Welney Insects after a Rain Shower 1.

There were a few showers around on Wednesday at Welney and this seemed to encourage the insects to come out in the open. Lots of flies, Ladybirds, Plant bugs etc provided material for the lens. We also spent a considerable time trying to photograph the House Martins coming in and out of their nests.

 

Rain at Last

Last night we had our first rain shower for weeks in our village in Cambridgeshire. Not enough to make much difference to the parched soil and withered plants but a start we hope. Images taken with legacy Olympus 50mm lens on my Fuji system (plus 16mm extension tube) - gives wonderfully 'soft' images yet with sharpness where in focus.

Insects in Summer Garden

I try to record the insects in the garden most days.  Even with the drought conditions, there are enough plants and flowers to support a very varied fauna. Yesterday there were Hoverflies, Greenbottle, Woolly Carder Bees, several species of Plant Bug, two species of Snail-killing Flies and Ichneumon Wasps.

Paxton Pits Birds

I was to have run a macrophotography  workshop at Paxton today but it would have been too hot out on the open areas so made an early morning visit just to see what birds are around. Very large numbers of Cormorants many in moult and just sitting around. Fewer Herons thanI expected but varied Waders - Lapwings, Green Sandpipers, Snipe etc and of course Ducks - in eclipse and difficult to distinguish. Kingfishers heard and seen briefly.

Drought Declared in East Anglia

A few images from an early walk in Toft where everything other than large trees are now the colour of straw. The Hares and Rabbits and our Golden Retriever, Ted,  matched with the environment perfectly.