Two Bros in the Brenne

As promised a few photographs with minimal processing, taken during our only too brief break in the superb Le Brenne area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a truly great area for birders and insect specialists due to the variety of habitat in the region with lots of lakes of various sizes and types, woodland and also more wildflower meadows than we probably have in the whole of the UK.

Highlights of the trips were being surrounded by the song of Nightingales, which Graham managed to photograph from the front door of our rooms after many fruitless attempts elsewhere. Black Kites were in abundance and a pair of Montagu Harriers were literally within a couple of hundred metres of La Confiance.

We also got a slow flypast by a beautiful male Golden Oriole, I saw my first Stone Curlew and had good views of a Hoopoe in the garden on our first afternoon. We saw Coypus on many occasions and they appear to be quite common and not particularly bothered about being around people.

We were also lucky enough to be in the middle of a mass emergence of Skimmers surrounding us on all sides as they waited to disperse. Our frenzied snapping was cut short by the appearance of a farmer on a tractor with serious grass cutting equipment which sent them all into the trees and out of the reach of our lenses.

Add to these highlights the sight of Graham trying to feed €18.60 in small change into the peage machine at Le Mans and then finding we were €1.20 short was very funny. It got better when he tried to pay the balance by credit card only to find that it took the whole amount by the card and then spewed out the cash we had already put in, leading to more frenzied scrambling. Thankfully the lengthening queue behind us were uncharacteristically patient.

Add to the mixture me falling backwards into a ditch during a late night walk whilst trying to avoid a late working tractor and my attempt to decapitate a French Customs official by accidently pushing the up button on the car window and it was a fun packed and busy break. I would have no hesitation in recommending the area as an unspoilt and beautiful part of rural France.

La Confiance

Just back from a short mini break in the Le Brenne region of France. Great place, surrounded by lakes of all sizes so perfect for Dragons and birds. Spent a long weekend there and was lucky enough to have decent weather for the three full days we were there.

The start of the break was not an auspicious one with a very choppy overnight crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff and torrential rain all the way down until just before we arrived at our base.

We stayed at La Confiance a small Chambre d'hote near Azay le Ferron run by a great couple, Sue and Chris, who ensured we were well fed and watered, provided us with maps and ideas for local walks and generally looked after us really well. Chris's mantra "No one leaves the dinner table hungry" speaks volumes for their generosity.

I was somewhat hampered by the lack of wellies which were needed to navigate some of the waterlogged paths around the lakes. Guess what the last thing I took out of the car boot before we left was? "I won't need these" I remember saying confidently as I removed the wellies that reside permanently in the boot. Oh well, move on.

Graham has added to his bird list and I have picked up a few new dragons but haven't had time to look at the pictures properly yet. I have taken around 1300 and the second day was a bit breezy so I anticipate a busy time weeding out the poorer efforts

Once I have started sorting out the pictures I will post a few this weekend.

Smallhanger

Tried Smallhanger today from around 10 until 12.30. Lots of Common Blue Damsels and Large Reds. but nothing else other than 2 pairs of Broad Bodied Chasers which gave good views but terrible pictures.

The best pond we found last year has almost completely dried out which is quite an achievement bearing in mind the amount of rain we endured this Winter/Spring. Hopefully this will not have too much of an effect on the Emerald Dragons and Black Darters we photographed oviposting there last year.

The theory that we are still a month behind this year continues to hold good and there is a lot of catching up to do.

Other than the Odonata the only other things we saw were a couple of distant Butterflies and a half a dozen Tiger Beetles and  a few Buff Tailed & White Tailed Bees.

The highlight was Graham finally ticking off Yellowhammer. 

Badger Watch

Just noticed that I didn't post pictures of a close encounter of the Badger variety at the beginning of April.

Mike took Graham and I up to a Badger sett he has been visiting on Dartmoor for some years. I decided not to weigh myself down so just took my bridge camera. Being the eternal pessimist I assumed we would probably not see much. As it turned out I could not have been more wrong!

The omens were good as we approached the sett as we passed a juvenile Badger on the way up who gave us a rather withering look and then disappeared behind a drystone wall.

Within minutes of arriving we were treated to brilliant views of an adult and four juveniles eating and larking about within a few metres of where we were sat. Not sure how to get video on the blog so a few pics follow.

Bearing in mind what is about to happen to the Badger population I will treasure the hour or so we spent with them.

Pond Life

Tales from a small pond. Unusually this year I have had a decent number of Damsels emerging from the rather murky depths of the garden pond over the last few days. To date there have been at least 5 confirmed Large Reds, traced by finding their exuviae and sending the tenerals up by blundering into their hiding places.

I have dipped the pond and there are still a few left and a number of Southern Hawkers which should be making an appearance soon.

The job of finding the small Damsel exuviae has been made considerably easier by the arrival of a pair of Pentax Papilios which are brilliant for dragons, butterflies and all things small. It has lead my wondering if there have been more emergences of Damsels in past years but I have overlooked them due to a combination of poor eyesight and a desire to get the big boys in the lens.

It is a certainly a lot easier to spot the Southern Hawkers and they are also more spectacular and easier to photograph which means they do get more attention paid to them. I will try to be more attentive to the Damsels in the future.

It is amazing what you can see when you sit still and really look around you. I spent a very happy hour or so on Sunday watching and photographing an Orb Spider which took a liking to my binoculars so most of the photos have the spider running over them. In addition everything I put the bins on seemed to be mating which leads me to think they know the summer is going to be poor so are desperate to do the deed before they expire from the cold. I will make sure I get out and about as whilst the weather allows it.

More pics to follow shortly.

More Dragons!

Started off yesterday at Little Bradley Ponds arriving around 9.30 and did a slow circuit of the Island lake and saw a few Common Blues, Blue Tailed and Red Damsels, all well hidden and hard work to pick out until we got our eyes in. A word of advice it is very wet around the margins - wear your wellies!

Graham also picked up a few Lacewings but not a lot going on. We decided to have a look at the other lake and then come back once it had warmed up a bit. Again across the road we picked up more of the same Damsels but at least we were getting pictures.

Around 11.30 we went back and there were a few Four Spotted Chasers in action, in all we think around 40 in total around the lake. Then we got good views of a pair of Hairy's who were quite entertaining. Unfortunately every time we thought one was going to settle they got into a dust up with a 4 spot and so never settled where we could get a shot of one. We did see at least 2 other males but they were very active and again no photos. Being wise after the event I will take a video as a record next time.

Graham then had the find of the day when he plunged into the undergrowth after a picture of a pair of Blue Damsels in cop and was confronted by a Downy Emerald. He was so startled all he managed was to point it out to me and the action of raising his camera saw it shoot off at great speed into the trees.

In all we saw 2 males and a female and it was a first for me so made the day worthwhile.

Finally off the small boardwalk by the entrance we got a male Broad Bodied Chaser. 

We the moved down to Heathfield and picked up a pair of Broad Bodied Chasers doing the deed and racing around to ensure photography was made as difficult as possible.

All in all only 7 species but as everything is at least a month behind after the awful winter it was a good day and it is just great to be out and about again.

Rather worryingly from a birders point of view there were virtually no birds at Heathfield, which upset Graham as he thought he was nailed on to tick off Yellowhammer there.

List to date: -

Common Blue Damsel
Blue tail Damsel
Large Red Damsel
4 Spot Chaser
Hairy Dragon
Downy Emerald Dragon
Broad Bodied Chaser.

Butterflies
Peacock
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood

Following the destruction of my G10 on hols I have upped my game on the demolition front. I broke the ball head on my tripod and in trying to get it off snapped one of the legs off. So much for lightweight tripods, back to lugging round a robust model!

Today is a beautiful morning in Plymouth but I am on power washing duties for the in-laws so today will be Dragon-free I am afraid.

Selection of Photos follows, nothing done to them yet other than a bit of noise reduction so don't expect too much. All taken with a broken tripod!

Tiger Beetle at Heathfield

Broad Bodied Chaser making sure there was always something between us

Remains of a Spiders Lunch!

Water Boatman in main pond at Heathfield

There be Dragons

At last!
Arrived home around 6.30 on Friday at the end of my first week back at work after our holiday and looked at the pond for signs of emergence. As usual saw nothing, BUT, as I brushed against a bush by the path I put up 2 Large Red Damsels.

I ran indoors and got the camera, scraped the cobwebs off it and got a couple of very poor record pictures before they moved on. Neither were in particularly good shape but it is still a huge relief to actually see evidence of their existence.

We are up and running for 2013, and Graham and I (revered elder brother) are off tomorrow to get our year properly started, probably Stover and Little Bradley Ponds to see what is around.