Black and Blues

While this month has hardly been flaming it most certainly has been effing June of one sort or another given the amount of rain that has fallen. In all fairness today remained dry though there was plenty of clouds at various times during the day however some sunny spells did help to make for an interesting day.

Scarce and Four-spotted Chaser.

I began at Barnwell CP where I had an enjoyable walk around looking at dragons and damsels. Scarce Chasers continue to emerge and at least two were in the reeds in the corner of Town Lake while others showed elsewhere. Many were immature specimens though there was at least one male nearing maturity. The overcast conditions did not seem to suit dragons very much and the only other species seen today was Four-spotted Chaser.

Banded Demoiselle and Red-eyed Damselfly.

Damsels fared much better with Banded Demoiselles in particular being common. Red-eyed Damselflies were present in good numbers and so too were Blue-tailed with quite a few rufescens types being noted. A single Large Red was seen on the fringes of Town Lake, rather more Common Blues were found. Checking through the Azure Damselflies produced two separate Variables in amongst them, the second was perched right next to one of its commoner cousins providing a good photo opportunity.

Large Red and Common Blue damselflies.

Three butterflies were seen though none were photographed, these were a Red Admiral, a Speckled Wood and my first county Meadow Brown of the year. Of the birds seen on site the highlights were an eclipse drake Mandarin, Cetti's Warbler, a Common Tern and a Cuckoo.

Blue-tailed, Azure (background) and Variable damselflies.

Knowing that the Black Hairstreaks were out at Glapthorn was enough to cause something of a diversion on my way home. Getting off the bus at Lower Benefield left me with a relatively short walk to the reserve. An unidentified dragonfly sped by as I wandered along and a single Large Red was also noted. A few new brood Small Tortoiseshells showed well and there were at least half a dozen Meadow Browns. One Small White rounded off the species seen on my way to Glapthorn.

Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood.

In the reserve it did not take long to see where the hairstreaks were, a patch of trampled grass next to a flowering bramble is always a giveaway here. Good numbers of the Black Hairstreaks were coming down from the Blackthorn to feed and these included tatty as well as very fresh looking specimens. I'm wondering whether their emergence was split by last week's deluge and whether this means that they might last a little longer this year? Other species seen here were Speckled Wood and another Meadow Brown.

Black Hairstreak(s) and Meadow Brown.

Not much else of interest though a Spotted Longhorn beetle was a nice find and a surefire sign that the Fermyn Wood goodies cannot be too far from emerging as they often share their flowers with White Admirals and Silver-washed Frits.

Spotted Longhorn beetle,