Angle Shades

Thanks Greenie for the Identification.

Oedemera Nobilis (male)

It's amazing what a trip around the garden can turn up, didn't know we had insects that to me look more like tropical species. ID'd by Greenie with thanks.

Speckled Bush Crickets

ID'd by Greenie with Thanks.

My two very good friends take a stroll.

Nothing like a stroll four miles off the Kent coast.

Sea Transport and wildlife.

These pictures of seals were taken on Margate Sands about four miles offshore, we landed and took a stroll on the sands.

Cheerful little chap

This Seal even managed a wave goodbye as we went on our way, it stayed to the last until the incoming tide covered the sands, three minutes later, when turned off the sands by the tide they go fishing.

The always will be and the new.

An English Country Lane

Our lanes are looking very dapper at this time, poppy's being particularly pleasant at this moment, if you were in some obscure place in the world perhaps like Afganistan this and family I am sure would be a vision of good old blighty.

Harrier.

While birding at Cliffe, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS came down the Thames with a Harrier jet on the foredeck note the weapon at the bow it is radar operated fitted with night vision telescopic cameras gatling gun capable of finding and homing in on its target and is then capable of discharging thousands of large calibre shells at its victim.

Avocets and young

These shots to me are what birding is all about, this to the Avocet is the culmination of what he is on this earth for, to procreate.

Spider and Hover Fly.

A very unfortunate end to a Hover Fly, but it is an everyday occurrance with Mother Nature we are no different except we have people to do it for us.

A Large Fly

Even a fly can be beautiful when seen at close quarters.

Stoat Carrying Young

This was taken last year the RSPB were adapting a generator shed, which already housed a family of stoats, she has obviously had enough of the coming and going of workmen and the general disturbance to her home, so she decided it was time to move. She is seen in my shot carrying a kitten in her mouth at quite a speed and to those that are familiar with Elmley RSPB she is chasing across the paddock adjacent to the toilet block, as you can see they are quite advanced in growth. I mistook what she was carrying at the time to be a young rabbit but Matt, the under warden pointed out to me the feet are of a young stoat. got it wrong again!

This came down and took quite a fancy to my lemon balm.

Barn Owl in stained glass.

It would seem that birding has been an interest for a very long time on the Island of Sheppey, I came across this remarkably detailed stained window depicting a Barn Owl, in Harty Church, the age is not known to me, but the church is centuries old and has considerable history.

Avocet Family

It's a shot like this that makes your heart race a little, unfortunately, they are not that easy to procure, but we must still strive to atain perfection.

Reminds me of a Scottish ad not now seen

This light hearted shot was a must, taken at Oare three years ago from the south hide right hand side of the road, they were of some distance and I used a Tokina 400mm lens. I think these are alpaca's and are sometimes put in the field with sheep at lambing time and apparently like nothing better than seeing off foxes, but did bring to mind Black and White Whisky although these are not Scotty Dogs.

Fly on Lily

Black Tailed Godwits

Taken at Oare, Nr Faversham.

Heron with Marsh Frog,

Taken at Oare, Nr Faversham.

Reed Warbler

Taken at Harty, Isle of Sheppey.

A Mini Cell over Eastchurch Prison.

This was a strange occurrence witnessed from the Raptor Viewpoint in August last year and recorded with a 50-500mm tele lens, it was a very humid evening at the Raptor Viewing Area when I noticed strange cloud behaviour it was attempting to make contact with the ground it never developed any better than I have pictured it, but was left in no doubt that it was a mini cell trying its best to develop, in all my nearly seventy years I have only come across this phenomenon twice before this occasion, but have experienced dust devils as most have and are a fairly common occurrance the other occasions were once in Wales and the other was when working on the fishing boats out of Whitstable when seventeen, I witnessed a waterspout.

Black Tailed Godwits

Taken at Oare, Faversham, Kent. According to the rspb the world population of Black Tailed Godwits is around 15000, three years ago there were eight of us observing birds in the hide at Oare when a birder suggested we all do a count as near to exact as we could achieve, we of course all came up with differing totals which we averaged and the birds present at that time, equalled to 15% of the world populous, of course you all really wanted to know that.

Cormorants

Taken at Stodmarsh.

Preying Mantis

The posts below were taken in Spain Last year not as one would think in the depths of darkest Spain but on the promenade at Fenals, next to Lloret de Mar, as you can see the Manti are on a hedging bush well known in the UK, people were passing within a couple of feet of both lizards and manti, it was not until people saw me pointing a camera at a bush and not at the very pleasant view to say nothing of the scantilly clad female humans, that it drew a crowd, adults were interested, but the children were fascinated, all ended well with this particular Mantis becoming a photographic star.

Preying Mantis

Preying Mantis

Preying Mantis

Spanish Lizard or something else.

Spanish Unknown Lizard

Yellow Wagtail

There are quite a few of these delightful birds on the reserve at RSPB Elmley, Sheppey at the present time, and quite a variation in the colouring from pale insipid yellow to this. For whatever reason like skylarks and Pipits they like to hang about on the trackway. Attention Greenie, Warren, and Ken, and other visitors, I will be publishing some interesting pic's tomorrow, so don't forget to tune in!

Dragonfly, Chaser ?

How's this for LAID BACK!

Two Juvenile Shoveler Ducks

I think these two make a charming picture taken at Oare, Faversham, from the road.

Moth of some sort.

In my garden this afternoon, I would like to get into moth trapping but the traps ready made are very expensive, would any of you guys know of a trap that is affordable?

Ringed Plover and owner of the eggs below.

Taken at Elmley she was a very accommodating little bird.

Two Ringed Plover Eggs

Reed Warbler

Again patience is rewarded, taken out of the car window at the Raptor point, bearded Tits are also to be found there.

Marsh Harriers

A degree of patience can be rewarded as you can see, taken at the Raptor Viewing car park, Harty.

Dropping in for a morsel to feed hungry chicks, the nest is not far from where this was taken.

A Grass Snake

This is the result of my only encounter with a snake, but in all fairness they are a little uncommon on and around the seashore which is where I spend most of my time, and Greenie to me will always be the Reptile Geru!

Heron and Marsh Frog

The grey Heron is quite partial to a marsh frog and I have also witnessed Marsh Harriers taking them back to the nest.

Marsh Frog

This frog is showing us how he is able to make such a loud communication sound, he has the help of bellows, and no he is not a swimming newcomer, and no they are not floatation chambers!

Marsh Frog

Not sure where they emanate from, but, they are not a native species, they are also very noisy.