BelfastRoadster, 10 days ago to nature

A #MeadowPipit with all the moves, on the #reserve at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdphotography #pipit #grassland #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

BelfastRoadster, 1 month ago to Weather

Despite the recent inclement #weather, #spring activities are proceeding apace on the reserve at #WWTCastleEspie.
This #nestbox has been occupied every year and obviously this year is no exception.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdphotography #bluetit #nest #nesting #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

Bluetit delivering nest material

BelfastRoadster, 1 month ago to snails

Just a #slug taking refuge from a #flood, on the #reserve at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #mollusc #water #horsetailplant #horsetail #wwt #wetlands #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 1 month ago to nature

#StormKathleen seems to have blown some #summer visitors to our shores. Lots of #WillowWarblers about this morning! 😎

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdphotography #warbler #willowwarbler #weather #spring #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #wwt #WWTCastleEspie @RSPB

Willow Warbler warbling
Willow Warbler

BelfastRoadster, 1 month ago to nature

You never know who you’re going to meet at #WWTCastleEspie ☺️

#nature #naturephotography #animal #mammal #hedgehog #cute #captive #education #weecritters #wwt

Cute hedgehog in the palm of a hand

BelfastRoadster, 2 months ago to nature

A #GreatBlackBackedGull riding the wind at #WWTCastleEspie today.
Our largest native gull, these are seriously impressive birds.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdphotography #seabird #gull #birdinflight #blackbackedgull #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @RSPB

BelfastRoadster, 2 months ago to nature

The #WoodSorrel is in bloom in the #woodland at #WWTCastleEspie this morning 😎

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildflowers #flower #flowers #wwt #shotoniphone #halide #halideapp #halidecamera

BelfastRoadster, 2 months ago to nature

After a chilly night there was only one moth in the trap but it was a beaut - an Earlt Thorn.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #invertebrates #insect #lepidoptera #moth #moths #mothtrapping #earlythorn #earlythornmoth #wwt #WWTCastleEspie #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

BelfastRoadster, 3 months ago to nature

A lone dew-covered #Herald #moth #hibernating in the #abandoned #GunpowderStore in the #woodland at #WWTCastleEspie.

Shot on #iPhoneXR using #HalideCamera app in #macro mode.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #invertebrate #insect #lepidoptera #moths #mothsmatter #dew #water #droplet #cold #dark #damp #WWT #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies @halide

BelfastRoadster, 3 months ago to nature

#Teasel seeds sprouting from an old #seedhead, in the #SensoryGarden at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #plant #sprout #germination #seed #garden #signsofspring #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #wwt

BelfastRoadster, 4 months ago to nature

Previously in 2023…
This #young #jackdaw wasn’t sure what to make of me but the constant warning calls from its parents in a nearby tree soon prompted a short, clumsy flight to safety.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #birdphotography #corvid #crow #immature #reviewof2023 #blueeye #bestof2023 #WWT #WWTCastleEspie #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

A small patch of Scarlet Elf Cup #fungi in the #woodland at #WWTCastleEspie.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #ScarletElfCup #fungus #fungusamongus #fungusphotography #WWT #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

A couple of clear #badger #footprints in the mud at #WWTCastleEspie this morning 🦡😎

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #mammal #tracks #WWT #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

Badger footprints in mud, highlighted in red

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

A #flock of #oystercatchers roosting on the #pier at #WWTCastleEspie.
There’s usually over 300 birds here at high tide.
Extra points if you spot the #LittleEgret and the #buzzard.

#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #bird #birds #wader #wadingbirds #CountyDown #StrangfordLough #NorthernIreland #wwt

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to Weather

The #reindeer was looking a little wooden but then it was very cold out on the #Crannog at #WWTCastleEspie 🥶

#landscape #LandsapePhotography #sculpture #winter #weather #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #seasonal #Christmas

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to FIRE

Cause and effect.
Papa Elf was storytelling around an open fire in the roundhouse at WWT Castle Espie today and it was very atmospheric 🎅☺️

#seasonal #winter #december #wwt #WWTCastleEspie #Christmas #smoke #fire #sunlight

Sunlight through an open door into a smoky room

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

Clouds like a painting over Strangford Lough this morning 🎨

#nature #NaturePhotography #landscape #LandsapePhotography #weather #WeatherPhotography #cloud #clouds #painting #painterly #ShotOnCanon #MadeInAffinity #AffinityPhoto #WWT #WWTCastleEspie #StrangfordLough #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

Lots of #fungi in the #woodland at #WWTCastleEspie today.

#nature #NaturePhotography #shotoniphone #mushroom #fungus #FungusAmongUs #FungusPhotography #forestfloor #LeafLitter #sign #wwt #comber #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #FungiFriday

BelfastRoadster, 5 months ago to nature

Just the one #moth in the trap at #WWTCastleEspie this morning but it was a good one - my first #DecemberMoth for years! 😎👍

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #invertebrate #insect #Entomology #moths #MothsMatter #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @wwtworldwide @savebutterflies

December Moth

BelfastRoadster, 6 months ago to Weather

A beautiful day at #StrangfordLough, perfect #weather for the #CPL #filter 😎

#nature #NaturePhotography #landscape #water #sea #coast #SeaLough #fence #gate #BlueSky #cloud #polariser #photography #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #WWT #WWTCastleEspie #ShotOnCanon #MadeInAffinity #AffinityPhoto

BelfastRoadster, 6 months ago to nature

Quite a few #RedAdmiral #butterflies about today, despite the #chilly #temperatures.

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #invertebrate #insect #butterfly #wwt #WWTCastleEspie #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

BelfastRoadster, 6 months ago to nature

An impressively large #CloudedFunnel #fungus in the #Liberties #woodland at #WWTCastleEspie. This one was over 30cm wide 🍄

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #FungusAmongUs #fungi #mushroom #WWT #CountyDown #NorthernIreland #forestfloor #shotoniphone

BelfastRoadster, 6 months ago to epic

Some #epic #cloud formations over #StrangfordLough this morning.

#nature #NaturePhotography #weather #clouds #mono #monochrome #BlackandWhite #BlackAndWhitePhotography #landscape #bandw #hdr #water #reflection #polariser #wwt #WWTCastleEspie #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 6 months ago to nature

Not many #moths in the #trap at #WWTCastleEspie this morning but there was this lovely #FeatheredThorn.

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #invertebrate #insect #lepidoptera #moth #thorn #MothTrap #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland

BelfastRoadster, 7 months ago to nature

This #LargeWhite #butterfly #caterpillar didn’t get much further up the wall before pupating.
This was it last week and again today.
I counted six pupae on this wall at #WWTCastleEspie
🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛🐛

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #invertebrate #insect #InsectPhotography #macro #MacroPhotography #lepidoptera #pupa #cocoon #transformation #wwt #CountyDown #NorthernIreland @savebutterflies

Pupa of the Large White Butterfly