Archived & Upcoming Images of the Day
One end of a Roof ridge has made a perch for this juvenile Wood Pigeon.
This scruffy mess exactly matches the description in the ID book!
Sorry about the pile of guano in front of the bird.
"It was like this when I arrived!"
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In the dappled sunlight of late evening a male Reeve's Muntjac Deer walks quietly through the orchard, we assume deciding which apple to pick up.
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Two minutes later this Reeves Muntjac Deer is crunching away at an apple.
Reeve's Muntjac Deer usually take the small apples into the mouth whole
and then crush and chew it.
This one took about a minute to finish this apple.
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But really big apples get lumps bitten off just like a human might.
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What we think must be a juvenile Kestrel has made several appearances while establishing a hunting territory.
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The (probably) juvenile Kestrel looking for places to hunt has made a number of visits to us, here including the meadow Post. On this occasion a single image of the Kestrel was replaced (while the camera was re-cycling) by this gorgeous male Sparrowhawk.
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The male Sparrowhawk spent about 7 minutes on the post, being 'buzzed' repeatedly by the Kestrel it had displaced, although we never got lucky with her in flight on the camera. But the Sparrowhawk assumed some fascinating positions while following the Kestrels path.
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Whether the out-of-frame Kestrel's antics, or just finished his visit, we don't know, the Sparrowhawk decided to leave.
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A mature female Ruddy Darter Dragonfly on the tip of a cut Blackberry stem shows the sun shining through the orange pterostigma - the coloured patches near the tips of the wings - that are present but takes many forms in the various Odonata species.
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In the fitful midday sun female Common Darter Dragonfly rests on a twig waiting for a meal to fly by.
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The intricacy of Dragonflies is incredible - this is a zoom on the female Common Darter Dragonfly to relish her complicated form. Note the yellow stripe down each leg that (among other things) differentiates this species from the 'Ruddy'.
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Found on the drying washing was this Green Shieldbug who stayed put long enough for his portrait.
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Two weeks later we see our third Green Shieldbug of this season, here in the hand. Looks like this species is having a 'good year'.
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Two views of a Red Admiral Butterfly feeding on the flower of the moment - a Yellow Buddleia that we expect to flower until the first serious frost.
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What used to be seen by the hundred here, this lone Tortoiseshell Butterfly perches on the edge of a small sunflower.
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The next generation of Comma Butterflies has emerged, and will be making the most of nectar, juice from rotting fruit, and the like, ready to survive the coming winter.
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Here you see the white 'comma' that appears only on the bottom of the rear wings of the Comma Butterfly.
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Whoosh - 2 seconds of a Rabbit streaking across the grass margin to gain the safety of our plot at the left. The Rabbit started running upon seeing us about 70m away to the right and reached 'peak speed' on the 'level' grass. Rabbit shooters have been about for the last few weeks and by now any tolerance of humans will be long gone.
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A closer view of the speeding Rabbit.
Muybridge (the Victorian moving image photographer) might have loved this, and
then got how Horses run as completely wrong as the artists of the time!
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Ooh - that looks tasty!
"Crunch!"
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Increasing numbers of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) are appearing at the hedge bottom, this one showing a lovely shadow on the stone.
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After several weeks absence the Tawny Owl makes a couple of visits to the meadow
post half an hour apart on either side of midnight, top and then bottom right in
this montage.
The return may be have been encouraged by either the increase in the Mouse
population, or the previous afternoons hack down of undergrowth around the post.
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A male Ruddy Darter Dragonfly perched on bent over Iris leaf.
This is how they hunt - perch over the water and dash out when they see something to catch.
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We caught this male Ruddy Darter Dragonfly while perched on a piece of Iris leaf,
which accompanies it in the photo.
This is the BOTTOM view of the insect - the red top and sides of the abdomen is
not carried through underneath - something we noted many years ago when photographing
dragonflies in UV light on both sides.
Details of this project are on the web site.
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A Few Ruddy Darters are stationed around the ponds. This one was perched on a dead Blackberry stem ready to leap out to catch any passing midge.
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We have let the Mint flowers go riot this year and have been rewarded by lots of insects stopping by to enjoy the flowers. This is a Red Admiral, wings closed, enjoying 'lunch' in the sunshine.
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A Red Admiral Butterfly perched on a decidedly caterpillar munched Hawthorn leaf.
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The female Holly Blue Butterfly is a small insect, as you can see relative to this smaller than average Oxeye Daisy. The bottom of the wings is a soft blue with characteristic pattern of dots, while the top of the wings is a much darker blue, the female (here) also having the dark edge.
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The female Holly Blue Butterfly is a small insect. The bottom of the wings is a soft blue with characteristic pattern of dots, while the top of the wings is a much darker blue, the female (here) also having the dark edge.
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The female Holly Blue Butterfly is a small insect. The bottom of the wings is a soft blue with characteristic pattern of dots, while the top of the wings is a much darker blue, the female (here) also having the dark edge.
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On one of the recently cut Field margins this opening Convolvulus (which
sort of 'unfolds' origami style) attracts this Common Blue Butterfly for a feed.
This is the only pic we got before it flew off into the adjacent hedge.
Not 'Common' here at all.
The label is not a mistake - the female Common Blue Butterfly isn't blue
on either side of the wings!
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A Common Carpet Moth makes a couple of flights
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This Lesser Swallow Prominent Moth was a reluctant flyer, but is such an stunning woodland stick mimic we had to show you.
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A tiny Brimstone moth flies by. The wings are similar marked on both sides as you see here.
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This Sexton Beetle, with bright orange patches, made its first recorded appearance here caught in the overnight moth-trap. We released the Sexton Beetle onto the grass for a photo against something natural. We adore the orange tips to the antennae at the bottom. After a couple of minutes he flew away just fine.
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Before releasing the Sexton Beetle out of doors (see above) we tried to get him to fly for us. But Beetles are generally reluctant to 'fly to order', and these are the best we got.
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This is a Lesser Yellow Underwing Moth who flew quite well for us. We have assembled 3 separate flights into this interpretation.
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Like many 'Underwing' moths, this Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Moth looks a dull brown when perched, but comes to life in flight.
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We only found a single Hawk Moth in the trap - this Poplar Hawk Moth. The Brown patch doesn't show at all in the resting insect.
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Out first sighting of a Frosted Orange Moth, but a reluctant flyer. The photo-kit here takes 3 consecutive frames (all with flash) at about 250mS intervals. This insect tended to jump onto the soft paintbrushes we use to tease them into flight, and we catch the moment that this one departed. Read bottom upwards.
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A Plume Moth in flight. When perched the multiple wing 'plumes' merge together to make the insect look a capital 'T' with long top bar. We are not sure of the exact species, but it was brownish rather than the more usual 'white' varieties we see here.
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We thought the Polecat would steer clear of this site after an earlier encounter, but apparently the flash and camera noise isn't that scary.
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The Polecat, first seen on the left first moving left, then right at the Round Pond, continued right for 70 metres to arrive at the Hedge bottom about 5 minutes later.
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At the Woodland site (set up for larger creatures) the camera manages to catch the whole of this Badger passing through.
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A male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly perched in shade in the south hedge. It's been too hot for most insects to be out in the sun during the early afternoon.
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A male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly hangs from the desiccated leaves of a
cut Blackberry stem.
Blackberry is a valuable wildlife resource, but keeping access past areas
where they grow is a constant chore - stems can grow across a path in
just a week.
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The most numerous Hawker Dragonfly this year is the Migrant Hawker. Here is a male flying by accurately positioned at about 7 fps.
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A Swallow making a lovely aerial twist into a dive.
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A Swallow flying over head, photographed at about 7 fps. The gaps between the images have been closed up.
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A male Chaffinch 'having a go' at another on the ground.
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Generally, out of breeding season, Chaffinches are aggressive to other of their species. But here 3 each males and females seem to be feeding quietly together. Perhaps this bunch are just easy-going - our experience is that most creatures with complex behaviour also have varying personalities.
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Of about 15 images, we offer this 5 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) over 3 nights.
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Next night it was the turn of some Voles to be out and about. On the left we see a 'Short-tailed Field Vole' and on the right a 'Bank Vole'.
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A Rabbit's tryst as darkness falls?
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The red speck (a partly hidden Apple) just in front of the fox in the top frame appears seconds later firmly clamped in the foxes jaws.
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The Fox arrived peacefully (left) is suddenly joined by a second Fox (with less marked tail) and a scuffle ensures. 5 minutes later just the original Fox regains his place.
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A badger at the end of the orchard finds a large windfall apple. It is obviously too large to swallow whole, so bites off a lump. The bottom frame is after the Badger has wandered off, and you can see the remains of the apple in the grass.
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A female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly perched for a little portrait.
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As in most years, there are several Migrant Hawker Dragonflies feeding on Midges over the meadow. This male perched long enough for a profile and full 'mug shot'.
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This female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly is eating her latest catch (some sort of Midge) while on the wing. Once she has sucked her prize dry she will drop the body and wings to the ground.
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One of several Migrant Hawker Dragonflies feeding over the meadow.
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All of our Oak trees are producing Acorns almost entirely spoiled by Knopper Galls. We guess the early start to the season has spoiled the Oak tree 'strategy' of late start and early finish to minimise a plethora of diseases and insect infestations.
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The Rose of Sharon is now producing seeds.
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A female Sparrowhawk lands on the meadow post for an at most one minute visit in the evening light.
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A female Sparrowhawk lands on the meadow post for an at most one minute visit in the evening light.
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5 days after the evening visit we showed earlier, another visit by the Sparrowhawk, this time for at least 11 minutes in the early morning with completely different lighting. Here is a selection.
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This days particular juicy foods attracts an assortment of insects.
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Food on the top of the tree-stump here attracts a Red Underwing Moth to have a feed. These two moments 5 minutes apart and montaged.
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We must stop deriding Wood Pigeon Nests as 'three sticks is enough'!
The meadow post automatic camera captured images of (presumably
just one) Wood Pigeon endlessly stopping on the top of the post
with 30 different twigs in little over 24 hours. The bird may of
course stopped off elsewhere as well, and we don't know where the
nest is. But enjoy 12 of the 'twigs' - its quite hard to see how
the bird can fly with some of the more awkward shapes.
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A more detailed view of another of the 30 twigs we saw brought to the meadow post.
Over the next few days a few more twigs passed this way.
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The Polecat makes a rare visit to one of the high quality photo sites, providing a sort of 'head and shoulders' portrait.
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A perky and pristine Great Tit.
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This male Chaffinch is flying in to land.
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In the Red corner, a Juvenile Robin redbreast.
In the Blue corner, a great Tit.
Let battle commence - we have no idea what happened.
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This female Kestrel made a sudden appearance, hunting over the recently harvested fields. While in our view she made about 7 hovers, each of only an atypically short 3 or 4 seconds, before sweeping across to another hovering position. Here, vertically stacked top to bottom, is one of the short hovers. As you can see the bird was unusually active in the blustery wind. These 3 taken in less than half a second.
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Here the female Kestrel flies to another hunting hover. We didn't see her drop to the ground before she vanished hundreds of metres away.
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Having startled the Roe Deer in the meadow, we later discovered that the camera at the Round Pond has already 'seen' the Roe Deer.
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The male Roe Deer also visited the woodland feeding site, and provided this
clear view of the Deer's head. We notice that the antlers have had a 'point' broken off - the
short point on the left in this photo.
"You should see the other guy ..."
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Two days after the first appearance, probably the same male Roe Deer wanders over a diagonal (with a double back) across the plot over 40 minutes
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On an early morning walk after a wet night we came across this strand of slime
hanging from a tree next to a path with a pair of Leopard Slugs at the bottom
tightly entwined in a mating embrace. Over the next 20 minutes we took over 100
pics of this event, overheating the flashgun on the 'little' camera with
us.
This initial shot (poor natural light) helps provides context.
The strand plus Slugs at the bottom is about 0.5m long, and the same distance
for the slugs down to the ground.
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A close up of the Slugs, with their genitalia entwined.
These enormous organs are extruded from the bodies and pulled
back in after mating.
Slugs are Hermaphrodites - they are both male and female and
here fertilise each other's eggs.
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The action over 8 minutes, as they writhe around each other and then withdraw their organs. In our case one of the Slugs then simply dropped to the ground (bottom right frame is just the upper slug still on the 'rope').
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Passion spent, the Slug that dropped quietly crawls under the leaf litter (recently 'enhanced' by green leaves dropped in the storm) while the other climbs back up the slime rope and then up the tree trunk.
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