Tue 2008-07-29 
A hoverfly of the species Episyrphus balteatus (a fairly common species characterized by the two narrow black 'moustaches' on its abdomen). Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2008-07-26. One of the first photos I took with my present camera was of one of these; see here.
Mon 2008-07-28 
Harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) vary a lot in appearance from red spot on black forms, through black spot on red, to black spot on yellow. These are all the same species and, as shown here, interbreed quite freely. Photo taken in Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2008-07-26. The ladybirds that I photographed last November here also appear to be harlequins.
Sun 2008-07-27 
A week or so ago, Zoe and I were sat in our living room when we were startled by a dull thud on the window. We both looked up to see this mark and a few small grey feathers floating downwards on the outside of the pane. I opened to window and looked out but there was no sign of a stunned bird on the ground below, so it must have managed to fly away.
I suspect that the unfortunate bird was a wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) which often feed on the lawns around our flats. The wingspan of the print was about 60cm.
Sat 2008-07-26 
A gatekeeper butterfly (Pyronia tithonus), probably a male because the females do not have the brownish band in the middle of the yellow patch on the forewings. The meadow brown butterfly is similar, but has less yellow on the forewings and none on the hindwings, and has only one white dot in each eye-spot.
