Gower - Chough!

During a cliff-top walk, I spotted a group of five Chough at the cliff edge :-) Sensing what the result would be if I approached them, I took a wide detour around them and sat on the slope of a mound in between me and the birds. It worked (well for one of them!) as it hopped up from the other side...

I thought it would fly off immediately but no, it wandered over the brow towards me!

After a bit of a stare...

It simply started feeding!

Picking up quite tine tasty morsels...

And my now, a mere 10m away!

I was only carrying my 100-400 lens and most of the shots were frame fillers!

But not quite enough to crop this small shrimp like invertebrate much closer!

Down the hatch...

I've had one or two encounters with Chough in the past but nothing to match this. Awesome bird in  fantastic light. One of my luckier moments indeed...

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

I've had a relaxing week in Swansea chilling with Gemma's post wedding graduation - she is now officially Dr Gemma Brown! The camera was in the boot 'just in case' and it came out when I spotted a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on the Red Valerian in the garden where we were staying...

A couple of 'firsts' I've never had one of these perched up (they normally fly incessantly!)

And thinking I would get some decent shots, started off snapping at 1/2000

Atmospheric but not exactly what I was after...

The proboscis pics added more interest at 1/3200

And eventually after cranking the shutter speed up to 1/8000 I got the image I was after (virtually) frozen wings. Another first...

A final afternoon walk on the Gower beckons and hopes for Choughs, heard but not seen so far...

Venus Pool - Green Woodpecker

Not exactly camera shy,  juvenile Green Woodpecker in between feasting on ants today...

Spooked by something and just about to go...

Venus Pool - Mandarin

Not a lot happening at Venus Pool but a pair of Mandarin, (probably an eclipse pair) still present. One seen here fraternising with the eclipse Wood Duck.

Despite spending most of the time on the far bank, a couple of visits to the Sand Martin Box corner gave a better opportunity!

Venus Pool - Ruddy Darters

Ruddy Darters are now on the wing with the first sightings of maturing males from 8th July...

A fresh immature male from today!

Venus Pool - Brown Hawker

A dash to VP was marred by (just) missing an adult Med Gull. I gave it an hour or so in case it returned then tried my luck to see if lightning (in the form of another Marbled White) could strike again? It didn't but at least I got an early Brown Hawker - teneral male flying weakly in the top field and then landing in the hedge...

The waisted abdomen area is more swollen in the female...

In both pics, some areas of the wings glistening as the process of hardening off finishes.

And I didn't get bitten!! Oh no, got the bug to find more now...

Maesbury - Hawkmoths!

Caught up with Anthony Griffiths over at Maesbury this morning. He is riding high with his UK year list having just reached the magical 300 barrier by the end of June!! The sky's the limit for the final total and I look forward to sharing several new year birds with him on the Scilly Pelagics!

He also keeps me posted with 'new' Hawkmoths in his trap and today was yet another new one for me and only the second eve for him? A Small Elephant Hawkmoth! Shame about the wear but they all count ...

No shortage of the larger Elephant Hawkmoth and here's the most pristine of the bunch!

And a nice smart Poplar Hawkmoth to complete the trio...

Well camouflaged on the release birch tree, the Buff Tip has a good chance of avoiding predation!

Plus this Peppered Moth chancing his luck on the greener parts...

Silver Y of which there were two colour forms.

There were many more small grey and brown jobs. I'm concentrating on the attractive and unusual but can see how addictive these guys can become! But... I'm not getting a moth trap - ever?