June 24th 2011

Headed down to Norfolk today hoping for some pics of the Red-footed Falcon at Horsey which had been performing down to 20 odd feet but just typical for me the bird had departed overnight so decided to concentrate on Dragonflies at nearby Strumpshaw Fen RSPB & it turned out to be well worth it with at least 3 Norfolk Hawker (new for me) 2 Hairy Dragonfly,2 Black-tailed Skimmer & 4 Four-spotted Chaser along with Azure,Blue-tailed & Emerald Damselfly! A few photos from the day below....

Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet

 Large Skipper

 Common Lizard

 Black-tailed Skimmer

Norfolk Hawker

June 11th 2011

Well i was supposed to be heading north this morning with Tom Perrins & Jules Allen for the White-throated Robin but like so many rarities before it, it went on a fri nite (why do so many rarities do that?) so back home picked up my macro gear & headed off to the river at Caldecote for Banded Demoiselle pics there must have been a recent hatching as theyr'e was 100+ on the reeds alongside a few Blue-tailed Damselflies,2 Large Red Damselfy & amazingly another 2 White-legged Damselfly (1imm 1ad male) not had them in Warks before now 3 in 2 days!! Photos below

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly

Banded Demoiselle (male)

Banded Demoiselle (female)

 White-legged Damselfly (ad male)

June 10th 2011

Another trip upto Windmill Hill Community Nature Reserve looking for Dragons & Damsels had 2 Broad-bodied Chasers,1 Southern Hawker,plenty of Azure Damselflies & a presumed 1st for the reserve in the form of a White-legged Damselfly (Imm male) photos below

Broad-bodied Chaser

Blue-tailed Damselfly

 Azure Damselfly

White-legged Damselfly

June 5th 2011

With it all quiet on the birding front i decided to head out looking for Dragonflies at Windmill Hill NR,Nuneaton the target some photos of Broad-bodied Chaser,but on arrival no sign i had a walk around the small pool & was just about to leave when i spotted a Dragonfly Larvae on a reed stem on closer inspection it had already hatched & just left the Exuvia but there was another which was still attached to a reed stem nearby & this was gettin ready to hatch,i set the camera up & spent the next 4hrs watching it emerge,a fantastic sight & the 1st time ive ever seen this happen.The Dragonfly Larvae was a Southern Hawker also seen were 3 Broad-bodied Chaser,Four-spotted Chaser many Azure Damselfly & a few Large Red & Blue-tailed Damselflies. A few pics from the 600+ taken below

June 3rd 2011

A chance to catch up with my good friend Steve Seal & photograph Little Ringed Plover over the border in Staffordshire,yes wev'e got them in Warks but all on breeding grounds these birds are just feeding before returning to the breeding area with Steve driving & using the car as a hide i was well pleased with the results although i'd have preferred the weather not to have been so bright with the sun blazing down making it tricky!!

Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Little Ringed Plover

June 3rd 2011

Another good night on the mothing front with my 1st Hawkmoths of the year with 2 Poplar Hawks in the trap along with other goodies like Small Angle Shades & Pale Prominent (photo highlights below)

Small Angle Shades

 Freyer's Pug

Poplar Hawkmoth

Pale Prominent