Saturday 14 July 2018

A walk round the pond - week 28

I had the pleasure this week of twice walking round the pond with Dr Gordon Port, an eminent local entomologist.  The most numerous dragonflies we saw were ruddy darters.




We also saw a few immature common darters but I have yet to see a mature one.


Other dragonflies were common hawkers, four-spotted chasers and 
emperors.  Some of the emperors are looking a bit battered.

This is the first time since week 18 that I haven't seen any large red damselflies so I expect their season is over.  We did see blue-tailed, common blue, azure and emerald damselflies.

Cinnabar moths are still about and their caterpillars are all over the ragwort.



Butterflies we saw included small coppers



and common blues.


When we arrived at the pond a grey heron flew off.  I have seen it several times and usually it just disappears.  This one landed between the two ponds

and headed for the smaller pond before flying off once it saw we were coming in.

On a visit earlier in the week I heard a call I didn't recognise.  Eventually I found the source - a group of four green woodpeckers, at least three being youngsters.  The sound was the youngsters' contact call.  They were a fair way off but I managed this photo (poor photos are called "record shots", meaning that at least you can make out what it is).

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