Colours of the Forest - Sweden

We started day 3 in the forest with a wonderful walk through the forest looking for Woodpeckers and other woodland birds. The colours changed depending on the light; there were lots of colourful fungi, leaves, mosses and lichens and lots of huge ant hills. In one area,  the trees had been destroyed by a forest fire - interested to see Rosebay Willowherb living up to its common name of fireweed colonising the burnt ground

 

Cranes Roosting at Kvismare Valley Sweden

A couple of images and a video of the Cranes coming into roost at Kvismare Valley. Not sure if this is the right quality of video - bit of experimentation needed but the sounds give an idea of the atmosphere as thousands of Cranes fly in off the fields.

In the Black River Forest, Sweden

There was no internet for our second two nights in Sweden so have got a bit behind on posting. Now waiting at the airport and time for one catch-up entry - some images from our second day spent in the Black River forest. I will complete the text when back as access is limited to 30 mins at Stockholm airport.

Sweden - Tranquil Waters and Swarming Darters

One of the aims of my short visit to Sweden is to photograph some personal new dragonfly species and yesterday produced two more - the Yellow-Winged Darter and the Black Darter. The former were swarming laying eggs along the edge of this beautiful lake. There was also time for a couple more fly images to add to my collection. Identification will have to wait!!

Sunrise Heathrow, Sunset Sweden

Just a quick post to show friends that I have arrived in Sweden for a five day birdwatching and dragonfly trip. The weather here was warm and sunny so quite a few dragons on the move. There are four red darter species and here show two the Moustached which is redder than the Common Darter (has yellow on thorax) and has a teardrop down the side of the eye and the Ruddy Darter - even redder and with a club shaped tail.  Of the birds, White Tailed Eagle large enough for a photo, an obliging Wheatear, lots of Barnacle Geese and a strange looking Hybrid between a Lesser White-Fronted Goose and a Barnacle

Recent Insect Photographs

While our internet has been down for the last week or so (now reconnected), I have accumulated quite a few macro shots from Gamlingay Woods, Milton Country Park and Toft garden. The highlights were the Hornets catching and eating various Hoverflies in the Woods, the splendid Snail-Killing fly, Woundwort Shield Bug, Dark Bush Cricket and Southern Hawker from our garden and the Non-Biting Midge from Milton.