More birds

Posted in birds, garden, oxfordshire, photography with tags on 17 May 2012 by bramblejungle

Closer to home, the garden has been taken over by blackbirds with fledglings; it’s proved hard to get photos, as the adults chase the juveniles under cover at any sign of danger, but I did manage to capture this chick waiting for a parent to return with foodSupper time

In search of butterflies

Posted in "Butts Piece", birds, oxfordshire, photography, Uncategorized, wildlife with tags , , on 13 May 2012 by bramblejungle

After the wettest April on record, May hasn’t been a lot better until this weekend, and there don’t seem to be as many butterflies around as usual. In a couple of hours round and about I saw a few small/large whites and a speckled wood or two, but not much else. At Butts Piece there was a single Orange-tip Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and a Holly Blue Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)
It’s not all bad news, though: fledgling starlings are everywhere (especially good as their numbers are in steep decline nationally) Starlings and house sparrows seem to be doing well too Sparrows Swallows are nesting in farm buildings Swallows and this pied wagtail probably has nestlings to feed Pied wagtail There are chiffchaffs Chiffchaff and it looks like a good year for rabbits. Rabbit

Little things…

Posted in garden, insects, oxfordshire, photography, wildlife with tags , , , on 26 April 2012 by bramblejungle

Not a lot of bug life around in this wet weather, but I found a couple of leafhoppers: Eupteryx florida (common on deadnettle) Eupteryx florida and this, which might be Zyginella pulchra (if it is, why is it on birch instead of its usual maple?) Leafhopper Meanwhile may as well practise on ants Ant

Ready for the bug season

Posted in oxfordshire, photography, wildlife with tags , , on 21 April 2012 by bramblejungle

Some bugs are nocturnal, and I’d hate to miss them, so I’ve transferred the old headlamp to the new camera: Midnight macro kit It seems to work, but after a heavy shower there don’t seem to be a lot of bugs to test it on – luckily this snail didn’t mind being used as a model Snail

More Spring activity

Posted in "red kite", birds, flight, garden, insects, oxfordshire, photography, Uncategorized, wildlife with tags , , , , on 14 April 2012 by bramblejungle

As we move into Spring, ladybirds are already tackling aphids7-spot ladybird attacking an aphid

The common bee-fly, Bombylius major, is looking for solitary bee nests where it lays its eggsBee fly (Bombylius major)

This nursery-web spider is looking for a mealNursery web spider - Pisaura mirabilis

and Red Kites are around (as usual, but they make great photos)Red kite (Milvus milvus)

Pollinators

Posted in bumblebee, garden, insects, oxfordshire, photography, Uncategorized, wildlife with tags , , , , on 12 April 2012 by bramblejungle

Between the showers, today’s April sunshine brought some early pollinators out of hiding:
Tawny mining bee (Andrena fulva)Solitary beeAnother solitary beeHoverfly (Eristalis sp.?)Common carder bee (Bombus Pascuorum)

Scarlet tigers

Posted in "Butts Piece", insects, oxfordshire, photography, wildlife with tags , , , on 1 April 2012 by bramblejungle

Scarlet Tiger Moth (Callimorpha dominula) caterpillar
Last week there were quite a few Scarlet Tiger Moth caterpillars at Butts Piece. Today I found one; perhaps last night’s frost killed the earliest of them, or perhaps they went to ground and will emerge when it gets warmer – I’ll keep an eye on them.

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