Hamerton Zoo

Yesterday we went to Hamerton Zoo for Meredith's birthday outing. The log in the Meercats' enclosure added greatly to portraits. Not an easy place to photograph as the second barrier is a distance from the cage bars in most cases. As always the Red Kites put on a very spectacular display.

 

Bees, Butterflies and Bee flies in the Garden

The white comfrey in the garden always attracts lots of bees - here a female Hairy-footed Flower Bee and an Early Bumblebee worker. Great to find an Osmia cornis mating pair. Holly blues and Orange Tip butterflies are everywhere in the garden at the moment as are Bee-flies, feeding on the hedge garlic. The latter images are taken at 1/4000th second with electronic shutter and the wing has recorded in more than one position. A small Zebra jumping spider completes the line up.

Easter Sunday Sunrise

I went on an early walk from home to photograph the full moon setting but it was too misty to see it so I  concentrated on the sunrise, which proved to be a very colourful one!!  The dew on the wheat and flowers added another subject for the walk though meant I arrived back with very wet feet and trousers..

Toft Insects Including First Damselfly of 2022

First Large Red Damselfly today (compares well with 2020 - April 13th but much earlier then 2017 - April 28th and 2021 April 24th ). Other insects -two hoverfly species, a Red Velvet Mite, 3 species of Hemiptera and a House fly and Midge.species.  

Garden Project 10

It is now 2 years since I started my wildlife garden and the various areas: front meadow with cowslips, pond with marigolds, woodland with Yellow Archangel and Fritillarias and the back wildflower beds with Red Campion, Hedge Garlic etc all  appear to be fairly stable. The bee hotel is very active with dozens of Osmia bicornis.