Out in the sunshine

When the sun is very strong, you have to get out early to catch the 'good' light.

The first four images were taken at Arne, Dorset, in late July.

Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius)

Linnet ♀

Linnet ♂

Already the light was getting too bright – and it was seriously hot on a Dorset heath with scarcely a breath of wind.


The remainder were taken at an even earlier hour on Shapwick Heath, Somerset Levels.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

There was a sub-plot to this idyllic posing.  Keeping a 360° outlook was very easy and, if a Great Crested Grebe or a Cormorant succeeded in catching a fish within a 100m of this spot, one would take off to see what the chances of a successful mugging might be.  I have to report, dear reader, that they had no positive result whatsoever in the 4h30 that I watched them.  Still, I suppose it's a low-energy strategy.

On a more serene note ...

Mute Swan

This Grey Heron was being pestered by two full-size juveniles and seems to have worked out that, if s/he perched on the branch, there would be no room for them.  They 'flopped' themselves into nearby reedbeds.

"Just what are those kids up to now?"

Time for a bit of a change

I was pushing my luck with the distance for this Great Crested Grebe:

Yes.  This meant another failure by the LB-BG mentioned above.

Greylag Geese

When I started to point the camera at the back-ends of geese, I thought it was perhaps time to move on.  I staggered out of Noah's Hide before I lost the use of my legs!


After refreshments at Shapwick, I went to check out one of the remoter parts of Westhay Heath.  You can get some shade there under the willows.  I didn't expect much.  The temperature had climbed alarmingly.

Tending the garden (Coot)

Back-lit beauties (Mute Swan)