A French Frog

From September again

A little frog in a pool by the river's edge

Even so, I think it is a Marsh Frog

Two Tailed Pacha, Southern France

Back in September, exploring the banks of Le Gardon de Mialet near Ales France, my wife spotted this large beautiful and exotic butterfly resting in the shade. At the time I had no idea what we had seen. A bit of lucky google research tells me it was a Two Tailed Pacha.

The colours of the underwings!!

It was very docile and allowed us to pick it up and move it into the sun, where it opened up its wings for a few seconds before flying back to the bushes, giving me a chance to get the open wing photo.
Not a great shot, but at least it gives an idea of the contrast between the top and underside of the wings

Hummingbird Hawk-Moths, England and France

Yesterday I photographed this migrant Hummingbird Hawk-Moth feeding on nectar on these Petunias in a hanging basket. A sign of how mild it has been recently that this wonderful day flying moth is still about.

Earlier in September I was able to photograph the same species in a garden in Southern France.

Hill Ridges in Shadow, France

An evening in France last September, with the hills caught in the sun

River Ceze, near Besseges, France

September by the River Ceze - A calm hot afternoon

A Wall butterfly resting on a leaf in the dappled sunlit woods at the river's edge

A fisherman catching minnows for bait for the trout later that evening
A frog watching it all from the water's edge

French Butterfly Reflection

Seeing double

and single reflections

Insects of Le Defile de L'Argensol, Languedoc-Roussilon, France

Back to the Southern France visit in September. A gorge between steep limestone valley sides and cliffs. In this dry season clear water pools remained with trickles of water disappearing into the dry stony riverbed.

Hidden on the dry river bed was a camouflaged butterfly...
...and amongst the vegetation was a praying Mantis...

...Returning to the dry riverbed we picked up a delicately marked grasshopper that would have been well camouflaged sitting next to the butterfly above.

French Grasshopper Display

Taking a morning walk up the path to the rocky outcrop near Ales in Southern France, camouflaged grasshoppers would jump and fly off to safety showing a flash of bright red just before I stood on them. There was no way I was going to get a photo of one in flight.

However, later on I discovered that a few of the grasshoppers were sitting around and quickly opening and closing their wings covers in a short bursts. I presume this one second burst of colour was a display to attract a mate or deter a competetor.

I did eventually manage to photograph this particular grasshopper showing his red wings.

At a shutter speed of 1/800 of sec and I still couldn't freeze the action

A photograph showing the beautiful markings of another grasshopper

And another one

French Evening Shadows, Clouds and Silhouettes

The last rays of sun on a sundial on the wall of an old house in a village in Southern France.The dramatic sky that evening in Black & White

Evening Shadows in the Olive Grove

A low sun produces interesting patterns in Southern France this September

Lenticular Clouds Southern France

A dramatically beautiful cloud appeared over my head whilst visiting Ales. This first photo was taken about 4:30 in the afternoon. The last was 2 hours later from a hillside near to Ales. It hardly appeared to move.
From the hillside. How many different types of cloud?

A close up of the soft shapes of the cloud
Getting towards sunset

The Virgin Mary appears to be orchestrating the sky.
Note 2012 - I understand this cloud formation is called Lenticular Clouds

Window Shutters and Roof Pigeons

Resting pigeons on a roof in Ales, France.

The pigeon on the pipe on the right looks fairly comfortable with little risk of smoke and heat from the pipe

Short-Toed Eagle, France

An evening walk up a rock outcrop near Ales in the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of southern France, gave me a sighting of this Short-toed Eagle which was using the updraft of air to climb and drift away. Luckily for me it didn't seem disturbed by my presence, and swung overhead as it climbed, allowing me this photograph.

The wonderful French name for this bird is Circaete Jean-Le-Blanc. It is also known as the Snake Eagle in Mediterranean Regions, snakes forming a good part of its diet.