More of the same, but that's no bad thing when it means uninterrupted sunshine. On days like today, the garden is always worth checking out. There are the butterflies. I seem to be seeing more orange-tips in the garden this year although they are being evasive when in front of the camera. Instead I'll post this rather battered (but much more cooperative) speckled wood which was resting at the back of the garden.
Also increasingly evident are the hoverfly. 
And just along from that I saw my first damselfly of the season. 
I did check out the local pond and have started gathering some short video clips which – when I get time – I'll edit together. For now, it's just the photos. They're cute though 😉
Overnight the new moorhen nest appears to have vanished! :alien: My suspicion falls on either the large fish that were thrashing around the nest, or the mallards. There's a group of about four males which have been aggressively patrolling that part of the pond for the past few days. It wouldn't surprise me at all if their thrashing and fighting hasn't spilled over into the nest area. The little ones are fine though, and being well looked after by the adults.
"Thanks Mum!"
Camera note: all garden shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM. The pond photos were taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
cakkleberrylane
23 Apr 2011Glad to hear the baby moorhens are all right. I love the last shot of Mum feeding the chick!
SittingFox
23 Apr 2011That moorhen chick…it's all fluff and legs 😀
I haven't been able to get a photo of a speckled wood so far this year, but I've seen quite a few around. In fact, after a very delayed start to spring, butterflies are now around in abundance. They seem to be dealing with the weather better than me!
gdare
23 Apr 2011Damselfly looks amazin, as always. I haven`t seen them so far here, I think during next month maybe :left:
Words
23 Apr 2011Erwin, thanks. It's really beautiful at the moment here, but we could do with some rain otherwise everything will look tired before summer (assuming we get a 'summer' this year… you never can tell).
Words
23 Apr 2011Adele, they have great legs and very silly feet. Really the most cartoon like of chicks.
I think the weather will cool off next week. I agree it is really too hot for the time of year, but the real shock is that we've sunshine for the holiday. Most unusual! Looking at that speckled wood I wonder how much wing a butterfly can lose and still be able to fly.
Words
23 Apr 2011Lois, yes they're all still fine (today's update!). They are incredibly awkward to photograph though as – unlike the ducklings and goslings – they stay very close to the bank, protected by overhanging vegetation and so far haven't ventured more than a few feet away from the edge. Every shot is through a mass of leaf matter and branches.
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012All looks great… sun…amazing all this at this time…
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Indeed Lets hope that there will be a lovely summer….;)