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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Birds, Insects & Bats in flight (outdoors) Page 1
Image Taken on 20 Oct 2010
at 16:54 Image of day on 15 Dec 2010
A flock of about 30 goldfinches is often about the plot enjoying
the catkins. They are very skittish and you have to be slow and
patient for them to ignore humans. Here the flock is arriving at
a silver birch.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20101215_df1_20101020_1654_099 flock of about 30 goldfinches landing in top of silver birch 2 of 8 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Oct 2010
at 16:55 Image of day on 15 Dec 2010
Now they have all landed in this one tree there seem to be more goldfinches
than tree! (genuine single frame).
The endless twittering of these flocks is a delight.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20101215_df1_20101020_1655_126 flock of about 30 goldfinches landing in top of silver birch 8 of 8 (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Apr 2018
at 12:09 Image of day on 10 May 2018
The sky is BIG - it is surprising how rarely things cross each
other, so this line-of-site crossing was too much to resist.
This montage is genuine, but the paths of the plane and Buzzard
are skewed to make the action clearer. Photographed at about 7fps.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20180510_df3_20180401_1209_036-040 aeroplane g-rate and buzzard crossing in flight 1-5 of 5 (impression montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 12 Jul 2014
at 10:09 Image of day on 18 Sep 2014
This female Banded Demoiselle damselfly is substantially smaller
than we are used to seeing. These
insects can only metamorphose to the same weight of insect they
reached as Nymphs - they don't grow as adults.
This montage at about 7 fps has been stretched horizontally to
remove overlaps.
 landing on iris frond 1-4 of 5 (impression montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20140918_df2_20140712_1009_105-108 banded demoiselle damselfly female (atypically small) landing on iris frond 1-4 of 5 (impression montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Jun 2021
at 12:12 Image of day on 17 Jul 2021
The Beautiful Demoiselles are supplemented by the only other similar
species (in the UK anyway) of the strikingly marked Banded Demoiselle.
This is a male - the females have no such banding and are so hard to tell
apart from female Beautiful Demoiselles 'in the wild' that we may miss
them among the larger numbers of the Beautiful females.
Each wing has it's own band which is quite dark even when the wings are separated
as you unusually see here.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210717_d73_20210613_1212_002 banded demoiselle male fluttering wings while perched(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 27 Sep 2019
at 03:22 Image of day on 22 Nov 2019
About a week apart we notice that the landing positions of these
Barn and Tawny Owls are so similar that we couldn't
resist this same-scale montage for you to compare them.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20191122_d01_20190927_0322_017+20191003_0115_081-0120_091_fb6 barn and tawny owls landing on meadow post (same scale montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Mar 2010
at 17:39 Image of day on 09 Apr 2010
We have been regularly going out at sunset to hope to see our
local Barn owl setting out on his evening hunt. Twice now, at
different places, we have seen the owl being harassed by a
Corvid, in one case never identified, and in this case definitely
a jackdaw. As the darkness forces us back home the owl gets left
in peace by the corvids as well.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100409_df1_20100304_1739_024+029_032+034 barn owl & jackdaw sparring in flight at dusk 5+10+13+15 of 16 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Feb 2015
at 17:59 Image of day on 25 Mar 2015
36 Hours later, a visit from a different Barn Owl with no leg
ring. We fancy that the underside of the wings is less patterned
than our 'regular' Barn Owl. We do hope they are a 'pair' but
have no real idea where they 'live'.
 landing (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150325_d01_20150215_1759_003 barn owl (no leg ring) landing (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Dec 2019
at 02:43 Image of day on 15 Jan 2020
The landing bird (left) is aiming at the post in the same position as the perched bird at the centre.
The second landing (right) occurs 2 hours later.
 13 minute visit & 2 landings at meadow post 1 of 7 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20200115_d01_20191209_0243_148+0308_174+0439_176_fb6 barn owl (no ring) 13 minute visit & 2 landings at meadow post 1 of 7 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Nov 2014
at 18:29 Image of day on 09 Jan 2015
Following some changes that allow the kit to photograph the birds
as they land, the Barn owl graced us with a landing on the post,
and stayed for 6 minutes before exiting at speed to the left out
of site of other cameras.
We have mirrored the
montage - it felt more natural to us Western Left-to-right
scribblers
 landing & 6 minute visit (mirrored montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20150109_d01_20141122_1829_003+1831_005_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) landing & 6 minute visit (mirrored montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 14 Feb 2015
at 05:40 Image of day on 25 Mar 2015
Our currently regular Barn Owl visitor (with ring on right leg)
makes a landing side-on to camera. We love the view of the
bird's clear cornea on the eye we see side-on.
 landing & showing clear cornea (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20150325_d01_20150214_0540_004_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) landing & showing clear cornea (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Dec 2014
at 06:23 Image of day on 21 Jan 2015
This Barn Owl was photographed by an automated camera just as it
was about to land on the post top an hour before dawn. The bird
stayed for a couple of minutes (2 more images) before gliding away.
The missing wings tips are not 'artistic'
cropping - this is the top of the camera frame.
 landing and 2 minute visit 1 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150121_d01_20141205_0623_004_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) landing and 2 minute visit 1 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Jan 2015
at 07:30 Image of day on 15 Feb 2015
In the morning twilight this Barn Owl landed on the post top but
left in less than 45 seconds (the repeat rate of the automatic camera).
 landing in rain staying for less than 1 minute visit (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150215_d01_20150103_0730_065_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) landing in rain staying for less than 1 minute visit (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Dec 2014
at 06:46 Image of day on 31 Jan 2015
This lovely Barn Owl made this landing but stayed for only a few seconds.
The bird returned 5 minutes later, and stayed on the post top for
about 20 minutes, un-bothered by the camera flash.
 single landing + 5 minutes later landing & 20 mins stay 01 of 21 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150131_d01_20141219_0646_001_fb6 barn owl (right leg ring) single landing + 5 minutes later landing & 20 mins stay 01 of 21 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2015
at 04:45 Image of day on 16 Nov 2015
2 visits by the leg-ringed Barn owl 10 minutes apart.
Birds normally land into the wind, so the night must have been
particularly still to get 2 close spaced landing in opposite directions.
 8m visit +10m absence + 2m visit (selected) 5 of 7 (crop landing face on)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20151116_d01_20150922_0445_015_fb6 barn owl (right ring) 8m visit +10m absence + 2m visit (selected) 5 of 7 (crop landing face on)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Sep 2015
at 04:28 Image of day on 16 Nov 2015
2 visits by the leg-ringed Barn owl 10 minutes apart.
Birds normally land into the wind, so the night must have been
particularly still to get 2 close spaced landing in opposite directions.
 8m visit+10m absence+2m visit (selected) 1 of 7 (crop of rear view landing)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20151116_d01_20150922_0428_004_fb6 barn owl (right ring) 8m visit+10m absence+2m visit (selected) 1 of 7 (crop of rear view landing)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Feb 2017
at 04:58 Image of day on 23 Mar 2017
This Barn Owl came in to land on the post along the sense beam line, so
triggered before it reached the area of sharp focus. This is a white breasted
bird with no leg ring - quite likely one we have seen in previous years.
 aborting landing and flying on (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20170323_d01_20170216_0458_027_fb6 barn owl (white breast + no ring) aborting landing and flying on (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Dec 2014
at 16:44 Image of day on 08 Feb 2015
This barn Owl made 2 short visits 4 minutes apart, the second visit bringing along
what we think is a Shrew. In order here the first landing, 4 minutes later the second
landing with prey in beak, and 45 seconds later the prey has apparently been
swallowed in one beakful followed by this moment or two's smug contemplation!
 in beak 1+3+4 of 4 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20150208_d01_20141229_1644_003+1648_006+007_fb6 barn owl 2 off 2 min visits 4 mins apart second landing with shrew (q) in beak 1+3+4 of 4 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Dec 2014
at 16:48 Image of day on 08 Feb 2015
A closer look at the landing with the prey. We think we can see the pointed snout,
and it is a bit small for a mouse or Vole.
 in beak 3 of 4 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20150208_d01_20141229_1648_006_fb6 barn owl 2 off 2 min visits 4 mins apart second landing with shrew (q) in beak 3 of 4 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 27 Jan 2010
at 02:46 Image of day on 05 Mar 2010
A CCTV recording of the same event shows that this Barn owl was
making chance flyby behind the kitchen window feeder in the early
hours. Its a bit behind the pre-focus on the perch but a rather
unusual view. The wing on our left falls into the shadow of the
feeder and disappears but you can see the tip at the extreme left
at the top of the frame (edge of the original).
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20100305_d36_20100127_0246_055_fb3 barn owl in flight (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
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