Wasn't sure where to put this. But I guess this is the best place? They were kept in the water whilst waiting for photo's, and all delicately returned to suitable spots. I believe they are swan mussels.
Wildlife pictures
- Thread starter Harvestman
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BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Well this is a mixed bag of days and subjects
Here is a bumble bee on a thistle in the garden
Bumble bee on thistle by Alf Branch, on Flickr
A leaf cutter bee in a flower
Leaf cutter bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr
The only resident in my bee hotel a walnut orb weaver
Walnut orb weaver by Alf Branch, on Flickr
A dragonfly emerging
Emerging dragonfly by Alf Branch, on Flickr
A dolly fly
Dolly fly by Alf Branch, on Flickr
An ant
Ant by Alf Branch, on Flickr
A spider
Spider by Alf Branch, on Flickr
A drinker caterpillar
The drinker by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Here is a bumble bee on a thistle in the garden
Bumble bee on thistle by Alf Branch, on FlickrA leaf cutter bee in a flower
Leaf cutter bee by Alf Branch, on FlickrThe only resident in my bee hotel a walnut orb weaver
Walnut orb weaver by Alf Branch, on FlickrA dragonfly emerging
Emerging dragonfly by Alf Branch, on FlickrA dolly fly
Dolly fly by Alf Branch, on FlickrAn ant
Ant by Alf Branch, on FlickrA spider
Spider by Alf Branch, on FlickrA drinker caterpillar
The drinker by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Well i have been out on invertebrate safari (well I was looking for other stuff too) with Oly E-M1ii and 40-150 f2.8 and MC-14 1.4X teleconverter a bit lately so here some insects I have captured they are generrally heavy crops
I was observing these tiny bees at Talkin tarn in Cumbria and they seemed initially to be struggling hand onto plant/grass stems and doing a pole dance round them but I wonder if they are trying to wipe the pollen toa certain part of the body.
Tiny bee 3 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Tiny bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Tiny bee 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
I think this is an orange tailed mining bee I was waiting forever for this to surface and the wife was waiting so gave up
Orange tailed mining bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr
I observed this bumble bee moving from one clover flower to another
Bumble bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr
I was observing these tiny bees at Talkin tarn in Cumbria and they seemed initially to be struggling hand onto plant/grass stems and doing a pole dance round them but I wonder if they are trying to wipe the pollen toa certain part of the body.
Tiny bee 3 by Alf Branch, on FlickrTiny bee by Alf Branch, on FlickrTiny bee 2 by Alf Branch, on FlickrI think this is an orange tailed mining bee I was waiting forever for this to surface and the wife was waiting so gave up
Orange tailed mining bee by Alf Branch, on FlickrI observed this bumble bee moving from one clover flower to another
Bumble bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr
While out on a local safari I finally found an Adder
I was told where he lived on a verge beside a wall next to a road. He was laying out when I arrived and when she spotted me (I was close) she slowly moved off into the wall climbing upwards and appearing again looking out at me
Corrected to he thanks to Jonathan
Adder keeping lookout by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Adder heading home by Alf Branch, on Flickr
I was told where he lived on a verge beside a wall next to a road. He was laying out when I arrived and when she spotted me (I was close) she slowly moved off into the wall climbing upwards and appearing again looking out at me
Corrected to he thanks to Jonathan
Adder keeping lookout by Alf Branch, on FlickrAdder heading home by Alf Branch, on Flickr
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Beautiful. Love that first one. Male though. Not female. Although sexually dimorphic, sometimes you get males that skip a year or two in their mating behaviour and colour, and stay in their late Summer/Autumn colours. Again, that first picture captures an inquisitive adder perfectly. It’s one of the best pictures of an adder I’ve seen. And I’ve seen thousands. You’ve made my day.
Yeah, that one of the adder peeping out from the behind the stones is a great one.
We've had lots of adders on the north downs this year.
The best way to tell gender is not so much by the background colour but by the colour of the zig zag. Males will have a black zig zag and females a (dark) brown zig zag. The background colour can vary, especially in the males.
Common lizards can be a bit troublesome to identify. Generally, those with spots will be male, and those with stripes will be female. But that's not always the case, but it does serve as a rough guide.
I find slow worms the most difficult to identify. If it has a black stripe down the back it is female, but not all females have this. So if it hasn't then I struggle.
Oh yeah, one other thing. I've been told that the pattern on the back of the head of an adder may be like a finger print and can be useful in identifying individuals. I think this is a current area of research so if you submit your sighting to the local Amphibian and Reptile Group they are particularly pleased with pictures of the animal's head.
We've had lots of adders on the north downs this year.
The best way to tell gender is not so much by the background colour but by the colour of the zig zag. Males will have a black zig zag and females a (dark) brown zig zag. The background colour can vary, especially in the males.
Common lizards can be a bit troublesome to identify. Generally, those with spots will be male, and those with stripes will be female. But that's not always the case, but it does serve as a rough guide.
I find slow worms the most difficult to identify. If it has a black stripe down the back it is female, but not all females have this. So if it hasn't then I struggle.
Oh yeah, one other thing. I've been told that the pattern on the back of the head of an adder may be like a finger print and can be useful in identifying individuals. I think this is a current area of research so if you submit your sighting to the local Amphibian and Reptile Group they are particularly pleased with pictures of the animal's head.
This is true. And ideally the first couple of sections on the neck too. When I used to do UK field studies more than I do now, I could recognise up to 120 individuals Without reference that I came across year after year . I still can with my local populations, and some are still around after 30 years. Theres a few posts on here from about 10 years ago of a female I‘ve recorded from 1984. She’s still about.
Ineteresting that they grow that old in the wild.
Do you know what the oldest recorded age for an adder is JD?
I found him again today higher up and along the wall
Adder in wall 1 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Adder in wall 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Adder in wall 3 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Adder in wall 1 by Alf Branch, on FlickrAdder in wall 2 by Alf Branch, on FlickrAdder in wall 3 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Adder in the wall
One of last night's haul - Elephant Hawk Moth - I know they're common, but they are beautiful 
They may be common, but it's not a common occurrence for many folk including myself so thanks
Taken a few years ago at a local wildlife preserve
One of last night's haul - Elephant Hawk Moth - I know they're common, but they are beautiful
View attachment 59671
They may be common but the distribution map says not here
Nice capture
Squirrel taken at Powis Castle and Red Kites and Bwlch Nant Yr Arian
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