Dragonfly Blog

I have put a link on the side to my Dragonfly Blog not much on at that the moment trying out processing RAW images , and I'm struggling , so have a look, I was hoping to put info in sections but the blog format just limits me to posts so I will see how it goes, at least there I can put the stuff from Turkey. Its just storage for my images ,and observations that I have made.

Just few Dragonfly shots from Wednesday loads of Four Spot Chasers, three Emperor (Fem ovipositing) I was just about to take a shot of a FSC when this Emperor dropped in right beside me .

Swifts continue to visit the nest site with two birds in the other day, but lots of times not sure if they are either not there or just out of sight.



Four Spot Chaser I have sort of processed this one but not sure I have it right more unprocessed on my Dragonfly Blog

Bridled Ter....no !!!......22-6-10

Bullfinch now a regular visitor to the garden and here a pair taking a bath together, it never fails to amaze me how much birds enjoy a bath some come back 2-3 times for more.

22-6-10 With the news of Bridled Tern on the 21st at East Chevington, it was a long shot but worth a try, checked the spit at BlythEstuary , and a couple of places along the coast in the hope of gathered terns , but too early for that .

Only a few birders at EC scoped the Terns picking out , Sandwich,Arctic, Common and later a Little Tern, with also some Little Gulls Black Tailed Godwit.

Had a walk to look for Orchids at least a 100 spikes of Lesser Butterfly Orchid, Twayblade & lots of Common Spotted, no sign of any Bee sure I have had them in late June before, first Common Blue of the year, Small Heath, only a few Blue damsels on the small pool , but later in the day Four Spot Chaser(lots this year), and Emperor with a single Black Tailed Skimmer at Woodhorn.

Also called in at Druridge for the male Ruff, nice bird it sat fast asleep behind a rock and we had to wait till it decided to have a wander, difficult to capture a good image with it colouring.

The message of reported Bridled Tern at Budle summed up the day , but it was still a good day out.

Swifts Again........................Rescue No 1

Just ready to go out when i heard the scream of a Swift, this was coming from the drive side of the house and up in the loft I knew one had ventured to far into the loft and sure enough a minute later a bit of wing sticking out the loft hatch as the bird has gone to the nearest light source.

I have seen them do this before so box in one hand, I opened the hatch usually I just let them slide into the box , but this one was too quick for me and took off into the room, the room being a spare room and full of junk etc it took some getting into the box, I am not keen on handling them after seeing all the flat flies that infest them , but I had too as it had got into a corner, so I put it into the box which I covered and let it settle for 10-15 mins , then took it into the garden took a couple of quick shots, lifted the box, tilted it and it was off, thanks mate but I'm off, I had not got back into the house when two Swifts came around and around screaming there heads off !!!!



Perhaps in need of a good preen , but no the worse for it's ordeal, just seconds later it was off, doing what Swifts do best flying with great skill.

Swifts

This is just a shot from my phone as the cameras do not seem to be able to , miss the transmission lines , all the nesting material is from the House Sparrows, entrance is just at the back.

I took some video but its just not loading

On Friday as I went into the garden ,I noticed a dead chick and wondered if it had come from the nest under the eaves, which is now occupied by House Sparrows, so i switched on the CCTV and noticed something dark right in the corner, it eventually let out a scream and I knew it was a Swift which eventually came into view, it was still there on Saturday morning at 9.am till I had to go out.

It was back again Saturday night but spending most of its time just out of shot, giving the odd scream now and again.

On Sunday early evening two Swifts gave the most impressive display of flying , they came straight for me then swept up under the eaves hanging on for a second or two then dropping back down making me duck as they came so low, I looked back at the TV and the bird was still there, They came back and forth a few times,whats going on I just don't know but it's good to see them back !!!!!!!! .....................and back again tonight (Monday)

Close House Field Station 19-6-10

On Saturday I spent the day at Close House field station, on a sort of intro to bugs , dipped the pond on the Golf course and came up with these two larvae, despite having lots of books and some large Microscopes to look through I still could not work out what they are ,other than Damselflies,thought the green one could be Emerald, some people with more insect experience, picked out lots more, it was a good day just doing something different.

First time I have been to Close House the day was dull so all the damsels where well down in the vegetation and no sign of any Dragons, called at SSWT on the way back for a short seawatch but nothing doing in the short time I was there.These two just taken in a small dish

This one taken through the microscope, it was amazing the detail you could see, this has something on the sides of the thorax.

Dragons at Last 17-6-10

What a fab day Thursday was weather wise anyway, eventually caught up with some dragonflies as opposed to damselflies ,in the form of two Four spot chasers & Two Emperors it took ages to get some photosLarge red damselflies in tandem
Four Spot chaser
Four Spot Chaser
First Meadow Brown of the year I think ?
This Emperor flew back and forwards in font of me just teasing me, when it suddenly stopped ,swung around to drop onto a Butterfly which it took into the vegetation to eat, it dropped what was left (wings) and took off, I looked for the bits but with no luck.

I think I have deleted some better shots of this ,while in the field, something I don't normally do but every spare card I had was full because some idiot had not cleared them, will have to try and rescue them .
Emperor at rest with an Azure which tried to land on its wing,just shows how big they are as Azures seem large when thats all you have to look at. Still have not got my Dragonfly Blog online yet, will probably start with some shots of these Dragons.
Nice show of Common Spotted Orchid

More Damselflies & a Garden First

Whilst sitting in the garden it was good to see two Swifts inspect the nest site used in previous years but not this, unless they where just looking in general under the eaves, not sure what these birds would be ,perhaps last years young ?.

I was thrilled to see a male Bullfinch taking a drink, I thought I had seen a bird with lots of white on the other day flit away out of the corner of my eye , but I had dismissed it as probable Chaffinch , a garden first which has only taken about 30 years.

just another day looking for Dragonflies with only Damsels , sometimes they will not let you anywhere near and other times they sit for ages.

Not sure what has happened to the pics some you click on just enlarge off the screen ?
Common Blue-tailed Damselfly
Another view of the same one ,it was sunning itself on a steel bridge which was actually quite warm
It proved very confiding so I took some detailed shots of it.
The first time I have been able to capture the colour of the Pterostigma
The Postocular Spots I wonder if they act like the eyes on Butterflies wings to scare off predators
Azure
Common Blue-tail with prey of some sort, as that is a leg on the leaf

More from the ponds..........14-6-10

Just a few pics from another visit to the ponds, large numbers of Azure again with less visible Common Blues & Blue-tailed.

Orange Hawkbit


Lacewing



Large Red Damselfly, this one a bit more obliging as it rested on this bench, I think they must absorb the reflected heat ?

Dragonflies 11-6-10

Dragonflies or the lack of ,should really be the title, Friday had some long sunny spells so i went in the search of Dragonflies.One pond had a large amount of Azures/Common Blue in the process of oviposition, flying in tandem so that the male can guard the female from other males, this was in a sheltered part of the pool, a few Large Red Damsels and a few Blue-Tailed , I gave it about an hour just to make sure I had not missed anything. The next pond had more Large Reds, but nothing was very active the pool being exposed to the cool wind again gave it an hour but no sign of any Dragonflies .Two Damselfly Exuvia, (Exuviae plural) left behind after they have emerged .
Large red damselfly
Azure Damsels ovipositing into Lily Pads
Large Reds in tandem
Azures in tandem and some actual Sunshine !!!!!!!!!!!!