Greenshank & a Murder Suspect!

A visit to Filey Dams yesterday afternoon and from the main pool hide (hope I have the right name) two Greenshank were at the furthest most point of the pool out front of the hide. Fortunately they began moving around the edge of the pool anti clockwise and went around the front of the pool in front of me. One then flew off but the other bird remained and came fairly close.

We then moved to the other hide and after all the birds on the reserve went up a Sparrowhawk sailed by and I missed it with the camera.  A Little Stint was very distant and then we had a treat of three Ruff out front which I will post tomorrow.

A great hour. We then popped into the still newish Tesco's in Filey next door is the library. As we drove passed three or four police officers had a guy handcuffed, I wondered if it was the murder suspect from Northumberland who has been on the run a week or so (why I do not know). Yep, national news this morning said he had been apprehended in N Yorkshire in a Library.

Wheatear in its summer home

One bird I have caught up with many times this year is the Wheatear. When on holiday in the Scottish Borders we found the wonderful moors around the Lammermuir Hills north of Longformacus which held Red Grouse, Meadow Pipits, Curlew, Stone Chats, Whin Chat and of course the Wheatear.

We spent a couple of days visiting this location and parked up close to where Wheatear dropped  onto a fence post close too. I managed a good number of shots over the two days, overcast at times but the first day had bright periods, I find the second days pictures better with no bright sunlight causing hard reflections.

I have only processed a few pictures so far but despite the slightly dull light I am happy with the results.

Golden Ringed Dragonfly

I took these pictures a week last Sunday in Harwood Dale.  Having just started to walk from the barrier onto the forest track we soon came across certainly 3 maybe 4 of these dragonflies and this one set down for a good while.

The pictures were taken at the long end of my Sigma 50 - 500mm lens, and to be honest I am a tad disappointed certainly with the side views. From behind with the sun light over my shoulder the results are nicer.

I took pictures of this dragonfly a few years ago and perhaps the results using my prime 400mm lens, which supposedly is also macro were better.

These are certainly easily recognisable dragonflys being big (70 - 100mm), the black and yellow body pattern, the eyes just meeting in a point on the head. Apparently the male has an anal triangle at the base of the hindwing and auricles on section 2 but even zooming right in I cannot tell! Perhaps someone can help.

I would ask you to double click these pictures to look at them in a larger size.

On the door step! Little Egret

We had a ride to the Yorkshire Dales yesterday and went up on the moor behind Masham just beyond Louthwaite Reservoir it was a lovely day, a bit breezy but we saw Peregrine, Wheatear, Meadow Pipits, Red Grouse, Kestrel, usual stalwarts of the moors. No photographs though.

Get home having my tea and someone comes to the door to say that there is a Little Egret on the weir on the River Derwent just 200 - 300 metres from home. I rushed my tea and got out to get relatively close whilst the Egret was on the weir, under trees this gave a nice black background against the white of the bird. It then flew in a tree which is a first for me and offered some different shots.

It just goes to show you can travel 130 miles only to find the best (only) shots of the day on the doorstep.

Young Reed Warblers - North Cave

The other bird shots last Sunday at North Cave were off these young Reed Warblers.

They were in the hedgerow above a ditch and at least three of them were seen. I guess I would not be so lucky with adult birds. Carrying my tripod mostly on my shoulder on the circuit around the reserve paid off. They say you should always use a tripod for wildlife photography but its not always that convenient or easy. I have a Cley Spy Mule pack so it goes on my back but once the camera and lens is atop it goes on my shoulder which 3 days later is still sore. But its worth it.

Hope you like the shots.

Spoilt by vegetation

Fluffed up

Common Tern - North Cave YWT

A good visit to North Cave Wetlands today where the temperature was 10 degrees more than at home and was lovely and sunny, seems a while since that was the case. Its that time of year when the birding scene is quieter but there was plenty of butterflies and we saw Peacocks, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Gatekeeper, Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood.

I got loads of shots of some young Reed Warblers which I will process and publish a few. Towards the end of the walk a Common Tern was fishing over the pool and when it came close I tried my luck for about five minutes most were to far off but I like the pictures in this sequence particularly the first shot.

Dragonfly Nymph

I got these shots of Dragonfly Nymph on Friday extraordinarily as far as I am concerned in a neighbours garden pond, only, six foot long. They emerged up the lily stems But the Dragonfly's have not emerged in the cool, wet weather we have had over the weekend, I fear the worse.

Apologies for the lack of comments on the blogs I usually frequent, goggle has become hideous, I make a comment it wants my password, I enter my password, it makes the comment and then states the action could not be completed. Suggestions on a postcard, that's all I can use!

All shots taken with Sigma 50 - 500mm lens