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 Dayton Pits RSPB

The morning started overcast which gave lots of opportunites for closeups of the damselflies and other insects. The soldier beetle in the hogweed head was a missed opportunity in that it required a greater depth of field than the light conditions permitted or a focus stack but I still like the colours and shapes created and I am amazed at the length of the Tree Bumblebee's tongue

Fen Drayton Pits

There were lots of Damselflies hanging around on an early morning trip to Fen Drayton Pits yesterday - mostly Common Blues and Blue-tailed plus the Green Drake Mayfly. Several Scorpion flies emerged from the deeper vegetation. 

Fen Drayton Pits RSPB Cambridgeshire

Not a lot of birds around but beautiful light to enjoy a couple of Kestrels, Long-tailed tits and various waterbirds including Tufted Ducks, Gadwall and Widgeon. 

Fen Drayton Rainbow and Shy birds

While skipping the heavy showers (accompanied by brilliant rainbows), we attempted to photograph the large flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings but only grabbed one Redwing image before it flew off. Equally elusive, a Mistle Thrush and Green Woodpecker. Only the young Pied Wagtails were confiding