Sunflowers in Early Morning Light

We have a few small fields in Toft of sunflowers sown together with Flax and Millet, presumably as game bird feed. I photographed them yesterday morning in bright sunlight. Taken at various apertures etc all with the 23mm lens on the X100V compact. The last couple are using the most powerful of the inbuilt HDR modes 

My 3000th Post - Migrant Hawkers and Hornets

This is my 3000th post since I started a blog in September 2008 - it works out at around 250 per year so not  one a day but pleased to have reached a milestone.These were taken at Fenstanton RSPB reserve . As well as the Migrant Hawkers, I photographed Willow Emerald Damselflies and Hornets.

Many Shades of Green at Byron's Pool

We took an amble along the river at Byron's Pool in Grantchester yesterday in bright sunlight giving great intensity to the colours.

Sandy Heathland - More Interesting Inhabitants

Thanks Richard for the information about the Ivy Bee colony at Sandy - we spent a fascinating couple of hours there watching the amazing number of bees digging (females) or just hanging around waiting for a female to emerge (males). I didn't manage a mating ball so I may have to return!! Perhaps even more interesting for me was the Digger Wasp that caught a fly and then flew off with it, a Broad-headed Bug (Alydus calcaratus)  and also one lonely Bee-wolf Wasp.

Autumn Hues at RSPB Sandy

There was a real feel of autumn at RSPB Sandy this afternoon, with the bracken turning colours along with the trees. A few fungi about but everywhere is very dry. Een the Darter had an autumn tinge.

Ivy Bees and Other Local Insects

 The Ivy Bee having arrived in our area about 4 years ago is now by far the commonest visitor to the ivy flowers. The bees in the first images are at their nest on a neighbour's lawn. There were also lots of Shield bugs on my walk round Toft including the Box Bug, which is another winner from global warming, Dock bug and the colourful Hawthorn Shieldbug. Otherwise lots of Cucumber spiders at work and still a good number of hoverflies and wasps.