Robin (Erithacus rubecula).

ISO 640; f/9; 1/400 @ 300mm cropped.

 Mr. Robin ... my resident garden companion.

ISO 800; f/8; 1/200 @ 300mm cropped.

Linking to Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Female Tufted Duck.

Most ducks usually head for the safety of the water if you get too close but this female Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) decided the lens wasn't a real threat.

She constantly kept her beady little yellow eye on the 'watcher'.

For a brief moment some action on the water caught her attention but she very quickly settled down again.

All images taken handheld with the 450D and 70-300mm lens. FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters, Saturday's Critters and I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'.

Grey Heron.

In most locations where I encounter a Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) they are very flighty and don't allow a close approach. More recently I have had much better experiences with several individuals in Bushy Park where they are far more tolerant of human movements.

This week one individual was on sentry duty but later flew down to allow some rewarding close photos.

Linking to Camera Critters, Saturday's Critters and I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'.  FAB.

Wasp Spider.

A female Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi), whose body is as big as a 2p piece, photographed at Tices Meadows on 18th September using my PowerShot SX50 HS.

A species native to the Mediterranean area that was first recorded at Rye on the south coast in 1922 and  subsequently spread throughout the south-east of UK. In 2007 it was reported that after years of milder winters this species had rapidly spread northwards. Last year the first sightings were reported from South Wales and East Anglia.   FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters.

The Obelisk Position.

A male Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) regulating its temperature by pointing its abdomen towards the sun in 'the obelisk position'. I will feature my session with this delightful little dragon on my main blog in the near future.  FAB.

Shot 'handheld' with 450D plus 70-300mm lens. [ISO 200; 1/320; f7.1 @ 200mm]

Linking to Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Marsh Harrier.

From the recent archives, a couple of shots of a female [Western] Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) as she drifted high above a Kent reed bed in mid June.

Linking to Feathers on Friday, Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Comma.

A resting Comma (Polygonia c-album) soaking up the very limited sunshine during one of my patch walks earlier this week.

Both images (straight out of the camera) taken 'handheld' with Cannon PowerShot SX50 HS.  FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Fallow Buck.

A Fallow Buck checking out what he might like for a snack. Shot during a session in Bushy Park from about 30 yards away and cropped. [f7.1; 1/250; ISO 400 @ 300mm]. 

More images will appear on my main blog very soon.  FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Mirror Image.

A pair of friendly [Western] Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) spending a bit of quiet, quality time together. From a distance the untrained eye of the layman often thinks they are just a dark 'crow' but when you get up close you can appreciate their distinctive and contrasting head pattern plus their inquisitive grey-white eyes.  FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen and Camera Critters hosted by Misty.

Chasers.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)

Linking to Camera Critters.

Reed Bunting.

 

Male Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoenichus) enjoying a feast. Captured during a recent return visit to Warnham Local Nature Reserve. 

I will share some other images from this interesting location on my main blog in the near future .... FAB.

Brown Hairstreak.

During a brief afternoon visit to Bookham Common I was fortunate to add another species to this years list ... a Brown Hairstreak ( Thecla betulae).
Although this individual didn't open its wings I'm guessing that it was a female feeding inbetween egg-laying.   Click here for more images of this species.  FAB.

White Admiral.

White Admiral (Limentis camilla), a species that graces sunlit woodland glades.    FAB. 

Please check out this link for more of our Winged Friends hosted by NatureFootstep.

For more Critters of all kinds visit our friend Misty at Camera Critters.

Large Skipper

A female Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) captured using the Canon Powershot S95.  FAB.

Banded Demoiselle.

Another sign of Spring is the emergence of the Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens). The metallic sheen of the blue-green body and the formation of its distinctive blue-black wing band glistened as  this male soaked up the filtered sunshine. Taken during a visit to Stodmarsh, Kent today.  FAB.