While walking down the lane yesterday I finally got to see the first dragonfly of the season, a Common Hawker which did at least land a couple of times. The first time Penny managed to scare it away but on the second I managed a few shots though lighting conditions didn't help in showing the wing structure.
I am always fascinated by the geometrical regularity and beauty of natures' structures as on this Bull Thistle found at the edge of the cricket field.
Minnie the Minx Windmill is based on the Beano comic character though to be true she should have red and not yellow on her jumper.
I can't work out whether she is commercially made or home made but given a bit of breeze she does work hard and while she's doing that she can't get up to any mischief.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Yesterday was another scorcher. I spent part of the morning installing some extra lighting for hoggy cam. In the afternoon we went for a leisurely stroll down a local lane. There wasn't much in the way of wildlife to see as I think most was sheltering from the heat.
A lone Wood Pigeon sat in tree taking no notice of us as we walked past.
At one stage a small frog hopped across the path and disappeared in the long grass. Fortunately Bobby hadn't spotted it .
Most of the thistles have gone to seed but every now and then there would be a lone late flower.
On the way back home we pass the now defunct village post office (how to kill the heart of a village in one easy lesson). Denis and Marion still have lovely hanging baskets though.
A couple of the trees that the council planted some years ago are groaning under the weight of their crop of brilliant red berries.
Bobby loves his walks and never refuses to go but by the time we were wending our way home he definitely had that expression which said, "It's too hot for me" and " Is someone going to carry me?"
After a saucer of cool milk and a quick snack he got himself in his most comfortable position for a well earned doze letting plenty of fresh air cool his tired paws.
As I said at the start, I had rigged up a couple of modern 12V white LED lamps. They are a lot brighter than I thought they would be. I had fixed them to shine across the feeding area where the Hedgehogs visit. The idea was to have enough light to keep the camera in colour. At the same time I had masked off most of the IR LEDs in the camera. When I first switched the new lights on last night I wondered if the brightness would put off any hogs but the lure of dried mealworms still worked. I need to experiment with the position of the lights as they glare if the hog gets right in front of them but on the whole they are doing the job.
A few short extracts from last nights visit.
It wasn't just Bobby who slept well last night. Normally I wake up two or three times in the night but I only woke once very briefly otherwise slept soundly until the radio came on at 6.30 this morning.
