Unable to get out for the last couple of weekends due to work and other boring stuff getting in the way. Just got back from a three day conference including the weekend in the Midlands. Really rewarding but hard work during the working day and equally in the Bar later in the day.
Weather was not too good so not the problem it would have been if the sun had come out and I was stuck in a conference room. Peak Dragon season is behind us now and as such any opportunity to get out and about will be seized upon right up until they disappear and I am reduced to going out birding with Graham.
This year has been a much better year for insects in general in the UK and all in all a good year for Dragons. I have not seen an amazing variety or much in the way of rarities but I have had some great views of my favourite creatures. Here's hoping for another "proper summer" next year.
Once the days really close in I will look out a few of my favourite pics and put them on the blog.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Monday, 2 September 2013
Have you gone completly mad?
The very words my wife uttered when she came home on Sunday night to find me sat outside in the dark with the bat detector on her return from work.
It was not as busy as it had been earlier in the week, in truth I saw loads of Moths but not that many bats. I made it more difficult for myself by trying to record the sounds directly into Batscan on my laptop with only limited success. I will have another go, possibly after reading the instructions this time (it's a man thing - if all else fails read the manual).
The pay off for being outside rather than watching the TV indoors was that we had a beautiful evening in Plymouth yesterday with the most stunning sunset I can remember for sometime. It pays to be slightly odd sometimes!
It was not as busy as it had been earlier in the week, in truth I saw loads of Moths but not that many bats. I made it more difficult for myself by trying to record the sounds directly into Batscan on my laptop with only limited success. I will have another go, possibly after reading the instructions this time (it's a man thing - if all else fails read the manual).
The pay off for being outside rather than watching the TV indoors was that we had a beautiful evening in Plymouth yesterday with the most stunning sunset I can remember for sometime. It pays to be slightly odd sometimes!
Burrator
Saturday morning picked up Graham and we headed for the pond and streams at the back of Burrator, arriving just after 9am. Still a bit overcast at the time and temperature was only 13 degrees but the forecast suggested the clouds would disappear as the day went on and this proved to be the case.
Interesting selection of finds, just one Common Blue Damsel, no Blue Tails and one Large Red in four hours of searching but 50 + Emeralds, males and females including ovipositing pairs.
On the Dragonfly stakes, we started off with a single Southern Hawker patrolling the large pond without settling. We persevered and eventually when the sun made an appearance we had around 4 males continually clashing and one female ovipositing in the margins. This was also when we started to see the Emerald Damsels.
We also got 2 Migrant Hawkers and a very swift fly past from a female Golden Ringed dragon. We then moved on and found some perfect Butterfly territory and got some nice shots of Brimstones and Small Coppers plus a load of different Hoverflies. I will leave the identification of these critters to Graham as he has far too much time on his hands and likes to make lists!
We also picked up a couple of female Black Darters in the grass but kept losing them and expended a lot of time relocating them in the grass, very frustrating.
We then walked back to the pond as it was heating up as midday approached and we were rewarded by wall to wall Black Darters, they were everywhere. They especially liked Graham and rode around on him like tiny winged jockeys for some time. The posed very patiently on the board walk railings and I now have a very comprehensive library of the left side of male Black Darters, as they all landed facing the same way. Also good shots of an uninhibited pair in cop who were happy to be photographed in the act.
Finally we found a singleton female Common Darter wondering where all her mates had gone.
Can't think of a better way of spending 4 hours (proves I am getting old) and although the variety wasn't huge and no rarities a good day. Photos below.
Interesting selection of finds, just one Common Blue Damsel, no Blue Tails and one Large Red in four hours of searching but 50 + Emeralds, males and females including ovipositing pairs.
On the Dragonfly stakes, we started off with a single Southern Hawker patrolling the large pond without settling. We persevered and eventually when the sun made an appearance we had around 4 males continually clashing and one female ovipositing in the margins. This was also when we started to see the Emerald Damsels.
We also got 2 Migrant Hawkers and a very swift fly past from a female Golden Ringed dragon. We then moved on and found some perfect Butterfly territory and got some nice shots of Brimstones and Small Coppers plus a load of different Hoverflies. I will leave the identification of these critters to Graham as he has far too much time on his hands and likes to make lists!
We also picked up a couple of female Black Darters in the grass but kept losing them and expended a lot of time relocating them in the grass, very frustrating.
We then walked back to the pond as it was heating up as midday approached and we were rewarded by wall to wall Black Darters, they were everywhere. They especially liked Graham and rode around on him like tiny winged jockeys for some time. The posed very patiently on the board walk railings and I now have a very comprehensive library of the left side of male Black Darters, as they all landed facing the same way. Also good shots of an uninhibited pair in cop who were happy to be photographed in the act.
Finally we found a singleton female Common Darter wondering where all her mates had gone.
Can't think of a better way of spending 4 hours (proves I am getting old) and although the variety wasn't huge and no rarities a good day. Photos below.
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