Wednesday 1 September 2010

The Sun Is Shining In The Sky, There Ain't A Cloud Passing By - ELO

The weather being once again bright and sunny with just a gentle easterly breeze, I thought it about time to get the second new lens (Sigma DG 70 - 300mm) out and try a few 'macro' shots. To effect an early start I was even prepared to 'pay' for my bus fare to Portland, some readers will appreciate how keen I must have been. So, while I did stroll through the cemetery, without result, the birding in earnest started at Barleycrates Lane. There, c2

Common Whitethroat soon appeared from a tangle of bushes, with a few Wheatear scattered across the horse paddocks and fence posts. Again today 30 or so

Yellow Wagtails were favouring the sheep field at Fancy's Farm and as the animal were feeding

on much shorter grass the birds were a little more easy to see than previously.

At Southwell School there was also a Pied Wagtail, not rare but worth taking a shot for comparison with their close relative above. At the Portland Bird Observatory, after a short 'master class', I had hoped to photograph some of the moths captured overnight but as the Warden hadn't switched on his crystal ball he had released what few there had been before I informed him of my quest. However, as is usual on such sunny days and with Buddleia, Hebe and Bramble in bloom in the Obs garden there was no shortage of other insects to photograph. Most of these insects have been seen through these pages before, but you don't have to be an entomologist to appreciate such beauty.

Red Admiral

Large White butterfly, commonly refered to as Cabbage White. Then came the high point of the day for me as Martin Cade (Warden) caught this splendid

Lesser Whitethroat in a mist net.

This head detail shows the slightly darked patch behind the eye which, whenever I see one, reminds me of some sort od masked bandit - a real beauty!

A Painted Lady butterfly was also obliging, and as the

Wasp Spider was still in residence it was an obvious target for the lens, as was this

Common Darter. Just before leaving the Observatory this group of

Grey Herons cut across the clear blue sky, and with an earlier report, and photograph, of a Hobby seemingly settled on a fence post in a nearby field, I made a bid to see this on my way home. Unfortunately, that was not to be but

c2 Common Buzzards had replaced it and allowed for distant shots.

On arrival at home this Forest Bug was clinging to the garden gate.

and finally, with so much promotion during the past few days it is not surprising that an interesting set of statistics have followed. New countries (or maybe a better description would be regions as several Island Groups have now joined the list) to have been added include, Malta, Turkey, Gambia, Tanzania and Cambodia bringing the total to 96. Welcome to all of you and hope you enjoy the read!

Country | State/Region | City | ISP


Num Perc. Country Name

drill down478286.98%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down1292.35%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down991.80%EstoniaEstonia
drill down881.60%United StatesUnited States
drill down380.69%IrelandIreland
drill down370.67%FranceFrance
drill down360.65%FinlandFinland
drill down250.45%CanadaCanada
drill down200.36%GermanyGermany
drill down190.35%AustraliaAustralia
drill down160.29%BelgiumBelgium
drill down160.29%BarbadosBarbados
drill down150.27%


drill down150.27%JapanJapan
drill down140.25%SwedenSweden
drill down100.18%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down90.16%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down70.13%ColombiaColombia
drill down70.13%SpainSpain
drill down70.13%IndiaIndia
drill down70.13%DenmarkDenmark
drill down60.11%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down60.11%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down50.09%ItalyItaly
drill down50.09%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down50.09%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down40.07%BrazilBrazil
drill down40.07%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down40.07%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down30.05%NorwayNorway
drill down30.05%EuropeEurope
drill down30.05%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down30.05%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down30.05%SudanSudan
drill down20.04%PeruPeru
drill down20.04%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down20.04%GambiaGambia
drill down20.04%EcuadorEcuador
drill down20.04%PolandPoland
drill down20.04%Tanzania, United Republic OfTanzania, United Republic Of
drill down20.04%GreeceGreece
drill down20.04%VietnamVietnam
drill down20.04%IsraelIsrael
drill down20.04%ChileChile
drill down20.04%HungaryHungary
drill down20.04%MaltaMalta
drill down20.04%TurkeyTurkey
drill down20.04%JerseyJersey
drill down10.02%SeychellesSeychelles
drill down10.02%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down10.02%CambodiaCambodia
drill down10.02%MexicoMexico
drill down10.02%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down10.02%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down10.02%CroatiaCroatia
drill down10.02%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down10.02%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down10.02%Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands
drill down10.02%Falkland Islands (malvinas)Falkland Islands (malvinas)
drill down10.02%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down10.02%Iran, Islamic Republic OfIran, Islamic Republic Of
drill down10.02%NigeriaNigeria
drill down10.02%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down10.02%SingaporeSingapore
drill down10.02%PortugalPortugal
drill down10.02%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down10.02%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down10.02%IndonesiaIndonesia

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