In the garden

The trees are weighed down with cherries. Birds are gobbling them up and a family of foxes is enjoying what falls to the ground.



There are two young foxes...



They seem pretty happy wandering around in daylight.
 

Meanwhile, birds are coming to the pond for water.



I was surprised to see such a nice-looking Broad-bodied Chaser in July

Early-nesting Bumblebees went mad for the thyme flowers.

 

Look me in the eye

As Imperfect and Tense said, the last thing many a juicy worm sees.

Went ringing this morning. Only caught four birds (enough to go round the three ringers, with one spare), but even a humble Blackbird's pretty good really, isn't it...?

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

The Lodge

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!

Here's one that fledged earlier: baby Blackbird

Another delivery of still-wriggling caterpillars on its way to a Robin nest near you

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.

Female (I think) Hairy Dragonfly

Zoomed-in, you can see the hairs

Large Red Damselflies: mating

and teneral (just-emerged)

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Speckled Wood

Small Copper

Holly Blue (nectaring on holly, appropriately enough)

Green-veined White

Adela reamurella - weird, long-antennaed moths

And now for some leaves..

Rowan (I think)

Oak

Maple

Lime

Horse-chestnut

Bracken

Beech

Miscellaneous bugs:

Green Shield-bug

Bee-fly on bluebell

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

Birds' bathtime

Chaffinches

Male Blackbird

Coal Tit

Stock Dove

Bathtime at The Lodge once more. You would think that taking photos of bathing birds from a hide in bright sunshine would be a piece of cake. Not always so.

Some birds are too small and distant (tits, Siskins). Some are too big and quick and close (Stock Dove). Some move too fast (hmm... all of the above). About the only species that behaves itself in front of the camera is the humble Chaffinch.

Today was quite unusual because there were already three photographers in residence in the hide when I arrived. It looked like my planned lunchtime activities were going to be foiled by a lack of room, but it turned out OK. Which is more than can be said for most of the photos.

That said, I am very pleased with the first photo of the male Chaffinch. Quite a surprise.

There were no signs of yesterday's Mandarin ducks, sadly. That was a bit too much to hope for.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 77 with 20-60x eyepiece