I was not so active during this week, so this blog post will be a little shorter than my recent output! Do I hear Diane giving a sigh of relief?!
Thursday, 18th August Garden
In the evening, after dark, I noticed a small moth on the outside of my study window, so went out with a small pot and brought it in. It was an Orange Swift - only the second one that I have seen.
 |
| Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina) (male) - Garden on 18th August, 2022 |
Friday 19th August Drakelow Nature Reserve
I made a return visit to Drakelow NR this day. I called into the first hide, very near the car park, and found it empty with little to be seen, so didn't stop long. Before departing I took a shot of a swan.
 |
| Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - Drakelow NR |
Shortly after leaving the hide, I saw a dragonfly land nearby. For some reason, it looked rather large and rather bright blue and I wondered if I'd got something special, but it turned out to be be just another Migrant Hawker!
 |
| Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) (male) - Drakelow NR |
I then set off for the platform overlooking the next small lake from the entrance. I know I seem to be posting a lot of shots of Speckled Wood butterfly lately, but I am rather fond of them and I have probably seen more of this species than any other butterfly this season. Here's one that I stopped for on the way.
 |
| Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) - Drakelow NR |
Arriving at the platform, a Migrant Hawker seemed to take as much interest in me as I did in it, so this gave me some flight photo opportunities.
 |
| Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) (male) - Drakelow NR |
Having been uncertain about the identity of the red-eyed damselflies I saw on my previous visit to this platform, I kept my eyes open looking for damselflies this time round. I was, therefore, pleased when one showed up and, although it remained very distant, it raised the rear of its abdoment so that I could see the diagnostic 'cross' marking on the last segments of the abdomen - it was Small Red-eyed Damselfly! This was only my fourth site for this species and my second local one.
 |
| Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) (male) - Drakelow NR |
Having left the platform and continued on the trail, I found a Southern Hawker by 'the crossroads'. Southern Hawkers do seem to like to perch low down. I had to get down on my knees to photograph this one - something that I do not do much of these days, mainly because of difficulty in getting up again!
 |
| Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) (male) - Drakelow NR |
During my wanderings, I took a few more photos.
 |
| Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (immature male) - Drakelow NR |
 |
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) - Drakelow NR |
 |
| Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) (male) - Drakelow NR |
 |
| Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) (male) - Drakelow NR |
Saturday, 20th August Garden
The previous day, Lindsay had noticed a very pale bird in the garden, and I only got a split-second glimpse before it departed. However, it re-appeared briefly on this day, and was considered to be a leucistic House Sparrow. I only managed a record shot of it taken at an angle through double-glazing.
 |
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) (leucistic) - Garden on 20th August, 2022 |
Most of the seed that we put out for the birds is sunflower hearts. In spite of being hulled they do tend to grow when spilled onto soil, and each year I let a few grow to full maturity. Although there is some variation in the plants that grow, they are usually single-headed and reach around 1.3 metres tall. This year I had one grow exceptionally strongly and reached 2.1 metres tall with a single head. When the flower was finished, I removed the dead head and, to my amazement it then produced side shoots with a further nine heads. It really looked quite splendid!
 |
| Sunflower (Helianthus var.) - Garden on 21st August, 2022 |
 |
| Silver Y (Autographa gamma f. gammina ?) - from garden on 21st August, 2022 |
 |
| Small Ranunculus (Hecatera dysodea) - from garden on 21st August, 2022 |
This brings me to the end of my account of some of the highlights of the third week in August. I expect that my next post will cover the fourth week, and will be a bit longer than this one - sorry, Diane! In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard
The Orange Swift is a stunning moth, and started us off on yet another enjoyable ramble through your third week in August. I am already looking forward to your fourth.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy September Richard. Kind Regards....Pete.
Thank you, Pete. I hope the fourth week doesn't disappoint! Sorry for the late response - rather a lot going on at the moment. Best wishes - - - Richard
DeleteHi Richard! Great observations. What a tall sunflower!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. Sadly, the last flower on that sunflower has now finished.
DeleteGood morning, Richard. Orange Swift is a very handsome moth indeed. I bet you were thrilled to have it pay a visit. Lots of other interesting moths in this post too. The diversity of form in moths never ceases to amaze me. The odenates seem to have been cooperating too. Maybe you can have them send a message to their cousins over here that's it's nice to settle for a picture once in a while! You will not be surprised that I was happy to see those two enigmatic and entirely laudable CANADA Geese. They have occupied so many corners of the world and have formed discrete populations I wonder whether a few million years from now they will have evolved into new species. We'll never know will we? All the best to you and Lindsay. David
ReplyDeleteHello David. All dragonflies have to settle eventually, and I must spend an inordinate amount of time watching them, waiting for them to do just that. However, most of the time they just disappear instead!
DeleteSadly, I suspect that most UK birders look upon Canada Geese with an element of disdain, as they are so common and visible. However, for me, they are a constant reminder that I have cherished friends over on the other side of the pond. As for the evolution question, I think I'd be surprised if life on Earth existed after a few thousand (or even hundred) years the way that things are going - forget 'millions'
Hoping that all is well with you both - - - Richard
Some cracking odonata shots Richard. Love the flights shots. Take care.
ReplyDeleteMarc
Thank you, Marc. The Migrant Hawkers (we have plenty of them currently) are being quite cooperative for photos. Stay safe - - - Richard
DeleteIt's such a pleasure to click on your bookmarked link and be so thoroughly entertained!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding moths, dragons, damsels, birds - each photographed so expertly! (Okay, we shall not talk about the sparrow as yours truly has taken many a photo through the windows.)
Congratulations on the in-flight captures of the Migrant Hawker! Not an easy task.
Too much coffee this morning compels me to agree with what you told David about waiting for dragons to land but with a linguistic punny twist. I also spend an "inodonate" amount of time waiting on them. (Apologies.)
Gini and I continue alternating our schedule with medical offices and forest and swamp. Aging, but not gracefully.
We both hope you and Lindsay are well and enjoying this new week as it barrels ahead.
'Inodonate' - I must remember that one, Wally!
DeleteI'm starting to feel that you and I are in competition with each other for medical-related visits. If so, I think I may be winning this week. By the end of Thursday I will have had five appointments in the week, followed by a visit to the pharmacy on Friday to collect the next months batch of medication! I'm going to try and squeeze a couple of hours out in my own 'swamp' tomorrow. At least, unlike poor Lindsay, I don't feel that I am suffering much more than inconvenience.
Best wishes to you and Gini - - - Richard
Beautiful images of the Migrant Hawker Richard, they are in flight.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bob. It is good to hear from you. I was getting a bit worried as you hadn't updated your blog for a while.
DeleteI find that waving my arms about holding a heavy camera trying to get flight shots is getting a bit difficult at my age, but those Migrant Hawkers do have a habit of stopping in mid-air momentarily - which helps immensely!
Best wishes - take good care - - - Richard
Beautiful photos of the birds, insects and flowers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Caroline. Best wishes - - Richard
DeleteHello Richard, :=) Due to a few computer glitches, and the disappearance of my on-screen mouse image I could not visit sooner. Thankfully all has been restored to normal. The three moth images are stunning, and I'm glad you got to see the small, red-eyed Damselfly again, and the photos of them are beautiful. Your Migrant Hawer in flight images are fantastic, I know just how difficult it is to capture them whilst they are flying around. All your Migrant Hawker images are wonderful, in fact every dragonfly and damselfly picture are a joy to see. The giant nine headed Sunflower is an impressive and cheery sight. I do the same thing with my dahlias when I nip off the top flower to encourage more flowers to grow. Thank you for another enjoyable post.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Hello Richard
ReplyDeletethe third week is great, the aerial view, even if the dragonfly played along, is worth seeing. I know myself how difficult it is to get such a recording or, to put it another way, I know myself how none of my recordings succeed...;-)
Greetings Frank
Your very kind comment made me smile, Frank - thank you!
DeleteBest wishes to you and Yiva - - - - Richard