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Dungeons and Dragons [w field notes]
I’m very lucky to live in Wales. We have lots of great castles, three within striking distance of my home. This is the real thing from the 1400’s straight out of Harry Potter stuff.
I’m working on a swallow project and castles are good places for Barn Swallows. I’m trying to get a shot of them drinking in the moat, as you do. Things are slow so while waiting I shoot a baby Moorhen then start shooting dragonflies. One dragonfly swoops down and grabs a snail, I’ve never seen this before and think to myself, fabulous, what a great day. Picture isn’t that great but still lovely to see novel natural history. Well it got better.
I abandoned the moat and nosed around the castle finding a huge swarm of bees nesting in an old wall. Just then an adult swallow whizzes by snatching one, then another. What happen next was so fast and furious it was absolute madness! The bees don’t take kindly to this and start chasing them around the courtyard with me running after 400mm in hand. Lots of the images are soft but what an event. The adult swallows could out maneuver the bees but they also chased the fledglings who aren’t such good flyers. I did get a few keepers but have to save them for the published story. Anyway I hope you forgive some very soft images and go with it. Please enjoy the following from a wild and wooly day of nature photography.
Best wishes,
Phil
1400’s Des Res
Gargoyles are good fun
Welsh countryside
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