Sunny Afternoon at Paxton

Just about the full cast performed for us in front of the Hide yesterday - the Great Crested Grebes are guarding their two chicks well at the moment while Cormorants, Little Egrets and Herons flew in and out at regular intervals. The chicks are beginning to make short dives and also appeared to be catching damselflies. As the sun came round and lit the perches, we were entertained by Ruddy Darters (body shape, black legs), Willow Emerald Damselflies (yellow spur on the thorax, no blue pruinescence), Tachina fera Fly, Migrant Hawker and Green-Veined White Butterflies.

July Survey of East Scrub Paxton

In the hot weather, insects tend to move under leaves into the shade to prevent overheating so we were not surprised that there did not appear to be many species to record during our Thursday July survey of East Scrub. However, a bit of hunting around in the vegetation revealed quite a variety of subjects. Great to phoograph both Willow Emerald and Emerald Damseflies, Picture-wing Fly, several species of Grasshoppers, Moths and Flies.   ID sheets are at the end together with a few more pictorial portraits.

Lackford Autumn Sunshine

Lackford Lakes looked at their best in the sunshine yesterday and the hundreds of Migrant Hawkers were certainly enjoying the warm conditions. A lot of the time, I was shooting into the light giving dark backgrounds and contrasty subjects but this first shot allows all the detail of the markings of this male. Other species were Willow Emerald, Ruddy Darter, Water Boatmen, Pond Skater, Sand Wasp, Small Copper, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Green-Veined White, Tachnid Fly and Ivy Bee. 

Summer Leys Spiders and Insects

 A very  enjoyable day at Summer Leys with members of the RPS Nature Group photographing the large number of Wasp Spiders with 4-Spot Orb,  Nursery Web and Garden Spiders. Trying the Migrant hawkers in flight occupied an hour or more plus a Willow Emerald and several other insects.