RPS Visit to Strumpshaw Fen

 The weather for our Nature Group visit to Strumpshaw was hot and sunny - should have been just right for Swallowtails but, alas, this year they are in short supply as for other butterfly species. A few of us did photograph one that stayed for a few moments on a thistle in the Meadow. Dragonflies, on the other hand, were plentiful with Four-spotted Chasers (1-3)  and Scarce Chasers (4-6) and Norfolk Hawkers (7,8) the principal performers. I was trying different 'artistic approaches so quite a variety of backgrounds etc!

Sunny Sunday in Cambridge

 We went into Cambridge to take images for a Photohunt organised for members of CCC. We had 16 places to identify from a photo and then take our own image from that spot. Most of these are taken travelling between the clues just to record Cambridge on a sunny Sunday in June 2021

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Dragonfly Survey at Paxton Pits

 Yesterday was our monthly Dragonfly and Butterfly survey at Paxton Pits. Scarce Chasers (1,2) and Norfolk Hawkers (3) were the most numerous of the Dragonfly species followed by Four-spotted Chasers (4) with occasional Emperors (5) and Black-tailed Skimmers (6). 'Blue' damselflies were too numerous to count so estimates of numbers were recorded - all three species present (just Common shown in various coupled positions)  plus Red-eyed (11). Lots of Banded Demoiselles.  Butterflies on the other hand were noticeably scarce - occasional Brimstone, Small Heath and a couple of other species. Finshing with a Cuckoo

Garden Project 9

All the plants in the garden have grown this year very fast in the last three weeks, especially in the wild flower meadow where the foxgloves ae much taller than me now. Poppies everywhere and the contented buzzing of bees - wonderful. The Red Mason bees have started on the second bee box - this was taken by flash in the evening and there a roosting bees in some tubes

Bee Orchids and White Helleborines

 A second set of orchids - this time the Bee Orchid and White Helleborine. The sunny conditions in the beechwood were difficult for picking out the blooms but I do enjoy habitat shots as in the first bee orchid (taken with 23mm X100V camera close to the ground looking up at the orchid)