Damsels And Dragons

 A beautiful sunny day which saw Alan Shorrock and I taking a walk around Summer Leys. For the first time this year we were treated to a good selection of odes with damsels in particular being present in good numbers. In truth this was probably just as well for us because the reserve was distinctly lacking in interesting birds!

Azure and Common Blue Damselflies.

A Garden Warbler was singing from the scrub near the carpark and was one of several noted today. Also heard in the same area was a Cuckoo which then moved over towards Mary's Lake. Nothing else was noted on either the main lake or on the scrape and we struggled to maintain much interest. Several Azure Damselflies near the Marigold Pond were helped to stave off total boredom and as I mentioned earlier it was odes that saved the day from being a snoozefest.

Hairy Dragonfly, Blue-tailed and Red-eyed Damselflies

We moved the car round to Mary's Lane where my first Northants Common Blue of the year showed. It turned out to be the forerunner of many more and there seemed to have been a mass emergence from Mary's Lake in particular. The area near the lake was very productive with two year firsts in the shape of some Red-eyed and three Blue-tailed Damselflies being noted. I had a brief glimpse of a county year first Hairy Dragonfly and Shozzer found a perched female a little later on. Perhaps drawn to the area by the emerging damsels were two Hobbies which appeared to be catching insects high above us. Also present in this area was at least one Cetti's Warbler. Some final damsel interest in the form of several Banded Demoiselles moved our damsel list up to five.

Banded Demoiselle, peacock and Brimstone

Our next stop was at the Toad Pond on the reserve where further sightings of pretty much the same selection of odes were had. The only addition to the day list was a trio of Large Red Damsels which made for a total of six damsels and one dragon. More Hobby sightings helped to entertain us, at one point I think there were four birds hunting. We left soon after but had not quite finished as a Holly Blue was noted in the pub garden at Great Doddington while we enjoyed a cooling pint or two. Other butterflies seen today were Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Hobby and Hurricane