Lackford Lakes at 30 Degrees

Like us the only insect life active at Lackford yesterday tended to be lurking in the shade and hence difficult to get quality photos but enjoyed the day hunting.

Cormorant Exiting Water

Taken at Lackford yesterday in poor light at 240 frames per second and slowed to 24 fps. Love the elegance shown when slowed down - my dance teacher would be pleased with those foot movements.
 

Heron and Dabchick at Lackford Lakes

A much-reduced party from CCC and the RPS Nature Group visited Lackford Lakes and enjoyed photographing Heron and Dabchicks in the pouring rain from a dry but drafty hide. I tried some slow shutterspeeds on the rain and was surprised to be able to handhold at 1/60th second (subsequent frames 1/250th, 1/1000th, 1/1000th and 1/2000th). A pair of Dabchicks kept us amused for a lot of the morning.

 

Lackford wide-angle Insects

The only insects that we photographed other than dragonflies at Lackford Lakes were very small insects in a patch of fleabane. No doubt if we had stopped and closely studied other areas, there would have been more small insects and spiders. These are taken with 23mm fixed lens on Fuji X100V with Raynox closeup lens - a lighting system would have been useful as the aperture used was too wide to get adequate depth of field so close.

Action at Lackford Lakes

A very enjoyable day at Lackford Lakes with CCC Nature Group. I concentrated on two 'projects': macro with wide angle lens (to follow!) and action shots of birds and insects. The Dragonflies and the Hummingbird Hawkmoth were taken at 1/4000th except the first image, at 1/1000th - surprised that there is little difference in wing movement (the Darter was on electronic shutter and shows the bend in the wing). The Migrant Hawkers were hovering for quite extended periods in the strong breeze! The bird were at 1/2000th - I do like the levitating Nuthatch. The Hummingbird Hawkmoth was quite worn around the tail area but was still very manoeuvrable. The eyes are wonderful - I am on an insect vision project at the moment so very useful captures.

Lackford Lakes - Woodland Birds

Unfortunately cloud levels had increased by the time that we visited the woodland feeding station at Lackford but the birds were as obliging as ever. My favourites were the Coal Tits and Marsh Tits though the Nuthatches always steal the show!!