Bracing!

Skegness is not only bracing but can be character forming!

Rarity hunting is a hit and miss affair. If you go out with high hopes and low expectations you will be happy as usually the low expectations are justified. The trouble comes when a run of reported rarities and apparently excellent weather conditions raise those expectations. Thus when I set out for Skegness with Steve and Katie disappointment was always a possibility. In the end a fair number of Goldcrests couldn't compensate for the paucity of other species. A Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Woodcock, a Stonechat, an Avocet, a few Brent Geese and a probable fly over Rock Pipit is not a good return on 6 hours intensive searching on the east coast in October.

The Goldcrests were at least incredibly tame and came close enough to take some photos without the need for further magnification.

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)


Common Darters were relaxed enough on a fallen tree to attempt the classic eye shot.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)




Nikon CP995.

Leopard Slug

A very unhurried lunchtime visit to Tanholt Pit resulted in some close views of Long-tailed Tits with Great Tit, Blue Tit, Goldcrest and a Kingfisher. 70 Redwing and 4 Fieldfare flew west ahead of a squall that had me sheltering under some trees where this beauty (?) posed for some pics. The birds refused to settle for any decent shots unless you count the little chap at the bottom :).

Leopard Slug (Limax maximus)



Nikon CP995.

"You didn't see me, right!"

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

Hoverflies

Prior's Fen and Stonebridge Corner were buzzing with insects in warm sunshine following the heavy rain this morning. A Southern Hawker out on the fen and a Hornet on ivy flowers at Stonebridge Corner were the highlights. There were plenty of other insects using the ivy flowers including several hoverflies.

Eristalis tenax


Nikon CP995.

Grasshoppers

Elton Water Meadows is in fact in Fotheringhay parish over the border in Northants but is adjacent to Elton lock. These grasshoppers were on the banks of the Nene.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper (Chorthippus albomarginatus)
Female

Male

Nikon CP995.

Sparrow @ my house

A bit more digiscoping practice, handheld using my recently homemade adapter. This House Sparrow made an interesting portrait.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

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

Snake not in the grass

A bit of shock to see this in the road on the way from Etton to Maxey. Good job I normally slow down here to glance along the Maxey Cut. More shots on Weedon's World of Nature.

Grass Snake (Natrix natrix)



Nikon CP995

Red Admirable

Another visit to Prior's Fen looking, unsuccessfully, for storm-blown seabirds (or anything else). This corker sat up at Stonebridge Corner in full sun on a chilly cloudless morning.

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)


Nikon CP995.

Windswept Wheatear

This week I ar' mostly been findin' Wheatears. Another one at Prior's Fen in a stiff norwesterly. 4 Ruff, 3 Dunlin and c.100 Golden Plover also around.

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)


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

Oak Bush-cricket

Just one from a mainly family outing to Suffolk. This was taken in Rendlesham Forest on heather. One has since turned up in our garden in Elton on a wine rope in an Alder tree.

Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema thalassinum), female

Nikon CP995

Indigo Wheatear

Not sure what is causing the indigo shades on this bird's plumage but it made a handsome sight in the early morning light. It was at the southern end of Willow Hall Lane on Flag Fen.

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)


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

Pip-squeak

Pipistrelles are very common sight around our house and the roof was once home to a maternal roost of 200 or so. This one was probably a victim of the recent stormy weather. It has a slightly injured right side but climbed the tree we moved it to so might survive.

Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)


Nikon CP995

That Shrike Again

Well frankly I didn't even expect it to stay overnight let alone 8 days. But here it is still favouring bushes on the north side of the second pit along the footpath from Stonebridge Corner. A Marsh Harrier, 3 Hobbies, 2 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a Wheatear were the supporting cast on this beautiful morning.

The warm early light helps to enhance the rather reddish tail.

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), first winter.


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

Snail Killer!

This Sciomyzid fly is one of a group whose larvae feed on snails. Possibly a female Euthycera fumigata or similar.



Nikon CP995

Garden Birds

After an erratic performance at the Red-backed Shrike I thought I could do with some digiscoping practice so the birds in the garden got some attention.

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)


Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)


House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

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

Butcher Bird at Prior's

About time we had a confiding Red-backed Shrike in the Peterborough area and it almost goes without saying that it was Kevin Du Rose who located it. That was on the Friday evening, when there was also a Spotted Redshank flying about. These pictures were taken the following morning in beautiful sunshine. 3 Dunlin, 3 Ruff, 20 Golden Plover, c.1000 Lapwing, 5 Wigeon, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, at least 7 Yellow Wagtails and a Whinchat were also present.

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)





Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x and 32x eyepieces.

Prior's Fen

A return to an old haunt and some good birds including my first Golden Plover of the autumn, 8 Snipe, 3 juvenile Shelduck and c.250 Lapwing. The female or immature Garganey was with a good selection of duck including a Wigeon.

Garganey (Anas querquedula)




Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus)

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

Redstart, Ferry Meadows

Don Gardener struck again with yet another Redstart for the Peterborough area. This one is much more showy than other recent ones and, as an adult male, was much more photogenic. I managed a few hurried digiscope pics before trains and trainspotters caused it to retreat from where it fed along the railway line near the bridge over the Nene.

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

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

Along the Railway

Another largely bird-free walk, this time from Castor Mill to Wansford Station and back following the Nene Valley Railway for a lot of the time.

Forest Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) at Water Newton Lock


This young Rat at the picnic area at Wansford Station was extremely bold. One group of diners had barely left before it was out hoovering up the remains.
Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)


Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum), female


A popular target for many of the large number of rail enthusiasts along the route: the recently restored steam engine, Mayflower.
"Mayflower", Class 'B1', No 1306


Nikon CP995

Old Sulehay Fungi

A good long walk around Old Sulehay forest looked like being practically bird-free before we came across a huge mixed flock of small birds. Most of the small birds in the wood must have been among the 60 or 70 Blue, Great, Long-tailed, Marsh and Coal Tits, Treecreepers and Nuthatches. Before that the main interest had been the plants.

Common Stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus)



Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)


Many Zoned Bracket/Polypore (Trametes versicolor or Coriolus versicolor)




Clustered Tough-shank (Collybia confluens) (Thanks to Alan Silverside for ID)


Ants-eye view of a fungus


The fruit of the Arum Lilly (Zantedeschia Aethiopica), AKA Lord's & Ladies or Cuckoo Pint. I photographed one of the flowers back in April.


A busy Badger sett

Nikon CP995.