Beds birding

Started in Cambridgeshire, at Croydon. It's the highest point in the county and you can walk along the ridge, with nice views across the border into Bedfordshire.

Skylark

The abandoned medieval village of Clopton

A fox was hunting rabbits among the earthworks

Next stop, Broom gravel pits. Move along now, there's nothing for you here...

Yellowhammer

A pair of Oystercatchers fed along one of the pits. The bird not in this photo was ringed

Next, Pegsdon Hills, a Wildlife Trust reserve.

Peacocks were quite plentiful on the blossom

Meadow Pipits were in song all over the hill

Ring Ouzel record shot for Darren...

They have some nice sheep grazing the slopes

Triangulation point

Unusual subject matter for a pub sign nearby

Dog-violet

Sand Martins back at their colony along Meadow Lane

Ringed Plover at Willington

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

macro/landscape photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 77 with 20x eyepiece

Cornwall

Just got back from a week in Cornwall. Here is an assortment of landscapes, flowers, insects and duff bird photos. More notes to be added later...

Cot Valley


Maritime heath, Porthgwarra



View from Nanquidno

'Ciao!' said the Choughs. Two seen at Nanquidno, then Cot (where these record shots were taken)



Stonechat, Nanquidno


'Fall' of Meadow Pipits after torrential rain at Beachside

Butterflies:
Comma, Polgigga

Red Admiral, Polgigga

(click on this one for extra detail)


The ubiquitous Clouded Yellow - dozens seen during the week (this one at Nanquidno)

Speckled Wood, Polgigga

Flowers on set-aside at Nanjizal:
Corn Cockle

Cornflower

Poppy

The Firecrest tree, Cot Valley

Wryneck record shot, Porthgwarra


Juvenile Herring Gull

Adult Herring Gull

The ubiquitous Buzzard

Longhorn cow having a scratch, Nanquidno

digiscoped photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 77 with 20x fixed or 20-60x zoom eyepieces

Nene Washes

There was the mother of all rainstorms approaching but fortunately she passed by to the east.


Meadow Pipits were fairly obliging this evening, sitting on fenceposts.


A few Linnets bathed in the fresh puddles.


Post-bath preening took place nearby.


This male Reed Bunting was one of several to pose nicely.




I've finally joined the Shortie Club! This bird was hunting the meadows and stopped for a rest a little way ahead of me.

digiscoped photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 62 with 16x eyepiece