I’ve finally caught up…

…I will have to go out and take some more pictures. The images below, all from work, are from last week when a few Green Shield Bugs were posing on various plants. Spiders were weaving webs and catching prey and birds were singing.

Green Shield Bug

This one did not like the ant climbing all over it

Caterpillar butterfly or moth?

Common Darter

Spider making a new web

A Garden Spider doing the same

This one has just caught something

I have seen a good number of these Tachinid Flies at work recently.

Chiffchaff

Wren

Robin

 

Gibside

My wife and I had a walk around the Gibside estate the other day. I wasn’t expecting to see much but when we got to the Octagon Pond and Lily Ponds there were still loads of Common Darter flying in tandem and laying eggs. They were too busy to settle so I did not get any shots. However, when we got to the river there was a couple of Hawkers and one of them was posing very nicely.

Female Southern Hawker



Migrant Hawker a tad too far away for any decent shots.

I wonder if it got its Abdomen damaged in skirmishes with other males.

Dipper

I cut the hedge the other day and this moth flew out. I think it might be a Brick

 

I bit the bullet…

…last Friday and went down to Saltlholme for the Merlin. In the seven hours I was there, it showed only once and I missed the images I wanted. A Marsh Harrier showed really well so I filled my boots, so to speak, taking pictures of it.

I have seen Merlin in the past but these are the first images I have of this cracking bird.

Marsh Harrier.

I though the Merlin was supposed to chase Dragonflies LOL.

Black-tailed Godwit

A Kingfisher showed briefly.

Someone in the hide was bemoaning the use of 500mm lenses with converters attached however; I don’t think these images of a Migrant Hawker taken with that set up are that bad.

Mute Swans taking off.