More monsters

Yes, another Four-spotted Chaser exuvia.


They look a bit more elegant once they've turned from a pond bottom-dwelling creepy crawly into a master of the air.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Looper

This is a 'looper' caterpillar in action. At the moment I don't know what species of moth it'll turn into, but doubtless someone out there knows...

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Pondlife

Waterlilies

I thought I'd start off with something pretty in this post. Several people commented on the recent Four-spotted Chaser pics, saying how it looked like an alien. Well, if you're easily scared, perhaps you'd better not scroll down to the bottom of this post...




Large Red Damselfly

No, those lovelies aren't what I'm talking about.

When monsters attack:



This is the shell of a recently-emerged dragonfly (probably a Four-spotted Chaser). The technical name is an 'exuvia'. Dragonfly nymphs spend years living in ponds (they're quite fierce, even eating small fish) before they make the transformation into adult insects.

They creep out of the water, usually onto a plant stem, and literally climb out of their own skins before drying their wings and starting the delicate, short, final stage of their lives...

This page has a great sequence of pics which demonstrates the process beautifully.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon, my garden

Some people would say that Woodpigeon is best seen on a plate accompanied by some roasted vegetables and a nice garnish, but I'd argue that it's an interesting, beautiful bird in its own right.

I hear they taste nice, though...

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

The longest evening

Black-tailed Godwit. What a bird!


Snipe


Ladybird


Fly thing on thistle


Sedge Warbler with food.

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

Pretty flowers

Pyrethrum, Tanacetum cinerariaefolium

These make nice desktop wallpaper. If you want some, e-mail me (see link on right hand side).

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Not a Cockchafer...

Found this beastie floating dead in my pond when I got home this evening. I think it's a Cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha. It looked more like an acorn than a beetle, to start with.

UPDATE:
Thanks to Ray for leaving me a comment with the correct identification. This is actually a Summer Chafer, Amphimallon solstitialis.

photo taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Frogblogging

Common Frog

Today the pond's amphibian head-count was: three frogs, one toad.

photo taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Four-spotted Chaser

No need for digiscoping with this one. It perched right next to me on the edge of the old swimming pool (now a wildlife/fish pond) for several minutes while the sun went in.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Blogging for birders

If you're interested, I've written a feature in this month's Bird Watching magazine about my favourite subject - blogging. Click on the images to get a taste of what the mag's about.

Available from good newsagents in the UK, or subscribe online...

Woodwalton Fen NNR

Scarce Chaser


Four-spotted Chaser


Mating damselflies. I think they might be Azures (Coenagrion puella) but I'm not sure...


Ragged Robin, Lychnis flos-cuculi


Yellow Flag, Iris pseudacorus

Since it was a nice morning, I thought Woodwalton Fen NNR would be worth a try for some insect-watching. There were hardly any butterflies on the wing but plenty of Red-eyed Damselflies on the Raveley Drain and, further in, a scattering of Scarce Chasers and Four-spotted Chasers (dragonflies).

I digiscoped the insects - they were usually perched up by the side of dykes and it was easier than getting my feet wet. I sacrificed some image sharpness in the process but it was enjoyable enough. The weather conditions weren't bad - though it was breezy there was cloud cover on and off, which kept the dragonflies low and forced them to perch up.

There were also lots of damselflies about but they were a bit too much like hard work!

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

Wildlife garden update

The pond's first inhabitant! A Common Frog.



As you can see (if you compare with this picture), my garden is coming along nicely. Things are starting to grow up and even the lawn has sprung back into life. Anyone worried about the buddleia that was hacked back savagely in April can breathe a sigh of relief, because that's OK, too.




Foxgloves (two colours)!


Daisy things!


Bluebells!


Don't know what this is...

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Andalucia: Day Three

Melodious Warbler

Marbled White?

 

Clouded Yellow

Rock Bunting

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Stonechat

Three days, more than 400 photos, 139 bird species and umpteen plants and insects...

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