Ripening acorns

Hedgerow

Bumblebee at take-off, with a shower of pollen grains




Brown Hawker


Common Darter


blackberries


acorns

At lunchtime I went for a walk down to Stratford Road, which runs along the foot of the hill. It's south-facing so tends to be a good place for insects with a good bank of bramble bushes. I couldn't resist helping myself to a few ripe blackberries, and while I did, a squirrel dropped bits of discarded acorn husk on my head.

The blackberries (and blossom) attract butterflies, with dragonflies presumably enticed by the smaller insects on the plants. I had to wade through some nettles to get close to the beautiful Brown Hawker above. The bumblebee was in the garden on my way to the lane.

More photos available on Flickr

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D + EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Autumn at Woodwalton

Rosehips

Acorns

Result of some kind of gall wasp infestation?

Red leaves

Common Darter - the only dragonfly species we saw today. Most were going around in tandem

Phragmites

Sunlight shining through a bit of bark peeling off a branch

Sloes

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Raindrops keep falling...

We've had a lot of rain over the past few days...

And now autumn is firmly on its way...

Some tasty-looking blackberries - migrating warbler fodder

Acorns in the making

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995