Black-winged Stilts on Black Hole Marsh

I went out nice and early this morning to visit Seaton Wetlands, where a pair of Black-winged Stilts had arrived yesterday. I couldn't face going then as it was a Bank Holiday Monday and I'm not keen on crowds. I knew they were still there as Tim White put the news out nice and early this morning. I wasn't expecting to get good photos because I knew they had been keeping to the far south of Black Hole Marsh, the early morning sun was fierce too. I was therefore shocked and delighted when I arrived at the screens near the entrance to the Island Hide and there they were! Not too far away and without the sun behind! I got a few nice shots before they soon flew back to the southern end. During the hour and a half I was there they did wander nearer once more, but again not for long. 

Male

Oops!

Female

The conditions early on were also ideal for reflection shots. The wind soon picked up though, which is why I left. It was freezing!

There he goes, off to the southern end again.

When there they looked like this...

I really expected that this would be the view I got. I was very lucky to arrive when I did!

Solar Eclipse

Incredibly, just as the solar eclipse today was at its maximum a cloud passed in front of the sun. I grabbed my camera and pointed it through the widow of my living room, didn't even have to get off the sofa! A bit blown out but I only had a few seconds. Last photo shows a sunspot too.

Large Scabious Mining Bee on Salisbury Plain

Back in July I went looking for the Large Scabious Mining Bee - Andrena hattorfiana on Salisbury Plain. A bee which as its name suggests is mainly to be found on scabious flowers from which it collects pollen. The pollen of scabious is pink which gives the pollen brushes a very attractive and distinctive appearance. Once again I managed to see my target species (plus others) within a few yards of where we parked the car. For a while though I thought I was going to have to go home empty handed because every site I had planned to visit was out of bounds due to a large military training exercise. Eventually just as we were about to give up and go home, the trackway we wanted to drive down was reopened so we parked up and I was able to get some nice shots. We had just gone on spec to take advantage of the lovely sunny weather but in hindsight we should have gone at the weekend when the army normally aren't training. For plant hunting I used to go at 5am but that's not going to work very well for bees!

Female Large Scabious Mining Bee - Andrena hattorfiana

Here seen on the same flower-head as another scabious specialist the Scabious Longhorn Moth

Scabious Longhorn - Nemophora metallica
 

Orange Vented Mason Bee - Osmia leaiana

Essex Skipper - Thymelicus lineola