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Familiarity can breed contempt and having done my weekly rounds in the New Forest I fancied a change. Working on a tip from Steve Covey, I decided a visit to Cotswold Water Park was well overdue.

I’d been there many times in the 80’s for little sailing expeditions with friends of mine but never knew that the site would gain extra significance later on in life.

Lower Moor Farm is a small Wiltshire Wildlife Trust site within the condos and water-sports complex with some very favourable sheltered rides alongside the lakes. However today a strong wind was spoiling any chances for opportunities.

Having walked around the reserve to ‘get a feel’ for it, I started again only to notice a freshly-emerged Downy Emerald climbing up the boardwalk.

Having achieved as good a shot as the position would manage, I continued into the first ride and found a better situated subject perching on the brambles.

My only other gripe, besides the wind, was the light.Awful for photography…and my subject wasn’t the the best of situations. But it was a Downy!

As she was such a willing subject I experimented with all manner of settings, using both cameras and both lenses. I even returned to the car to get the tripod…

I needed both the tripod and some fill flash, but can’t help feeling the latter interfered with the white balance to the extent that I’m still not happy with the results after several hours of ‘tweaking’ Need more practice, obviously!

I was also interested in trying a method Jerry introduced me to last season – using the camera’s screen to focus and compose the shot.

One advantage with this method is the ability to zoom in on your subject, offering a better view for fine focusing. Naturally you need a tripod, remote release and, in my opinion, manual focus to get the best results.

Grateful for finding my first Downy’s this season I decided to take a short detour on my way home to chance my luck with Club-tails on the Thames.

Arriving at Pangbourne I noticed with dismay that the lay-by had been closed. Luckily I found I could park at Beale Park further upstream and walk back down the path in the opposite direction.

Conditions were still gusty and to top it off a large black cloud drew in to cover the spot in darkness and throw down some rain. I sheltered under a willow and waited for it to pass.

With the reappearance of the sun, I spotted a few Banded Demoiselles along the path but alas no Club-tails among the foliage.

Reaching the lay-by I noticed two large trees had fallen across the path; maybe the reason for the lay-by closure?

A little disappointed I retraced my steps slowly looking for the tell-tale yellow among the bankside vegetation. Barely 100 metres and bingo!

Let’s not be greedy – to see any at all on such a day was a blessing.

I went out on Tuesday with the single-minded focus on two species and had came out trumps. Makes up for the wasted days I don’t report on, and there are quite a few this spring.

Here’s to a change in the weather!

After such a fine weekend last week it’s a bit of a come down returning to find the New Forest is still way behind. During a brief lull in the rain, I did a quick round of Cadnam Common (nothing) and Broomy Pond, where I found only two Large Reds several hundred metres away from water nestled in the heather.

A promising weekend with good temperatures and, more importantly, sunshine meant that we should begin to finally wake up.

On Saturday however I concentrated on butterflies. Ironically the first photographs taken that morning were Large Reds perching in the bramble 140 meters above sea level!

After our butterfly flurry we called in at Canford Magna to witness the superb display of Mayflies dancing above the water. It wasn’t long before we spotted our first female Banded Demoiselles

followed shortly after by a beautifully fresh male

A quick call in at Troublefield revealed the cows have returned to the wrong field! That’s the meadow ruined for another year. Only compensation was a female Beautiful Demoiselle passing over the gate. No chance of a photo without a boat…

Sunday was better for sightings, although it took a while. First up a fresh Broad-bodied Chaser at Hatchet Small Pond, but alas no photo as it flew beyond the trees.

A walk around the sea wall at Keyhaven was extremely windy – unpleasant even – in what were clear skies. The only spot which provided any shelter was near the pond where we had a few Large Red and Blue-tailed Damsels.

Pennington proved better with Large Red, Azure, Blue-tailed, Red-eyed and Beautiful Demoiselles – neither in large numbers – and no sign of any Hairy’s.

On a hunch we called into Crockford on the way home and were rewarded with another 6 Broad-bodied Chasers.

A perfect end to the weekend.

 

No real change in the terrible weather locally, but at least I managed to spot a Large Red at Pennington for the first time this season during a (very) brief spell of calm on Thursday.

The Bank Holiday weekend looked typically dire down here, but we had made plans to visit the Somerset Levels over two days. Saturday was cool & dull but productive with 4 species added to my list this season.

Doug, Sue & I started at Shapwick Heath where we managed our first Variables, some Azure and a few Large Reds. The banks, usually so productive, were hampered by a cold wind blowing across the river.

However we did find a perched female Red-eyed Damselfly

On to Westhay to meet up with Jerry & Mike where things looked more promising, with good numbers of Variable, Azure and Large Red. While Doug was busy shooting video, the rest of us took a walk to the far gate in hope of seeing some more Red-eyed and maybe some Blue-tailed.

Shortly after this find came a call from Doug, who had found a female Hairy – right at the other end! Walking as fast as possible without running, I arrived to find she was still in place, reluctant to fly in these cool conditions.

We had our fill as Doug spotted another a few metres away – this one with her wings still closed.

After photographing here from every angle we marvelled as she snapped her wings open, warmed herself up and took her first tentative flight, hovering briefly before settling back down again in the grass.  An absolute joy to behold and for me the highlight of the weekend.

A better of perch provided the best shot of the day

Sunday’s weather looked more promising, with blue skies and even sunshine brightening our spirits as we reached the A303. Everything south of this line was under cloud. We arrived at midday and were barely out of the car when we spotted two Hairys flying overhead.

Shortly after I spotted our first chance as I followed a female to her perch.

A male flew by and landed just a few metres away.

We took a walk to the small clearing near the bird hide, spotting one Hairy and encountering a female Red-eyed who seemed to delight in making things as difficult as possible for us.

Back at the river bank we scoured either side of the path, but found the most action just inside the gate around the brambles. Having missed two opportunites with lively female Blue-tailed, Doug decided to get some video of a female Large Red.

I don’t know why I decided to delve further into the brambles, but I was glad I did so – as perched there on a leaf was our second male Hairy of the weekend.

Being possibly his only chance to get some Hairy footage this season, Doug was delighted. Anything else would be a bonus. We made our way to Westhay and busied ourselves with damsels either side of the path and around the bird hide.

I trundled off in search of Jerry & Mike and just as I caught sight of them a text came in saying they’d spotted a Four-spotted Chaser, but it had flew off before we reached them. While pausing to see where Doug was, a male Hairy landed right in front of me. Just enough time to grab a couple of shots before he flew off as I was phoning Doug.

Catching up with the boys we barely had time to greet each other before Jerry spotted yet another fresh female still with wings closed. Anxious and spurred on by the FSC sighting, I wandered off down the path in search of more, but decided to return to find she’d snapped her wings open and was warming up.

For the second time this weekend Jerry & I witnessed another virgin flight. Could it get any better? The answer came as we reached the far gate. Down in the grass was a nice,fresh Four-spotted Chaser.

We called Doug & Mike who sprinted down as fast as they could to get their fill. Species number 5 this weekend, and our 7th overall this season.

After pottering around among the grass near the gate, we returned to the halfway point to find Doug some more male Hairys. This time it was his turn to find the prize, and such was the perch that in order to get a decent angle for a shot without scaring him off we both resulted to crawling.

Last spot of the day was Jerry’s (he was on a roll), who saw a female land low down in what can only be described as difficult. She was also extremely well camouflaged and every time we took our eyes off, we had to search again even though she hadn’t moved!

Realising the time, the Bristol boys called it a day while us Southerners had one last go around. But by now the sun was hidden and the temperature had dropped so we counted our many blessings and we too reluctantly left this fabulous place.

There is no better place for sheer numbers IMO. Nowhere in the New Forest do we encounter such a fine display of damsels, where on a good day a walk past a hedge or through the grass can fill the sky with blue.

There is no better place that we know of where you can choose your subject based on composition. The abundance of reeds, sedges and grasses offer endless clutter-free perches with good isolation.

And for the magnificent Hairy Dragonfly, nowhere down here provides such numbers and therefore good chances for finding a perched individual without having to walk far or circle a body of water.

A fantastic weekend providing our two best dragonfly days so far this season.

I never thought it would be a fortnight between posts now that the season has started, but I’ve had little luck with Odo’s or even butterflies during this time. On the few days I’ve attempted to venture out between the storms, pickings have been near non-existent.

Terrible, but when the weather’s to blame, what are you gonna do?

I did manage a comparatively successful day on the Saturday following the Hairy encounter. Sue & I joined Doug at Studland hoping for a glimpse, and maybe a chance, of bigger game than Large Reds.

On a gusty and unpredictable early afternoon over the course of two hours we managed a good selection of Large Reds and even a couple of Hairy sightings. Surprising considering the conditions.

The increasing wind and approaching clouds meant that would be it, and after parting the heavens opened.But at least we saw something and Doug managed some needed video while I managed a couple more Large Reds in absence of anything else

Since then it’s been futile to consider hunting dragonflies in  such unfriendly conditions, but I remain hopeful.  I braved the gales on Thursday for Hatchet Small Pond and Pennington, where Avon Water had burst its banks.

A lone Orange-tipped male was all I managed, and only bccause I distirbed his shelter. No photo, but I shouldn’t expect one after disturbing his wet & windy solitude.

The weekend was a washout, so no hope there.

Today I went out with hope and realtiy visiting three of my favourite sites for any signs of life. Cadnam Common first. A good two weeks since my last visit. The only change being several satellite ponds & extensions which, given ideal conditions, would be a welcome bonus for playful Chasers. Too strong a wind put play to promising sunny spells with nothing seen.

Broomy wasn’t any better. The gorse thicket is better sheltered than Cadnam, but still nothing – except the odd moth – could be found.

And then Troublefield….

I was wary given recent rainfall, but the topography of this site means that even in the worst conditions, the shelter meant any sunny spells would raise the temperature and humidity levels enough to witness some insect activity.

Signs were promising with a battling pair of Speckled Wood butterflies greeting my entrance, but hopes were soon dashed at the sight of drainage pipes leading from the wood underneath fresh gravel.

I decided to visit the northern pastures first, and was surprised to find a padlocked chain securing the gate – normally (yet only recently) found on the southern gate.

After climbing over I realised the reason was probably to keep the humans out rather than the cows in, as the Moors River had broke its banks. I couldn’t proceed more than a few metres without getting out of my depth, even in wellies.

The southern meadow was no better.

The gate was unlocked, but such was the saturation that even I gave up after a couple of metres. A couple of Orange-tipped and Brimstone butterflies passed over the deluge showing that even the briefest sunny spell could trigger a feeling of hope….

 

After visiting the Wall Lizards in Boscombe yesterday morning, I hopped on the ferry to Studland to see what was about.

Returning to the exact same spot I saw the early Downy last season, and hoping to spot one or maybe a Broad-bodied or Four-spotted Chaser early, I was more than surprised to encounter a lone Hairy raise up from the gorse with my passing.

I stood there, elated at the sight of my first ‘dragon’ of the year,, but worried he would fly off out of sight like they normally do. He landed again showing me his back profile and then seemed to lean forward, making the angle even more challenging.

Stealth mode at the ready, I crept slowly and deliberately through the gorse hoping to get a better angle without spooking him.

Considering the trouble these have given me in the past, it took a while to recover from the encounter. And so soon in the season.

As well as this most welcome individual, there were reasonable (50+) swarms of Large Red Damsels in the same area. Provided you were prepared to search a little bit deeper, who knows what treasures would appear.

I did my usual round, spotting several more Large Reds, but no other surprises.

The Hairy was still around on my return, but this time he did fly up and disappear out of sight.

Fair enough, to ask for more would’ve been greedy….

 

Having spent the winter in hibernation, I’ve been doing the rounds over the past two weeks, spotting plenty of early butterflies in that late March heatwave but not witnessing any odonata – until today!

I called in first to Troublefield – my second visit of the year – to witness  Small White and Speckled Wood butterflies and, much to my delight – a Kingfisher. Not much else though, and the cows are back. Let’s hope they have the good sense to wait until the spring flowers are over before letting them into the second field. Last year was an environmental disaster!

My main focus of the day, being a year to the day since I saw my first Large Red last season, was Broomy Pond. Could I really trust in dates or was I on a fools mission in the changeable weather?

I guess that answers the question!

Within a half hour from 1.00 to 1.30pm I spotted 18 immature & tenerals riding on the wind, with a few landing nearby on heather or gorse

So well done Broomy for providing the goods again.

 

Well we were all hoping for a late blast of sunshine before the season ends, and the last week in September provide a little heatwave!

Eager to take advantage, I headed over to Pennington on Wednesday and wasn’t disappointed. Barely through the gate and male Migrants were patrolling the hedgerows with a background of birdsong – something missing from recent visits.

There was a slight breeze, but that didn’t bother the Common Darters, who, true to form, were taking advantage of the warmth to engage in coupling. There were more in cop than singles.

At the far end a welcome sight of a male Southern hawking the edge stopped me in my tracks. Endlessly circling and very curious, I had trouble nailing an in-flight shot due to him flying too near for the long lens to cope.

But I persevered and captured him before he flew off to perch for another opportunity.

There was also a male patrolling the stream along the back. I continued on towards the rides where only a couple of Migrants and a Southern were patrolling.

Back at the pond Paul Winters arrived just in time to witness a pair of male Southerns battling in the corner before the victor continued with his circling.

I joined Paul to check out the pools close by which I previously been unaware of due to them being out of sight from the track and not showing on google earth. Wonderful little shallow pools with a good number of Common Darters and more Migrants than the main pond.

To end the day we called in at Badminston where Paul had spotted a couple of Red-veined Darters that morning, but alas no joy this time – probably due to the wind chill and the sun being in the wrong position.

Still it was a chance to explore a part of the gravel pits I’ve not ventured in since they closed the path a couple of years ago. The going is tough, but the pools along this section look healthy and promising. Just wish I’d found them earlier in the year.

On Thursday I checked in at the pond to find a reasonable amount of activity with the usual partying Common Darters.

There were even a few Black Darters venturing from the safety of the island and a few Emerald Damselflies skimming across the water – with one pair even enjoying a late-stage coupling.

But the real treat was finding no less than 4 male Southern Hawkers holding their own territories in each corner of the pond. Occasionally they would overlap & engage in a brief battle, but for the most part they were happy to remain on their own patch & amuse themselves bothering the CD’s.

I spent a reasonable amount of time with each practicing my in-flighters until I found the one who was most agreeable and positioned perfectly without a distracting background and unflattering light.

By 2.00pm they all seemed to take a rest so I took the opportunity to visit Slufters and Broomy ponds in these rare calm conditions. Slufters was more disappointing than usual with just a few CD’s and the odd Emerald Damsel and Broomy was more of the same.

Being as the weather was still on our side on Friday, Sue took the day off (her birthday) to join me at Christchurch Common for first call. Unfortunately there was only the one Hawker to be seen – a male Migrant on the way out, but the site did provide plenty of Black  and a few Common Darters.

As it was close by we called into Troublefield hoping for a hawker frenzy, but were sorely disappointed! We did however witness a female Golden-ringed ovipositing deep down among the reeds, but alas not showing herself long enough for a photo.

So on to the pond to finish where two male Southerns were still holding their respective territories, along with much the same as Thursday. No surprises, but the best we’d seen all day.

On Saturday afternoon we headed over to Pennington again, but were more than disappointed with the lack of activity on such a fine day. The main pond only provided the usual Migrants , one Southern and the reliable Common Darters. At least we did witness a lone Blue-tailed Damselfly.

We decided to move on to those smaller pools where things were much better, Again only Common Darters and Migrants, but in far greater numbers. We even had a mating oair of the latter.

A male Common Darter and a male Migrant Hawker perched beautifully for once and provided my best opportunities of the day.

As I write the good spell of weather continues and no doubt will provide some welcome opportunities for others, but for myself I’m taking time out due to the car playing up. Besides, I’ve had more than enough  good opportunities this week.

Of course, if I hear of a missed Common Hawker I shall be kicking the car as well as myself!

 

It’s been a lousy week with the weather and subsequently with decent spotting’s & photo opportunities.

Surprisingly, given the rest of the country, the New Forest didn’t fare too bad on Monday 12th. Reasonable periods of sunshine raised the temperature despite the strong winds, and in an effort to find some shelter I took a stroll around the rides of Denny Wood.

Taking a (vaguely) circular route and trusting to my sense of direction, I veered off the main gravel tracks along some muddy rides which I’m sure a month ago would have been teeming with butterflies and dragonflies, but besides a few Speckled Wood’s and a few displaced Common Darters, the only other glimpses were of a couple of  Southerns hawking low to the ground and not stopping.

Woodland tracks soon lose their appeal after meagre sightings so I decided to brave the gusts at Crockford. Again the most dominant species were Common Darters.

I did spy a few Migrant Hawkers flying high and far, but the call proved itself worthwhile with a (rather ragged) Golden-ringed.

Realising the wind was a little too strong for open areas, I crossed the forest to Troublefield which is always well sheltered. As usual just inside the gate were a few male Migrant Hawkers perched along the ditch.

Further along I spied a female Southern patrolling low along the bank and occasionally stopping to oviposit before she disappeared into the gloom.

Towards the far end was a male Southern patrolling mostly out of sight behind the foliage before disappearing altogether.

Not so lucky Tuesday. I spent almost 2 hours at Stagbury Pond and had to wait for a persistent grey cloud to pass over before the sun shone. I spent the gloom surveying the gorse and spotted a couple of Common Darters.

Barely 5 minutes into the sun and they were appearing everywhere, but not one made the journey over the water. In fact the only brave soul willing to brave the breeze was a male Emerald Damselfly on route back to the relative shelter of the reeds.

A good look along the reed margins produced a few more male and female Emeralds and surprisingly a lone Blue-tailed, but that was it. No hawkers to be seen anywhere.

At this very time last year there were good numbers of Small Red-eyed populating the shallow end, but so far this year I haven’t seen one at this location. Given good warmth and calm conditions there may still be hope in the days to come.

Unfortunately neither Wednesday or Thursday showed any signs of any. I started Wednesday with a stroll around Badminston Common and despite the forecast promising a 0% of rain, I got soaked!

Needless to say the only odonata I saw on my wander were a male Southern, Male Migrant, some Common Darters and a few Common Blue Damsels.

Onwards to Cadnam Common and besides the inevitable Common Darters, there was a lone male Migrant Hawker continually patrolling in & out of the reeds, doing several circuits of the pond, possibly in search of a female. I guess he was out of luck, because I didn’t see any during my stay.

As with the previous day there were a few Emerald Damsels and a lone Blue-tailed.

Thursday promised sunshine all day, and that was the case until the haze and whispering white clouds dropped the temperature considerably. At least Pennington provided some enjoyment with a few patrolling Migrant males and a male Southern who flew too close to attempt an in-flighter!

Common Darters were everywhere and there were still a few Blue-tailed Damsels hanging on.

One of the male Migrants I was pursuing latched onto a female I disturbed and perched among the reeds for an opportunity.

A further circuit provided another male Migrant to play with.

At 2.00pm all activity ceased with the drop in temperature and no other opportunities presented themselves at Pennington or the other 2 sites I visited on the way home.

And that was it for the week – the weekend being typically British with thundery showers and temperatures too cool to even consider going out for a look.

Shame really – as last September was rather productive. Can we at least hope for a late bloom? I hope so…….

Couldn’t last! After that brief sunny beginning, September continued this summer’s gloomy outlook with torrential rain and gale force winds – neither good for dragon spotting.

Suffice to say I didn’t really achieve much until Thursday – and then I had to try hard. I decided to travel across the county border into Wiltshire to check out Langford Lakes = a site recommended to me by Stewart as a good possibility of obtaining some Kingfisher shots.

I didn’t, but was nevertheless impressed by the site as a good location for dragonflies. If only I’d visited sooner! Besides being a good birding location, the well vegetated lakes and rides are ideal for many species of odonata. Add to this the close proximity of the Wylie River and a gravel stream, the possibilities are endless.

The novelty of trying a new location is the ability to explore at leisure, following every path, nook & cranny for possibilities. After spending a little time chatting with a fellow photographer in the south hide, I returned along the track and was rewarded by a few Migrant, a couple of Southern and a Brown Hawker.

Neither paused to perch, preferring to take advantage of the brief sunny spells by hunting prey before flying off over the lakes. Besides the hawkers there were a few Common Blue damsels.

A few weeks ago I discovered the zoom mechanism on my Tamron 70-300mm had somehow failed. I could still pull out the lens manually, but the hassle simply wasn’t worth it.

The comparatively cheap cost of the lens meant that a repair wasn’t worth it, so I decided to step up a rung to the Sigma 70-300mm APO – my original choice, having been so satisfied with the Sigma 105mm macro I exclusively use during the summer.

After exploring the rest of the site and spending time in the various hides taking photos of water fowl to test the lens, I returned to the ride to completely miss a Brown Hawker perched 30cm away from a spider which had grabbed my attention!

Of course, by the time I’d noticed him he was off over the trees. Never mind, there were a few Migrants and Southerns patrolling – unusually low – along the track, but again not one would perch!

After spending 3 hours and having my fill, I headed over to Blashford Lakes in the hope of at least getting a dragonfly photo. Best I could manage was a Common Blue damsel!

I couldn’t go home without a dragon shot, so as a last resort I headed over to Troublefield where I could at least get a Migrant or two.

As usual with September, Migrants are the dominant hawker species, but I can’t help wondering where all the Southerns are?

I didn’t venture out again until Sunday 11th. Despite the threat of gale-force winds, the afternoon looked bright, sunny and reasonably warm, so it was too good an opportunity to miss.

Sue had mentioned she wouldn’t mind a coastal walk in the strong winds, so we headed to Pennington first before taking a bracing walk around the sea wall.

I wasn’t expecting much but there were a few Blue-tailed Damsels, a reasonable number of Common Darters and a few male Migrant Hawkers braving the breeze over the pond.

I decided to test the new lens further by attempting some in-flight shots of the Migrants – something I never did with the old Tamron, fearing it couldn’t hack it. I was quite surprised and more than a pleased with the results.

My quarry disappeared so I decided to take the walk south along the rides where I found far more Common Darters than the pond area.

Brambles were popular, but ground-level leaves were not rejected as suitable perches.

There were a few ‘nervous’ Migrant Hawkers and – at last – a male Southern to break up the monotony.

 

 

A ridge of high pressure promised sunshine and warm temperatures to welcome in September, and on Thursday 1st I made the most of it with my first visit to Pennington for a month.

Arriving at just before 10.00am I knew it was going to be a tad early to witness much in the way of dragonfly activity, but I did have the delights of a baby Grass Snake, a family of young toads and a field mouse to entertain me.

I did disturb a few Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers amongst the undergrowth surrounding the pond, but after a couple of circuits I decided to take the path south, knowing there was a woodland ride which could provide some interest. Indeed, perched on the hedgerow were a few male Migrants and a male Southern Hawker to start the day off properly.

Common Darters were also plentiful, and a golden moment was watching a Roe Deer feed while no less than 5 Buzzards circled overhead!

Back at the pond things were waking up nicely, with a few Beautiful Demoiselles dancing along the stream, Common Darters – including copped pairs – flying over the pond along with Blue-tailed Damselflies and Male Migrant Hawkers.

I chose a spot with plenty of reed and a reasonably narrow span to attempt some in-flight shots of the male Migrant patrolling, and had yet more Common Darters vying for attention and even a Kingfisher!

It was while watching for the appearance of the male Migrant that I noticed a copped pair fly into the reeds a few metres away, tentatively trying out perches until satisfied.

Their first choice was a tad too far away, and my heart sank as they flew up & away – only to return to land in quite possibly the best spot about 2 metres away.

In an effort to get closer I went beyond the length of my wellies and ignored the cold water seeping down my calves while I concentrated on my subjects.

That was it for me – a perfect opportunity and no doubt the best I was going to achieve that day, especially as the cloud started to roll in.

I did another circuit before heading back via Crockford Stream, where pleasingly there were more Beautiful Demoiselles than I’ve seen there this season cascading around the stream.

A few Migrant Hawkers were flying along the treeline, and about 5 or 6 Golden-ringed made brief appearances with one teasingly perching on heather for half a second before flying off upstream.

I walked back via the top clearing and was rewarded with a male Migrant and several Common Darters parading around the margins.

Lastly I called in to Hawkhill just in case, and didn’t see a single Hawker – just a few lost-looking Common Darters for my troubles.

So finally an excellent day and the best I’ve had for 2 weeks – a great start to September!

The fine weather continued Friday, and the lack of wind made Thursley an ideal choice. I arrived just before 10.30am and saw my first Brown Hawker across the moat pond and a few Common Blue damsels in the reeds before continuing along the back ride where I bumped into Stephen Darlington scouring the heather.

We had a brief chat before continuing in different directions. I had a plan to seek out those distant ponds beyond the treeline. A long & tiring walk across the heath threw up a few Black & Common Darters,. but no more Hawkers.

The ponds were a disappointment, being fenced off and primarily for fishing, but at least I won’t have to do the walk again. Back onto the heath Black Darters were everywhere.

By the time I reached the boardwalks I was surrounded by hundreds, so the population must have run into thousands, with several mating and tandem pairs spotted.

A pair of Common Darters landed at my feet, so I grabbed the opportunity.

Further along the boardwalk I bumped into Stephen again and we continued around the bog where we spotted Keeled Skimmers and the odd Migrant Hawker across the ponds and – surprisingly – a male Emperor patrolling a boggy area.

There were also quite a few Emerald Damselflies and, again a nice surprise, a few Small Reds.

Once back on the home track more Hawkers showed thenselves, both Migrant and Southern, but none landed anywhere near or provided a photo opportunity.

Back at the moat pond we had no less than 3 Brown Hawkers patrolling at one point, including a female which almost – but not quite – conjoined with one of the males.

We attempted to get some in-flighters of one particularly playful individual.

I maintain that the Brown Hawker is ‘the’ real master of flight – even better than the Emperor. A brief flutter of wings followed by a long, curving glide.

Also on the pond was an Emerald Dragonfly – possibly a Brilliant considering how late in the season it was, but although I obtained a very distant ‘record’ shot it wouldn’t come any closer for a confirmed ID.

In need of a drink we retired to the car park for refills when we spotted a Golden-ringed unusually hawking a shaded area among the trees. We stood and watched for a good 15 minutes before it disappeared over the heath.

Refreshed I returned to explore the part of the boardwalk I’d initially missed, spotting a Southern Hawker not far from the platform.

Continuing on a circular route back to the moat we had another male Southern Hawker patrolling a small boggy pond but all other activity had ceased, with just the odd stray Black Darter still wandering across the heather.

Activity over the moat had ceased too, so we called it a day. For myself not many photos to come home with, but a more than worthy count of 12 species for day.

Saturday was a washout, and Sunday had heavy rain in the morning, but we did manage to get out for a few hours in the afternoon in decent sunny spells, albeit with a horrendous wind!

Regardless, we headed to Pennington, knowing that if we didn’t see anything we could at least feed the ponies and forage the sloes for the xmas gin!

We arrived at about 3.00pm and despite the wind had several Common Darters among the brambles. All very flighty.

On the pond were a couple of patrolling Migrant Hawkers before the wind became too strong and they took refuge in the shelter of the brambles.

Surprisingly we did see a few Blue-tailed Damsels.

On the way back we called into Crockford for more foraging, while I did a reccie to find yet more Common Darters, a few Beautiful Demoiselles, one Golden-ringed and a male Keeled Skimmer, looking a little worse for wear.

Not bad considering the wind.