Saturday 27 August 2011

Poppies and Hoverflies




We discovered a new walk today, starting from Leith Links and circling through Lochend to end up back at Leith Academy. In many ways it's nothing special, but it's always interesting in these places to see how much nature can be found in areas that feel a bit overlooked and abandoned (a bit like the Edgelands of the Edinburgh International Book Festival event I talked about in this recent post). We noticed on today's walk that there were lots of poppies in bloom and almost all of them were swarming with hoverflies!

I then went to the Leith Academy Community Learning Open Day where I was trying to recruit people to the Nature Walks which I will be running on Wednesday mornings for five weeks from 14 September. If anyone reading this is interested, you can book here. You can also now book here for the Birdwatching walks I'll be running for the City of Edinburgh Council (Monday monrings starting 26 September).

If you click on the photo, you'll be able to see some lovely shadows of the hoverflies! For Shadow Shot Sunday.

15 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Fun shadow shot for the day! Love those buggies! Hope your have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Lucy said...

Wow, they're loving that!

Dartford Warbler said...

We have masses of hoverflies this summer. I expect the wet weather helps their numbers. More pools and puddles to lay eggs in. I noticed that they love the flowers of fennel in the garden.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Even a single poppy brings great joy!

SHADOW DITTY

Shadows of onyx, shadows of grey,
Shadows to chase my doldrums away;
Shadows each morning, shadows at night,
Shadows, O shadows, you’re my delight!


© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

Shadows of Mexico here and here

shoreacres said...

Poppies are my favorite flower. I've not heard of the hoverflies, though. Love that they cast a shadow.

We've been in terrific, terrible drought,but on Thursday last got 1.75" of rain. The very next day, there were dragonflies about. There weren't many, but I've not see one for weeks. They saw their chance and took it!

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Juliet,

Love the pretty photo of the poppies and the hoverflies. I have not heard of them before, so always good to read your blog and find out new things.
How fabulous you are recruiting people for your Nature walks, only wished I could go.

Happy Sunday
Hugs
Carolyn

Martin said...

We've noticed more hover-flies than usual, this year.

Cassie said...

Never heard those bugs called hoverflies. Glad to see they are doing their job of spreading pollen! Such an interesting photo. Happy SSS.

Kalyan Panja said...

simply beautifully captured shot...lovely!

Megan Coyle said...

What a lovely picture! Great colors - poppies are so pretty!

bunnits said...

I've only seen a very few hoverflies this summer. One was in the car the other day. It made me happy to have it as a visitor for a little while.

Hannah Stephenson said...

You should make a large print of this photo---such vibrant shapes and colors!

Anonymous said...

Great colour combo - the green and orange!

Dave King said...

Yes, we've had lots of hoverflies this year. I, too find these neglected places often full of interest.

Dr. Cheryl Carvajal said...

Wow--what a take on the whole typical flower pick. So often the pollinators are left out... but this is more real to me.