Crest at Rest 2

A Juvenile Hoopoe   Upupa epops

  

Driving to market last Thursday I disturbed a small Hoopoe, which flew over the wall and into the next field.It was too far away to get really clear images, but better these than none, as they are the first sightings I've had all year.They arrive here in mid March every year, and I was so pleased to see this juvenile, which means that they successfully reared at least one young Hoopoe. Both sexes are alike, pale reddish-buff with striking black and white wing and tail barring. The crest is rarely raised, except on landing.


This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

Fast Flyer

The female Broad-bodied libélula     Libellula depressa  

The young male also looks like this female but the mature male is blue. I know this one is a female because I saw it mating.Although the female  is classified as being brown, she was decidedly more yellow looking than brown, with lighter yellow markings down sides of her abdomen. 

This fast flying darter alighted on a garden marker, which is near the fish pond especially for this purpose. It attracts all kinds of dragonflies to it's warm wooden surface. She seemed to be waiting ( perhaps for a mate) and thankfully  a male  appeared the next day. As I took too many photos for one post, I will show you the male of the species on my next post.

 

 She left the marker only a few times to hunt, but always returned to the same place. She looked in my direction several times, but my close proximity didn't seem to bother her. I think she had other things on her mind!:))


 

Although I didn't noticed she may even have started her existence in the pond, as and they do prefere to breed in garden ponds or similar bodies of water.


 

Both the male and the female have very broad abdómens, and all wings are brown at the base.

 

The wing span is (76mm) and the length is 45 mm. It's not a large dragonfly but it's a pretty little thing, especially when  the wings shimmer in the bright sunlight.

 

June Jays

The Jays are back, and so am I! It's been a long and needed break, but it's good to be back, with the good news that my husband has improved. I probably won't answer all your comments as before, but I will visit everyone of my blogging friends who make a comment on my blog. So sorry about this, but I hope you will understand.

 

This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

Blogging Break.

Dear Blogger friends, You may have noticed that my visits to you have become infrequent! It's entirely out of character for me to ignore your excellent blogs, but quite simply my life right now has become complicated, necessitating a break from blogging. So sorry to have taken this long to let you know that I will be taking an extended leave, but hope to resume blogging with renewed energy when "things" are better. I will miss you all.:) 

Coy Wader

The Avocet   Recurvirostra   avosetta

 The Avocet, an elegant black and white wader, has a slender and delicate build. It's thin strongly upcurved bill, is swept from side to side under the water when searching for food.
 

This post is included in the WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY initiative by Stewart M and the blog Paying Ready Attention - Photo Gallery

Homely House Sparrow

House Sparrow   Passer domesticus


 

 

 

 

The House Sparrow is very sociable. It breeds commonly around farmyards, towns and villages. The male shown here, has grey crown, red-brown temples, and large black bib. The females are uniformly more grey-brown, and have pale brown streak behind eye.

Juvenile Jays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These juvenile Jays were about two and a half months old when they came to feed in my garden last year. The adult female lays 3-10 eggs, incubates alone during 16-19 days, then the chicks are fed by both parents. They fledge 19-23 days after hatching, and depend on their parents during 7-8 weeks before parents chase them away. The parents brought the juveniles to my garden, which enabled me to get these shots before they moved on.

Stag - night!

The Stag Beetle  Lucanus cervus

 

 

The Stag Beetle is named for the huge jaws (antlers) of the male,which are used to fight rival males in the breeding season.The female has normal jaws. Size is variable, female up to 30 - 40mm, male to 50 mm - 70. Can be seen in parks with old trees, and old forrests. Adults feed on sap oozing from wounded trees. When I saw this beetle it was in deep shade, and I didn't want to disturb it in case it flew away, so I had to lighten the photos considerably, which accounts for the bluish tinge. Their true colour is black and chestnut. The photos are not good, but it's an interesting beetle to show you.
 

House and Garden

The House Spider    Tegenaria gigantea


 

 

 

The Garden Spider   Araneus diadematus



 

 

 

The House spider has very long legs, especially in the male. The body is brown, heavily mottled with black, with a number of clear chevrons towards the rear. The house spider builds a triangular web, then hides in a tubular retreat in a corner and waits for flies and other insects to become entangled. Females live for several years, surviving for months without food. Their habitat is, in and around houses, especially sheds, other out buildings, and also in open countryside, particularly in the south. Seen throughout Europe. The male Garden Spider Araneus diadematus is 5-8mm and the female is 10-12mm.It makes a large symmetrical orb web which acts as an aerial trap for flying insects. This spider made it's web just outside one of my windows, so I took some photos inside and some outside.