Rookery Clay Pits

Where man has left the land untouched for many years a diverse flora and fauna has so far survived. There are plans afoot which, against the wishes of many, will destroy some of these areas. The Grizzled Skipper and the Wall Brown will disappear for good ...

Duke of Burgundy

After a cloudy start, the sun finally emerged on the Bedfordshire chalk, and with it a few butterflies - including this fine Duke of Burgundy.

Rammamere Heath & King's Wood NNR

It has taken over twenty years of (casual) searching to find an Adder on Rammamere Heath (Buckinghamshire). Not suprising, however, as a great deal was learnt in April on how to best locate them. Weather-wise it was sunny intervals (4/8 Octas), with the mercury approaching 14 Celcius and a coolish SSW wind at Beaufort 3-4. This individual was basking out of the wind on the sunny side of a tangle of dead bracken and birch branches.

Canon 40D, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/200sec, f / 10, ISO 200, tripod

There were plenty of male Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella moths on the wing around the birch saplings.

Sunrise

A short visit to the local patch at dawn revealed a misty scene.

Macro Fun

I'm really enjoying the new macro lens. The Green Hairstreak was showing well in the warm sun at Stewartby Lake. So far the extra reach of the 180mm has proven its value when approaching flighty subjects.

Canon 40D, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/160th sec, f/9.0, ISO 100, tripod

I can't find a name for this small spider which was lurking on a dead flower head - amazing camouflage !

This is Gymnochaeta viridis, very similar to the Greenbottle from which it differs by having hairy eyes. The second image shows a 'sun-tanned' individual - the bronze colour is acquired with age.

 

Ants and Adders

What promised to be the sunniest day over the Easter period did not quite live up to expectations. The chance to photograph an Adder in Bedfordshire was, however, realised. There were four or five females on show by mid-morning as the sun tried to burn off the cloud.  Some were seen to increase their surface area by flattening their bodies and therefore increasing the warming effect of the sun.

Image taken with the Tamron macro (still getting to know this lens). The cloudy eye suggests sloughing of the skin will be soon

Canon 350D, Tamron 180mm macro,
1/125th sec, f /10, ISO 400, handheld

There were a number of active Wood Ant nests over the site. They cannot sting but do bite and can spray formic acid.

Honey Bee

There were a few bees around the Hazel today - just in time to try out the new macro lens - a Tamron 180mm. Roll-on warmer weather !

Afternoon Walk