Mini Dragons Up Close.

Whilst at Fowlmere in Cambridgeshire, I came across a large group of Common Lizards basking in the sun. They were quite mobile especially on approach, but I counted 15 on one occasion. Eventually with careful stalking I was able to get a lot closer and they became more reluctant to move away.

They were virtually all young except for two larger adults seen sunning. The colours were a mixture of browns but some had a deeper blue/grey from the back legs down to the tail. The size was no more than a couple of inches and when a Ladybird came into view it really put their size into perspective.

With careful movements and patience I was able to get just inches away whilst they dozed on and off, before moving to shade, only to return minutes later and resume basking. These will continue through to the end of autumn sunning themselves before getting ready to hibernate till the spring.

I had never had the chance to see Common Lizards so well before let alone photograph them, I had seen the odd sighting of lizards at Sandy before but never so intimate as this, I was chuffed to say the least.

Look how small they are against a Ladybird.

Stewartby Lake. Friday 23rd September 2011.

I had been planning on going for the AZOREAN-TYPE YELLOW-LEGGED GULL  at the Stewartby gull roost, but news in the afternoon of it in fields adjacent to the new by-pass had me venturing out earlier. I spent the next few hours alongside Robin Edwards trying to find it. After some time looking for where to park up a small group of gulls were located, which later joined a larger flock nearby. RE and I picked out a dark hooded gull, which unlike any other LBBG was indeed just one of these. We moved onto the roost site and there alongside 14 other birders, along with the finder Steve Blain, we duly started scanning. As the light began to disappear fast and the seemingly last flock of large gulls flew in, one of the birders called up the gull, and with all eyes fixing on it Steve shouted up next to me 'that was it', a particularly large individual with a very distinctive hood, with good views and through Steve's scope too, thanks for that, I left with the last glimmer of light left.

Grey Day at Grafham water. September 2011.

It has been so long since I was able to get out and do some bird photography, but I finally got the chance and headed off to Grafham water. There were 2 Grey Phalarope and a Sabine's Gull, both of which I needed some images of. I headed off early and immediately stumbled, for a few years whenever visiting here I arrived for 7am as the car parks opened, but now (except for the main car park miles away) a new sign greeted me with the opening time of 9am.

Bloody great I thought, what plonker changed this, this sort of organising does not help the photographer or birdwatcher wanting to get there before the bird or birds may depart, its the same with some reserves not allowing access until its too late, I shake my head in disbelief at the dumb stupidity of some people/places. Anyhow not to be put off I noticed a car pulled up on a verge totally off the road and with space for me to slot in behind, and being close to the dam end it was not long before I was viewing the first Grey Phalarope.

The weather was good and the water was nice and calm, lovely birds, the phalaropes, and so small too. Then as that bird flew further out the Sabine's was not far along the waters edge. Busily feeding along the waterline it was not perturbed in the slightest, walking under the fishermens rods as they stood on the waters edge, unbelievable. And so for the next couple of hours I happily snapped away at both gull and phalaropes getting some more than welcome images. It was a good feeling to be out again and luckily for me the birds had remained, the previous days reports also added "only view from the path and not the waters edge", theres always some prat that risks the chance of ruining it for others and sadly theres more of them turning up these days, but luckily for them not this day.

Fields of Gold. August 2011.

 What  a lovely start to the month of August. I hadn't come across a field so packed with Sunflowers before, and with Sarah getting on my case to photograph them I finally entered the field. Gobsmacked was a great way to put it. From then on apart from mothing in the garden I was to be stuck for getting out. I desperately wanted to get some bird photography in but what with car repair bills, ongoing vet bills for the Bully' and what seems to be ever increasing weekly bills I was grounded. I hope September will be the turn for me to get out and get some new stuff, my fingers are crossed as I type. I also partaked in some cigar photography, cigar are a real passion and hobby of mine, and with a competition on a forum I am a member of, the cigar images gave me an escape from being stuck inside. Some of these images can be viewed on my Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike-lawrence-photos/

 Yellow-barred Brindle & Red Twin-spot Carpet

 Garden Carpet

 Red Twin-spot Carpet

 Yellow-barred Brindles

 Marbled Beauty

Turnip Moth

Visitors in the Night ! July 2011

.Small Rivulet.

 July provided a few new visiotrs for me over the month, I was able to trap a few times and although the last effort was very low in numbers it still provided the goods as it were. I dont know whether the sudden drop in temperature on the last session had anything to do with the amount on the wing, but it certainly felt colder especially at 2am! Im now looking forward to August and as the year will start to quiet down the chance of something new for me must remain above average (still got a lot of species to see).

 .Clay.

 .Purple Bar.

 .Common Carpet.

 .Red Twin-spot Carpet.

 .Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing.

 .Ruby Tigers.

 .Dusky Sallow.

 .Old Lady.

 .Early Thorn.

 .Brown Line Bright-Eye.

 .Straw Underwings.

.Small Waved Umber.

Graceful Gliders.

 Months ago at the start of spring I was able to travel to view Marsh Harriers, on a few occasions they glided withing range of a public area enabling me to grab some shots. Such graceful beautiful birds and a pleasure to watch.