Diving Gannets Trip ( yes another one) and a trip to Filey Dams.

     Feeding frenzy on the Diving Gannets trip. If you got the fish you would have to fight to keep it.

                           Juvenile Gannet: One of this years young having to compete with the big guys

 Gannets circled the boat as they watched for the fish being thrown in. Next time its a wide angle lense. I used athe canon100-400 pulled back to its 100 setting. 50-70 would have been grreat as well.

                                                          Fulmars in wonderful light,

 

Two snipe were quite close at Filey Dams

      Jackdaw showing off as we had a welcome cup of tea at the new Centre at Bempton RSPB

                                                         Tree Sparrows getting in on the act.

Another great day out to the east coast doing the Diving Gannets trip with Yorkshire coast nature, finishing off at Filey Dams with David Langley. The weather was good and the gannets superb. The snipe were a great bonus. (As were  the Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Little Egret we had to be content to watch.

A week exploring Minsmere in Suffolk

I spent a week exploring and getting to know Minsmere, especially the |RSPB reserve. Below are some of the photographs I took.
                                   
 Little Egrets. Best viewed from East Hide or Wild-life Look Out Hide. Both can provide good views.

 Knot in breeding plumage. They may have travelled from as far away as the Canadian arctic to spend winter here.

 Oyster catchers. Adult and Juvenile. Both adults ensured it was well fed and looked after.

Redshank in summer plumage. Good views of these were gained from the Wildlife lookout Hide in the afternoon.

                                                                 Common Sandpipers.

                       Avocet: Usually quite a distance away this one came quite close

 Common Terns. Not long before they will be taking off for the winter.

                                                                           Dunlin.

 Moorhen chick. Would they win a beauty contest ? I always think that facially they look like old men who are thinning out on top.

 I spent some time watching and photographing these Bee-killer wasps, known at Minsmere as Bee-Wolfs. They are solitary wasps making their home in the holes they have excavated.  It is into these holes that the female takes her prey items, usually Honey Bees, which she has paralysed and on which her lave will then feed.

                                    Bumble Bees. Always facinating to watch and photograph.

                                                               Burnett Moth.

                                Emperor Dragonfly laying its eggs in the still waters of a pond

                                               Juvenile Lizard trying hard not to be seen

                                              Sandmartins resting before their next flight

 I came across these interesting spiders on the way down to Sizewell.  I called them Funnel Spiders because their web was always made in the shape of a wide and deep funnel. Perhaps someone out there can tell me their proper name.

                                                         Painted lady Butterfly.

                      Brimstone Butterfly (female) feeding on Buddleia flower near cafe area.

                                                           Large White Butterflys

                                            Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar having a good feed.

Grayling Butterfly resting on path and in the process almost becoming invisable, such is the art of camoflage.