Mabel's Puppies

It has been a privilege watching all 10 puppies develop over the past six weeks.   We have one of their grandmother's at our home and when we return from cuddling the puppies we are of great olfactory interest to Boo!

When the puppies were born they were 'pink', but after a couple of weeks they developed black noses and feet, developed hearing and sight and now are showing all the mischief, rough and tumble of youngsters.   It won't be long before they go off to their new homes and create lots of chaos around the country!   Vicky will be keeping a couple of the bitches so we shall watch their development with interest.

I know these are 'Ah!' pictures, but that doesn't prevent them being worthy of inclusion!   At this stage of their development they were being given puppy food and after getting their noses into the bowls, there was plenty more on the mouths of their siblings to be licked off!.

Latterly, the puppies have started playing with one another or toys.

Wicken Fen

 Just in case I do get to use this blog more often in 2013, here are some images from a trip to Wicken Fen this morning.   I was particularly excited to have photographed a kingfisher for the first time, and although the images are short of pixels, or have lots of twigs to obscure the bird, they do have to be included!

Sparrowhawk

As this was the first time I have photographed a Sparrowhawk I think it needs to go in the Blog - even though it doesn't have that many pixels and the flight is away from the camera - of course!

Therfield Heath - Chalk Hill Blue Butterflies

Having had the tip off that there were Chalk Hill Blue Butterflies on Therfield Heath, it was worth missing some of the 5,000 metres at London 2012 Olympics!   In the event I was able to see both.   Not having photographed these butterflies before I was surprised how small they are - but attractive.   Almost all of them were on the same plant head.

Small Skipper Butterfly

Either the left over shell or an actual grasshopper

Clayhithe again

Just a few images from yesterday's walk.   Despite what one might think are perfect conditions for seeing butterflies and dragonflies, there aren't that many around.

An immature male Southern Hawker I believe

A Ringlet butterfly, but I wouldn't know which one!

A Comma butterfly

Wildlife on recent Walks

Four of these images were taken alongside The Cam recently.   The immature newt was taken on one of the ponds at the newly designated Nature Reserve at Worts Meadow, Landbeach.

Cabbage White

Common Blue Damselfly, I think

Banded Damselfly

Cormorant taking off

Immature Newt

Clip Clopping at Worlington

Last Thursday's drive was identified by the amount of mud on the ponies and the tree which had fallen across Green Lane.   Linda and Ray have a very well stocked 'spares basket' and Ray deployed a wonderful flexible saw to get through thick branches.

And now for the cleaning up/washing down - amusing to Rex!    The ponies are 'spotted' so not all the brown colouring will come off!

Insects at Worts Meadow

I'm pretty sure the butterfly is a Large Skipper because of the hooks on the tips of the antennae.   As for the caterpillar, I don't what it will become - any suggestions would be much appreciated.   A number of them were on nettle if that helps.   It was fun getting a hover fly in flight as well as one settled on the flower head.

Burwash Manor Ponds

It was good to revisit Burwash Manor Ponds, but sadly I didn't manage to capture that much.   I think the rapture is a Sparrowhawk without that many pixels, but nevertheless........     As for the identification of the damselflies, I'm stuck!   They look different from one another, but then I could be mistaken.   The dragonfly looks like a Black-tailed Skimmer because of the yellow spots along the abdomen and the black tip.