Nightjar

You’re probably sick by now of all of the images on social media of the Nightjar at Saltholme but this bird is a first for me so here are a few more images. It did spend most of the time I was there asleep however it did wake up occasionally move, stretch then yawn and then go back to sleep. 

Nightjar.

Little Egret.

A couple of Mute Swans flew over while I was walking around Saltholme.

This Sparrowhawk landed too far away while I was in one of the hides.

Causey Woods.

I have just got back from a week’s holiday in Scotland but unfortunately there won’t be any pictures because, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, I forgot to take my camera. When I say I forgot my camera I did take a camera (and a range of lenses) but it didn’t have any batteries in it because the batteries were in the camera I forgot because that’s the one I use most often. I did try and get batteries while I was up in Scotland but I couldn’t find a shop that had them in stock. It was only when we were at Argaty Red Kites that I missed not having a camera.

Anyway, enough of that. This morning I had a walk around the Causey Woods looking for Dipper on the burn. I only saw one but managed to get some images. It was quite dark so it meant high ISO and lens, at times, wide open. A couple of Grey Wagtail were also feeding up and down the burn as were a few Robins and Wrens. While I was taking pictures of a Robin, I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye, it turned out to be a Tawny Owl catching something in amongst the bracken. By the time I got my camera to my eye it had flown off with whatever it had caught into a Holly bush so no pictures.   

Dipper.

Grey Wagtail.

Robin singing its heart out.

Another Robin this time just hanging about.

It was so dark on the bank side of the burn this is the only half decent picture I got of a Wren.

 

Twizell Ponds

 A cracking morning at the ponds in Twizell Woods a couple of days ago. Still loads of Dragonflies but the only Damselflies I saw were Emerald (no pictures). It’s always a challenge to try to photograph Dragonflies in flight and it doesn’t always come off as you can see with some of these images however, I love trying.

Southern Hawker.

This was the only Migrant Hawker I saw. It flew off after I managed to get this shot and I didn’t see it again.

Common Hawker.

This one liked this tree as it landed on here on a number of occasions.

Female ovipositing.

Mating Common Darter.

Three’s a crowd. A pair of Common Darter photobombed.

There were quite a few in tandem.

Another pair.

Common Darter in flight

Common Darter in flight

I like the way it turned its head to look at me.

Male posing.

Red-legged Shieldbug.

Final instar Bronze Shieldbug.

Leaf Hopper.

Speckled Wood Butterfly.

Two Speckled Wood Butterflies.

This Toadstool was on the opposite bank of the stream I was walking along and it must have been at least eight inches in height but unfortunately there is nothing to give it scale.