On The Move

 I think I am spoiling you yet again with this selection.

This great white egret is such a stunning bird and having shared the pictures in my previous post of the bird actually feeding these shots show it in the process of hunting and were all taken moments before it caught a fish.

In flight the egret keeps its long neck tucked back over its body and its legs outstretched but when hunting it keeps its neck stretched forwards as it remains focused on its target.

There is so much that I like about these images, the graceful shape of the bird with wings outstretched, the movement in the feather; as they are affected by the updraft when it lands and the way the ends of the feathers curl upwards as they act as air brakes, I like the blue tint on the feathers in certain light, and the warm glow of the wings as they are backlit by the afternoon sun and then in the final image I like the shadow of the birds curled neck seen through the wing.

It was hard to walk away as this beautiful bird continued to fish close by but I hoe you will agree that the pictures I have shared over the last few days have made it worth the time I spent observing and photographing it. It felt like a real privilege to be there at just the right time.

The Devil's Coach Horse

Ok not a horse, but a beetle. I used to see these a lot as a child and always knew them as Devils Coachman beetles but it has other names too, including cock-tail beetle because of the way it raises its abdomen as you can see in these pictures.

This little critter crossed my path in Delamere forest, it was about 30mm long and with its tail raised you can see the white glands that release a stinky deterrent. 

If you zoom in you can also clearly see its mighty mandibles that are capable of giving a painful bite.

This is a serious predator that feeds at night; moths, insects and invertebrates, slugs and other slimy things make up its diet.

Some adults will survive two winter seasons by hibernating in tiny burrows.