Back In Birdland

Comma makes it through the Tortoiseshell curtain. August 2013.

With all the Small Tortoiseshell and Peacocks, it was nice to find a Comma. Bit of a challenge with the wind blowing everything around, but I managed a few shots.

And seeing as there are so many around, a few more shots of Small Tortoiseshells. Mind you if one encroached on the Commas feeding table it was quickly dispatched.

Feasting on Dragonflies. August 2013.

With so many Darters and Dragonflies on the wing and mating it was no surprise to see a couple of Hobbies over the main pit at DWE. Unfortunately I was only carrying my smaller lenses as I knew I would be taking mostly insect shots, so I had to be content with record shots of them swooping across the water.

There were butterflies everywhere, and with some careful stalking I was able to get up close to this Small Copper, it was fairly flighty moving from one flower to another and only seemed bothered by the Common Blues encroaching on its feeding patch.

It was nice to see and photograph this Green Veined White, what with the numerous Large and Small Whites around I was lucky to of picked this one out. It too allowed for a careful and close approach but it took some time to get some images as it was always off quarrelling with another White butterfly.

The Common Darters all seemed to be mating, and most seen flying were of the male and female joined, no wonder the Hobbies were feeding so well, 2 for the price of one!

Humbugs,Darters and a little Essex in Bedfordshire. August 2013.

Great Crested Grebes

I don't mean me in Bedfordshire (an Essex boy by birth) although it is correct, no the Essex is a butterfly shown further down.

It had been a while since I last visited the pits (DWE), so I set off mid morning for a stroll around. It was nice to see 3 juvenile, "Humbugs", Great crested grebes alongside the parents, I saw and heard just a couple of Sedge warblers and possibly heard a Reed warbler but it was very brief.

Sedge Warbler

Common Sandpiper

There were a pair of Common Sandpipers still present and a possible third, no sign of any other waders though.

Common Tern chicks

There weren't as many terns about but they included juveniles and young in the group, mostly congregating on the northern pit, they actively chased off any approaching threat, as one Grey heron found out. Whilst walking around the main pit, I noticed Swallows but a lack of Swifts, I was taken back by a whoosh overhead, and then I fixed my gaze on the source of the noise...a Peregrine low and fast over the main pit scaring the life out of everything before heading higher towards Sandy reserve, and I think a first for the list.

Common Terns

Common Blue

I had taken the macro gear also as I knew I would get some insect action, plenty of Common Blue butterflies and Meadow Browns, and a single Brown Hawker and Emperor dragonfly added themselves to the large number of Common Darters everywhere.

Common Blue

Large White

Common Darter

I don't know what this plant is called but they were scattered everywhere, a beautiful splash of colour among the grasses.

Peacock

Essex Skipper

This was a first, a Essex skipper, quite flighty at first but then gave itself up for a photograph.

Common Darter

Common Blue

Common Darter

When the sun was briefly obscured by clouds the dragonflies were, with a careful stalk, more approachable as this darter shows.

Common Blue

Updates around the house.

Least Yellow Underwing

Things have been hectic to say the least over the last week, so Ive not been able to get much photography done, but I did have this new moth species in the conservatory on one day, a Least Yellow Underwing. There has been a huge increase in butterflies in the garden, notably Large Whites that seem to be everywhere at the moment. I also noticed that 2 Migrant Hawkers had successfully emerged, I saw one when it was raining and due to it being tucked away I couldn't get any pictures, still nice they had emerged though.