Blood Moon

In the early hours of this morning there was a total lunar eclipse, giving rise to a "Blood Moon".

"Supermoons occur when the moon reaches its full phase at or near the satellite's closest approach to Earth, and appears abnormally large and bright as a result. The Sept. 27 event is quite special; the last supermoon eclipse occurred in 1982, and the next won't take place until 2033". Extract courtesy of Space.com

More Here

2:07am

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A few more really good photos on the Daily Telegraph page Here.

A Walk in the Park

Some welcome Autumn sun and an opportunity to take a leisurely walk around Stanton Park. Great to see so many butterflies, albeit only 3 species, but there were dozens of Red Admirals, several Commas and a few Speckled Woods all taking advantage of the Ivy now out in flower.

In the meadow at the back of the lake, both Common Darters and a few butterflies resting on the fence, soaking up the midday sun.

Overhead Siskins calling wherever I went, plus a Lesser Redpoll. It seems to be a good Autumn for Siskins, with many birds in and around Swindon. Also soaring overhead a Red Kite and quite a few Common Buzzards. Still a few hirundine about with half-a-dozen House Martins and a few Swallows.

Plenty of Chiffchaffs feeding in amongst the ivy, also two Blackcaps by the Rangers House and just below Stanton House Hotel a Common Whitethroat which was a nice surprise.

The ivy was not only a source of food for the butterflies, but also many Tapered-drone Flies, Honey Bees and at least 8 Hornets.

Around the pools, streams and lake, a Yellow-bellied Terrapin up on a log on the left-hand pool as you go up the main track from the Car Park. And as you pass over the stream, the Sticklebacks are still quite active. And in the main lake a nice sized Tench turned over on the surface opposite the benches.

Two Buzzards soaring over the woods on your left, as you enter the park.

A little bit later another Buzzard is joined by a Red Kite.

Plenty of birds foraging, with this Goldcrest typically in a fir tree.

A Dunnock stops, takes a look at me, before disappearing into the undergrowth.

An Autumn "Butterfly Bush". At this time of year the Ivy really comes into its own, supplying food for many insects, not just in the Autumn, but also through the Winter months.

Here a Comma on the left is joined by one of over 12 Red Admirals on the ivy "bush" shown above.

A Speckled Wood

Another Red Admiral

And this one here resting on the wooden fence, soaking up the sun.

Here a Comma does the same

As does this Common Darter

and this one too.

The Ivy isn't just a food source for insects, but also larder for smaller birds such as this Chiffchaff.

And finally one of the Yellow-bellied Terrapins, that can be found in the pools along the main track from the Car Park.
Birds Recorded: 2 Mute Swan, Mallard, 1 Red Kite, 6 Buzzards, Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Wren, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, several Siskin and Goldfinch.

Butterflies recorded: 12+ Red Admiral, 7 Comma, 6 Speckled Woods.

Dragonflies: 2 Common Darter, possible Southern Hawker.

Other insects: Honey Bees, 8+ Hornets, Common Wasp, Tapered-drone Flies, Crane-fly sp.

Mammals: 3 Grey Squirrels

Reptiles: Yellow-bellied Terrapin

Fish: Sticklebacks and a Tench

Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary

In the hope of seeing the fly past, I heard that the Spitfires and Hurricanes were going to fly over the Honda airfield before heading off to Shrivenham. Unfortunately I was too far east and they actually ended up near enough over my house at Nythe. Such is life.

I did capture a few very distant shots, but the loss of colour from trying to photograph them from almost 3 miles away was totally lost. So with a bit of Photoshop I decided to lose the colour completely and go for good old black & white shots. The results sort of reminded me of the old black & white war movies..............

More on this historic day Here.

Gardening and Wildlife

A bit of gardening before the rains fell again. However my timing was awful! Nice all day and then when I decided to get out into the back garden, down came the rain.

While I was outside though, there were a few butterflies about with Small Tortoiseshell, Small White and a nice surprise, a Painted Lady, all of which were on the buddleia. A 7-spot Ladybird was on the Sweet Peas, a plume moth sp. on the Blackcurrant Bush and there were several large spider webs, dotted around the garden.

Painted Lady feeding on the last remaining buddleia flowers. 

Very flighty and not many chances to photograph this lovely butterfly

A Small Tortoiseshell, just the one today, not sure where the other 6 have disappeared to.

A plume moth

On the Sweet Peas a 7-spot Ladybird.

The underparts of a Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus, as it rests in the middle of its web strung between the branches of the buddleia.

The top half of the same Garden Spider as above.

And same species, but slightly different markings. This one had its web strung across the pond suspended between the Yellow Flags.

Harvest Time

With most cereal crops being harvested now, it was no surprise to see plenty of birds making the most of any spillages. In the fields close to Acorn Bridge, on the Wiltshire side of the border, there were plenty of Wood Pigeons "grazing", along with a pair of Carrion Crows.

In the neighbouring meadow and corn field there were two separate Hares and all around were dozens of Swallows, swooping low for flies.

In one of the hedgerows there was a Common Whitethroat scolding me for being too close and overhead a Buzzard flew up into an Ash tree carrying its prey. Before it alighted I could see entrails hanging below its talons, not a pretty sight.

Unfortunately as I closed in on the tree I just couldn't locate it, but it certainly saw me and flew off immediately. It was so close, I couldn't focus the camera quickly enough, as you can tell from the photo below.

This is what happens when you forget to close the gate. Not me I hasten to add.

A mighty beast who was more interested in his herd than me. Big brute!

With the wheat now harvested a Carrion Crow has a bit of a feast, with one of many Wood Pigeons for company. You can just the head of a woody in front of the crow.

A Hare keeps a wary eye on me,while another legged across the recently harvest wheat field.

A Buzzard carrying prey.

Very difficult to see what it was carrying.

But in this shot you can see what looks like an entrail.......

.........below its talons.

I found the tree it was in, but it saw me and before I could focus properly on it, it was gone.

However yet again a few silhouettes of it as it disappeared into the sun......

.............minus the entrail.