Uploads from claylaner

Male Broad-bodied Chaser

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:40:28 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Male Broad-bodied Chaser,libellula depressa,at Abney,Cheadle.

This medium sized Dragonfly is usually seen over shallow,sunny ponds and lake margins during early summer . The larval development can take up to 3 years and lives partially buried in silt and detritus . They can survive in ponds that dry up in the summer and can even over winter in dried up pools .

Broad Bodied Chaser at Abney

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:47:33 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Female Broad Bodied Chaserlibellula depressa,at Abney

Poplar Hawkmoth - Explored 14.6.13

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:59:25 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Poplar Hawkmoth,laothoe populi,at Styal

Male Scorpion Fly

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:25:28 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Male Scorpion Fly,panorpa germanica,family panorpidae sheltering from the rain . Taken on a dull windy day at Abney .
This is the commonest of the 3 British Scorpion Flies . They are found in shady areas almost anywhere . They are scavengers and despite the fearsome tail are harmless .

Four-Spotted Chaser at Abney

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:11:35 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Male Four-Spotted Chaser,libellula quadrimaculata taken on the marsh at Abney,Cheadle

Female Demoiselle at Styal

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:06:05 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Female Banded Demoiselle,calopteryx splendens,at Styal

Getting to Know You - Azures Having Fun

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:14:27 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Azure Damselflies,coenagrion puella,at Abney,Cheshire . An explosion of odonata locally over the last few days . Hundreds of Chasers about but all busy trying to mate or fighting each other . Will try again to get shots next week . Damselfly numbers are now in the thousands .

Mr Large Red Damselfly

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:10:37 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Large Red Damselfly,pyrrhosoma nymphula,at Styal

The Damsels Return

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Fri, 31 May 2013 11:35:57 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

At last damselflies are back in reasonable numbers . This female Large Red Damselfly,pyrrhosoma nymphula,was one of many on the banks of the Bollin at Styal . Occ Banded Demoiselles and Azures about as well today

Small Flower Head in Styal Garden

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Mon, 27 May 2013 09:00:49 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Not sure of the ID on this one,it caught my eye in the wind and rain on a cool May day

On Fire

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:38:24 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Dandylion seed head in reflected sunlight

Dorset Hoodie

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:46 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Hooded Merganser,lophodytes cucullatus,at Radipole rspb reserve Weymouth,Dorset . Local opinion is divided - is
this a true vagrant or an escapee ? Whatever it's a beautiful bird

Male Sand Lizard

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:50:20 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Male Sand Lizard,lacerta agilis,taken in Portland,Dorset.Was so pleased to get a male showing his full breeding colour . These lizards are regarded as a threatened species and are strictly protected under UK law . This beauty was captured basking in the sun on Portland in Dorset,UK

A Snake in the Grass

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:33:37 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Female Adder,vipera berus,basking in the sun on Portland heathland . Got pretty close - she looks so innocent !!

Goldfinch at Styal

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:28:54 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Goldfinch,carduelis carduelis,in the Redwood area at Styal . This area is currently closed to public access but it is planned to open the area in the coming months . It is an area of mixed woodland ranging from scrub right up to Giant Redwoods . One of my tasks is looking after the bird feeders in this area and I have made some interesting sightings - not least of which includes Jays hanging upside down on peanut feeders !

Heron at Conwy - Having a Snack aka "A Frog in the Throat"

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:26:52 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Grey Heron,ardea cinerea,snacking on a large frog - honest . It was quite a mouthful and gave the Heron some fun in swallowing it

Please view on black

Curlew at Conwy

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:10:47 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Just love these giants of the wader world . Taken in a howling gale in very poor light

Turnstone

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:26:27 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Turnstone,arenaria interpres,sunning himself in Welsh sunshine

Comma Butterfly,slightly battle worn

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:45:52 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

At last reasonable butterfly numbers at Styal . This Comma,polygonia c-album is showing it's battle scars .

Of interest there were a large number of Peacocks,they tolerated the Small Tortoiseshells but any Commas or Brimstones that came close to their territories were attacked and seen off .

Great Tit on the Hunt

nobody@flickr.com (claylaner) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:55:56 -0700

claylaner posted a photo:

Great Tit,parus major,at Styal