Sang-froid

We seem to be heading into a period of unsettled weather - for most of today it was overcast and not especially warm, and by dinner time it was raining. I dare say the local farmers won't be unhappy about this: I had to go to Bidford this afternoon, and was surprised to see that despite the huge amount of rain we had back in February, there were irrigators working in one of the big arable fields alongside the Roman Road.

In contrast to yesterday's bug-fest, today there were very few insects out and about around the garden, but I did make one notable find. In all the years I've been recording invertebrates I don't believe I've ever seen an adult Dark Bush Cricket in the village, let alone in this garden; but at some point last summer a female must have paid us a visit, because today I spotted a single tiny nymph skulking in the geraniums. This was so exciting that I literally squeaked, but the cricket nymph was far less attracted to me and quickly removed itself from view, so I only managed a handful of record shots. This handsome male Broad Centurion was much more obliging, possibly due to military sang-froid under (camera) fire, or maybe because his blood was quite literally too cold to allow him to fly away.

R: C1 D6.