Fri 2010-01-15 
At first glance, I thought that this was some form of Sphaerophoria but, on closer inspection, it turned out to be Meliscaeva cinctella (Diptera: Syrphidae). The flower is, I think, burdock, and the little black things are probably leaf beetles (there may even be some aphids in there too).
Photo at the top of Bousdale, near Guisborough, North Yorkshire, UK, on 2009-08-08.
Thu 2010-01-14 
More black flies, this time distinctly matt black ones with three longitudinal ridges on the mesonotum and a flat scutellum. Probably Minettia longipennis (Diptera: Lauxaniidae).
Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-19 and 2009-06-04.
Wed 2010-01-13 
A male mandarin duck (Aix galericulata).
And a female:
And, what I presume is an immature male:
Photos taken beside the middle lake in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-01-09.
Tue 2010-01-12 
The blackness of this small fly caught my eye one day last summer. It is probably Rhinophora lepida (Diptera: Rhinophoridae). Rhinophorid flies are similiar to Tachinid flies and distinguishing these two families can be rather tricky. Their larvae are parasites of invertebrates, mainly woodlice.
Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-07-16.
Mon 2010-01-11 
From early summer: the relatively smooth-abdomened Tachinid fly Subclytia rotundiventris (Diptera: Tachinidae). Up until a few weeks ago, I had assumed that all Tachinids had long spines on their abdomens, but now I know that some of them don't, I am working my way through my backlog of unidentified fly photos looking for others.
Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2009-06-04.
