholCQArnU4SQr11hf7clWrAlQ8NppOdK4jZwwp8B3G0uKKyP9aYHH-7G2te5FQb9D601OmrWe8DqhOgC-J/s400/speckledwood_1406.jpg)
Speckled Wood
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmw-9EjzrMZeQMqp4Tv8sYyPR99PMBsGjqifMXl9tabh0xfI9_V9YxmzQeh9hs2HWCbB2PRL0Nyfw2UTBiKMX1FYuvJMPSu_dEhrU6zIBoEMnjFQJGBOPMXrIkkRE3EHa3rW-/s400/smallcopper_1446.jpg)
Small Copper
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxT7X3ZWMKc1JrfpNSEI3zVe8B9yOajYFkQswr7lUrc4YPFjtAJkW1e4okC76gPX81yEY9SC4N05Ry5zPmtjo6OOkJadut2eMNubJpyf5xgCz-tQa8ZWm19toT5UlNamS5T6Y/s400/hollyblue_1412.jpg)
Holly Blue (nectaring on holly, appropriately enough)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_HiRzFcOFJw1qEV6vz2OqQixvXxA6X9NnJizHOXSahwalO2HYGYeVcFMVCkGkwGjdzJqKBiI77zk3yFqc84PBVGV0kPvBGcp_2Hl5mzbywCMQH0r7oMYvDBqY_t6SKrtpQrd/s400/greenveinedwhite_1450.jpg)
Green-veined White
Adela reamurella - weird, long-antennaed moths
And now for some leaves..
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9myYa_jkDFsekkSY3W8n7-4WikzBC9vT2jIVlylrvX3yyXF-MyFVWLF4f5HUN3xaz5wrGMicKc7G88ht9RgInnNwypNKi7dtIAKY88QDCkHrCwyzIFRwO5Q6vlvxm3aLgJVNE/s400/rowan_1333.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iLeLBrbbjHmvcTODsukc6qxC4zfOhT_vV20NN3wFRHrMmNmmu4rsPCi9RDjHKVWMd8KkEgBkMEwziDLu5h02_q2qivt16ZqMxzSf6R4Jvnz06FBNlFRFqsUAZKQpMX4sqqxH/s400/rowan_1332.jpg)
Rowan (I think)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrWXEpG8FFV58wafu7j7QW07THy_3x7Ivd2RWDojyNUROWt4fIoBT0Cb6iayAewnYrkOirsgoIFVJPfXsLZEL5zALctaQ9RU8BmyA3q6vSR_0RtVHJKcVLiLnxyOVpY1p1MRE/s400/oak_1305.jpg)
Oak
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL447jmVW4wSDEhFfqJQdQnlaYyzYy7ToZXqroiv2hiY_bxfdcnUMxIVx9SRv5jR16sfxEiDZuTr0ODM2ezXcg2GfsfCkkwnj3ZYB8s55MwRGwOWoLomJsRxoZ1NR9yL-V8xk/s400/marshmarigold_1364.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMz_6WIHbLHL2UweOdb51Zd3v5MroiBFR8z3IpMdweMSccbt-mHy78Zd2tweealWnJ6V-aQtA2PDYu_L9PiY7D7nNbhIZYbRDfweOlWVuu20VHJgNlk4Qtx2AJ9rMoVMv9xJz/s400/maple_1329.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6KON8ZmPsfD0JZRKubyEsAclBjb4A3ncJirD4ZPnt_x3AKdMSshQJuXdnflVk-10Jn1c_9EXOR03oL-tSBNXVmNIEk9P9PrHXHSlZkVrsHhopWMPMxPM3rb-ftXhQbvBnV4p/s400/maple_1328.jpg)
Maple
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_q-xRc-uI1h89YvBeHNvVQvIfTPMH9BiPj-NDSMKnDAX8XbD3XmXzuKGL5KayQxckGHvELSjpH7Gtg7DJ2gHpUB3LxMD1iMMdBRueAdBM_tpRig5lt5LoDmoD3u6bwNbaFy2/s400/lime_1314.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00MHBF_lvPsbUmT5hyAdNX53VNkWxIf2uTr4FfTPIUOvj93XXUbR1maJPxiaP-HeFYuvmz0dYFYKfMkK63pEhJTBjGj5-Lgp1i6x0pdtMk1CNj9q44whUun2uRCSWDI7EBHB4/s400/lime_1309.jpg)
Lime
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRMPR4f6EL7kAC4_zByKeId_0nVHBcRQLurUHUWOMOY-weRV7uCsRNCW9LfGAG7hyzc0gL4VdwsdA1E3ZTvT7FIHwHXwGI3Xo_4WTAHJ6texPcodOTCR3vbqWcrAJTr5cbN1q/s400/horsechestnut_1318.jpg)
Horse-chestnut
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwLlqXqVT7hBCQUlXNB1pXiwYLbKHxnn-QJ9FyArXJUPue6W1ghTO_mTGRHohv3m_txOyYFgE4vCVr_C6tfm2eFJpGnlaLg-5Tpy-0IGVCyAk0UTl9ehIUHqnjnf8-j8Z-6Eo/s400/bracken_1343.jpg)
Bracken
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznIA5nSKkJOZV4eMBq692Fb4myWboc86muOPssQeW1M60DtXW1M4yiNgFZkzttDZn66h0D1JA0pGL9le3BXbZc51UkdtCVT3U0aaGveiOhdRR_wijR61JpFQrpMl0yS_8vr7Z/s400/beech_1304.jpg)
Beech
Miscellaneous bugs:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR_bDic8mq6Fx0-HWJXP6onISwx72NTCiN5WnuvdzE42U3_BsP7nex-A9UXyuLQ6TzkoaWk7MNFEl8PXACG1WnWPLW3lqISKPacM3NXKitN8XiHaXhBhD9mYLC2BXplg7Ii9F/s400/stripybug_1393.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpC_XMH33eNZuKk4PhM9tdKsmpqMjWxGoA5NHqjsrg3Ad2OB69VXiLgwcvvpZFunbKaijfT0rH12CjM0aHSMy4hoftKi9tXi0R1mgYud7ANl7TAmC4Z58ZzIfLWnLHOQ0XxJG/s400/beefly_1301.jpg)
Bee-fly on bluebell
photos taken with
Canon EOS 30D,
EF 300mm f/4L IS USM
Lovely photos as usual Katie, I've never seen a grass snake. Maybe I'll see one on my "RSPB Experience" induction in a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteJust had some bad news about local Hen harriers. See my post here http://brightaire.blogspot.com/2007/04/vermin.html. I'd be pleased if you could "bump" this issue with your readers (you get more than I do!). The more people that know what these landowners are up to the better.