Wildlife at Larkrise Farm, Barton

Larkrise Farm Barton is managed by The Countryside Restoration Trust who have transformed it from an intensively farmed wildlife desert into a productive arable farm teeming with wildlife, including Butterflies, Spiders etc. This has been achieved using farming methods such as smaller field sizes, crop rotations, leaving over-wintering stubble, beetle banks, wildlife strips and planting over 4.5 miles of new hedgerows. Here Common Blues, Gatekeepers, Small Copper and Marbled White. Spiders included the impressive Wasp Spider.

 

Ted on his Morning Walk

A few images from my morning walk route with Ted around Toft. The barley in these fields look ready for harvest and, so far, have escaped storm damage.

After the Rain at Sharpenhoe

I was hoping to find roosting butterflies on Sunday knowing there were large numbers of Chalkhill blues etc sheltering somewhere - no luck with that but lots of other insects and spiders either resting up or continuing to feed etc in the wet conditions. These tiny brilliant-green-eyed flies on a Cirsium thistle (Terellia serratulae, a Gall fly) were my favourites of the day.

 

Sharpenhoe Refracted in Raindrops

After all the recent hot sunny days - perfect for Butterflies - the day of our RPS visit to Sharpenhoe to photograph ChalkHill Blues etc dawned wet and windy. Although it didn't rain during our time there, it was dull and breezy. There were a few insects to be found, often roosting and cover in rain drops like this Burnet moth (more to follow). The image of the Knapweed set me off exploring how the world is seen through raindrops, which act as tiny lenses. Here are a few offerings.

 

Cambridge in the Summer Heat

Yesterday, the temperature in Cambridge was around 30 degrees but this didn't deter the visitors enjoying the City and recording themselves in all the favourite spots. Newton's apple tree outside Trinity is obviously on the 'places to see' for many visitors who come equipped with an apple for the classic image. I was using a manual-focus Olympus lens on my Fuji so success was a bit limited but the 1.8 aperture gave pleasing results when focused right.

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Sharpenhoe Clappers (National Trust)

Today was really too hot to go chasing after butterflies and walking over open downland, but we needed to visit Sharpenhoe Clappers to plan an RPS day there on Sunday. The beech hangers looked great in the dappled sunlight with every shade of green in the foliage. Quick snaps of Chalkhill Blues and Dark Green Fritillary and flowers using a fish eye to give a feeling of the setting complete the 'snaps' in preparation for the weekend.