Dragonflies X Two

Two Dragonflies on the wing now are the Black-tailed Skimmer and the Norfolk Hawker.

The Black-tailed Skimmer was quite helpful and repeatedly posed in several convenient places.

Black-tailed Skimmer

The Norfolk Hawker was the more difficult one to get near enough for a decent image.

Norfolk Hawker

A Collection of Images

Some nature and countryside images taken this week.

Goldfinches are making themselves heard now by singing away mostly high up in trees.

I managed to catch this fine specimen down a little lower.

I still have poor news to report about the lack of butterflies at this time.

Speckled Woods are the only species that I have seen regularly.

This Sand Martin below appears to be collecting nest material, more likely for nest maintenance.

  

I have only seen a few Swallows this year.

Barley appears to be the crop of choice by the local Farmers this year.

The images of this male yellowhammer required a lot of post production as the light was behind the subject.

A female below with food for the brood.

The flower below, common name 'Fox and Cubs' (Pilosella aurantica), was found on an odd patch of grass. This was the same location as I found it in a previous year. Like then it has since been uprooted by some moron.

A public footpath through a Barley field.

A Portland Walk

A walk around Portland Bill in the sunshine.

Something I don't normally see whilst walking at Portland Bill is Dragonflies.

There is a new small patch of water that has been opened up at Culverwell and I was able to observe this Broad-bodied Chaser (Male) at the edge of the water.

Rose Chafer Beetle.

A male Goldfinch singing away on a twig.

This Rock Pipit was enjoying the plentiful supply of insects in the open fields.

A female Linnet.

One of the resident Common Buzzards was observed soring over the Top Fields.

The Grey Wagtail

The Grey Wagtail.

A bird that is widespread in UK and Ireland.

It likes fast and slow moving rivers and is never very far from one or the other.

Although a resident species mostly, it will migrate South in very cold Winters.

It is on the UK Amber conservation list, but not the European list.

At this time it is very busy breeding young and as you can see from some of my images is catching various flies over the water and on river weed.

I was pleased to find these birds on my local river this year. On a separate location some 8 miles away I use to see a pair on a small river, but this year they are missing.  The life span of this species has been recorded up to 7 years.