#Drake #Teal having a stretch on the #MainLake at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #waterbirds #duck #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

Nothing to see here; just a #pheasant going for a #paddle in the shallows on #StrangfordLough.
It attempted to blend-in among a flock of #godwit. It failed.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #water #reflections #countydown #northernireland @RSPB

A flock of #Brent #geese flying low over #StrangfordLough.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdsinflight #water #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @wwtworldwide @RSPB

A couple of #December #moths and a few #Winter moths in and around the #trap at #WWTCastleEspie this morning

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #invertebrates #insects #lepidoptera #moth #mothtrap #mothtrapping #wwt #countydown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

Apparently this is called Rosecomb mutation - when the gills become visible in an upside down structure above the fungal cap - but I reckon it’s a very small swan on a very small mushroom ‍

A very handsome drake #teal on the #WaderMarsh at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #waterbird #duck #wildfowl #male #autumn #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @wwtworldwide @RSPB

“Winter is coming”.
First #WhooperSwan of the season in #flight over the reserve at #WWTCastleEspie this morning.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #waterbird #swan #migrant #autumn #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

A #frog in the hand is worth… a photograph!
Found during the #Monday Bird Count at #WWT #WWTCastleEspie.

Not wanting to blow my own trumpet but I’m really quite proud of this shot - my first #dragonfly on the wing!
Also, it’s a #male #Emperor, #handheld and #manualfocus

Shot on #Canon #EOS70D with 70-200mm lens at #WWTCastleEspie Wetland Centre, 6/8/24.

This stunner was in the #mothtrap at #WWTCastleEspie this morning - a Bordered Beauty!

There was one last week too but it escaped and as the rules state; photos or it didn’t happen

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #invertebrates #insect #lepidoptera #moth #moths #mothtrapping #borderedbeauty #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

A particularly confident young #bufflehead #duckling in the #duckery at #WWTCastleEspie this morning.

Nothing to see here, just a beautiful adult Long-Eared Owl in the woodland at #WWTCastleEspie this afternoon.
It sat on the branch, staring at anything that moved, for over 30 minutes.
Then, as I was changing settings, it disappeared like a ghost.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdofprey #birdsofprey #owl #owlsofmastodon #owls #longearedowl #LongEaredOwls #woodland #woodlandbirds #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

Some interesting #moths in the #mothtrap at #WWTCastleEspie this morning:
#ElephantHawkMoth, #BeeMoth, #Brimstone & #Campion.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #invertebrate #invertebrates #insects #lepidoptera #moth #mothsmatter #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

Lots of #tiny #baby #CommonFrogs emerging from the ponds at #WWTCastleEspie today.
This one was about 1cm long and had a #Springtail on its head!

So disappointing that the #GAA used #AIArt for their #match programmes. They even used #soccer goal posts instead of #GaelicFootball goal posts in the background. They couldn't even get the #sport right. Don't even get me started on the hands. What an absolute mess.

The air is ringing with the calls of #songbirds today. This is one of two #SedgeWarblers having a sing-off in the reeds at #WWTCastleEspie.

This #buzzard flew too close to a colony of #crows. The crows won.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdofprey #birdsofprey #corvid #crow #defence #sky #bluesky #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB