Day 8: Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

Somewhat scared by this well named insect - I actually thought it was a hornet, then realised it was too small. It's still a whopper  and quite frightening.  

This guy was n the cemetery wall when I spotted him - but photographed on a railing over the road. I think that still counts against my original objective (of photographs from cemetery)

A recent coloniser of UK - since 1940's  http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/hornet-mimic-hoverfly.

#100DaysofNature Day 8 Hornet Mimic Hoverfly @BBCSpringwatch scarily big, never seen one before. :) pic.twitter.com/RWmVVSrzhV
— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 31, 2014

Day 7: Six Spot Burnet on Scabious

Inspite of warm weather and sunshine no butterflies flying this morning - I guess it must be too early in the day for them to have got going? This pair were an easy spot on Field Scabious this morning.

#100DaysofNature Day 7 Six Spot Burnet on Scabious @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/xwSTppKq9U

— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 30, 2014

Day 6: Cinnabar Moth (caterpillar)

On Saturday these were everywhere, on every ragwort stem - it took me 1/2 hour to find one this morning. Then I found loads :).

http://butterfly-conservation.org/51-1319/cinnabar.html

#100DaysofNature Day 6 Cinnabar Moth caterpillars. Rush hour - these guys really on the move!! @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/qAY1TS7ooo

— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 29, 2014

Day 5: Gatekeeper

One more sunny morning in our seemingly endless summer. Lots of butterflies around this one is a gatekeeper and apparently it's a girl :).  The gatekeepers have been around in good numbers for a week or so - I've noticed blues over last couple of days.  I'll try and get those soon.


http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=tithonus

#100DaysofNature day5 a gatekeeper soaking up the morning rays. @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/KyY8qqzNhc
— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 28, 2014

Here's a picture of a boy I took a couple of days ago with my SLR...

Gatekeeper

Day 4: Toad

Strictly speaking this was taken yesterday on last nights late dog walk / glow worm hunt.  Lono literally jumped in the air when he sniffed this little toad and he moved!!

#100DaysofNature Day 4 Toad: This nocturnal amphibian found by the dog on last night's glowworm hunt. @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/n9VmKYyyzc
— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 27, 2014

Day 3: Swift

One of my favourite birds - aerial masters, everything about them, their scimitar shape, screaming flights exudes speed and agility.

One of our last migrants to arrive and amongst the first to leave they're not here for long at all. I first saw them this year around 8th May. It's not been a very good year we normally have 50 or so show up and squadrons of them are careering through evening skies by this time of the year. But 10 is most I've seen together all summer.

 Hope they bounce back soon.

#100DaysofNature Day 3 Swift: Not a good picture but these guys are off soon, didn't want 2 miss them @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/mde78uCoVG
— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 26, 2014

Day 2: Glow Worms

It's quite clear my photographic skills and equipment (but mostly skills) aren't going to do justice to this project.  Tonight I went in search of glow worms another Cemetery special. It's almost the end of the season for them but I did manage to find 6.  I had this amazing shot of a glow worm atop a blade of grass framed by the great bear constellation. Looked amazing. I got a green blob against a very dark background.

#100DaysofNature Day 2 Glow Worm: The season is almost over for these guys just 5 this evening. @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/GHQdZgrLRi
— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 25, 2014

Day 1: Lichens

The Cemetery is famous for its lichens and one of the reasons it's a Nature reserve and as there was a story about it in the Local paper today it seemed appropriate to start with that.

#100DaysofNature Day 1 Lichens: Stroud Cemetery. Some 96 species live here. http://t.co/tG2YiNPkGS @BBCSpringwatch pic.twitter.com/spLTk3Ik8e

— Simon Ashley (@MilouTheBrave) July 24, 2014

Intro

Just seen on twitter #100DaysOfNature and thought I'd give it a go.

I've got three aims

1. I'll try and do as many as I can.  
2. I'll try do them from Stroud Cemetery in Bisley Road 
3. I'll use my smartphone by default.  I've got some shots in mind that won't work for.

Let's see how we get on.

The info board in cemetery - where most of the photographs and tweets happen.