Lining up
“That’s a big camera,” said R, as he approached me along the river bank in Stratford. “What are you photographing?” It was a bold move, I have to say. I’d imagine you can do someone quite a lot of damage, … Continued
Featherlegs
At round 3.5cm long, the White-legged Damselfly is one of the UK’s largest damselflies. It’s also not readily mistaken for any other species: the pale, feathery legs with expanded tibiae, the paired thoracic stripes, the chestnut wing spots and the … Continued
Final moult
When I caught sight of this Drake Mackerel Mayfly on a bank of bramble and nettles down at Cleeve Prior Mill this afternoon, I wondered what on earth she was doing sitting out in the open like this: they’re usually … Continued
Chasing Chasers
We’ve moved into what looks as if it might be quite a tricky period of weather. It was stormy overnight, which didn’t help me catch up on my rest after a tiring day, and this morning dawned dark, windy, and … Continued
Freshly Scarce
I worked my local Odonata beat today, starting at Cleeve Prior Community Orchard, then dropping down to the Avon at Cleeve Prior Mill, before swinging round to the Heart of England Forest section of the river near Barton. My field … Continued
Praenubila
This morning the Orchard Pond at Cleeve Prior Community Orchard was being ruled by a pair of Four-spotted Chasers. They were, of course, chasing each other, but they also set on any other large insects they noticed trying to access … Continued
Reflective
The weather went over a cliff overnight, taking my energy and my mood with it. Abandoning a vague plan I’d had to go after small early butterflies up on Prestbury Hill – even if it wasn’t too cold and windy … Continued