Dragonflies in Cyprus in June

I took these images of some dragonflies whilst birding in the Akamas area of Cyprus.

They were all taken with 70-200 F/2,8 plus 2x Teleconverter.  The closest focus on this set up is about three feet, which is perfect for insects.

Female Keeled Skimmer

Male Keeled Skimmer

Female Red-veined Dropwing

Scarlet Darter

Swallowtails in Cyprus

On a recent visit to Cyprus, I was lucky to find a small colony of very confiding Swallowtails.  They always stayed very low to the ground so I was able to get these low-angle shots.
They were taken with the Nikon D4 and 70-200 F/2.8 and 2x TC combo. This set-up allows close focus of about one metre.

Summer plumage waders in Cornwall

I took these shots last week on the beach and rocks in Mount's Bay.  I counted about 140 Sanderling, 30 Dunlin and seven Purple Sandpiper.  All of them were in nice summer plumage. May is the best month (and short window) to see waders in their best plumage.

First summer Ross's Gull at Bowling Green Marsh, Devon

A first summer Ross's Gull has been present at Bowling Green for two weeks though was only identified last Thursday by Rob Laughton.  It was previously considered to be a Little Gull.  But who would expect to stumble across this species which should be inside the Arctic Circle?!  It certainly created quite a twitch of around 50 birders today.  It was always distant and these two shots were the best that I could get, peering through a gap in the hedge.

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Housel Bay, Lizard

This evening I saw my first Spring Red-breasted Flycatcher for Cornwall.  A female was feeding well tonight at the pond at Housel Bay, Lizard (same site as the Bufflehead).  From 8pm it started feeding feverishly and was continually calling (tacking like a Wren).  The species is regular in the Autumn in Cornwall but rare in Spring with just a handful of records only.

Duke of Burgundy at Noar Hill, east Hampshire

I visited Noar Hill this week to see the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly.  The weather was perfect and I managed to see about ten individuals.  Most of them looked fairly worn but this one was perfect in back light.  The site is a gem of a place and given a bit more time, no doubt would have thrown up a few more species.  As it was, I also saw Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Small Heath, Small Blue, but missed the Grizzled Skipper.  Later in the season, the site is also good for Brown Hairstreak.

Summer plumage Purple Sandpipers at Battery Rocks, Penzance

On bank holiday Monday I counted 16 Purple Sands on the Battery Rocks.  This date is getting quite late for this species.  These last remaining wintering birds will surely be moving north back to their breeding grounds in the next week.  Now is the only window to see this species approaching full summer plumage (unless of course you visit Norway or Greenland).

Below are some images from Monday.  They were taken around midday in poor light.  I used flash (Nikon SB-600) to give the image a bit of lift.

Great Spotted Cuckoo at Kynance, Lizard.

A Great Spotted Cuckoo was found at Kynance on the 24th April.  It was refound by Dan Eva on Saturday 3rd May just a few hundred metres away from the original spot.  After a good hour searching on Saturday evening, we eventually saw this elusive bird fly low across the heath.  By all accounts, it was just as elusive the next day.
I managed one fly-by record shot, but just to show what they should look like, I have posted a library image of one I took in Cyprus a few years ago.
This is the ninth record for Cornwall, the last being one at Chapel Carn Brea in late March and early April 2009.

Northern Wheatear images from St Gothians this weekend

This stunning male Northern Wheatear posed just nicely in the early morning light yesterday.  The species breeds in the area but this bird was with several others so is most likely a migrant moving north.

Leucistic Bar-tailed Godwit on Marazion beach

I found this odd looking Bar-tailed Godwit today feeding on the beach with six other Barwits.  If anyone else has seen this distinctive bird (other than on Marazion beach) it would be interesting to know.

Whimbrel and Stonechat at Marazion Marsh

Two Whimbrel were showing well yesterday feeding on the grass bank at Marazion.  A pair of Stonechats at the east end of the marsh are on territory as well.  The female below was very obliging in late evening sunshine.

Adult Black-tailed Godwit at Marazion today

I found this adult Black-tailed Godwit in full summer plumage today feeding on the grass bank and very close to the road.  Normally this species stays close to the water but for some reason was happy to feed with the Whimbrels today.