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Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Whoops correction – All Banded Blue

If you have read this already you will understand, if you haven't you wont! I had my doubts but mistook 'green wings' for bronze and thought perhaps these were Beautiful demoiselle – they are not, they are female Banded Blue. Still stonking just a mis-identification. Whoops Betty (showing my age).


APOLOGIES but it transpires 'maintenance is/was in progress' and this posting has gone all over the place – enjoy the photos if you can.
Banded demoiselle (female)

Banded Demoiselle (female)
Focus on the front end
Reminds me of the cult film 'Predator'







.... only a few days earlier on this blog I stated I hoped to 'capture' the Banded Blue this year having seen two blowing by on the wind, and then there it was... after a bit of a dance I managed a few photos (about 300... out of focus, you know the script).


Banded Blue (male)


Banded Blue (male)

Guess


The Context





Azure Blue Damselfly
Included as taken because I like the composition

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Common Terns, Preston Docks

Not a lot to say, so enjoy the images (that enlarge if you click on them, but you have to use the return button to get back to the blog and remaining image... I didn't design the programme!)

Aerobatics, if I knew how to spell it!

Graceful flight (over water!)

There's a lot of noise

A quick swim and brush up, don't think this was fishing

Large wingspan

Attractive upper wings

Courtship behaviour

Dark wingtips

Streamlined, red beaks

Impressive exchange

Full throttle, wing expanse and tail open

Streamlined

Under wing detail, dark wing tips

For size comparison againts a juvenile gull (lesser black backed?) with a gammy right foot, which was being dived upon

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.

Thursday, 28 April 2011

From seashore to fellside

I had saved all my petrol tokens for the last week or so and with the threat on another on-coming bank holiday decided a trip to 'the Trough might be in order. I also wondered about what might be on the hills after the Dotterel had been about. At one time I had walked a lot of the fells, in the Trough, Lakes and Scotland... however that was some time ago. A testing walk might be in order... I didn't get far!

The Grockles were out in the streams and the sand bank that was a favourite of the Sand Martins was beset by them, so that was out of the question. As expected the Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtails and Curlew were all about. I came across this pipit sat on the fence and although it is probably a Meadow it just didn't 'look right'. Any comments appreciated. Three Buzzards were in the air and crossed from one fell to another in seconds on what would have been a four hour yomp!

On the lower slopes I spent some time with a Wheatear, believing to be the same bird seen more than once on the fellside. As you know dear reader I like to bird watch and it was interesting watching this bird. I've noticed how Wheatears in general like to find 'vantage points' where they can keep a look out. This bird was happy to look for food and seemed to be grabbing beetles should one be foolish enough to make a move – the Wheatear running across the grass to grab it's prize. Apparently bees are not on the menu (see photo). Often the bird would run in my direction chasing food, only to be a few metres away, so my presence didn't appear to unduly affect the bird. I also noticed they like to cock their heads to one side and look skyward, quite why I don't know. If anyone has any interesting pointers or suggestions for greater reading I would be pleased to hear from you.

So the attached are predominently an attempt to provide a brief visual study of this excellent subject. I have to say I was more than a little cream-crackered after a short walk up a slight incline... not good! As you will know I photographed Wheatears the week before over at Rossall and now here they were on the fellside (hence the title of this post)... I'm still not 100% convinced that is a Meadow Pipit... any comments?

On the way home I came across three Greylag Goslings in the road while the parents were going ballistic on the other side of a double fence 'rabbit proofed' with no way back so I lent a helping hand.

Meadow Pipit – looks 'odd' to me...

Wheatear in context

Typical landscape 
Any vantage point

Hunting

Seen something

which becomes lunch

Bees apparently not on the menu 
look up left

check

look up right

rear view

on a rock 
keeping an eye out