Minsmere RSPB - More Insects

A few more photos of insects seen at Minsmere RSPB in May.

 

A beetle on concrete...

....perhaps hunting for these mites.



A spider and its prey.



 

Mating species of Crane Flies (commonly called Daddy Long Legs). What great colours they have!

 

A couple of a the same species of beetle on grass stems.

Minsmere RSPB - Whitethroat Song Flight

Back in May, I spent a few minutes watching this Whitethroat singing from the top of a bush before....

 

....it took to the air, singing away proclaiming its territory, almost hovering in a similar fashion to a skylark, but not reaching the same heights.



 

This display took about 20 seconds before it went back to the top of the bush.



Minsmere RSPB - Spiders

Even though my main focus was on the birds at the wonderful Minsmere RSPB reserve, I had time to look at what was going on in the grasses and on the ground.

 

Recently hatched miniature spiders in an amazing ball, just as the first few spiderlings are making their first steps of independence.

Unknown spider species with a weevil in its web



Close-up of the same unknown species (pity I didn't get the whole spider in the shot!).  I wonder what function the hairs on the legs have?



 

A Jumping Spider (I think?) with prey on a warm brick.

Minsmere RSPB - Chasers

Not only were there birds to see at Minsmere during my visit towards the end of May, but a few Chasers were evident.

 

The Four Spotted Chaser seen in the morning....

....whilst this macro of another Four Spotted was taken in the golden light as the sun went down. 

 

The scarcer male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Minsmere RSPB - Reedland Birds Pt 1

In the morning of my visit to Minsmere RSPB Reserve in May, I saw one of the reserves iconic birds, a Bittern flying at some distance over reed beds.  I knew the image would be poor, and hoped for better views later.

 

Come the early evening I had worked my way round the reserve and came to a hide overlooking the extensive reedbeds.  A Bittern was heard Booming nearby and eventually I got a view of this male Bittern fishing in reeds about 40m away.

 

Also seen was this female Reed Bunting which stayed long enough at the edge of the reeds to give some clear unobstructed views. 

Minsmere RSPB - Swallow Preening

More from Minsmere RSPB last week.

 

This Swallow allowed me to get remarkably close whilst it preened its feathers on a reserve signpost.  Harsh sunlight with hard shadows, this was a photographic challenge.

 

What a delightful bird, even though it didn't know the way to the Public Hide!

Minsmere RSPB - The World's Bravest Bird?

On a glorious sunny day spent at Minsmere RSPB Reserve on Thursday, I was walking along the top of the sand dunes when I spotted a Ringed Plover standing on a ridge of shingle some distance off ....

 

....suddenly the bird flew straight at a passing adult Herring Gull, chasing (I can hardly call it mobbing as it was a single Plover) the large gull for a couple of hundred yards away from the area of beach where it was sitting....

 

....The plover (in fact there was a pair) returned to its guard post on the beach before....

 

....driving off a juvenile gull (Black Headed Gull?) a few minutes later.

 

After searching the beach for 20 minutes or so, I eventually spotted the cause of the plover's concern, two recently hatched plover chicks about 40 yards away....

 

...There may have been other chicks, brilliantly camouflaged against the multi coloured beach, but these were the only two I saw, and only really visible when they moved around looking for insects, the parents only having guarding duties.

These photos were taken over a period of three quarters of an hour, at a distance in order to not disturb the adults from their duties, hence not quite as sharp as I would have ideally wanted.

 

What bravery by the adults plovers (length 18 to 20 cms long) against these strong marauding gulls (Herring Gull 55 to 67 cms long), many times their size and weight.  I had to leave this ongoing drama to visit other parts of the reserve, hoping that the young chicks survived.