Return of the Emperor.

I had to take my car in for a minor (I hope, I haven't got the billy et!) repair to day and walked down to Kearsney Abbey Gardens. I was surprised to see a young lady, in what passes today for school uniform, wading around the in the river in her stocking feet.

Evidently she and the Head Mistress did not see eye to eye and she was free to do as she wished until 1.pm. What she was doing was catching, in her bare hands, Miller's thumbs or Bullsheads. as they are sometimes known and putting then in a plastic container for later release. These fishes are crepuscular, they spend the day hiding under stones or in vegetation, and come out at dusk to feed.

On the lake an Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) was patrolling up and down. I did see it est at all and I tried to get a picture each time it came past. They are not easy and I apologise for putting up several blurred pictures to day, it was a day of experimentation. I was a surprised when I looked at the pictures to see that it was quite badly warn.

There were loads of hoverflies around, I haven't put a name to this one yet, It is very common, and I thought I try and get a picture of one in the air. at First I tried it with out flash and found it very difficult.

The result using fill in flash were strange, any tips for photographing flying insects will be gratefully received.

While I was trying to get the Dragonfly in my shutter this coot was having a brush up. The heavily moulting wing feathers

I saw quite a lot of Grey Wagtails, I think at least three family parties, including around the lake at Bushy Ruff.

At Bushy Ruff I was pleased to see the family of swans resting away from the crowds. They still have six young, a good number, I hope they all fledge.

As we walked round Bushy Ruff the Herring Gulls alerted me to the presence of something to alarm about and sure enough there was a Buzzard over head. After a while there were glimpses of three circling high over the trees.
Moth Trapping - a species list for the day is here