With the weather showing a marked improvement from this morning I thought I would try a second visit today and this time headed to Chambers Wall to see what damselflies I could catch up with. It was rapidly becoming much warmer as the periods of unbroken sunshine became longer. Several Harlequin Ladybirds were on the nettles and the distinctive keel on the elytra were showing well in the strong light.
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| Harlequin Ladybird |
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| Harlequin Ladybird |
Good numbers of Red-eyed Damselflies were on the wing with many of them conjoined or in tandem. They are beautiful damselflies, particularly when the light makes the red of their eyes into glowing jewels.
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| Conjoined Red-eyed Damselflies |
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| Conjoined Red-eyed Damselflies |
A fish was resting up in the shallows of the river and though its head was mostly under cover I think from the patterning on its body and position of fins that it is a young Pike.
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| Pike |
The females, to oviposit on submerged stems, were going right under the water and then staying there for prolonged periods of time. Only the tips of there wings were above water and sometimes not even that.
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| female fully submerged while ovipositing |
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| female fully submerged while ovipositing |
It was great to be able to spend an extended period of time just enjoying the beauty of these damselflies and gave lots to look up when I got home, such as how the female manages to breath while submerged. Many of the males were showing a pale blue pruinescence as the light caught their abdomens.
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| male showing blue pruinescence |
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| male showing blue pruinescence |
A females eyes and face glowed yellow from the reflected colour from the Fringe Lily on which she was perched.
Azure, Variable Damselflies and smaller numbers of Blue-tailed Damselflies were also present. It was time to be moving on but just before I left, a beetle that had been moving from Fringe Lily pad to lily pad decided to use the damselflies as a bridge, half submerging the male as it did so.
I headed for the railway embankment and decided to see what I might catch up with along that rather than walk down to Coldharbour particularly as the sea wall appeared to be very busy. Heading towards Shuart it was nice to see the Foxglove was out in flower.
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| Foxglove |
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| Foxglove |
Small numbers of Azure, Variable and Blue-tailed Damselflies were resting up amongst the grasses with more on the wing. A smart Red Admiral Butterfly was one of several along the path.
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| Red Admiral Butterfly |
A Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada goodeniana was busy amongst the Buttercup flowers .
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| Gooden's Nomad Bee Nomada Goodeniana |
A little further on I came across an insect that I did not recognise but was striking with its white bands. I looked it up when I got home and I think that it is a Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus. It was a joy to watch but extremely active. It had several projections on the mid femora but I do not think that it is a Spiny-legged Mason Wasp because of the white rather than yellow bands and apparently both have the projections. Also the S2 band is broadened at the sides which also suggests Black-headed.
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| Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus |
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| Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus |
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| Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus |
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| Black-headed Mason Wasp Odynerus melanocephalus |
A Common Carpet Moth fluttered up from the vegetation on the path and flew for cover but could just about be seen by peeping through the grasses.
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| Common Carpet Moth |
A flash of orange caught my eye and I was treated to views of my first Small Copper Butterfly of the year. Though it was quite worn and missing several chunks from its wings it was still a little beauty.
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| Small Copper |
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| Small Copper |
A Small White Butterfly was feeding on the Sainfoin while a Small Heath Butterfly was resting up, the orange shining out amongst the surrounding greens.
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| Small Heath Butterfly |
I was watching a Variable Damselfly when a Goldfinch flew down to check me out before returning to the top of the bush and recommencing his song.
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| Variable Damselfly |
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| Goldfinch |
As I crossed the railway line and started my way to Shuart Reed and Sedge Warbler as well as Reed Bunting song and calls filled the air. Three Tufted Duck flew up from one of the dykes and wheeled round before going down on another dyke.
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| Tufted Duck |
Variable and Azure Damselflies were plentiful as I made my way along the track and a small moth that had fluttered up from the path settled amongst the grass stems. At the moment I haven't been able to identify it and will have to come back to it when I can.
It had been an enjoyable afternoon and on reaching Shuart I finished with a wander up to the top of the bridleway. A couple of Ring-necked Parakeet flew over calling loudly and two Red-legged Partridge stood out in the sprouting Sweetcorn field.
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| Ring-necked Parakeet |
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| Red-legged Partridge |
A pair of Hare were also in the Sweetcorn field, right on the far side. One suddenly sprinted across the field and moved closer, the other following shortly. The speed they run is incredible to watch as they covered a large amount of ground in a very short space of time. It was nice to be able to see them a little closer and after a little while I was lucky enough for them to run my way as they headed towards the next field.
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| Hares |
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| Hares |
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| Hare |
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| Hare |
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| Hare |
They brought an enjoyable and relaxing visit to a close.
