Sunday 12 July 2015

Checking on the Swallows and pratising macro photography at Cranford Park today

A very brief blog. I went back to Cranford Park today. It was gloomy and overcast, but I wanted to check on the Swallows. Of course whilst I was there I went to see the Kestrels. Only one showing this morning, and he/she was mobbing a Crow, so I think it's an adult bird rather than one of the juveniles.....
 
 
I also found a Meadow Pipit....

 
But back to the Swallows. They are still going back to the nest site, even though the nest is no longer there. I managed to grab some flight shots against the grey sky, and in a couple of them the bird has something in it's beak.....
 


 
I'm pretty certain they are re-building the nest. That's great news, but only if whoever destroyed the first nest, doesn't destroy this one.
 
After much patience a bird flew in and I grabbed a very quick photo of it perched......

 
I also took a very quick photo of the nest site as it looks now......

 
and then I moved away. I really want these birds to succeed nesting so I don't want to disturb them at all. I'm a little concerned that it might be late in the season too. Swallows migrate to Africa for the winter, usually leaving Britain in September/October.
 
Fingers crossed for this pair.
 
 
 Part of the new equipment I bought yesterday was a macro lens. On my old lens I could easily do macro, but I had to be standing at least 1.5metres away, which sort of defeats the purpose.
So in the Secret Garden today, I had a little practice....
 
There was a Crab Spider on a Scabious flower. As I watched, a female Thick-legged Flower Beetle got nearer and nearer to it........




 
and just about escaped with it's life.
 
All of the critters below were seen in the Secret Garden today. I've not had time to identify them yet, so for time being they remain unlabelled.....












 
The last one is for Sheila Perry who was sitting with me when this little critter decided to explore my camera bag. A Ladybird larvae......


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