Glorious sunshine today, and a perfect opportunity to spend an hour by the dew pond. The chasers were out in force, but still no sign of the common darters. I set this shot up to some extent. The chasers like to rest on vertical twigs at the side of the water. I placed one in a good spot so I could get in close, and have the sun behind me. Within a couple of minutes, this male chaser obliged.
But it was the birds which were the feature of the visit. The hot weather brought several down to the pond side, starting with this collared dove. It's the first I've seen there, though they are common enough in the area.
Next up was a crow, seen here admiring its reflection while taking a drink.
Not to be outdone, a pair of goldfinches flitted down to the waterside.
This one was also in reflective mood.
A few posts ago, I mentioned that there were newts in the pond, and while I knew that there are frogs (the spawn was a giveaway back in early spring) I hadn't actually seen one there until today when this popped its head out of the water.
As for the garden, the old dog fox has been back on his rounds. These from the last couple of nights.
Camera note: all the birds, the frog and the dragonfly taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, except the collared dove which was taken with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens. The fox shots were taken with the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM (close-up) and the EF70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM (standing tall).
Dudley
2 Jul 2008Excellent set
Vulpes vulpes
2 Jul 2008Love the Broad Bodied Chaser and Goldfinches shots! Nice to see ODF in fine fettle.
cakkleberrylane
2 Jul 2008Great series of photos. The goldfinches are so colorful!
Cynthia23
2 Jul 2008Marvelous! The fox dog smelling the flowers is such an awesome picture, goldfinches beautiful and the frog so funny. You most certainly had a glorious day. You can see it in each of the photos. :up:
gdare
2 Jul 2008Goldfinches are in a nice contrast against the water and mud :up:
zetorres
2 Jul 2008Fantastic goldfinch! :up:
Goldfich nest: http://my.opera.com/365/albums/showpic.dml?album=441625&picture=7661694 ;);)
Vulpes vulpes
2 Jul 2008LOL, I actually hadn't noticed the ODF sniffing the foxgloves (is that lutea?). Great shot! :up:
SittingFox
2 Jul 2008Cool dragonfly shot and the fox is looking well! :up: But the frog is just great – espeically seeing its toes below the water!
Words
2 Jul 2008Andy, thanks!
Words
2 Jul 2008Lois, thanks. It was a nice treat to get a pair of goldfinches together.
Words
2 Jul 2008Cynthia, well those are fox gloves he's sniffing at 😉 The sunshine was great, but didn't last. Overcast and drizzle today at lunchtime 🙁
Words
2 Jul 2008Darko, the goldfinches are so striking. They are made for photographing.
Words
2 Jul 2008Vulpes, re the fox gloves….. well we had to have some of those on the garden 😉 And yes, I think they are Digitalis lutea
Words
2 Jul 2008Vulpes, thanks. I was pleased with the chaser (not least because the set-up worked!), but the goldfinches provide such wonderful colour against the clay.
Words
2 Jul 2008ZT, thanks. Nice shots of the babies!
Words
2 Jul 2008Adele, it's so hard to see the amphibians in the pond. Not just the size, but it's permanently cloudy because of the clay. They're must be plenty of them in there somewhere, but it nice for one to pop up and say hello. The foxes seem to be back after a relatively quiet period. Had ODF and then the bold vixen out there tonight. Just sorting through some photos now.