Bitterns, Terns and Harrier at Minsmere

 Our first visit to Minsmere for many years was rewarded with great views of Bitterns (at least 3 individuals) Sandwich and Common Terns and male Marsh Harrier

Paxton Survey Great Meadow Saturday 15th June

Unfortunately we only managed half the survey on Saturday before rain stopped play but there were some good finds including this amazing pupal case of a small Weevil beetle attached to a thin blade of grass. various Hemiptera, Flies and a single Four-spot Chaser hiding in the grass

Demoiselles and Damselflies Fen Drayton

The mixture of sunshine and showers yesterday was excellent for photographing Damselflies and Demoiselles. Mainly I relied on choosing insects that were separated sufficiently from their backgrounds to allow a single exposure to get a satisfactory image as with this Red-eyed Damselfly. Then along comes a Banded Demoiselle with a Mayfly breakfast and lands right in the reeds. The single shot was very muddled so I tried a focus stack. Realising the background red stalks would distract, I moved to the front but then a focus stack did not have enough depth so concentrated just on the head as it munched its way through the Mayfly.

 

Fen Drayton Insects

Even on a relatively cool breezy day with intermittent heavy showers there was plenty of different species of insects to photograph in the nettles and reeds. I was especially taken with these Platystoma seminationis, the dancing kiss flies, from the way they use their wings to display and then push their probosces together. I added the Magpie as I love them in flight particularly with the graphic flower background and a linnet as these are all to rare these days.

Open Photography Day at Paxton

The  light winds and relatively warm conditions yesterday encouraged the damselflies and even an emerging 4-Spotted Chaser to show themselves for our 40 plus visitors to Paxton Pits Open Day yesterday.  Thanks to the CCC and RPS Nature groups members who came and assisted in the field, David Smith from OM-Systems for providing a tutorial on Macrophotography and Ann and Mike Thomas and other Friends of Paxton Pits Volunteers for running the practical side. From the emails received the day was obviously greatly appreciated. Here a few snaps from the day.