Today's destination of choice was Paxton Pits near Huntingdon where Alan Shorrock and I hoped to catch up with some Norfolk Hawkers. With the weather looking to be sunny for the most part we were optimistic about our chances and I'm glad to say that the hawkers did not let us down.
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| Norfolk Hawkers |
Our walk along the Meadow Trail of the reserve provided sightings of Scarce and Four-spotted Chasers as well as a hunting Emperor. A check of the damsels produced an eventual total of six species of which Variable was probably the highlight. Stopping at Rudd Lake produced our first sightings of Norfolk Hawkers with at least two territorial males being present. It's encouraging to note that this lake doesn't have any of the Water Soldier plant with which this species is usually associated and this could make the colonisation of nearby Northamptonshire a little more likely. I managed to get some decent pics for the first time as these and several others posed obligingly. Several Common Darters in the same area were my first of the year while a few Black-tailed Skimmers rounded of the day's dragon list.
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| Scarce and Four-spotted Chasers and Emperor |
There were new additions to my butterfly year list too with a Large Skipper near the visitor centre being the first. It was sharing some Red Valerian flowers with a new brood Small Tortoiseshell, at least one new brood Comma was also noted. The other newbie was Meadow Brown and at least two were seen. Best birds were a Cuckoo and a Hobby while a Cetti's Warbler actually showed briefly as it flew between cover.
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| large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Comma. |
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