Whinchat

This bird is posted to show the white tail base, made visible when the tail is spread for balancing in the windy conditions, digiscoped from tractor.

small copper on central drove, the only flutterby I saw today!

Short-winged conehead

Photographed in August from damp grass fields on the Nene Washes, I'm a complete novice with this kind of thing - but I think these are s.w coneheads, formerly a coastal species.
The short wings are obvious and the ovipositor is more curved than in long winged conehead.

Whinchats from Eldernell Wash

A group of 5 feeding around sheep grazed field, these two look like autumn adults as opposed to juveniles with orange, unstreaked breasts.

Green woodpecker on fence stake along central drove, nice to see the transitional plumage from juvenile to adult.

yellow wagtails are numerous on the washes in September, these were taken from the tractor last week, most birds had checked out by the weekend
Hummingbird hawk-moth in the kitchen!

Giant puff balls, 3 on a raised bund at Eldernell, are the first I've seen on the Nene Washes, the aliens have landed!
Wheatear
osprey with fish from Eldernell Pits - record shots

heron food

This frog was found in the middle of a heard of cows, happily hunting insects which it appears to have eaten large quantities of. As I approached it was unable to hop away due to its swollen state!
Frogs have been scarce in recent years following the spring floods of 1998, 2000,2001, in the past weeks I've seen several froglets and this thriving young adult.

Short-eared owl

Short-eared owl at Eldernell today, whilst topping rushes this shortie like others fly at the last second and usually land nearby. They are reluctant to fly far so as not to attract the attention of crows and kestrels who love to mob them. This beauty was digi-scoped less than 10 metres away- hence I could not fit it all in.


this shot was taken through binoculars (Leica 10x40). Using a Nikon coolpix 4500.

Seal (Grey?) in Tidal Nene.

first heard (blowing) then seen as it surfaced on out-going tide alongside Eldernell Wash, stayed under for c1min in which time it swam c150 mtrs and stayed surfaced for c20 seconds. Of all the other common seals i've seen in Nene this one imediately struck me as different - with a long nose running straight into forehead.



Nostrils wide open - taking in a lung-full.

This pic shows a bulging snout with a convexed bridge

Darters up close

Ruddy Darter
Common Darter - with patience and experience its possible to get both species perching on your hand. (note the abdomen shape is almost even width on striolatum. the red tone can be very strong on some individuals, though never like the blood red of the Ruddy darter)
Comma - this emerged whilst picing the darters- the vivid orange is always a welcome splash of colour on any day.