October 2023

32
Wanstead Village Directory
Wanstead Flats and Wanstead
Park are havens for all forms of
wildlife and are ideal places to
find subjects to photograph. There is an
ever-changing bird population as many
species stop off here during migration as
well as the resident population of birds of
all sizes, including Skylarks, Dunnocks and
Kestrels, in addition to the many types of
finches and warblers, and many species
of waterbirds on the ponds and lakes –
too many to list!
During the summer months, the many areas
of long grass are alive with butterflies, moths,
spiders, grasshoppers and all sorts of other
bugs. They are challenging to photograph due
to their size and speed. It can take a while to
focus on them and often before I can press the
shutter they hop, jump or fly off!
It is fascinating to see the amount of detail
that is revealed when you look at an image
which is larger than life-size, much more than
can be seen with a fleeting glance of the
naked eye.
I use the long end of a telescopic lens for
the larger subjects, such as butterflies, and a
macro lens for the tiny creatures, such as ants,
crickets and beetles. They are very easy to
spook, especially if your shadow falls across
them, so better to try to keep a distance.
They can be elusive, so it is sometimes
worthwhile lifting a leaf or looking
closely at the area near a spider’s web
to discover tiny creatures hiding away.
Sitting still for a while in a patch
of grass can also be rewarding as
you can spot little insects moving
around as they get used to your
presence.
Hoverflies are one of my favourite
subjects as their habit of hovering
in the same spot for a while gives me
a chance to focus and snap them. This
Batman Hoverfly, so-called because of the
shape of the marking on its back, feeds on
pollen and nectar from many different plants
and is common in the area. There are over
280 species of hoverfly in the UK, about 30 of
which can be found in Wanstead Park. As well
as their long Latin names, they are often given
common names such as Marmalade, Banded,
Pied and Long Hoverfly, according to their
characteristics.
Insects both flying and crawling can
be found all over the Park but the
area near the stables known as
the Old Sewage Works (so-called
because it was a parcel of land that
used to belong to a water company) is
particularly rich in butterflies, spiders and
grasshoppers in the summer months. Even
grass snakes have been seen there, although
they tend to slither away as soon as they
feel the vibration of approaching
footsteps!
I really enjoy my visits
to Wanstead Park
and will continue
to explore the area
regularly as there
is a huge variety of species
which is constantly changing
with the seasons, and there
is always something new to
photograph.
To view more of Diane’s wildlife photos,
visit wnstd.com/dalli
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com