Slimbridge 3

Last set of images from Slimbridge in the afternoon as the light improved. Pleased to catch a Pied wagtail with fly in mouth - they entertained for most of the time. Lots of pairing going on among the Avocets and the Oystercatchers were mating. Even found a Redpoll among the Goldfinches and Siskin in the Alder cones

Pantless Darth Vader Jumping Spider and friends

There were several species of spider around the gravestones in Arnos Grove Cemetery - this Jumping Spider (Heliophanus spp member of the Sun jumping spiders) was the most confiding with its Springtail prey (Collembolid). 

Slimbridge Visit 2

We spent our morning at Slimbridge in the hide overlooking South Lake and watched a flock of Black-tailed Godwits, Geese, Ducks and newly arrived Swallows and Sand Martins

Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre

We were promised sunshine for our Nature Group outing to Slimbridge yesterday but most of the day it was cloudy with a bit of rain. Here some of the birds around the central area of the reserve. The Jackdaws and Rooks were busy building nests. The views of the Estuary and its birds were great with a dark stormy sky behind while it was good to get images of Chiffchaff, Snipe and four different Kingfishers

Oldbury Birds

A few images taken on a dull evening walk up to the masts behind Oldbury Travelodge yesterday. Magpies are very wary birds so difficult to get close shots.

Creating Mining Bee habitats at Paxton Pits

 We spent Thursday morning cutting some vertical faces to one of the banks on the Paxton reserve and also in a smaller gully. In addition, we dug an approximately one metre square pit with vertical sides, piling the spoil up to create a mound. Even while we worked solitary bees started to show an interest so we have our fingers crossed for lots of nesting burrows in these sites.