Strumpshaw Fen

Sunday's forecast predicted a warmer and less windy day than lately so we made a visit to Strumpshaw Fen, predicting that Swallowtail butterflies and various dragonflies would be on the move. Certainly there were Swallowtails all over the reserve and some dragonflies including this very hairy Hairy Dragonfly.

Although we found some interesting things to photograph, generally there were fewer insects around than a typical mid June visit. The spiders were the most abundant particularly the spiderlet balls everywhere. I also photographed the Furrow Orb Weaver, a Long-Jawed spider (Tetracnathidae family) and a beautiful Cucmber Spider (Araniella cucurbitina).

 Among the other interesting species was the Ruby-tailed Wasp Chrysis ignata which looks like a minute fly, the hoverfly that mimics a bumble-bee  Volucella bombylans and the Scorpion fly Panorpa communis this one a female without the 'sting'.

London Icons

 The weather on Saturday for our visit to London was very variable.  Although I have photographed King's Cross station new concourse many times, it is still a challenge to get a good balance of tones and colours. I couldn't resist posting the lady at the BM who has adopted exactly the pose of the Roman statue! The sun kept going in and out at the British Museum which added another dimension to compositions, while the photographs of the Shard and St Pauls were taken at the same time from London Bridge showing how different the skies were in the two directions.

Trooping the Colour

 Not the Day to try and walk through St James Park to Victoria.

Six Bells Cambridge

 A few images of the Exhibition in the Six Bells taken with a Galaxy notepad but gives the atmosphere in this very friendly pub in Cambridge.

Street Party

Covent Garden Street Party Cambridge

I have images on display in the Six Bells Pub as part of the Street Party in Covent Garden, Mill Road Cambridge on Saturday 15th June. Sounds like a fun event but, unfortunately, I will have to miss that one in order to go to The London Salon opening in Croydon.

Kingston-on-thames

 Stopped in Kingston-on-Thames last night in one of the more interesting locations for a Travelodge. I was made very welcome by their Camera Club and especially by Sue who provided me with an excellent meal before the meeting . Kingston-on-Thames appears to have a thing about telephone boxes, traditional, modern and neglected!!
The Bentall shopping centre is one of the most interesting ones that I have visited - built on cathedral proportions complete with stained glass window.

Blackfriars and Tate Modern

 I spent a few hours in London after an abortive attempt to hang the London Salon Exhibition in Croydon today due to an error on the part of Fairfield Halls staff. Blackfriars mainline station  has been given a makeover. At the Tate Modern, they appear to be constructing a cathedral of the Barcelona Gaudi building dimensions in the Turbine Hall. This is all part of the extension to the museum - disruptive at the moment but should make a lot more space for exhibits and refreshments in the future.

Damsels Down the Garden

 Azure and Large Red Damselflies on on the wing at last after a late start and is surprising what else lurks in the foliage.

Water violets

 The Water Violet, Hottonia palustris, is putting on a splendid display at Lakenheath this year. Despite its name it is a member of the family Primulaceae.

St Tuguals Chapel on Herm Island

HDR of Five Shots 2 stops apart                            Middle Exposure

     

 While on Herm we set 6 tasks to keep us and the other photographers occupied. One of the categories was an interior shot. The first image is taken with the Sony RX100 in-camera HDR mode with 6 stops difference.  The others are 5 bracketed images (2 stops apart) taken on the EOS 5D processed with HDR Effex Pro2. The fourth image is a single exposure shot just to compare with the previous HDR.

Lakenheath

 Lakenheath car park was full up even at 10am when the reserve officially opens. This was due to the presence of a Red-footed Falcon and a Savi's Warbler. We didn't see either but spent an enjoyable day trying to catch on sensor the various reed dwellers - Whitethroat, Bearded Tit and Reed Warbler - and the acrobatic movements of the many Hobbies there.