Here are some photos from a morning walk around Wat Tyler Country park. The highlight was a greenfinch eating a sycamore seed. The winter thrushes were as uncooperative as usual but I managed a couple of grab shots . Fieldfare Redwing
When I visit London I always try and get to Regents Park. One of the main reasons is for the herons, which are very approachable. This time of year the are in breeding colours. There are last years juveniles around too. I quite liked this ‘different’ angle. And I got a ‘normal’ shot too. I…
On saturday I popped up to Reculver in North Kent. it was high tide so I didn’t make it to the beach, but in the grass around the castle and car park there were a number of waders. Most of them turned out to be golden plovers. There was also a dunlin. Which poked its…
Some more pond photos. First up my best photo yet of a Pond olive mayfly nymph. This one appears to have lost half of its middle tail filament. I also photographed some chironomid midge larvae. this group is best known for its red coloured species, known as bloodworms. This species however was green and hide…
A few more recent pond photos today, taken in January. This particular dip turned up the first Pygmy Backswimmers in Wat Tyler Country Park, at least that I have seen. These small 3mm bugs, also known at ‘plea bugs’ (Pleidae), have only one species in the UK Plea minutissima, referred to as Plea leachi in…
A couple more species from my pond photos. First up an anopheline mosquito larvae. These larvae have the top of the body at the waters surface, unlike the culicine mosquito larvae which have just their breathing tube. This made a reflection shot easier. I also got a head on shot. I also got a couple…
A few more from the pond dipping session. Some photos of a hawker dragonfly nymph. Here is a close up of the head. And probably my favourite shot.
back in June I found some smaller diving beetles that were very dark in colour. I guessed they were no Dytiscus and with a bit of research settled on Ilybius sp. I got some different angles, including this one of the air bubble at teh tip of the abdomen. And my favourite one was this…
A week or so ago I photographed something a bit different, adult woodworm beetles. These emerged from some logs a few days after they were brought inside. I think they are quite cute, though you wouldn’t want to find them on (or in!) your valuable antique furniture! This one fell on his back at one…
As I mentioned in my previous post I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of wildlife at Center Parcs. The feeders in front of the hide were especially good. At least 1 lesser redpoll was about. Which was joined by the many siskin. As you can see most the photos were unfortunately on the feeders…