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dansnaturepictures · 2 years

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14/06/2022-Lakeside and home

I really enjoyed a hot and sunny lunch time walk at Lakeside today, it was so great to be out in this weather and take in the luscious green of the landscape and bright blue of the water and the stunning blue sky. I took the first four and ninth picture in this photoset of views here at lunch time.

I was pleased to see one of my target species when a year to the day since I saw my first of 2021 in exactly the same spot the north eastern corner of beach lake at its shore I saw two stunning Black-tailed Skimmers flying low over the water and interacting, landing a few times too allowing for photos like the eighth in this photoset. It was amazing that just like clockwork I saw it today I had started to look for it more at the shores of beach lake here especially and I felt I had a good chance for it today with the weather. It was another brilliant dragonfly to see lately and another top one at Lakeside. Another important step on my dragonfly and damselfly year list, I’m considerably ahead of how many I had seen in my top two dragon/damselfly year lists in total 2019 and 2021 for how many I had seen on this date in a year. Its extraordinary to think that go back three years I’d not seen a Black-tailed Skimmer at my local Lakeside but had elsewhere for a few years, but such is the amount I have seen them here since 2020 up until I saw the two today I was actually thinking where else would I see one if I didn’t at Lakeside for any reason which is quite something they have been one of the biggest revelations in the late spring/summer months since I began working from home. In the strong sunshine it was so good to see the shadow of the skimmer’s wings in the photos I took. I also loved seeing a gigantic Emperor dragonfly when walking down the path between the fenced off areas.

Also in the area I saw the skimmers a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was flying around, a pretty scarlet one which I’m starting to see a fair few of in recent days which is amazing they are a butterfly I worry about numbers wise and one I love. There is a chance I mistook yesterday’s Painted Lady sailing over the lake for this but I may not have. Of note for butterflies also was Marbled White as well as Meadow Brown in the glorious meadow by the woods where I have seen the former the last couple of days at Lakeside, but also a Marbled White in the northern fenced off area full of grass seen walking by its nice to see them at different parts of Lakeside this year now.

There were some lovely flowers seen on the walk today, headlined by the scabious in the fifth picture in this photoset, my first Lakeside knapweed for definite this year, lovely meadow crane’s-bill, oxeye daisy and broad leaved clover covering delightful meadows south of Kornwestheim lake. I also enjoyed seeing hedge woundwort, white clovers carpeting the green areas out the front it was amazing to admire the seas of this with a lot of it in the gorgeous evening sunlight tonight an amazing scene to behold its been a highlight of my spring seeing these take over the landscape the past couple of weeks its been so notable not something I’ve not witnessed before and I am really making the most it, hogweed I believe, pretty pinkish bindweed, black medick, vetch and agrimony on my walk.

Bird wise it was great to catch up with the young Great Crested Grebes and keep an eye on them for a bit again, as well as see Greylag goslings at various stages with adults flapping nicely by beach lake, also see a young Magpie with a parent I believe and possibly hear a young Green Woodpecker calling a high-pitched call. I took the sixth and seventh pictures in this photoset of Greylag Geese the goslings in the water and flapping adult. I was also thrilled to see Swallows skimming over Concorde lake with their smart blue coat and Swifts gliding against the bright blue sky, memorable images of summer days.

Woodpigeon and Collared Dove played a big part in my day, the Woodpigeon’s gentle coo a nice sound as I worked this morning and I saw both species with one coo-cooing in another’s face to try and get rid of it sat on the top of the roof visible from my room which I like seeing. And I loved seeing them in some golden sunlight on this roof tonight almost silhouette like in the bright lowering sun a time in these months especially I love photographing them. I was happy to see a Goldfinch youngster fed by a parent tonight on the balcony. I hope you all had a nice day.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first of one of my favourite dragonflies the Black-tailed Skimmer this year, one of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, two of my favourite butterflies the Small Tortoiseshell and Marbled White, another of my favourite dragonflies the Emperor, Swift, Swallow, Goldfinch, possibly the young Robin again, Starling, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Meadow Brown, Common Blue Damselfly I believe and I possibly heard Green Woodpecker and Blue Tit.

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envunlimited · 5 years

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Good morning 👋. My last #dragonfly posting was that of a male Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servili). This particular dragonfly in the #photo is the female of the species 😍. In my last posting, I did mention lots of details about the species, so I will not repeat myself 😉. Both genders' behaviors are very similar, and she also gave a me a hard time to get her on digital 😰. Something I did not mention before is that with this species, males sport the bright and flashy coloration in oder to entice the female to mate with him. But what happens when there is more than one male in scene? The answer is, I am not sure 😉. Well, during my #photography session at the canal, there were two males present and only this one female. What I observed was that the males kept flying around the female and every so often would chase each other in mid-air. The female would join the chase at points, but she kept coming back to her perching spot. Nothing too concrete and I never witnessed any consumation 😵. So, do you think the boy and girl Scarlet skimmers make a flamboyant couple 😂? Comments are most welcomed below 👇. #NikonD7200 #Nikkor105mm f/10, 1/160s, ISO 100, handheld, external flash with diffuser. If you are interested on this photo, please leave a comment below and/or visit my FB page 'Wings to Fly by Salci'. FYI, on Monday I will continue with more dragonfly postings. Thank you and have a great Friday and weekend 🙌. Best regards ✌. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0GOgFpJF6X/?igshid=celdu6m8xda2

#dragonfly #photo #photography #nikond7200 #nikkor105mm

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roleplayaswon-blog · 4 years

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Critter catching (1)

Won wandered the more unpopulated areas of the Leuda. He'd heard that some insects can sell for a nifty amount of Gold. He was suspicious of the claims, but he looked into the amount he could make, it was worth a try - particularly since he hasn't quite established himself yet and he'll need the cash.

A few hours later he was sweaty and feeling grungy, but it was worth it.

Southern Butterfly, 800G Pale Cloud Yellow, 190G Common Darter, 190G Scarlet Skimmer, 210G Emperor Cicada x2, 1400G Spotted Pond Frog, 300G White's Tree Frog, 150G Velvet Brush-Foot, 300G Genji Firefly, 150G ----- 3,690G

An excellent hull! A Southern Butterfly AND two Emperor Cicada combined is 2200G in and of itself, but combined with the other insects it's over 3000G! He'd most certainly have to try critter hunting again in the future.

Proof: https://photos.google.com/u/2/photo/AF1QipNvCfUwOlqRyrriqx2YAle1mfFVMzWkavxIO3yC

#pi:crittercatching #pi:minigames #pi:money

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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19/07/2021-A scorching Monday at Lakeside and home: Birds, butterflies, dragonflies and more

I took the first three pictures in this photoset of scarlet pimpernel in the garden, some characteristic of the day nice light and fluffy clouds in the ocean that was the bright blue sky today which was so beautiful and lovely to take in and a view on the way to Lakeside. Advancing along the green area north of Lakeside I was thrilled to spot two Southern Hawkers battling with each other and flying around. Great to see their electric green and blue colour and deciding with them by the hedges marking the boundary of Lakeside that they just about counted as inside it was a second hawker species that was a dragonfly patch tick in as many weeks after last week’s Brown Hawker. Alongside the Migrant Hawker of last September its great to have seen three on this urban site adding some nice diversity of the dragonflies alongside Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser and Common Darter which are common here.

Reaching the woodland path going north to south at the west of the site, a very welcome cooler place to be under the trees on this very hot day, I started another 15 minute Big Butterfly Count. The walk took me to the area shown in the fourth picture in this photoset the meadow between as I said on Twitter tonight what I now know is Kornwestheim lake the southernmost one - I had thought this one was called Concorde and the westernmost one that its joined to where the bridge goes over was called this but I found when submitting my butterfly count results on the map on the website that I was getting them the wrong way round - and the woods so this is east of the woods. Knornwestheim lake is named after one of Eastleigh’s two twin towns the one in Germany there is a French town in the tripartite link too.

I found last year this is one of the best spots for butterflies especially with the variety and amount of species there during the Big Butterfly Count in July within Lakeside so I was itching to get a count done here. I did the fifteen minutes in the woods, the meadow and going back through the lakes. I got great views of Woodpigeon on the way in and Blackbird in the woods the hotter weather perhaps meaning birds did not fly off instantly when you couldn’t avoid going past them so I got some special views of these. In the meadow part of the Big Butterfly Count that dominated whilst I didn’t have the time today to wait here all of the 15 minutes with me up against it in terms of getting back from my lunch break I saw so many butterflies here. On the whole count it was a very exciting battle between my two most numerous butterflies in the count so far Meadow Brown and Small White seeing 15 each of them I don’t recall a tie or too many close results before when I’ve done my counts. The Meadow Brown I expected to dominate but the Small Whites on their current influx right at the right time for the count as I said on Friday is a runaway star and different one to be doing well in my counts over the years so its nice to see. With their season maybe winding on a little here now three Marbled Whites were nice bright stars, one Gatekeeper was good I expect them to grow into the count as they did last year with me doing so many here its not two weeks since I saw my first of the year here. Silver Y one of the day flying moths targeted in the Big Butterfly Count is another surprise star early on I saw another one today after one in the meadows in the east of Lakeside on Friday. Not bad for a moth I’d never seen at Lakeside prior to Friday. This felt very rewarding to do again counting the butterflies to tell Butterfly Conservation what is around. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of some wild parsnip which has just started to take over that raised area looking towards the visitor centre which has worn a lot of nature’s colours in the form of flowers nicely together like cowslip, oxeye daisy and meadow crane’s-bill. I have liked learning this lovely yellow flower lately.

It became a brilliant lunch time of dragonflies fitting for this very hot and sunny day with exquisite views of both Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer especially with one landing on a stick over Kornwestheim Lake and for the skimmers on the way back too. I also loved seeing a young Moorhen with an adult very closely near to the edge of the lake a great avian encounter. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of a Magpie in the northern fenced off nature reserve area on the way out I managed to cover good ground on the walk in the end given the amount of time I eventually left myself with to walk at lunch and the heat.

When home I took the seventh picture in this photoset of a lovely scene of a Collared Dove and four young Starlings lined up on top of the roof visible from my room and if you look closely enough House Sparrows below. Another marvelous scene of lots of birds together lately and the Starlings looked quite dinosauresque interestingly for me. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of another fluffy sky scene tonight at home, ninth of plants on the balcony and tenth of a great before sunset scene one I was pleased with this photo and to see the scene. I hope you all had a nice Monday.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first of one of my favourite dragonflies the Southern Hawker seen on patch ever, one of my favourite butterflies the Marbled White, two more of my favourite dragonflies the Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White, Small Skipper, Silver Y, Moorhen, Greylag Geese looking nice again, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Starling, House Sparrow, Magpie, Collared Dove and Woodpigeon.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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14/06/2021: Part 2 of 2-The wildlife photos and experiences at Lakeside and home

On a scorching day I enjoyed a lot around the home before I went for my Lakeside walk, including the lovely rose on a bush in the back garden seen from my bedroom window which looked nice I took the first picture in this photoset of this. I was then thrilled in another productive photo session in the front garden to see some poor man’s weather-glass aka scarlet pimpernal (the latter probably the most common name for it, but I found it using the PlantNet app when I was first getting into flowers last year as the former when I first got into flowers in the late summer a time I look back on fondly seeing this on the green out the front and then at Cley and Salthouse Marshes in Norfolk). This was a flower I really loved learning last year one I find so addictive, sweet, small and colourful to see so I was thrilled to see this looking so nice. I took the second picture in this photoset of these. Alongside speedwell, daisy and some willowherb a nice tiny contingent of flowers making it to our stony front garden lately which is great these did look scrumptious and bright red in the sun. The cuckoo spit on the lavender flowers was still present after I noticed it on Friday and I couldn’t resist a macro photo of it gleaming in the sun the third in this photoset.

After taking in stunning views and noticing a lovely bright purple mallow on the grass by Lakeside which I tweeted a picture of tonight on Dans_Pictures another flower I loved learning last summer I reached Lakeside and was thrilled to spot a Swift gliding effortlessly through the bright blue sky on arrival. Low enough with my big lens on at this point to try for a photo not the easiest one to photograph they are of course so fast, but I just about managed a couple including the fourth picture in this photoset of this.

I reached beach lake the westernmost one and set about looking for one of my targets the Black-tailed Skimmer a lovely dragonfly that my Mum had seen here yesterday and I had for the first time of the year in 2020 on the 1st June that year. No sooner had I started taking in the wonderful views over this lake especially which I mentioned in my previous post about today than one of these excellently marked and bright coloured dragonflies danced over the grass in front of me leading me to a little reedbed area at the base of the lake where I confirmed it was this favourite dragonfly species of mine. I loved looking at it and taking it in for a little while being so in aw of it. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of it. This sparked a memorable and packed few minutes when as I caught a sight of some Mallards with ducklings in the northern edge of beach lake I saw in my binoculars with them was a beautiful burgundy Little Grebe. This was fantastic to see, I obviously see Great Crested Grebes so well here so often but this was only the second time I’d ever seen its smaller cousin here after last November. It was completely unexpected today and another amazing bird moment lately I loved watching it for a little while. Walking north of the lake a bit I couldn’t quite get a clear shot closer through the reeds and trees but I did see some nice heath spotted-orchid along the fringes of the path and I loved seeing these and yellow iris mixing together well and dominated the edges of the lakes which made for stunning views which I captured and tweeted photos of both star flowers recently. I did manage the sixth picture in this photoset of the Little Grebe with my big lens on for this and the dragonfly. Noticeable behind the grebe was a damselfly or it may have been a dragonfly

I then took some landscape photos and put my normal lens on. The lens I discovered the Saturday before last is a great option for dragonfly pictures with one of a Broad-bodied Chaser I was quite pleased with. I couldn’t have written it better then when the only seen fairly fair away in reeds and zipping past before during my lunch time walk today Black-tailed Skimmer or a Black-tailed Skimmer settled right next to me well within range for my 70-300mm lens I lapped up chances for photos of this tweeting the photo I took forward from this set. It was a utopian late spring/early summer afternoon as I watched the skimmer one of my favourite dragonflies three of them I believe which I didn’t really realise was at Lakeside having seen them at other locations before working from home patrol the bright blue lake.

I liked seeing damselflies around this lake and Swifts fly over and skim the lake here too. I also liked seeing the baby birds again; Canada Goose and goslings like the one in the seventh picture in this photoset, Coot chick like the one in the eighth picture in this photoset and Greylag goslings along with the ducklings. It was nice to enjoy all of this again. In the searing hear I went towards Concorde Lake through a very well grown up path here and almost brushed up against a lovely Banded Demoiselle here and I also spotted a bright Red Admiral flying around the vegetation which I was very pleased to see so well one of my favourite butterflies.

Going home past the visitor centre and looking over the southern fenced off nature reserve area where I hoped to see Meadow Browns and other insects on this route the Meadow Brown my Mum also saw at Lakeside yesterday on this stretch. Walking along here I was captivated by a great light coloured dragonfly prominently flying around. I watched it landed for ages trying to get a picture from the other side of the fence with my big lens I didn’t succeed. I worked out it was a female Common Darter thought another star of Lakeside last year which I found brilliant to see. It was my earliest ever sighting of a Common Darter in a year how many times did I say that about butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies including here a lot last year in the early progressing spring this year slower so it was nice to, to really show how in hot weather in June anything can happen. My previous earliest was 18th June at Bolderwood in the New Forest in 2017 for me.

What made the special Common Darter fly off was a butterfly flying into it and that was my target the Meadow Brown! I enjoyed a fantastic time watching this bright and warm looking butterfly on an oxeye daisy which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of. I was so happy I’d seen it, one of my next targets and my 25th butterfly species this year a figure I am thrilled with. But the Meadow Brown is often one of my most important butterfly sightings in a year as so often as it was this year (its only usually the Large Skipper that is the other one) its the first of the summer butterflies I see in a year. With the weather like this and now two key sights I see as summer rather than spring and signpost when the season transitions for me, this and foxglvoes on road verges on Saturday it feels very summery! I saw another Meadow Brown on the way out and enjoyed the meadows carpeted in bright oxeye daisies which I just loved seeing and taking in such beautiful scenes. I enjoyed at the flower patch in the estate on the way back the glorious poppies again one looking enormous and I took a photo I was happy with of that. There was something I found out in our personal life today which was something very sad about an important person in my life, but I felt at lunch time I did what I do best and let nature uplift me which was much needed being able to see these targets locally and it felt great to sneak them in before our holiday next week.

I did take a second Lakeside walk this evening with other things on including a day off an an organised walk we are going on tomorrow happening and preparation for holiday as the week goes on this the last evening walk with a camera and binoculars I’ll do before going on holiday. I loved taking in some beautiful scenes in the meadows of Lakeside to the east the area that would be my commute when working in the office, especially with the grass looking very long and some nice sky scenes formed at this time too. A lovely Kestrel flew over which I got a great view of near the kissing gate entrance where the Swift had darted over at lunch time. This evening it was great to enjoy Woodpigeon and Collared Dove on the roof visible from my room in the lowering sunlight, moth in the house again and a Lesser Black-backed Gull out the front which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of. I hope you have all had a nice day.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Meadow Brown, Black-tailed Skimmer and Common Darter of the year, one of my favourite butterflies the Red Admiral, Common Blue Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Lesser Black-backed Gull at Lakeside and home, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Coot, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Little Grebe, Swift, Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw including some on the green out the front where the Starlings and gulls have been spending a lot of times in the evenings lately adding to this well, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Starling, some lovely Long-tailed Tits at Lakeisde a great view, House Sparrow and Goldfinch.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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Monday 16th August 2021: Lakeside and home

On a day when the sun was in and out I enjoyed seeing a nice few flowers on the balcony and in the front garden before leaving for my Lakeside lunch time walks, a pink and red geranium each looking quite lonely in their respective pots now with not as many flowers about in the balcony pots and some in a pot hanging off of the balcony and in the garden the delights of a dandelion clock, the first andryala I recall seeing a sweet yellow one and more lovely poor man’s weather glass aka scarlet pimpernel looking lovely there are so many about at Lakeside and home lately with a great little carpet of them in the front garden I took the first picture in this photoset of one. Just before getting into Lakeside I enjoyed seeing blackberries as shown in the second picture I took today in this photoset and a nice patch of ragwort I’ve enjoyed a lot lately entangled with rich green oak leaves which I tweeted a photo of on Dans_Pictures tonight.

I took the third picture in this photoset looking over the southern fenced off nature reserve area on my way down to the lakes and also loved seeing pink great willowherb and yellow fleabane mixing nicely. I reflected today how lucky I am to have such a variety of special flowers so close to us at Lakeside. For butterfly purposes primarily we spent the weekend in perhaps the best place to see lots of wildflowers in summer meadow downland and it was amazing as I charted in my posts about the three sites. I reflected at Magdalen Hill how when seeing meadow crane’s-bill there it was quite something as probably the first place I’d seen one outside of Lakeside. And it hit me today I’m not sure I’ve seen the great willowherb or fleabane for that matter at many other places. The great willowherb especially Lakeside is a brilliant varied habitat for and I am lucky to see so many in the summer I have loved learning them the past couple of summers one I do like looking out for.

Reaching beach lake the Black-headed Gull in the fourth picture in this photoset was a delight to see a great intimate view. I walked around Kornwestheim lake shown in the fifth picture I took today in this photoset and it became a great walk of little flowers with speedwell, chamomile and perhaps the first scarlet pimpernel I’ve seen actually in Lakeside all shinning out nicely and I enjoyed getting pictures of them.

Alongside Coot and Moorhen well at lunch time I’ve not seen much of the former lately I was happy to get smashing views of the Great Crested Grebe pair on this lake. I saw one very closely before looking at the flowers swimming on the lake and then I was thrilled to notice the pair seem to have a nest not where I saw one last week but the usual spot at the north of the lake where they raised the three chicks from last year which is quite protected. So it may be a bit late now but its hopeful and it was good to see the pair around the nest together. A late resurgence in another dramatic and captivating breeding season I loved observing so much whilst working from home at Lakeside is hinted with all of this so we’ll see what happens. On the western shore of Kornwestheim lake the sun came out a little bit and deliciously lit the scene and my bridge camera on a rare lunch time walk with it proved a good tool to photograph a scene I have a lot with my DSLR in a different way getting more of the scene in with some reflected leaves in the sun looking especially nice.

Walking back west of Concorde lake then along the northern path it turned into a foray into fungi with some by where I stood next to Kornwestheim lake too it was great to see a few ahead of the autumn when I love seeing so many they are certainly coming out in numbers now and it seems to be a good time for them. This included the lovely shaped mushrooms in the sixth and seventh pictures in this photoset and a nice redish one which I enjoyed here last year and another too. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of lovely watermint which I’ve seen a fair bit of across Lakeside lately and ninth of concorde lake. A bright red male Common Darter flying along the northern path was symbolic of later summer starting to replace the Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmers that I enjoyed seeing so much this of year. On a great sunny evening with nice sky scenes again I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of this.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Greylag Geese still nicely about they stop being here daily at some point around now as has appeared to happen with the Canada Geese, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow well at Lakeside, Starling, House Sparrow, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Common Darter and fly.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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26/07/2021-Lakeside and home

It was fascinating to notice the moth of the moment a Silver Y with so many about lately in the house downstairs before bed last night, a notable first. I took the first three pictures in this photoset of a tree on the street out the back and buddleia and lavender with others in the front garden before going for my lunch time walk with them all delightfully drenched in sunlight once more. I very much much enjoyed taking in the glorious lavender in the garden as well as the buddleia with a bee buzzing around I saw well and photographed on the buddleia which I tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight having one in my room at one point too. The cameillia bush, one last rose in the big bush out the front which caught my eye yesterday I have loved the dog roses and others on the bush again this year and scarlet pimpernel looked nice in the front garden too and I loved seeing a Small White butterfly here again.

I reached Lakeside at lunch time, taking in the area around with a brilliant patch of white clovers and looking nice generally especially the flower patch on the way, and walked along the central path between the fenced off nature reserve areas which I took the fourth, fifth and ninth pictures in this photoset of views around. At Lakeside and home today at the height of summer I made the most of how gloriously emerald and full of leaf and flair everything looked. It was an insect fest along these paths too with 9 Gatekeepers, 7 Small White and 6 Meadow Brown in a Big Butterfly Count along here it was wonderful to see the Gatekeeper win its first count of mine in 2021 I’ve had a nice few different winners so far. There were Small Skippers about too and I got stunning views of Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor again and a male Common Darter dragonfly this scarlet beauty I’d not seen around here so far this year. Great willowherb, ragowort, big bindweed as shown in the seventh picture in this photoset and thistle including spear thistle added some floral flair to the lunch time walk that was mostly very sunny some very colourful flowers. I then delved into hoverflies with a the long hoverfly in the sixth picture in this photoset and a sun fly which I tweeted a picture of both looking divine. With the bee at home I was pleased with the macro pictures I got of these insects today. I’ve been able to take more photos and become more interested in hoverflies and bees since working from home began and the focus of some wildlife watching every day but all of a sudden I found ID a bit easier with the iNaturalist Seek app which has helped me massively with moths the past week since I downloaded it. They are harder to photograph but if this is the next big thing I really start to learn I am as they say, here for it.

And I was happy to get some great bird moments at the shore of beach lake when I walked down there seeing Black-headed Gulls and Mallards as I had before almost lounging out on a fishing jetty. It was a delightful image and did present a good photo opportunity not only for the birds together but I zoomed into the Black-headed Gulls too the eighth picture in this photoset one I took the Black-headed Gulls have made good subjects with other birds this summer here with the one of one bird at the top of a buoy with Greylag Geese gathering below as if it was making a speech so this was nice to add to it. I made the most of Greylag and Canada Geese again with them probably not at Lakeside often for much longer. I forgot to say that yesterday we got a nice view of the Greylags on my old school and college playing field so they possibly fly between here and Lakeside with the house in between I have seen more and more at home last week of course. Female Blackbird was a great one to see as I left Lakeside.

I got home and like a great willowherb from behind which I tweeted a picture of a view of the lavender, little bush, camellia and more through the railings in the front garden made a nice subject for a different perspective theme on a photography group we are in on Facebook that does themes. I got some cracking Lesser Black-backed Gull views as I worked today making out their fine markings particularly the slate grey back well. I took the tenth picture in this photoset of a view out the back with distant trees looking nice in the sun this afternoon. This evening between thunderstorms I liked seeing a faint rainbow which I took and tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight a photo of. I hope you all had a good Monday I did enjoy mine.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first ever long hoverfly and sun fly, two of my favourite dragonflies the Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Magpie well at Lakeside, Blackbird, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Blackcap, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small White, Small Skipper, Silver Y and bees.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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18th July 2021: Another very hot and sunny day at Lakeside and home

With the temperature going up further into today I took in my surroundings on the morning of another scorcher. This included seeing the lovely Collared Dove looking splendid in the bright sunshine which I got the first picture in this photoset of seeing it alongside another nice array of garden birds lately with a Feral Pigeon coming in nicely too which I got and tweeted tonight a picture of and in the afternoon I loved seeing some House Sparrows drinking in the hot weather from the water fountain pressed almost right up against the window on the ground in the back garden they do this a bit and this allowed for extremely intimate views of this much loved garden bird in Britain which I’m having a brilliant few days for. I also took the second and third pictures in this photoset of the balcony and some buddleia in the garden with the darker purple and a little bit with the lighter shade two photos I had ideas for coming into the day. It was interesting to see a bee and wasp come in briefly today with the back doors open.

Then at lunch time my Dad met up with me and Missy for a walk for the second day running this time locally to Lakeside which was useful on a very hot day not having to go far for her. We were over the green out the front with a sea of white clover and into the excellently emerald Lakeside with everything looking so bright and special in the sun. As well as the Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and other butterflies I got some smashing Emperor dragonfly views once more seeing these divine species darting across the path. When at the lakes it was such a great atmosphere to see so many people out enjoying the sunshine it felt like a real fantastic summer memory. I enjoyed seeing lots of Black-headed Gulls on the aptly for today named beach lake which I took the fourth picture in this photoset of. It was also nice to see groups of both Canada and Greylag Goose. Swifts were circling above nicely too. Walking on I took the fifth picture in this photoset of a view with one of the trees one I like looking at all through the year abloom with light green.

We then reached Concorde lake where it was really notable to see big fish very clearly near the surface of the water. I know the hot weather can deplete the lakes of oxygen from one lunch time walk last year when I saw the Environment Agency had put a pump in to reoxygenate the water so whether this had driven the fish to the surface today I’m not sure. Black-tailed Skimmer flitted around the shores nicely here and it was nice to make it a hat trick of bright blue insects today. There was a nice group of Mallards here too and I took the sixth picture in this photoset of the lake which you can see the fish within. I also took the seventh picture in this photoset of some lovely purple common knapweed a beautiful flower among lots of others such as oxeye daisy, bindweed and thistle to see today.

Walking on we found our way through the nice and cool woods into the field area at the west of Lakeside beside Monks Brook the same river we saw at Fleming Park yesterday a tributary to the Itchen which I took the eighth picture in this photoset a great sight on a very warm and hot day an area I have raved about a lot this spring and summer. And I found room for an impromptu fifth Big Butterfly Count so far since it began on Friday inspired by a Speckled Wood which I wanted to get counted as I hadn’t yet and in the 15 minutes I also saw one Red Admiral, fourteen Small Whites between here and the grass north of Lakeside on the way back as this was within the 15 minutes and two each of Meadow Brown and Ringlet getting a view of a great golden looking one of the latter in the sun on the grass area. Another lovely count and the field at the west was a beautiful area to take in during these conditions. I also saw a big Buzzard rising from this area near the bridge a bird that this part of the park has been a stronghold for. Nice to see one, very likely the same one two days running this weekend.

At home when back in among other things I had another nice photo session of flowers in the back garden taking the ninth picture in this photoset of hanging basket again after admiring the black medick and scarlet pimpernel in the front garden again. This evening I enjoyed seeing House Sparrow on the balcony and Starlings flying around in a nice group as I’ve seen a lot of this year. I also liked taking in the steeplebush and there was a nice moon out in the light today which I took a picture and tweeted on Dans_Pictures getting fuller now. There was also a prominent snail on a flower pot on the balcony which I loved seeing and photographing with my macro lens I’ve had a good year for snails. And with the sun lowering into that golden hour, the weekend rather ended as it had truly began on Saturday morning when I saw Greylag Geese flying over the back garden this time out the front seeing a group of them fly over nicely looking great and quite stirring. I hope you all had a nice weekend and have a great and safe week.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Buzzard, two of my favourite butterflies the Red Admiral and Marbled White, two of my favourite dragonflies the Emperor and Keeled Skimmer, Mallard, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Black-headed Gull, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Small Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Small White, Common Blue Damselfly, bee, wasp and snail.

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dansnaturepictures · 4 years

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25/05/20-Marsh and Pearl-bordered Fritillary and more on bank holiday Monday walk at Bentley Wood

I took the first picture in this photoset another of a spider in my bedroom en suite this morning. I believe its a new one and appears to have tried to consume the one that’s been there for ages that I photographed recently as I think that’s what its clutching in the photo and I saw it fallen down onto my sink this evening. We then headed to Bentley Wood for a walk this afternoon, I took the second picture in this photoset of nice green flowers there, with our main target a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly after seeing Pearl-bordered Fritillary this year already. We studied the well flowered and grassed field area near to the car park at the start and end of our walk another hot and wild one in the sun today. We did see some faded and battered Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and some Pearl-bordered Fritillaries of some description looking very pristine and flying very fast. We followed them for a bit but they didn’t land and we couldn’t quite make out in the binoculars any features to suggest they were Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary like the colour mosaic on the underwing or those fixed chevrons at the bottom of the wing compared to the Pearl-bordered’s floating ones. So whilst it was likely they were Small Pearl-bordered as they’re a species that are emerging right now so would be flying a lot and rarely landing we did not see them for long or well enough to confirm this or tick them off the list. So this will happily be one we’ll have to return to this lovely site to try for in the coming weeks.

What had bypassed me somewhat is that there are Marsh Fritillaries in this field area here a butterfly we normally see at Martin Down as we did last Sunday there. But my Mum’s husband had seen one on a visit here last week whilst I was working. Sure enough when in this field there was one spot in particular that was teeming with this special and well coloured butterfly today. I took the third and fourth pictures in this photoset of two here today. It was wonderful to get a second fix of these precious species this spring after seeing those at Martin Down last Sunday. Having them around too meant a lot of the smaller looking bright orange butterflies I saw flying today were them as well so that takes away any frustration a little bit that I couldn’t simply just see an orange butterfly flying and know it was Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries as there were two other similar sized and couloured species about. We did get exceptional views of the Marsh Fritillaries today it made me so happy they are one of the UK’s greatest butterflies and it was just nice to see some at a different place whilst Martin Down is a nice capital for them it’s the first I had ever seen outside of fellow top butterfly location Martin Down before.

I think I’d never really come here in late May before only mid-May and June among other times of year later or earlier so I didn’t know what was about here at this time exactly. I have in previous years done Bentley Wood on the Saturday seeing pearl-bordered in mid-May then seen marsh at Martin Down the next day on the Sunday so it’s intriguing they seem to emerge a little later here the marsh.

I took the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth pictures in this photoset of various views at this beautiful place on our walk on another beautiful day. As we walked around today it became a day of subsequent fixes of species I had seen in previous days across the board. In the woods we heard a Cuckoo calling quite loudly which was lovely. Obviously as a bird I saw two of yesterday after hearing a few before this year including here it is different and maybe more relaxed hearing them after you’ve seen them in a year. Its sort of relief that you can enjoy them without knowing you still have to see one in a year. But it’s still always magical to hear this iconic species not matter where or when. So it was more magical times today.

By the lovely little pools in the wood I once again saw Southern Hawker and Keeled Skimmer dragonflies year ticks in the New Forest yesterday as well as Broad-bodied Chaser and a selection of damselflies. Back in the field before we left it was lovely to see a few nice moths including one of my favourites the Five-spot Burnet as shown by the tenth and final picture I took in this photoset today. Rather embarrassingly I suppose I only last week had a think about moths and realised Five and Six-spot Burnet species are different species but were only recorded as one on my list as a six spot. I think the butterfly and moth book I originally had and used to identify the species as a teenager only had them as Six-spot Burnet so I just assumed it was all one species regardless of how many spots it had but I now know different. I had a look at my past photos of them and realised I had definitely seen both over the years so I separated them on my list of moths seen in my life spreadsheet. It turns out it was a Five-spot and not Six-spot as I initially first thought I first saw in 2010 at Lakeside and fell in love with. So of course both species alongside the quite similar Cinnabar moth and Scarlet Tiger moth too are on my less regimented than birds, butterflies etc. list of my favourite moths. So I thought I’d explain that in case you’ve never heard me describe Five-spot as a favourite before and wondered why.

A really lovely once again very sunny, hot and full of great wildlife walk this long weekend. Doing social distancing walks and other bits of relaxing this weekend I have found it such a precious and memorable time. I have seen so many beautiful places and top species some I needed to see for my year lists and others I marvelled at seeing again this year. The weekend safely put me in touch with habitats I had not seen for months due to the first bit of lockdown which I found so fascinating, rewarding and special. It was a true bank holiday and how they should be used in a safe way right now and I enjoyed it so much and will always look back on it as a hot and packed three days. I really have created some of my best wildlife and general memories this year. I hope you have all had a great weekend and have a good short working week!

Wildlife Sightings Summary: Two of my favourite birds the Buzzard and Jay, three of my favourite dragonflies the Broad-bodied Chaser, Keeled Skimmer and Southern Hawker, one of my favourite moths the Fix-spot Burnet, Blackbird, Marsh Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Common Blue Damselfly, some bees in a nest in a tree which was nice to see, Hornet, tadpole, lots of moths and I heard another of my favourite birds the Cuckoo and a Chiffchaff.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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Photos on my 2022 wildlife photos calendar and stories of them: May-December

May: Marsh Fritillary butterfly at Bentley Wood taken in May 2020

This macro photo was an unsung photo and runaway star of my batch of butterfly pictures in 2020 a batch I was so pleased with my first with my new macro lens which I was impressed with for the detail and quality it offers for them. I actually nearly said this was at Martin Down by accident in this blog which tells a story, as I had never seen a Marsh Fritillary outside of Martin Down before but things aligned last year for us to see them at Bentley Wood in the field we saw the Pearl-bordered Fritillary this year a few weeks ago. It was like unearthing a gem finding they were here and interesting to see them somewhere different after seeing them at Martin Down last spring. I like the natural work of art of those beautiful colours of this butterfly and feel the shot portrays that well, particularly standing out against my other butterflies for the sharpness and focus on its antenna which I love to do if I can. I like how this looks against a fairly uniform background of the grass its close to a solid colour I like the orange of the butterfly looking so bright against the pure lovely green in the sun, with such a gloss to the butterfly the sun really reflecting off it in the shot nicely. It’s so beautiful as one of the best butterflies we have and this photo gave me wonderful chance to include a different species that I never had before and one of our finest on one of my calendars which I love.

June: Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside taken in late April 2021

Taken less than 48 hours before I tweeted the line up of this calendar, this other favourite bird of mine completed a trio of late victors forcing their way onto my wildlife calendar as my first ever reverse wildcard. In that by this point I was already using my 2023 wildlife calendar photos folder to put photos from my days in. To start those folders off I chose some wildcards so photos from the weeks preceding my final calendar decision which did not make the next year’s calendar as by that point I was well into the final choosing so their chances to grow on me were reduced and these go forward to compete for the next calendar. The what I call reverse one is if I take a picture after the new folder is set up but before I reveal the calendar which I want to put on I can do. As I had done and photographed memorably with a recent Twitter display picture one about a month prior these birds were doing the very beginnings of a natural spectacle which I have never seen all the way through despite having these birds so locally to me the Great Crested Grebe courtship dance. I saw these birds that day and the ones before this year, a regular pair that produced chicks on this lake last year so memorably I believe one of my reserve photos to be placed on a day box on the calendar is of this as my next post shows, line up to each other, mimic each other’s position and move a little. I had watched in aw every time I saw this in 2021. But at this moment, after seeing another pair’s adorable chicks on the other lake, it was so perfect. They were sat without a care in the world doing this on the water right beside a fishing jetty, vacant at the time I got safely closer to it and lapped a chance for like the other late successful photos Mute Swan and Cuckoo multiple shots which I took forward what turned out as three. This right place right time with my DSLR and big lens shot brings an elegant side of nature to the calendar and whilst it’s a bird I’ve featured on calendars a lot and at Lakeside over the years something I’d never showcased on one before. My experiences with these birds this year taking me right back to how I first fell in love with them at Lakeside in my early birdwatching days. I was so pleased with the sharpness and colour of this photo and the detail. A real fantastic moment I was so in aw of nature here one of my favourite species. With maybe the choosing for calendars and what would look nice sharp in my mind at that time having done the final bits of choosing right from when I was at Lakeside with this photo out of the batch I knew it looked like a calendar photo and it set up my most dramatic ending ever to one of my choosing calendar projects.

July: Keeled Skimmer dragonfly at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest taken in July 2020

With my other wildlife photo quota added this year so at least one photo from this group it gave me the chance with this one to do something I’ve wanted to for a few years, place my first ever dragonfly photo on one of my calendars. As a key maybe unsung in those summer into autumn and spring before months star of my hobby dragon or damselflies needed it for me I think. This photo portrays one of my most amazing moments on one of my best days last year and ever for watching classic New Forest wildlife of which I am so proud with this shiny golden female. Other factors did make it a tough day as that evening came for me but I must use moments like this, 10 years on from when my butterfly interest began which paved the way for me to like dragonflies I did find them fascinating as a kid actually but properly watch, to remember this as one of my greatest and most special classic summer days. I was in the right place at the right time to produce a rare dragonfly macro picture for me as I had my macro lens on at that time from chasing butterflies Common Grayling and Silver-studded Blue classic New Forest species and among my favourites like Keeled Skimmer which brighten up the bogs and heath in summer, usually you can’t get close to dragonflies and they don’t stay put as long as butterflies so I usually use my big lens as my main one for them. But there’s a reason I prefer a macro for insects with the greatest respect to my big lens which has produced last year and the years prior some dragonfly pictures I’m pleased with because the macro offers top close up detail. So this potentially makes this photo stand out from others of the same kind for me.

August: Scarlet Tiger moth taken in July 2020

Featuring heavily in my end of year posts involving photos was that Monday off in July 2020, one of my greatest ever days for insect watching and insect photography, with dozens of butterflies and great a great beetle too alongside other wildlife and views on a scorching and very blue skied day. I had some of my best ever butterfly moments with some of the most I’ve ever seen at once. I took such a memorable set of photos that day I think I definitely wanted one on this calendar I’d have put them all on if I could but they were actually already printed some of them in a photo book I got for Christmas of some of my photos taken during time off I had in 2020. Through the route of searching for my other wildlife representative it’s my first ever moth to make a calendar alongside the dragonfly that does it which is also deserved given the amount of further exploration into moths I did over the past year. This picture I found electric and so lucky to get like the Keeled Skimmer you don’t see them landed for long and can’t get close to them too often. It was such a happy moment to create a bright image of another natural and stunning work of art for me, a species that has become one of my favourite moths I have a strong fascination with it and am starting to love it a lot with its enticing colour scheme and I find it quintessential of rich summer days for me its one I feel will be fitting for August.

September: Kestrel at Lakeside taken in September 2020

It was two late 2020 Lakeside shots that battled it out to be my in air bird representative another photo I like to fill a quota for in the calendar, this and a Buzzard there a month later both I was happy with the Buzzard gets a day box but this Kestrel I just felt the real brightness and the backlighting of the tail feathers which make this image for me fitted the upbeat brightness I like having for the calendars. It was one of my standout flying pictures of the period of time the calendar photos are taken from. Like I’ve had with Kestrel so much at Lakeside being so in aw of birds of prey so close to home whilst working from home it was an amazing moment as I saw it so close in that really nice sunshine and I thought about a photo and then got to take that wonderful chance. I hadn’t had the best record for photographing Kestrels at that point at Lakeside but this changed all that as rather a goal achieved so one of the photos I most loved and found one of my best photos over the working from home months at Lakeside. To see sensational wildlife like that and be able to take photos on my lunch break is incredible. I became used to being stunned by falcons on lunch with the Peregrines on Winchester Cathedral when I’m in this office so this kept up the tradition nicely. This photo brings out a lot of beautiful colour I think and it was one of the photos I knew I wanted on this calendar very early on.

October: Wilson’s Phalarope at Pennington taken in October 2020

Like the Cuckoo this photo gave me an opportunity to put a photo I never had on a calendar and of a pretty rare species too. An opportunity in the choosing I could not pass up as it won’t happen every year. This shot one of many taken from a second look at this incredible bird giving phenomenal views in the channel beside fishtail lagoon stood out against the rest. I like how the sun lights up the back of its neck and how like a few of them its deliciously yellow legs are so visible in the clear, calm and still water. The photo felt sun drenched and as one of our most smashingly amazing views of a bird that was new to us and one we twitched it gave me such strong opportunities to mark the occasion one that called for phone videos of the bird too it was that close with a photo. Its an honour to put this species on the calendar.

November: Red Deers at Bushy Park taken October 2020

I was itching to get down on that Sunday for the Wilson’s Phalarope and a Grey Phalarope which we saw too with my beloved Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve in the headlines as the day before we went on our pre-planned big trip to Bushy park for the Red Deer rut and more and it was a massive trip last year with over 60 photos produced making it one of my best ever weekends of wildlife and photography and generally. Red Deer to fill the mammal calendar quota I’ve had for years but for other reasons too obviously must be one of the species to appear on my calendars most as we do the annual usually Richmond and also Bushy Park trip in October the Richmond bit taken off due to COVID safety considerations last year and you get such amazing photo opportunities in the rut they’re definitely one of my favourite sets too so it’s a good bet a Red Deer shot will be the strongest mammal I feel I’ve taken over the period. Like the 2018 trip for the 2020 calendar female/young made the calendar rather than a headline stag. And like 2018 the one making the calendar toppled the other one I felt was stronger at the time. There was one I took that day of a female looking into the lens somewhat giving me mona lisa vibes but I felt this one fitted the calendar better with that bright photo feel I do feel from this you see where the Red Deer gets its name as that rich colour is portrayed nicely. I do just love looking at this picture to remind me of that moment with the protective Mum and young in one of my highlights of my 2020 as it always is in a year and I look forward to seeing it printed.

December: Mute Swan at Weymouth’s RSPB Lodmoor taken in April 2021

The other late success story of the calendar, forcing its way onto a calendar which already contained the Keyhaven Mute Swan last year which got on the cover. That Monday I instantly knew this one of a batch of the photos of two swans competed with it and I had to make room for both. It was perfect timing with that evening sunlight that very sunny week off when we came to Lodmoor the second part of one of my greatest ever birdwatching and spring days going to Portland beforehand. These swans quenched our interest coming towards us with their wings nicely spread behind them they were perhaps approaching in the hope of food or maybe it was territorial against other birds which swans can me. This one stood out from the batch with as well as the almost angelic wings the face area with the water droplets sharply in focus and that entertaining bit of mud around the tip of the beak. Like I said about the Keyhaven Mute Swan and its aquatic plant hanging down, a saturated market for me at Lakeside and elsewhere with Mute Swans but features like this make it stand out.

I’ll have my post with the reserve photos getting the day boxes in half an hour and my last post had the other photos that I put on this calendar.

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