Sunday 11 September 2011

Autumn on the Somerset Levels

A warm and partially sunny day in Somerset and as Autumn starts the highlights are the dragonflies and the changing birds.  At this time of year dragonflies are everywhere on the Levels.

Rear end of a barn owl
Kestrel
As usual I continued to try the almost impossible - to get a pin sharp image of a flying dragonfly.  These are my best efforts:





There are still a number of flowering plants on the wet margins.  However this iris seed pod struck me as being particularly attractive.


The darters are particularly accomodating and are quite happy to rest on your hand, if you are in the right place.  They often alighted on my head or shoulder while I was trying to take pictures.




Some large and small (as below) toadstools have started to spring up.


A juvenile great crested grebe seemed to be determined to annoy this mute swan




Grass snakes and adders were in their usual places.  There is a female adder with particularly red colouration who always basks in the same patch of grass...but I never see her before its too late and she is making a quick escape.

Grass snake

A few dozen swallows were gathered on wires - maybe thinking about their next destination...


 A great day all round...shortened only by the need to watch the rugby first!

2 comments:

  1. Another evocative set of images - the barn owl looks really moth-like, which is how I often imagine them. I admire your persistence in casing after dragonflies but those pics look pretty good to me. The wildlife is probably more of a spectacle than the rugby so far!

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  2. Thanks John. Enjoyed the Wales game - they were robbed...

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