Paxton on a Sunny Afternoon

Amazing where three hours can go sitting in a hide overlooking water! I was entertained by hunting Norfolk Hawkers and by many familiar subjects, including Great Crested Grebes sitting on a new nest having we think lost all three chicks at quite a mature stage to the Cormorants, several Egrets and one of the three Heron Chicks now confidently fishing along the margins of the Lake. 

In Flight at RSPB Sandy

Bright sunny day - ideal for attempting to capture insects in flight and RSPB Sandy had a plethora of wonderful subjects to practise on including  the aggressive-looking Bee-wolf Wasps, the 'cuddly, Green-eyed bees, athletic Hummingbird Hawkmoths, feeding Carder bees and the very long legged Sand Wasp

A Miscellany of Garden Insects

My Cambridgeshire garden continues to produce some very strange and characterful insects such as this 'Bug' with the enormous antennae and the beautiful cuckoo bee. IDs on sheet at end are not all yet confirmed- any input welcome.

 

Lakenheath Insects

As expected on a warm humid day, there was plenty of insect activity at RSPB Lakenheath Fen with lots of Banded Demoiselles, Ruddy Darters and some Green-eyed Hawkers on the wing occasionally settling for a portrait. Painted Ladies topped the butterfly numbers with Peacocks and at least two Skipper species present in good numbers. Lots of Horseflies around - great for photography of eyes but insect repellent definitely needed to protect the skin. Photographing with the 300mm plus1.4 converter worked well for the butterflies aiming to create soft backgrounds.

Toft Garden with 50mm Macro

Some of the garden's very mini inhabitants including my favourite Hollyhock Weevils, various Flies and true Bugs taken close and personal with a 50mm lens