Black Darter at last

A morning and afternoon trip to Kibblesworth yesterday in the hunt for Black Darter. It was a few weeks ago that I thought I had had my last hunt for these cracking Dragonflies but I have kept trying and I am pleased I did. I got my first Black Darter here for the first time this year thanks to a man (I’m sorry I did not get your name) who went out of his way to show me where he had seen one. I got on to one almost straightaway and boy did it pose for me I was able to get some half-decent shots. It wasn’t the only one I saw, there were another two, at least, on the big pond. There were quite a few Common Darter and a couple of Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker.

There were a few Speckled Wood butterflies and a nice Common Blue around as well and a couple of people out for a walk put a Roe Buck Deer up. All in all a cracking day out.

Black Darter

Southern Hawker

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

Common Darter

Roe Buck (settings on the camera were for DOF not speed)

Common Blue

Speckled Wood

Spider & Web

Scotland

Got back yesterday from a couple of days in Scotland. We were staying in a fantastic cottage called Lettoch Beag not far from Pitlochry check it out at http://www.lettochcottages.com/lettoch-beag/. Friday afternoon I was outside the cottage when this bird flew over. I could not believe my luck it was a Golden Eagle the first one I have seen so close to Pitlochry. Buzzards that put in a regular appearance above the cottage were harassing it and it flew off toward the south. A little later, a Sparrowhawk did a fly by. There were also a few House Martin still hanging around and Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit were feeding in the fields at the back of the cottage.

Buzzard harassing a Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

House Martin

Goldfinch (juvenile)

The Lakes

Just got back from a couple of days in the Lake District. Didn’t take many pictures while I was there but here are a few I did take.

Grasmere

Grasmere

Red Admiral

Silver Y

Vase in a window in Sizergh Castle (taken with my mobile phone) not great but I like it.

Sculpture out side the castle (again taken with phone).

We were having a bite to eat sitting out side a café in Ambleside and this Jackdaw kept coming to get whatever food had been left lying around. It was not bothered at all about people being there (taken with phone)

Jackdaw (taken with phone)

Sunset from our room (taken with phone)

The place we stayed at had an aviary in the garden this was in the aviary. I was told it is a Zebra Finch.

 

No Black Darter again

With the cracking pictures of Black Darter coming from Kibblesworth yesterday I thought I would try myself today. Not a Black Darter to be seen but I did manage a some of shots of an Emerald Damselfly and a flight shot of a Southern Hawker which could be better but I’m not complaining as this was the only dragon I saw today.

Emerald Damselfly

Emerald Damselfly

Southern Hawker

 

Burdon Moor

A walk around Burdon Moor this morning in the hope that the Stonechats found earlier in the week would still be there, no such luck. Viv and Hilary were both looking for them as well (they were still there when I left so I hope they had more luck than I did) and it was great to catch up with them for a chat. There were quite a few of the commoner birds around including Yellowhammer,  Reed Bunting, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit. Swallows were still feeding their young until a Sparrowhawk flew through after that they weren’t seen again. A few Butterfly were on the wing and I got a few shots of a Spider while cutting the lawn back at home this afternoon.



Adult Swallow feeding a young bird

Feed Me

They look as though they are dancing

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Yellowhammer

Long Tailed Tit

Goldfinch

Sparrowhawk

Wall Brown

Garden Spider

Garden Spider