lesson 1, Food selection and preparation.

With the county proving a little slim on the bird pickings a trip out for a lesson in capture, preparation and serving of lunch was on the books for the day. I was impressed at the service and menu selection! Part one of on the lunch selection.

Selection made it was,

of for the preparation.

Prep under way and a little pre-taster for tenderness!

The it was to the delivery.

The kids got ready for lunch.

The it was dinner was served.

A little impatience.

Correction the presentation.

Slicing the main course.

A fine morning was had watching this feeding taking place and seeing the young out practicing as they chased the adults around screaming their heads of, even stooping on the odd unsuspecting crow or two.

An exciting demonstration of Ariel mastery. and a good group of record shots

Cheers

Paul

Its church on sundays

After a brief visit to VP confirmed it was best to move on, so it was Berrington for a look around before the the fishing season gets under way this week, cant see the point of drowning maggots for a past time! So it was of the Church as it was Sunday, Acton Burnell church to be precise, initial reaction was bugger they ain't here, so it was lunch in the shade on the grass a bit of a snooze, and Bugger they is here sighting and hearing their little call. close to but not in the actual churchyard this year.

They the parents and young performed like seasoned Star's in all sorts of poses.

And the action was frenetic

Inquisitive this one was always reacting to the shutter.

A Quadspot from the Berrington visit

Common Blue Damsel, on grass before the strimmer man got there.

Having not seen a Clubtail on the River for a while now, and since they wired up the pedestrian entrance and barb wired the gate, I was pleased to find this one at Berrington not in the book by the way as being present, interesting eh! good job Club tails do not read dragonfly distribution books.

So there you go a little of what was going on over the weekend well Sunday actually.

More during the week I hope.

Cheers

Paul

Halcyon days? ( Click image for larger view)

This chap looked as about as peed of, as a crow could get I think, with the temperatures down and the incessant rain I do not suppose he would have managed a smile, But rain does not stop play in Shropshire when the birds are about after a couple of passing through Terns at VP a nice, maybe the same Black tailed Godwit put in some brief appearances. With the Hirundines encouraging a Hobby to make a swoop for a Sand martin, which managed to jink out of the way at the last minute. Hirundines were low all through the ran and made for some interesting subject matter, as you will see.

A drying session was in order after the rain.

And in a brief but bright spell the colours really came out.

A bit of a scratch.

A quick overhead check.

it was continue drying out.

Other wise it was a fairly mundane visit to the VP, I decided to not twitch the Wood sandpiper just in case the ringers hide collapsed under all the weight!

Cheers

Paul

Out and about some more.

The change came with a vengeance, it bucketed down for hours overnight and as with every thing this front had a silver lining Curlew Sandpiper, Common tern and Blacktailed Godwit all very nice additions to the list for the year Common Tern at VP this morning

A Black Tailed Godwit also from this mornings rain.

Curlew Sandpiper from yesterday evening

I do not know why but it has taken me an age to find a Raft Spider boy they am big.

Birds foot Trefoil a good early food plant.

So there you go a touch of the county oer the last week, Sunshine, Rain etc.

Cheers

Paul

Out and about in Shropshire

With the weather having been so good and the chance of a change due, I decided to check out some of the other places around the county. Birds were in short supply so I concentrated on the also ran's and I am glad I did. There is no order to the pictures just some of the captures from the day. As a point of interest, you might wonder why Bees do not drink at every flower they visit? well that is because if they have been visited before, the bees having smelly feet they can smell that the flower has been emptied
.The White faced darters on the Moss at Whixall were in and out as the cloud cover changed.

These field Pansies were brilliant on the Heath at Prees.

Cotton grass blowing in the wind has always been one of me favourite images.

A Common Blue taking part of the abundance of Birds foot trefoil.

A Cinnabar.

Butterfly's were low compared to the number of Bee's

A Beautiful Demoiselle

For whatever reason just could not get them on the background I wanted.

A few more in the next out and about trio

Cheers

Paul

Another early check on the Norfolk ditch at VP eventually produced my second emerging Emperor Dragonfly of the season I was lucky to see this one just before it flew. The score to date is Clubtail, Four spotted chaser and the emperor a reasonable start. A different perspective of Venus Pools in this dewdrop from this morning..As with a lot of other plants and animals these are becoming harder to find, A Ragged Robin.

A Large RedDamselfly at Berrington

A Common Blue at the same place.

From this alien looking larval case to,

This magnificent we beastie the Emperor Dragonfly.

Just a bit of what is going on around us at this excellent period of the start of the Summer.

More to come I hope trying for Green hairstreak next and Pearlbordered frittilery

cheers

Paul