Today’s visit to Blashford Lakes nature reserve

Pete July 6, 2014August 14, 2014 0 Comments Bird, Blashford Lakes, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Butterfly, Comma, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Sandpiper, Damselflies, Insect, Macro, Olympus OM-D E-M5, Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 APO DG, Wader, Weevil, Zuiko Olympus 90mm F2 Macro lens

Visited Blashford lakes nature reserve today in the hope of spotting the Purple Heron that was recorded there yesterday, but no joy. However it did result in the discovery of a never before seen weevil, the Platystomos albinus weevil. This is a member of the Anthribidae family and according to Paul Brock’s ‘A Comprehensive guide to Insects of Britain & Ireland’ a weevil associated with dead wood.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 DSLR & Zuiko Olympus 90mm Macro F2 lens at F4.

The other insects that allowed themselves to be photographed were a Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album).

Olympus OM-D EM-5 DSLR & Zuiko Olympus 90mm Macro F2 lens at F4. Slight crop

A Typica Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Olympus OM-D EM-5 DSLR & Zuiko Olympus 90mm Macro F2 lens at F4.

and a Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) enjoying a snack.

Olympus OM-D EM-5 DSLR & Zuiko Olympus 90mm Macro F2 lens at F4.

The final picture of this post is the only decent shot of a bird from the day which I believe is a Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) wading just outside the tern hide.