Taking a breather

I am well aware that there's been a lapse in posts, since 1st July. This has been a deliberate break in my cyber activity purely because of a need for some personal time as I come to terms with where my life is now headed? Please don't waste any time worrying about my mental, physical or emotional wellbeing; I'm fine in myself and being supported by a wonderful mix of family, friends and neighbours. I have to admit that my angling has been a major casualty during this recent period although, inspired by my "virtual mate" Brian, over at the Pike Blog, I have had a few sessions down at the "Carp Puddle"  where a bent split cane is always guaranteed. Nothing big, not even a double, but great fun nonetheless in the company of Bruno. 

It has only been this year that I've realised just how numerous Ruddy Darters 
are around the various dykes and drains of the area.

So whilst the "Of Esox" side of the blog might be woeful, at present, the "observations" part is going along splendidly..  The camera certainly plays a major role in any time I spend wandering around the East Kent marshes and by adding the extension tubes to the kit has ensured that I am constantly on the look out for anything interesting which might be happy to pose for a while? It still remains, very much, a work in progress as I seek to push the limits of my photographic techniques. To be fair, it is a very leisurely journey and mistakes are just as valuable (to me) as any other experiences so long as I'm able to learn something for next time. The garden moth trap continues to provide much for me to enjoy, although migrant species have been conspicuous by their absence for the most part. 

A rather unexpected discovery as I was watering the hanging baskets.
A roosting "Hummer" on the letter-box.

Birds will always have a role to play in my time outdoors and as the autumn draws ever closer, there is plenty to be seen locally. Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Wood & Green Sandpipers and a couple of adult Dunlin have been noted around the pools at Worth RSPB Res, whilst a couple of Great White Egrets did a nice fly past as Bruno and I walked the Pinnock Wall on Friday.

The best bird, thus far this autumn, is a juvenile Whinchat which I found yesterday evening, again out on Worth, and still present this morning.. This individual is in a plumage which I've never previously seen and it required me to seek assistance from my reference library to convince myself that I wasn't making a school-boy error with my id?  I had to use the Beeman & Madge "Handbook" to get confirmation, although the 3rd edition of Collins does also provide an illustration of this plumage.

All being well, blogging should return to some level of consistency as the healing power of time takes effect.

On the limit ?

 As I'd said in yesterday's offering, July was very likely to start as June had finished and so it proved. Oppressive heat, with the Manston weather station registering 31C this afternoon, it was a struggle to get enthused about anything which involved going outside. Bruno and I did get out, well early, for a wander around the Minster Marshes, yet were back in the bungalow well before 10.00 hrs, purely because we couldn't take any more. As a result, I was able to keep an eye on the activity around the Red Valerian and, sure enough, Humming-bird Hawk-moths were regularly visiting this nectar source.

I'm beginning to feel that this type of image quality is at the upper limit 
of my equipment and technical ability? Still an absolute blast pushing the boundaries.

It is absolutely pointless me pretending to give an accurate count of the number of individuals involved, as they are constantly moving between the various patches of valerian in my, and the neighbours, gardens. The maximum number I've seen at one time is now seven! 

This lower image is possibly as close to "frozen" as my kit is capable?

It's all due to change on Wednesday with the possibility of thundery showers, which would be a blessing for the lawn. I have every intention to cut the valerian back, as it is now seeding, but have a good supply of Honeysuckle, Buddleia and Geraniums to offer alternative nectar sources for these fabulous moths. There's no doubt that I'll blog about it, but don't think I need to post any more images any time soon?

Humming-bird Hawk-moth bonanza

 As oppressive as these current heatwave conditions are to us, within the UK populous, it would appear that Humming-bird Hawk-moths are having a blast? I'd actually seen one as Sye and I were walking besides RAF Halton airfield, yesterday morning, but nothing compared to what I've witnessed today within the garden boundaries. Quite obviously, my supply of Red Valerian plays a massive part in attracting these fantastic moths to visit. It would be impossible to know the exact numbers involved, yet I've seen them on at least twenty occasions today with a maximum of three together. With the sun shining and nothing better to do I've been playing around with the camera kit, shutter speed at 1/5000 th sec, just to see what I could capture.

I grabbed this shot well before mid-day. Quite a tatty individual and the angle of the 
sun, overhead, did little to assist my cause

Their endless energy, combined with a gentle easterly breeze, did pose me some very testing problems, yet, because the Canon kit is far more capable than the clown pointing it, there were still a few very pleasing images obtained. Even at 1/5000 th sec I couldn't "freeze" the action, but did come bloody close! 

These two shots were captured at some time between 16.00 - 17.00 hrs with 
the sun in a much better position.

If the forecast is to be trusted? Tomorrow will be much the same as today, so it would seem silly not to start July as June has ended, playing around with my camera kit.

A change of scenery

 Around 12.30 hrs, on Friday, I headed off to spend some time with my brother, Sye, and his wife, Yve, at their home in the delightful village of Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire. Sye had undergone some pretty serious medical procedure earlier in the week and I needed to spend some time with him in an attempt to convince him that it was time to call it a day on the pursuit of the mighty dollar! Basically, I went up there to give him a bollocking!! It is not an opinion unique to me, as my other brother, Timbo, and my son, Benno, had also offered similar lines of thought, via the phone. 

On Thanet we have to make do with Rose-ringed Parakeets!
Aston Clinton's garden visitors are far more majestic!

As things turned out, it was a very enjoyable couple of days spent in each others company. Yve and I engaged in many hours chatting about the roller coaster journey of the grief process. Her brother, Rob, had died of cancer on the same day as Bev! For those blog visitors who wondered why I had seen a Chinese Water Deer, at Wilstone Res. and a Red Kite over Hatfield Oak Lawn Cemetery, now you know why I was up there! This visit had no such agenda, and so Sye and I were pretty much free to do as we pleased. I'd taken all my camera kit, so it only seemed fair to show Sye how much scope is opened up by exploring the potential of macro image capture. It was Sye's idea that, on Saturday morning, we take a drive across to Ivinghoe Beacon where we might find a few butterflies to point the kit towards. Sye had never previously used extension tubes, so it was all very new to him. He was, therefore, more than happy to point his 70 - 210 Canon lens (with a 36mm extension tube fitted) in the direction of whatever species were prepared to pose. It was a lovely day and the site was busy with families enjoying the facilities and flying kites from the top of the beacon. We did our our best to stay away from the crowds and were finally rewarded by a couple of encounters with Dark Green Fritillaries, nectaring on thistles.

This was the first time I've ever had to opportunity to capture images of this species, so I probably went a little OTT?  Saturday afternoon was to see all of us take a drive across to Cow Roast, to visit the "Artizan PH" which is owned by our family friend Alan D. Although I'd never tell Alan, to his face, it is a very impressive pub and staffed by a wonderful crew of guys & gals. We ended Saturday's antics with a couple of pints in The Rothchild Arms, just yards away from Sye & Yve's front door. It had been a very enjoyable day. For Sunday morning's walk, Sye and I decided to take a stroll around his local patch. This turned out to be a very good decision.

A Roe Buck on the side of RAF Halton airfield

The route took us alongside the RAF Halton airfield before making a right hand turn to follow the Wendover arm of the Grand Union Canal for half a mile, or so. On reaching the second foot bridge we crossed the canal and retraced our steps. We were probably out for nearly three hours, there being so much for Sye to play around with his camera. Although there was lots to keep me entertained, I didn't point the camera very often instead, hoping that Sye might understand what added dimensions are opened by this very simple camera tweak? We were well on the homeward leg, Yve already telling us that breakfast would be ready in less than twenty minutes, when I spotted a female Beautiful Demoiselle (dragonfly) which was posing very conveniently right beside the footpath. Sye had an extension tube fitted, thus rattled off a number of shots before I did my best with the 100 - 400 mm lens set at 1.8m focal length

We did get back in time for breakfast (brunch?) but not before I'd captured a few shots of this new species for me. Thankfully, it was a fairly stress free drive back home, around the bloody M25, and I'm now looking forward to getting the moth trap back up, and running, having seen what has been attracted to the traps of other "moffas" around the East Kent coastline whilst I've been away.

Macro images - a work in progress

 I am really enjoying playing around with the camera kit, extension tubes fitted and insects as my main quarry. Trial and error is certainly the name of the game, but the rewards are out there if I persist with the learning process. The extension tubes are cheap, Chinese manufactured, Viltrox DG-C models which came as a set of 12, 20 & 36 mm versions which can be used singularly, or in combo, yet still allowing my Canon lenses to function perfectly, auto focus and image stabilization, with whatever body I am using.

A male Azure Damselfly, at Worth RSPB Res. (many thanks to Marc H for his input)
EOS 70d with 20mm extension tube and the 18 - 55mm lens (at 55mm) 1/320th sec exposure

At the moment my issues are related to focal distance, depending upon the lens, and depth of field. Still, as with everything in life, the more I practice, the more times I seem to be getting a decent result. I am sure that there will be folk reading this drivel and wondering what all the fuss is about? No doubt they will have mastered the art and now sit at the top of the table passing judgement on lesser beings! I have to say that I genuinely couldn't give a monkeys. I'm having real fun pushing my personal boundaries without needing to worry about what others are capable of. So long as I am able to produce images which can compliment my written efforts on the blog, then I'm well satisfied

Absolutely no idea what species this is? So, again I'm indebted to Marc H  - it's a Small Red-eyed Damselfly, apparently! 
 Despite the conditions, I thought it better to attempt to capture an image rather than ignore the opportunity.

A very tatty Bordered Beauty which was on the towel I use to cover the moth trap. I managed to
grab two shots, this being the best one, before it flew away. Not annual in the garden!

This morning, over on Worth, I certainly struggled with the conditions. Low light levels and a very brisk, 20+ mph WSW breeze, ensuring that finding subjects was difficult enough without, then, having to worry about the impact of wind movement. Testing circumstances, without doubt, yet all part of the journey..I'll finish with a photo of a young Hedgehog which has taken to visiting the feeding station well before darkness falls. I have used the built-in flash, but it hasn't resulted in the eyes appearing totally white. There is a Vixen who also visits around this time, but is far less tolerant of me standing at the back door, camera to hand.

Lapwings & other stuff

 It would appear that the general consensus amongst regular visitors, to Worth RSPB Res, is that the early season weather (blasting easterlies) and lack of management of the water levels out on the marsh (The EA haven't granted the RSPB a licence to control the level of free standing water on this land?) has resulted in no Redshank, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover or Lapwing chicks being reported on the reserve! A pretty sorry state of affairs for this very popular area of the East Kent marshes.. With this as the background, it was rather surprising when Bruno and I were subjected to a very vocal, aeriel display, by a rather agitated individual, on Sunday morning. A second bird was present, but remained on the deck for the majority of the time, yet was also vocal. Everything about the encounter suggested that this pair were protecting young, but due to the trackside vegetation, I was unable to confirm this theory. Whatever the truth, there was no repeat performance when we returned on Tuesday.

It came within 10m of our position regularly as it offered its' vocal protest.

The garden moth trap continues to provide interest and it is quite nice to be able to compare some of the captures with those of Sandwich Obs and the Folkestone Birds gang via the wonders of the internet. Still no signs of any migration on a large scale, although odd individuals do show up suggesting some cross channel movements. 

White Satin Moth

Scarce Silver-lines -  one, of two, from Tuesday night

Lunar-spotted Pinion

I've had to get another four Nicotiana plants started because those already in flower are looking magnificent, yet will probably be well past their best come August/September when the Convolvulus Hawks arrive? Bruno and I took a wander over on Minster Marshes this morning, just for a change of scenery. It wasn't a bad decision as I located two singing male Yellowhammers in areas that I'd not heard them previously. My real desire was to get an image of a Marbled White butterfly and, after some fannying about, it came to fruition. 

A Cinnabar moth caterpillar was spotted feeding on Ragwort, thus providing me something else to point the camera towards, before we headed back home.

Not too much to get excited about, but better than nothing I guess?

A Dog and dragonflies (appologies to Heart)

 It was in September 1978 that Anne & Nancy Wilson released the Heart album "Dog and Butterfly". I'd  been made aware of their musical talent, when they released the first album, Dreamboat Annie, 1975, purely because one of our school mates, Terry Archer, had decided to see the world for himself and enrolled as a trainee chef with the Merchant Navy. Heart have featured quite prominently in the musical soundtrack which has accompanied my life's journey ever since. So why all the nostalgia? Bruno, of course, our daily wanderings have become the catalyst for my increased awareness of the invertebrates which share the environments I am fortunate to be able to wander.. Added to this is the undoubted ability of modern digital image capture to compensate for the short-comings of the long-haired twat holding the kit, which has resulted in my being able to obtain some very pleasing images of subjects which I would have previously overlooked/ignored?

Black-tailed Skimmer - male

Banded Demoiselle - female

It would seem that I'm past the worst period, following Bev's passing, and am now beginning the slow readjustment to where my life will now call normal. I think it's fair to say that I certainly wouldn't have done it on my own and, as such, am indebted to family, friends and neighbours, who've been there for me during this whole ordeal. The one factor which I'd never thought about, until recently, is how much Bruno has impacted on this situation? He can't speak, yet is always there when I need him. Crazy when you think I never wanted a dog!

Five-spotted Burnet - along Harrison's Drove, Grove Ferry NNR yesterday

Although I've not made much fuss over the contents of the garden MV moth trap, in 2025, it certainly has provided some entertainment during these last few weeks. Nothing to cause major ripples amongst the local "moffas", yet still very pleasant to behold when I examine the egg trays each morning.

Male Four-spotted Footman - certainly not an annual visitor to the garden MV trap.

(Dark) Pine Knot-horn (Dioryctria abietella)

P.S. - I am grateful for an email from Steve Gale who corrected a major error in the original offering, concerning the parentage of Anne & Nancy.