While having a little break by the pond, I thought I'd try and take a few photos of some of the creatures that dwell within. The frog tadpoles are quite big now, and have started to grow legs as you can see above.
They'll come in handy for certain spells...
We'll see about that! And most of the young water boatmen (Greater waterboatman {Notonecta glauca} above and below) will leave the pond and fly to other bodies of water later in the summer.
... like the one below did
A dragonfly nymph exoskeleton on a Primula leaf
A young ramshorn snail and a pondskater (above and below)
* the "Black Lagoon" in question
: : :
These photos of fledgling bluetits were taken on the 5th. There were at least five - four in the photo above, and at least one which had flown into a nearby tree. The little one on the right flew from the fence right onto the window from which I was observing everything, then he or she returned to the fence (on the left, below).
The lazy, greedy, grumpy little git above stayed in the nest box demanding food while all its brothers and sisters had fledged.
: : :
EDIT 12/06/2022 - I forgot this newt that I managed to snap last month:
Ooh...if you had some cadis larvae you could give them sparkly trinkets to stick on their coats. Home-grown bling! Do it!
ReplyDeleteI don't have enough (any) gold and jewels for that. Hubert Duprat on the other hand...
DeleteYes! That's the fellow. But the bugs are quite happy with tiny chips of glass or those twinkly things little girls are fond of
DeleteOh! I love your tits, Mr Device... Jx
ReplyDeletePS I wouldn't put my hand in that water, for fear it might get bitten by one of those monsters. The dragonfly larva was one of the inspirations for the "Xenomorph" in Alien, which is quite understandable when you look at one closely!
Stop it - You'll make me blush!
DeleteThat's a terrifying link, Jon. I vaguely remember reading something about the extendable jaws of dragonfly larvae inspiring the Alien design. However, I am most concerned to learn that Moray eels have a second set of jaws. I hope there are none in the sea around here...
Those are adorable little tits!
ReplyDeleteAnd pretty fearless too, Norma. I've been out in the garden while they were feeding from the bird table. Despite seeing me approach, two of them remained on the table guzzling sunflower seed while I passed by - within a foot!
DeleteI had no idea about dragonflies. Tits? I was more worried about that little sperm swimming around the lagoon.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty more 'sperm' where that came from!
Delete*rushes to laptop to book ticket to Britain*
DeleteJesus, I see your blogging impetus has bounced back. Time to get your lithium levels tested!
ReplyDeleteI always find it strange how unless it's moving water makes things look dirty and everything turns green. If you try to tell me it's not the water i won't believe you. Filthy stuff.
I think this may just be a little spurt of activity because I happened to have used Camera a bit more than normal and needed somewhere to dump the photos.
DeleteSpeaking of green, many of the photos I've taken are of plants and things in preparation for the Garden Photos Event in November - Do you have any plans for it? Any photos of greenery from a frequented spot down by the canal? A gnarled old Buddleia that's taken your fancy growing out of some rubble somewhere?
It all looks so lush and green. California has entered the brown-and-scruffy part of the year.
ReplyDeleteMay and June are my favourite months for greenery. This year - certainly compared to last year - has been warm and wet: ideal for that jungle-type growth!
DeleteThose dragonfly nymph exoskeletons spray painted silver or gold could easily be turned into an attractive brooch for an elderly person or for someone who has limited sight. I haven't been blessed with a pond but I do have a bird bath, it grows red algae, every now and then the maid goes out and pours bleach into it, so it's just as well I don't have a pond. My grandad used to keep a toad in his greenhouse to prey on those pesky fruit flies and other pests.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that if I collect enough of them, those exoskeletons would also make a statement bowl of pot pourri?
DeleteWhat's the average life expectancy of any wildlife that happens upon your garden, Mitzi?
I now want an outside clock.
ReplyDeleteSx
I want a new battery for my outside clock. It's been ten to seven for quite some time, now...
DeleteI'm here, as me! Hooray! We can thank Jon for saying something that was enough to help me out. I feel like I changed my browser site permissions 100 times. Why did this time work? I don't know. IDV, great pictures! If you have 20+ views on this post that was me. I was using you to troubleshoot. I hope you don't mind. The audacity! Let us all be great tits this week and not lying about like discarded exoskeletons!
ReplyDeleteHooray! Yes, Jon is a fab IT support wizard. I've been clicking the little shield icon loads lately in order to comment thanks to him. And I shall forgive your audacity as it was all for a good cause.
DeleteI must admit, I am doing some lying about like a discarded exoskeleton, but that's because it is very hot at the moment. Have no fear though - when this little heat wave is over (i.e. Saturday morning), I shall be flitting about like a Great Tit once more!
Some of us lazy, greedy, grumpy little gits know a good thing when we have it going on!
ReplyDeleteJust don't think I'm going to be regurgitating anything for your lunch, Mr Tonking!
DeleteGarden photos in November??? Did I know this already? SweetMarySunshine!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteOh, dear Savvy... I don't expect you did know about the GPE as I've only officially posted about it twice so far this year. Once I've popped up four or five reminders throughout the summer and autumn, perhaps it will have sunk in? ;)
Delete