It has been a busy few days and I have not had many opportunities to go exploring with my camera. The weather also wasn't all that great except for yesterday's hot sunshine. But it brough along some strong winds so my 'adventures' were all based around stones and well, dung, still.
When I go out with my camera I don't go out with the intent of getting THE perfect shot etc. Not any more. I no longer go out there with any intention, I just want to be and observe. I usually pick a spot where I will remain for some time and there I will just wait and see. It never takes long for something small to arrive.
With horses and cows nearby, I am also still 'studying' piles of dung. While the cow pads are quite busy, the horse droppings are even more loved by insects. And we have another helper keeping the pasture clean: the rooks. They are probably catch the dung beetles because the rooks are pulling the droppings apart while hunting for them. After just a day, all that is left are small heaps of dry 'fluff', almost as light and airy as cotton wool.
I will add details of my observations with regards dung on grazing fields here (a page on this blog)
Other creatures that crossed my path:
The bumblebee.
The dung beetle - here a variation of the species - a beetle with poor flying abilities.
In between the rain - one day hot summer, the next almost winter ...
Shrek - hiding behind a stone! ;)
The snails are 'back' - A dedicated page soon to follow ...
So difficult to spot: Thistle Tortoise Beetle.
As the name hints: Mostly found the (spear) thistles.
Spider busy with Semaphore / hand-signaling (fang-signaling) ...
For some time now have I been trying to get decent macro shots of these tiny spiders to busily crawling over stones. Yet I struggle with the focus of the camera as their face is all black and there is no reference point that is visible enough for me to see if the little guy is in focus or not. I shall keep trying though because their behaviour too is most amusing.
When they become irritated (which doesn't take a lot!) by the camera lens or other spiders, they begin a funny set of warning moves which remind me of the guy on a ship giving hand signals to fellow crew members. It takes up a posture of great self-importance ... lifting the right fang, then the left, then both, then it pulls them back in and shakes, then it begins again with the right fang, left, both, ....
If it is really aggravated, this will be accompanied by suitably intimidating leg movements. They are great little chaps ... and so fierce. :)
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