First Dragon

 I'm working this Saturday and the compensation for that unpleasantness was a day off today. Alan Shorrock and I paid a visit to Stanwick Lakes in the hope that it might be quieter without the weekend hordes. It certainly was with far fewer people walking around though that quietness sadly seemed to extend to the birding too!

Muntjacs and Cuckoo

We began at the lay-by pit where evidence of the current bird flu outbreak was all too apparent with a large number of Black-headed Gull corpses on view. With nothing living to attract our interest we moved on quickly along the causeway. With a bit of sunshine on offer I harboured some hopes of seeing some insects and those hopes were fulfilled. A couple of Munjacs distracted us momentarily near the bronze age house reconstruction but it was signs of an emergence of Red-eyed Damselflies that caught my attention. Over ten were seen in this area, there were plenty more in other parts of the site as well as the first of at least ten Common Blue Damselflies.

Hairy Dragonfly, Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselflies

In trees around the reedbed there were at least two Cuckoos and one even showed on several occasions. Over the main lake two Hobbies were hawking insects and there were several Swifts too but we missed the Ruff that was seen here this morning. Lots of Banded Demoiselles were active around the many nettle beds and we also managed to see three Blue-tailed Damselflies. Ode of the day title went to a female Hairy Dragonfly which posed for some pictures before zooming away.

Red Admiral and Orange-tip

There were a few butterflies on the wing and these included a Red Admiral which adds further proof that there has been a small arrival of this species. A few careworn Peacocks were noted around the lakes but they were outnumbered by Orange-tips, other species seen were Brimstone, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood. Luckily for us we managed to dodge the rain until the journey home but by that stage we were in the car.