Migrant Hawker laying eggs

There were loads of insects about on this very warm day during a family outing to Burghley House. Silver Y moths and Hornets were particularly obvious but this female Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) laying eggs in the pond was the only one to sit for a photo.

Nikon CP995.

A few garden visitors.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria)


Hawthorn Shield Bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)


The rather wierd-looking larva of the hover-fly Epistrophe eligans.


Common Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris).

Nikon CP995.

Pectoral Sandpiper

A great find for Steve Dudley but unfortunately only a couple of people had permission to visit the private site the bird favoured. Another bird or perhaps the same one appeared on the High Wash of the Nene the day after during a large influx of the species into the UK. A difficult subject for digiscoping.

First winter Pectoral Sandpiper (Caladris melanotos)


Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 32x eyepiece.

Mandarins, Ferry Meadows

Mandarin are not often seen around the Peterborough area and certainly not right in front of a hide at the country park. A perfect digiscoping opportunity and some nice images from the party of five birds. The group included adult female, eclipsed male and juveniles but the species is hard to age with certainty.

Mandarin (Aix galericulata)
 
 
 

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Tayside Dragons

Visiting family in Tayside provided an opportunity to see some insects we don't get in the Peterboroughb area. Among them were these:

Black Darter (Sympetrum danae)



Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea)


Female Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Nikon CP995.

Prior's Fen waders

When the habitat is right Prior's Fen excels at drawing in passage waders. On this occasion a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, a Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers were together there.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferrugnea), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)


Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferrugnea)

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Holly Blue

One of my first shots taken with the Coolpix 995 and the first really fine macro.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

Nikon CP995

Grey Heron, Ferry Meadows

One of my first shots taken with the Coolpix 995

Nikon CP995

Lunar Hornet Moth

On a visit to Ferry Meadows Mike (World of Nature) Weedon and I came across what at first sight appeared to be a Hornet. Such a beast would naturally attract our attention as we tried to get a closer look it became apparent that this was no ordinary Hornet. In fact is wasn't a Hornet at all but one of the clearwing moths. This is the Lunar Hornet Moth, a large Hornet mimic that lays its eggs in Willows, where the larvae burrow into the wood.

Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis

Video grab.