Animals in Action

One of the joys of wildlife watching is seeing the extraordinary abilities of even the most commonplace creature, from gulls coming into land to butterflies navigating from flower to flower in the breeze. There's the aerial grace of the swift, the climbing ability of the fox, the gymnastic excellence of the squirrel. And then there's the May Bug (cockchafer). In case you haven't come across this large flying bug, it is usually active in June or July (despite the name). It's among the clumsiest of all flying creatures (these are the ones that bump into you), aimless in direction and near hopeless at achieving a straight path. Plus, as I discovered today, they are useless at climbing. I came across this one out in the garden.
Walking (it's quite good at this)

Winged flight remained a vain hope today

How about a climb?

Progress of sorts…

No! Can't quite manage it 🙁

It eventually crawled off to shelter under a flower pot.

One of the garden favourites is the blackbird whose distinctive song dominates the later afternoon. Unlike the May bug, they fly like arrows between sentry posts, fast, straight and low. I would hate to get in the way of one!

I've spent a long time waiting to catch a sequence of a blackbird, but not as long as I've been after the next shot. This is the true 'fox trot', a form of play combat that establishes dominance without undue harm to either fox. The young male is on the left in this short sequence.


Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots were taken with the Canon 40D. lenses as follows: May bug, Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro; blackbird, EF 400mm f/5.6L USM; foxes, EF 24-105 F4L IS USM.

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This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Mickeyjoe-Irl

    28 Jun 2010

    Excellent fox sequence.

  2. Words

    28 Jun 2010

    Thanks Erwin!

  3. Vulpes vulpes

    28 Jun 2010

    Nice! Have you ever felt the grip of Maybug legs? (note the barbs in the upside down shot). Love the 'Fox Trot' shots! 😀

  4. SittingFox

    28 Jun 2010

    Wow, well done on the fox trot :yes: It's such a weird thing. With their sensitive hearing, the accompanying screams must be really painful!

    Nice sequence of the Maybug too. For some reason it reminds me of a very small hippo :right:

  5. Words

    28 Jun 2010

    Thanks Mickeyjoe! I was pleased to get that series of shots. :ninja:

  6. Words

    28 Jun 2010

    Vulpes, no I haven't… and by the look of those barbs I'll be thankful about that 🙂

  7. Words

    28 Jun 2010

    Adele, there was very little noise, just the grappling. As for the My bug/hippo… well they are both about as aerodynamic so I'm with you some of the way on that.

  8. filipinaballerina

    1 Jul 2010

    WOW those are amazing fox shots!! well done!!

  9. Words

    1 Jul 2010

    Thanks Chris!

  10. Ukwildlife

    6 Jul 2010

    Brilliant foxes. And Cockchafers are second to stag beetles when it comes to flying, well landing for sure anyway – they just crash!

  11. Words

    6 Jul 2010

    Neil, I was pleased with the foxes. How cockchafers ever get anywhere beats me. Hit something and fall to the ground seems to be their life's aim.

  12. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Excellent, beautiful, a great set of Pict

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