Whixall Moss - White-faced Darters

The floods may not have been an obliging place for the Spotted Redshank due to distance but after taking loads of soon to be deleted images taken from the Canal towpath, I figured the Moss may be the place to be?

There were some stunning fresh looking White-faced Darters just waiting for me!

I don't think I've ever photographed two together?!

Two pairs mating!

Fun in the scum with another pair mating, plus a couple of Moss specialities...

A Raft Spider waiting for dinner to be served?

Plus an unexpected Common Lizard paddling away!

Maybe my favourite?

They are always worth paying an annual homage....

Whixall Moss - Highlights

The highlights of two days spent at Whixall Moss this week started with several Stonechat...

Two Marsh Harriers! Only one was close enough...

Plus decent views of the Great Grey Shrike...

Sadly the closest encounter came in the worst of the light...

Whixall Moss - Short-eared Owl

 A Merlin flashing across the path at Whixall Moss today gave me no chance of an image but it was a different story for an obliging Short-eared Owl...

Never that close but never that far away! Always magical to stand there and watch...

And the sun which threatened to shine... DIDN'T

These pics were part of an extended pass against the perimeter trees befire it disappeared from view.

Only to return minutes later, prey clutched in the talons!

Another long wait until next winter beckons!

Whixall Moss - Marsh Harrier

Two down from the other day and one to go? I was alerted by a short show of aerial combat between the Black-headed Gulls and what could only be a Marsh Harrier! And of course it was.... Distant!

Never an easy bird in Shropshire...

Whixall Moss - Hen Harrier and Short eared Owl

Three good birds were on the cards with a bit of effort at Whixall Moss and I'll settle for the distant views I managed of both Hen Harrier (Ringtail) and Short-eared Owl! As for photographs, a non-starter really with both never much nearer that 400m!

Hen Harrier giving me five fingers to the primaries.

Short-eared Owl.

Need to do much better really but only a short window of opportunity and the Moss is a big place...

Whixall Moss - White faced Darters

 Always go back! After my last session at Whixall Moss, I had been missing female and a nice mature male White-faced Darter. It was a perfect day with quite a few on the wing...

Here's an immature female recognisable from the thicker parallel abdomen and with the opaque wings...

                    

A teneral / immature male

An near mature male next with the red markings still showing a hint of yellow below the thorax...

No sign of yellow on this male...

There was much more to enjoy as well, covered in another post!

Whixall Moss - Darter and Damsel

I had planned to spend most of the day on the Moss but roughly 40 mins into the session, a rather nasty thunderstorm scuppered that - I was soaked to the skin! Never mind, at least I didn't get struck by lightning and I did at least see my main target (at the third visit). A super fresh teneral male  White-faced Darter!

The appearance at this stage is very much like a female but the markings, shape and appendages point to 'male'. I'm sure I'll be back to find a mature male in due course?

There was no shortage of Large Red Damselfly and this male was the last but one insect I pointed the camera at!

The last was this Common Heath moth (one of two seen). next to the main path.

Whixall Moss - Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris)

With at least 3 Grasshopper Warblers and a pair of Hobby for starters, the main focus for the day came in the form of Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris). I've seen them before but never stuck it out to get a half decent image or two? Luckily I had my 100-400mm zoom lens with me. There were so many opportunities to be had, lying on the path at Whxall Moss, it was hard to ignore them!

At first I was content to simply to watch them scuttling past...

But then got drawn down to the ground to meet them on their own terms. A meaner hunting machine would be hard to find!

And with the sun shining the iridescent beauty of these beasts was hard to resist!!

One for another day with my dedicated macro lens methinks but these will do for now :-)