It is the 15th Anniversary of the Utoya Island Massacre, when a deranged right wing terrorist shot dead 69 young people, mainly teenagers, attending a summer socialist camp, simply because they were left wing. See this poignant message from Aurora. 1/4
This is a post I just made on X. Rather than repeat it, I will just post these screengrabs.
I found some Lesser Emperor Dragonflies (Anax parthenope) on Marbury Big Mere, near Whitchurch, but in Cheshire. I was looking for them, but it was purely speculative if I'd find any. The other photo, is a better one of a Norfolk Hawker, on Whixall Moss NNR, the other day.
Norfolk Hawkers (Aeshna isoceles), from Shropshire, on Whixall Moss NNR, this afternoon. They were first recorded on Whixall in 2025, and first in Shropshire in 2024. They seem to have bred successfully. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social 1/3
Emerald Damselfy (Lestes sponsa) from Whixall Moss. I got the first one on Friday 12th June, but this is a better photo.
It's been terrible. Not just for photography, but the wildlife is having a tough time. This was yesterday on Whixall Moss.
At least it wasn't raining and was sunny on Whixall Moss NNR, but it was stupid windy again, so very difficult for dragonflies and butterflies, except for a few semi-sheltered bits. I got my first Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa) and my first Meadow Browns of the year.
My first open winged, Silver-studded Blue Butterfly photo of the year. On Prees Heath Common Reserve. A bit blustery and dull, so not ideal for finding and photographing butterflies.
My first Silver-studded Blue Butterfly of the year, at Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social. There wasn't any out on 24 May, when I looked in sunny weather. Today it was nearly blowing a hoolie, and there was a torrential downpour just over a minute after I took this photo.
That's how big it was in the frame originally, and that was at 600mm, so I was a long way off.
I got this series of female White-faced Darter Dragonflies, egg-laying, ovipositing, this morning at Whixall Moss NNR. On one, I managed to capture the moment the female flicks the tip of her abdomen, in the water, whilst hovering, to lay an egg.
My first Large Heath butterfly of the year on Whixall Moss NNR. Just a record shot as this was a gigantic crop, from the middle of the photo.
A male Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis). A 9 shot, handheld, natural light focus stack. At Marbury Big Mere, Cheshire.
Hairy Dragonfly, Marbury Big Mere, South Cheshire. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Hardly the master race. In the real Battle of Britain, true British people, fought against the fascists. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
It's inconceivable, that Starmer won't walk right into another self-induced crisis. Then how's he going to survive that? As I say, it was exactly the same with Boris Johnson. I confidently predicted he'd got 2-3 years max, before it became terminal. 2/7
Some of the corporate entities, keeping the puppet, Starmer in office, have just outed themselves.
At least we know some of the vested interests, keeping the oligarch/corporate puppet/shill, Starmer, in office.
Another Common Clubtail Dragonfly, this time from another River, the Welsh Dee at Farndon. Freshly emerged. As I said before, in the UK, they aren't common, being near threatened, and only found in a few rivers. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
I saw about 4-5 teneral Common Clubtail dragonflies on the River Severn at Shrewsbury today (they are not common at all and are near threatened). I struggled to get any photos on the steep banks. Plus a male and female Beautiful Demoiselle. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
The accompanying information. This was not a terror attack, but the authorities messing up, and releasing a dangerous mentally ill man, with a history of random violent attacks, when he could still have been detained i.e. he was released by mistake.
I got my first proper dragonfly today, several White-faced Darters. This is an immature male. Some Large Red Damselflies, but less than I'd suspect at this time of year. Quite a few butterflies, like this Red Admiral, but harsh light and windy. On Whixall Moss NNR.
A female Brimstone Butterfly, ovipositing, laying its egg, on an Alder Buckthorn shoot, its larval food plant, on Whixall Moss.
2 Large Red Damselflies, Fenns Moss NNR. They're the only Odonata out at the moment. White-faced Darters and Four-spotted Chasers will be out in a few more days.
I heard a Cuckoo again, on Whixall Moss NNR. I had my sound recording equipment with me, but it was too far away for a good recording, and didn't come closer. Just before I left, I saw this Speckled Wood, posing in a perfect position for a photo.