26--09-08 Friday,Butterflies & Bittern

A bright and sunny day , so I thought it would be worth looking for Dragonflies in sheltered spots , the first site only a few Common Darters, so next stop the track down to Cresswell pond just before the boardway I saw the fluttering of a butterfly it landed to show itself as a Speckled Wood, so I took out the camera and got some shots only to find the camera flashing at me " NO CF CARD" bugger I had forgot to replace it from downloading, so I had to root in my camera bag for a spare seemed to take ages but I framed it again and got some shots just before it took off, but it resettled and showed well, what looked like a Southern Hawker from the hide.
Cycled onto Bells Pool only two Shoveller here but two large Hawkers along the edge and across the pond another two unable to get a positive ID, Druridge next first the screen , Red Admiral, Comma, and whites, plenty Common Darters and another Speckled Wood to far for a photograph
meaning you could see it with bins but try and refind it through he small screen of a camera , next stop the pools not much bird wise but a Water Rail just beside the bridge , Migrant Hawkers here and this time it settled as I looked at it noticed another two nearby and another overhead.
Back to Cresswell for another stint in the hide it had turned cold and no action from anymore Dragons, not much else at the hide got back to the car and Trevor pulled up with the news the Bittern was showing( thanks mate), so I went around for some good views although distant ,I was amazed at how easy it could catch fish it got 4-5 as I watched and finally a great sunset to end. Nice group of Fungi in the garden before I left

Speckled Wood at Cresswell
Speckled Wood resettled for another shot
One of at least four Migrant Hawker at Druridge pools ( check out the anal appendages)
Three of these just a few feet apart with a fourth flying overhead
Head first into the web, it was still alive as I was going to take it to look under the microscope, it was amazing how sticky the strands where as it stuck instantly to my finger, I cleaned it off and let it go.

Trying to be a Swallowtail
Small White
Whooper at Cresswell, perhaps the one that has been in the county all year
Bittern showed well at Cresswell, though a long way off for a shot, always worth a go I say
Sunset from the causeway of Cresswell