INFO FLASH

 GOOD NEWS FOR ALL BUDDING MACRO SHOOTERS !

Take a look on the For Sale and Wanted Page.

Presentation on the Goshawk.

Hello

Members may recall Conor Jameson who has visited the club and provided illustrated talks on two occasions. The Goshawk is a bird that invokes plenty of passion and Conor has kindly provided the below link to a fifteen minute presentation on the Goshawk which was one of the presentations at this year's virtual Birdfair...

Neil M

https://virtual.birdfair.org.uk/index.php/friday-goshawk-is-it-out-of-the-woods-by-conor-jameson/

The Pitsford Eurasian Shags

A juvenile Shag was found by Neil McMahon at Pitsford Reservoir on August 22^nd from the Bird Club hide. Another, or perhaps the same individual, was seen later at the far end of the reservoir by the dam. A further 6 individuals were discovered on 24^th matching David Arden’s 2008 record from the same location.

 

Numbers began to dwindle soon afterwards although at least 2 birds were still present on 3^rd September where they rested by the causeway allowing close views giving perhaps the best opportunities for close study since the Abington Park bird from the last century! 

 

How long they stay will be anyone’s guess but records in the county are less than annual so there’s never been a better opportunity to get a photo or two of these obliging individuals.  

 

Creatures Great and Small pt 2

Well I hope you enjoyed looking at the images in part one and it has also inspired you to go out and take your own macro shots in this incredible, diverse and undeniably beautiful world of wildlife.

Taking macro images at a true 1:1 ratio would normally call for a dedicated macro lens. However your birding lens with a  good close focusing range can yield some great images of insects around the size of a Red Admiral. A lot of birder / butterfly photographers use these telephoto lenses.

Shooting smaller insects than a butterfly is a different kettle of fish and really needs a macro lens. A lot of insect photographers are happy with say just a small part of the image in focus, I like to get as much of the critter in focus as I can. To this end high f stops coupled with grim lighting makes this a much more difficult situation, especially with a lively critter.

Getting close to your subject through photography can make the creature much more personal, very endearing and very rewarding.

Marpissa muscosa              Jumping spider.

Take this spider for example, spiders are not one of those creatures that most people will relate to, but who could not fail to be inspired by such a gorgeous critter close up.

Misumena vatia           Flower Crab Spider

This spider may receive a slightly different response, dashing, robust and ready for action, 

Synaema globosum

I had never noticed this spider before i had visited The Camargue last year, aptly named the Napoleon spider.............for its abdomen pattern.

Comb-footed spider   Enoplognatha ovata

Another even smaller spider with a beautiful abdomen coloration. So you can see from just these few images the Spiders are very much something your photography will warm to.

About now lots of insects are mating, in doing so their single mindedness can give the photographer ample opportunity for some good images.

Guess who? Robberflies are another of the insect families i luv. They have wonderful hairy faces and barbed legs used for floundering prey protection and keeping hold of its meal. They hunt by sitting unobtrusively then dart after a near flying insect.  This is a pair of Kite-tailed robbers, quite common around Northants.

This pair of Hoverflies are probably Sphaerophoria scripta. They are quite common and have their slender bodies longer than their rested wings.

As above ...whispering sweet nothing.

Also about at this time are the 'Biters' Horse and Deer flies. They have incredible stealth by not being noticed as they fly and land on any bare parts of your anatomy, the first you know of it is when they insert their sucking parts into your skin. 

Most Biters possess beautifully coloured eyes which make them very photogenic.

The Notch-horned Cleg a voracious biter.

Quite a lot of insects have the colouration of a Wasp, a wasp mimic if you like. They can be very attractive and photogenic. The above is one of five similar beautiful Hoverflies this is probably Chrysotoxum verralli.

Another attractive and brightly coloured Hoverfly is Myathropa florea below it is very distinctive in its thoracic pattern. If you look carefully there is the mark of Batman.

Digger Wasps are quite impressive little critters but especially so the Bee-wolf. This is the only species of Philanthus in Britain.

Of course there are lots of wildlife macro subjects to try such as day flying moths for example. This is a gathering of Six-spot Burnet.

Wild Flowers, such as this Common Toadflax.

or a fabulous Reptile, the Common Lizard.

Dragonflies are in abundance now and can make some nice shots. 

Mating Black-tailed Skimmers, these were taken with my 500F4 .Above Ruddy Darter.

Lastly a couple of critters taken recently.

Weevils are great aren't they. This is fairly large for a Weevil and one of only two in its family Attelabidae  Hazel Leaf-roller Weevil. The other is Oak Leaf-roller Weevil.

Wasp mimic the Hornet Clearwing.

Thanks for viewing. If you have any questions about macro or critters why not drop me a line.

Also any images you have and would like shown on the blog again  robin.gossage@sky.com

Cheerz Robin.

Bird Photographer of the Year 2020 Winners

It’s around this time of year when I’d be looking forward to a visit to Ruland Birdfair and one of the exhibits I always make a bee-line for is the Bird Photographer of the Year marquee. Sadly, Birdfair will not be going ahead this year, however the winning photographs can be viewed on the link below.

 

As we’ve seen in the Bird Club’s competition the winning shot doesn’t have to be a rarity and this year’s BPOTY winning shot of a European Shag is no exception although the impressionistic image and the manipulation to make it would not fit with the Club’s rules. So there!

 

Jealousy and joking aside it’s impossible to know which of the shots have or haven’t been Photoshopped in some way or another. I suspect a great deal of Gaussian blur has been applied to many of the images to create the smooth foreground & background as seen in the Highly Commended Oriental Darter image. It’s possible to get a similar effect by getting down low to water or ground level as can be seen in Matt Hazelton’s winning Sanderling image in last’s year’s BC competition.

 

It would seem that no bird photographic competition is complete without a shot or two of the photogenic Dalmatian Pelicans from Lake Kerkini, Greece. Bob Mason’s shot gained a 3^rd place in this year’s BC competition and the species features in the Attention to Detail & Birds in Flight BPOTY categories. 

 

Mark Williams’ 2^nd placed European Bee-eaters shot taken in Bulgaria may have given the BPOTY Commended Bee-eater shot a run for its money and may have been taken from the same hide! 

 

There are many exceptional shots that it’s impossible to choose a favourite. Some are WOW and others are HOW? 

 

When viewing photos, I tend to favour the ones I’d love to have taken and most of these are in the Commended & Highly Commended images. Guang Hua Chen's Great White Egret in the Birds in the Environment category is a masterpiece and one I'd hang on my wall. Having a penchant for waders the photographer I would've dearly loved to have been standing next to is Tim Hopwood. His Wilson's Phalarope, Marbled Godwit & American Avocet images are sublime. 

Georgina Steytler’s winning Best Portfolio shows the very high standards of the competition.

 

 

It’s encouraging to know that one no longer has to own a scuba-diving suit, a drone or a monthly Photoshop subscription to win a place in the competition. 

 

There are many talented photographers in the Bird Club, maybe we’ll see a local winner next year? 

 

https://www.birdpoty.co.uk/bpoty-2020-winners

Green Woodpecker 

Creatures Great and Small

So during lockdown many of us have spent possibly more time in our gardens than we would do so normally.

I'm lucky enough to have a small pond which has helped me to keep my 'hands on' at least with photographing some of the smaller invertebrates and my frogs of course.

Keeping the camera busy and observing the wildlife literally on our door steps has probably helped a lot of us during the last few months. Those of you looking at insects closely for the first time might be slightly daunted trying to put a name to these small invertebrates, especially as a lot haven't got an english name.

To that end I thought i should like to show a few of the commoner insects likely to be found and also to try and show how not only how rewarding but also how stunning invertebrate wildlife is.

Looking and finding insects is very easy,  basically all types of habitat can hold many tiny living gems. A nettle patch can hold a myriad of invertebrates, as can old rotting wood, etc, etc.

There are thousands of insects to be found although a large proportion of them will not be identifiable down to species level unless scrutinised under a micro-scope.  This should not put you off as there are many species that can be identified and named by good photographs. 

Green Nettle Weevil   Phyllobius pomaceus

A smallish weevil, very common on nettles. This one is slightly worn, but when fresh it's the turquoise blue green colour all over.

Thick thighed Flower Beetle   Oedemera nobilis

This is the beetle most people ask about. An obvious looking beetle with those thick thighs
is diagnostic. The female however does not possess this adornment.

 Larva of the Green Lacewing
As you can see it carries on spines on its back the debris of past meals for protection .It is a voracious  preditor.

Adult Green Lacewing  Chrysopera carnea

Green Shieldbug  Palomina prasina

This is a late nymph but closely resembles the adult. They turn a brownish colour before hibernation

Red-legged Shieldbug    Pentatoma rufipes

This was taken on the wooden rail fencing along Pitsford causeway. sometimes they can be found in numbers. The legs can be a bright or dull in colour.

Trichrysis cyanea

A stunning Jewel Wasp. Often to be found on old and dead wood, searching for the nests of hosts

 (other bees and wasps) in which to lay its eggs.

Ruby-tailed Wasp     Chrysis ignita

Another stunning Jewel Wasp, there are over 30 members of this family to find and well worth looking for! Look for an ant like creature exploring, running and flying off in earnest.

Great Diving Beetle   Dytiscus marginalis

Quite a common aquatic beetle, more often found in ponds of course.

Broad Centurion    Chloromyia formosa.

One of the commonest of forty odd Soldierflies, this is a male, females have a blueish abdomen.

Corizus hyoscyami

Becoming more common, being found in gardens and woodlands. A member of the Rhopalid Bugs.

Roesel's Bush-cricket  Metrioptera roselii

This Bush-cricket has become very common, it is easily identified by the light margin around the pronotun (saddle) and pale spots on its side.

Scorpionfly      Panorpa germanica

Frequently found resting in nettles, this is a female, the male has scorpion like upturned genitals. 

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle   Rutpela maculata

One of our commoner Longhorn Beetles, easily found feeding on umbellifers.

A Comb-footed spider      Enoplagnatha ovata

Quite small but common spider, its abdomen can vary in the amount of colour, showing several forms.

Marmalade Hoverfly     Episyrphus balteatus

The abdominal pattern is diagnostic of this very common Hoverfly.

Zebra jumping spider    Salticus scenicus

The Jumping spiders are gorgeous little things. Their front set of eyes are like the objective lenses on a pair of binoculars. They are sun loving creatures, so look on walls and fences in a sunny disposition.

Noon fly  Mesembrina meridiana

A distinctive fly with the orange wing patches.

Small tortoiseshell  Aglais urticae

I'm sure you are all familiar with this gorgeous butterfly.

A thick-headed fly  Conops quadrifasciatus

To be fair this isn't that  common but can be found with a little diligent searching, look near where Bumblebees are associating.

Common Dock Bug      Coreus maginatus

This is a very common bug on docks and nettles you normally see it as a brownish diamond shape on a leaf. Rarely you see under the wings sporting its orangey red colours.

Red-and-black Froghopper   Cercopis vulnerata

Common and obvious Froghopper. Britains only representative in this family.

Brown-lipped Banded Snail  Cepaea nemoralis

So I didn't want to forget our Snails and Slugs.

I do hope you like this tiny offering and that it will incite you into looking at these wonderful creatures

a little bit closer. Happy hunting Rob.

Final Entries 2019 NBC Photo Comp

So sadly we come to the last of the entries for the Northants Bird Club Photographic Competition 2019.

I hope you have enjoyed all the previous image instalments and i'm sure you will not be disappointed  in this last instalment.

Although the blog has been a bit flakey at times, trying my patience uploading images and it has taken me quite a few hours all told, i'm a little sad it has come to an end.

With over 300 entries you can now take your time to enjoy the full beauty of all the wildlife photographed.

I will admit to being a little bit envious of many images and I hope you will get as much pleasure as I have viewing them.

A big Thank you, to every one who took part and I personally very much look towards seeing your images next year.

And so in no particular order,

Preening Stonechat    Martin Swannell    Suffolk

Syrphus sp Hoverfly  on wing of Brimstone Butterfly    John Showers     Pitsford Water

Inca Tern   Dave Thomas   Peru

Buck, Roe Deer  Robin Gossage  Yorkshire.

Peregrine Falcon     Martin Swannell    Kettering

Little Grebe   Alan Coles     Woodwalton Fen

Golden Oriole   Mark Williams   Bulgaria

Banded Demoiselle  Robin Gossage  Pitsford Water

Greater Flamingo   Robin Gossage   Camargue

Silver-washed Fritillary  Clive Bowley  Fermyn Wood

Fulmar     John Tilley   Bempton cliffs

Foraging Curlew  Carol Wingate    Church Norton Sussex

Short-tailed Vole     John Showers      Compton Verney  Warwicks

Brampton crossing   Peter Gilbert   

Lesser Yellowlegs   Bob Bullock  Grand Turk, Caribbean

Mandarin  Matt Hazleton  Barnwell CP

Poplar Hawkmoth  Clive Bowley  Pitsford Water

Common Snipe  Matt Hazleton  Summer Leys

Little Egret   Robin Gossage   Pitsford Water

Grey Heron   John Tilley  Summer Leys

Goldfinch  Bob  Mason  Summer Leys

Stripeless Tree Frog     Peter Gilbert    Camargue 

Chiffchaff   Mark Williams   Abington Park

Ringlet     John Tilley    Grand Union Canal  Northants

Jay       Matt Hazleton    Hyde Park

Dingy Skipper   John Showers  Priors Hall Corby

Lesser Flamingo  Bob Mason   Amboseli

Barn Owl    Martin Swannell     Cambs

Fly Agaric   Bob Bullock    Old Pastures Wood

Little Grebe  Clive Bowley  Pitsford Water

Redshank  Robin Gossage  Yorkshire

Leaf Monkey  Mark Williams  Thailand 

Dartford Warbler    Bob Bullock    Morden Bog Dorset

Northern Wheatear  Peter Gilbert  Las Alpujarras

Dipper   Peter Gilbert   Bavaria

Honey Buzzard    Mark Williams    Bulgaria

'Ellies'    Dave Thomas       Mashatu      Botswana

Black-tailed Godwit      Bob Gill     Frampton

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle   Bob Mason  Harpenden

Perennial Flax  Peter Gilbert      Serein Province,  France

Marine Iguana  Dave Thomas   Galapagos

Grey Heron     Matt Hazleton     Summer Leys

Marmalade Hoverfly  Episyrphus balteatus      John Tilley    Yardley Gobion  

Grey Plover     Bob Bullock     Holme, Norfolk

Hornet Clearwing moth      John Showers  Yardley Chase

Montagu's Harrier      Peter Gilbert      Camargue

Hippopotamus       Bob Mason      Masai Mara

Drakensberg Rockjumper  Dave Thomas  Sani-pass SA

Medmerry RSPB W Sussex  Carol Wingate

Turtle Dove  Mark Williams  Bulgaria

Peregrine with Feral pigeon   Martin Swannell    Kettering 

Green Tiger Beetle   John Showers    Minsmere

Great White Egret  John Tilley  Titchwell RSPB

Greenfinch    John Tilley   Summer Leys

Common Kestrel   Robin Gossage   Sywell CP

Red Squirrel     John Tilley     Formby

Mashatu Sunrise Botswana   Dave Thomas

And so we end, with a Sunrise  from Dave Thomas.

Robin.