It is quite a while since the Great Tit youngsters left the nest. I saw an adult and three fledglings two days after that first flight and then they disappeared until last Friday afternoon. I can't be sure they were the same family but there they were - one adult and three youngsters. The first part of the video was shot through an area of the kitchen window with strong reflections but things got better when they moved to a feeder close by.
Since then they have been spotted around the garden on most days.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Friday, 15 July 2011
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
A Wednesday of Wings
It's that time of year when the air is busy with insects. Some times too many for comfort. Sunday was a good day for lazing in the garden but that idea didn't last very long as everything was soon covered by an invasion of greenfly and those tiny thunder flies. At least one spider must have been happy when its web filled up with breakfast, lunch and dinner for days ahead.
There is a bush growing just over the fence though most of it seems to be my side. Over the past week it has been a constant attraction for scores of bumble bees.
It is also the start of the Crane Fly season here. They often stay in the same place on a window for hours on end. (That is not a sting but a back leg in line with its body)
Finally it is also the damselfly season on my garden pond. There have been several males and a few female Bluetailed Damselflies.
There is a bush growing just over the fence though most of it seems to be my side. Over the past week it has been a constant attraction for scores of bumble bees.
It is also the start of the Crane Fly season here. They often stay in the same place on a window for hours on end. (That is not a sting but a back leg in line with its body)
Finally it is also the damselfly season on my garden pond. There have been several males and a few female Bluetailed Damselflies.
Monday, 11 July 2011
Macro on Monday - Guess What
Aha. Caught you all out last week. I love to chop up some chives to sprinkle on a chunk of cheese and last week's close up was of a chives flower.
This week for an experiment instead of giving a clue I have taken three photos, through the microscope, of different parts of the same object. The parts are not to scale. Each is the result of stacking between 20 and 30 focus stacked shots.
Guess what:
Good luck. No prizes, just for fun.
I must start putting my glasses on to read the time on my bedside radio. Shot out of bed this morning only to find it was 5.15 a.m. and not my usual 6.15 a.m.. It was beautifully deserted on our earlier than usual walkabout. I did get one surprise on our return. It has been quite a while since I saw a Heron in the garden pond. As I glanced out of the kitchen window it took me by surprise when one took off. I had forgotten just how big they are.
This week for an experiment instead of giving a clue I have taken three photos, through the microscope, of different parts of the same object. The parts are not to scale. Each is the result of stacking between 20 and 30 focus stacked shots.
Guess what:
Good luck. No prizes, just for fun.
I must start putting my glasses on to read the time on my bedside radio. Shot out of bed this morning only to find it was 5.15 a.m. and not my usual 6.15 a.m.. It was beautifully deserted on our earlier than usual walkabout. I did get one surprise on our return. It has been quite a while since I saw a Heron in the garden pond. As I glanced out of the kitchen window it took me by surprise when one took off. I had forgotten just how big they are.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Hungry Juvenile Jackdaw
I'm here Ma and I'm hungry:
Oh well. If you won't feed me I'll see what this tastes like::
Photos were enhanced using the ReDynaMix plugin.
Oh well. If you won't feed me I'll see what this tastes like::
Photos were enhanced using the ReDynaMix plugin.
Friday, 8 July 2011
Friday at the Flicks - Juvenile Jackdaws, Red Admiral
Just a bit wet here last night. Raging thunderstorm with 0.61 inches (15.5mm) of rain recorded in half an hour. Not a lot by some standards but a great deal for this part of the country. It was so intense that the even the satellite TV signal was lost.
Every morning for the past few days the air has been filled with the squawking of hungry juvenile Jackdaws. They are old enough to feed themselves and if they pester the adults they get chased away. As always Jackdaws are very wary and fly away if they see the slightest human movement so part of this video was filmed through the kitchen window and the remainder captured automatically by the Hedgehog camera.
Visits by butterflies are still something of a rarity this year. I have seen a few whites and the occasional brown flutter through the garden but this Red Admiral has been the only one to stay for a short while.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Every morning for the past few days the air has been filled with the squawking of hungry juvenile Jackdaws. They are old enough to feed themselves and if they pester the adults they get chased away. As always Jackdaws are very wary and fly away if they see the slightest human movement so part of this video was filmed through the kitchen window and the remainder captured automatically by the Hedgehog camera.
Visits by butterflies are still something of a rarity this year. I have seen a few whites and the occasional brown flutter through the garden but this Red Admiral has been the only one to stay for a short while.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Median Wasp
At this time of year there are always wasps visiting the pond to drink but yesterday was the first time I had noticed this particular variety. A Median Wasp - Dolichovespula media. Common to much of Europe this is a relatively new species to Britain having appeared in the 1980s
Not the best of views but it wouldn't cooperate, always coming back to the same lily leaf and always facing the same way. For a good view showing the markings and shape hover over the thumbnail on this page on Garden Safari.
Not the best of views but it wouldn't cooperate, always coming back to the same lily leaf and always facing the same way. For a good view showing the markings and shape hover over the thumbnail on this page on Garden Safari.
Monday, 4 July 2011
Macro on Monday - Guess What
Congratulations and virtual Gold Stars to Adrian, Wilma and Keith for identifying the close shot of a tea bag, Sydney would have been proud of you. (For those who remember the Tetley Tea Folk)
I couldn't make my mind up what to use today but finally decided on this.
Guess what:
Clue: Love it with a chunk of cheese, though not this part.
No prizes. Just for fun.
I couldn't make my mind up what to use today but finally decided on this.
Guess what:
Clue: Love it with a chunk of cheese, though not this part.
No prizes. Just for fun.
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