Banded Demoiselle & More Dragonflies

Some more Dragonfly photos from a trip out to look for Banded Demoiselle a nice sunny day again we are getting spoilt this year but it will perhaps help species to make up for last year and even give the chance for some to expand North such as Broad Bodied Chaser, and recently Four Spot Chaser also Speckled Wood which are now very common. I enjoy looking for Dragonflies  a very pleasant way to spend these sunny days  next to seawatching that is . Which is where I'm off now  must be a Sooty and a Minkie out there tonight 

 Banded Demoiselle  male on territory 

 Banded Demoiselle another with those black beady eyes

 Signal Crayfish one unwelcome expansion species

 Banded Demoiselle 

 Banded Demoiselle tried to get some flight shots video would have been much better

 This is a Damselfly larvae

and this is one that has emerged

Common Blue Damselfly on a goose feather not hard to guess from what species

 Numerous Leaches seen not sure what they feed on this about the width of your hand

 Male Emperor showed well in flight but always landed  facing me

 Four Spot  Chaser several seen

Starting to show some wear from battling with other Males

Female Emperor egg laying there was also another just out of shot as I could not them both in first time I've had two together 

 Another Leach this one even larger , I wonder if you still use a Cigarette to get them off  I had better carry a couple of Woodbines !!!!

Big Waters

A recent trip ending at Big Waters looking for dragonflies I only had a brief glimpse of two large hawkers despite the day being sunny spells it just was not  warm enough to encourage them out even checking sites I have seen them before turned up nothing . Big Waters from the top hide I saw a Banded  Demoiselle male flitting across the water by the scrape , a Willow Tit came into the feeders but only on two occasions , a Kingfisher observed on the far side of the pond , I had disturbed a Kingfisher from in front of the hide  when opening the shutters not the easiest things to open quietly  a check at the small pond nearby and also the dipping pond then the pond on the outfall , finally along the return path  which has had many Dragonflies resting in the sun but alas not today . 

Reed warbler sporting bling it seemed to be feeding young nearby

 Meadow Brown on Knapweed

Common Darters linked in mating this female looks rather blue on the underside ?

Just trying to get closer I thought the pattern looked good with them linked and on some nice stone 

Avocets 12-6-11

Called at Cresswell last weekend surprised to find a pair of Avocets with a large chick thought to be from the original pair that had three young and last seen going away from the pond , it looked OK just fending for itself with the Adults in nearby attendance . ( unfortunately it has not been seen since lets hope they have again moved it away from the pond) . Carried on to Amble a quick look around the harbour area more at the market than anything else then headed  along the river Coquet past Warkworth looking for Damselflies in the form of Banded Demoiselle  ,not a single one seen conditions not ideal I suppose and the river seems to have changed in it's flow , some very large salmon leaping now and again, and a Sandwich Tern fishing never seen one well up river before  but I don't see why not, called at Cresswell again on the way back but nothing to add.

This chick had put on some considerable growth since last seen lets hope it's still around somewhere

 These huge swarms of Tadpoles in the many thousands just lying near the edge the bank very steep so I only got a couple of shots from the top, no sign of legs on any of them that I could see !!!!

Banded Demoiselles.....25-7-2010

On Sunday we had a walk along the Wansbeck in search of Banded Demoiselles ,another dull day with the occasional ray of sunshine but I was not to hopeful, very few Butterflies around those that where ,all whites, most male BD hiding in the grass or perched along the river edge ,took us awhile to find a female, after the rain the sun came out and immediately so did the males always defending their best spot and looking for a mate

I would love to be able to take super close-ups of insects they are so fascinating .
This one was struggling on its side for some reason, it sat on my hand happily and I think with the aid of the heat from my hand it eventually flew off .

2 2 Spots ,I think one is trying to get over the other .........................
I spotted this male some way off as it tried to lift with the female ,but she was not having it and gripped onto the leaf trying to mate there and then, eventually they parted and she lay on the ground cleaning and recomposing herself, notice how articulate the joints or segments are


Fighting for best position, 2 males after chasing each other ,which is all that usually happens ,ended up locked together and it looked like one was trying to drown the other.

I will put lots more shots and some video on my Dragonfly Blog when I get them sorted

Update 1-07-09

Having computer problems so behind in my posts, here are a few photos from the past few days , checked Bothal Pond , Longhirst (Greenshank) and Linton the other day a walk along the Coquet and called in at Newbiggin in the hope of a Juvenile Med gull there was five birds on the rocks 2 Adults and 3 2nd years, more Latticed heath and a paler version of Lead Belle, 4 Painted Ladies, and a Speckled Wood at Warkworth, East Chevington only 4 Little Gulls and a few Terns , with Marsh Harrier over.
Banded Demoiselle Female

Male

Lacewing

Large Skipper

Grass Vetchling

Probably an ornamental grass garden escape about 6 feet wide and high

These sort of catkins hang off the grass about 6+ inches long

Monkey Flower

Banded Demoiselle

Looking more blue in this shot

Speckled Wood probably getting minerals from the mud