Welcome

Welcome, all content is the copyright of the author © Geoff Gradwell
Please do not reproduce without asking. Thanks.
New at this and finding my way around. Any help appreciated!

Thursday 5 May 2011

Bits, Pieces and Damselflies, Weird Chiffchaff


Looks like damselfly and lacewing were on the menu
and possibly caterpillars (unlikely) or green bodied lacewing or... any idea?
Green veined white
Large Red Damselfly (male)
Large Red Damselfly (male)
Large Red Damselfly, male
Large Red Damselfly, female
Large Red Damselfly, female
Azure Blue? 
Blue Tailed Damselfly (male?)
Blue Tailed Damselfly (male?)
Large Red Damselfly, male
Blue Tailed Damselfy (viola) female (Ischnura elegans f violacea) 
Chiffchaff that doesn't sing like a chiffchaff!

Chiffchaff....

Right then, where were we?

The cats appear to have disturbed the blackbird nest in the back garden, and the magpies appear to be guilty of robbing the blackbird nest under my bedroom window of at least four eggs as both nests are now deserted. The back garden bird has however nested again in the garden honeysuckle arch but my fear is the magpies will again be drawn to the location in time.

The Long-Tailed Tit nest was never completed and I saw the cats up adjoining trees.

A pair of robins were obvioulsy feeding young in the local park and I managed these two quick shots but again no further sightings were made but it was on a dog walking route... as indeed a local moorhen has nested adjacent to a public footpath. The first moorhen nest I have seen in over ten years. The Moorhen kept getting up and leaving the nest as people passed but is now settled on at least six eggs. Most people walk past in blissful ignorance thankfully. I will be intrigued to see if this is successful.

Already the number of mallard hatchlings have been reduced.

Meanwhile I have been engaged in trying to photograph the damselflies hereabouts on my doorstep... but my ignornace is close on 100% as I know very little, but pick up a bit here and there. Consequently identification of the damselflies is very likely incorrect so please I would appreciate any correction in ID's.The Large Reds Damselflies are slightly unusual as they do not always close their wings at rest, like the other damselflies and the wings can be seen slightly open.

I have seen two male Banded Blue Demoiselle so far but blown away on the wind, I am looking forward to 'capturing' them if possible again this year.

And finally last years 'chiffchaff' has returned, it just doesn't sing like a chiffchaff and photographing it is paricularly tiresome and attached are two brief images taken high in the canopy. I think this may be subject to a separate post if I can record the singing again this year. So far my attempts have been obstructed by too much background noise. There never much good anyway.

No comments: