Dragonflies at Paxton Pits

A visit to Cobham Hide followed by a walk up the Haul Road at Paxton Pits produced a sizeable list of Dragonflies and Damsels etc. The star was definitely the Southern Migrant Hawker, a fairly newly listed species for the UK and my first sighting of one. Otherwise while Brown Hawker (egg laying), Emerald  Damsel, Common Blue Damsel, Ruddy Darter and Banded Demoiselle are still in prime condition, some other species are coming to the end of their brief lives like the Four-spot Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly

Insect Portraits

A few portraits of some of Trumpington Meadows residents taken on an overcast but relatively bright day.

Nightingale Hunt

A friend was keen to hear Nightingales locally so, on Wednesday, it was off early to Paxton on a hunt for this elusive songster. There were plenty of birds singing and even showing themselves well including the Whitethroat and Chiffchaff and even a Robin with a crossed bill got in on the act. It was beginning to get a bit warm so I was hoping that we were going to succeed and, at last, that wonderful chuckling song rang out from the deep scrub and entertained us with its variety of 'tunes' for a long while flitting in and out of the dense scrub. I only managed a fleeting photo this time. On the walk back the Variable Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles were waking up and we had time for a quick visit to the hides to check on the heron chicks, Coots and Grebes. 

Paxton East Redlands

The long grass edges to the paths on East Redlands were very productive with lots of Banded Demoiselles, Darters and  Damsel flies; one of the Common Blue Damselflies had been caught by the first Wasp Spider I have spotted this year. At last, with the warmer temperatures there were lots Butterflies - Brown Argus, Common Blue  and Essex Skippers, plus a very active Bumble Bee mimicking Hoverfly. 

Banded Demoiselles - Life and Death

I spent a long while last week with the Banded Demoiselles at Trumpington enjoying their iridescent colour that changes from green to blue in sun and shade and was just enjoying this male when a Kite-tailed Robber Fly swooped down and carried it off into the bushes. It hung onto its prey despite me moving it to a more open position - a sad end for the Demoiselle! Other images - female demoiselle and male Banded Demoiselles displaying on the water lilies at Byron's Pool