AN AFTERNOON WITH DRAGONS.

We had our normal afternoon out with it being Richards turn to drive we got under way at 13.30 hrs and headed for our Little Owl route to Rutland Water. At our second site to visit we found eventually a bird in residence but well tucked away in the tree. We carried along our normal route and saw birds at Little Owl Site Nos. 2, 5, 6, 9 and 15 so a five owl afternoon

We arrives at the Egleton Centre at 15.20 hrs and visited the upstairs hide as on the board it said "Hobby Lagoon 1", so upstairs we went and spent about 20 minutes looking for the elusive Hobby but to no avail. The upstairs hide at the centre is very useful being that much higher, it give a a good view of Lagoon 1, we did however see a Great White Egret but a long distance away from us, in fact the only way it could have got much farther away was for it to go to another Lagoon.

We then however visited the Dipping Pond to see what if any Dragonflies we could see. This was really disappointing and we only saw a couple of Darters and a fleeting view of a few Hawkers so we decided to walk towards the hides on Lagoons 5 to 8. 

Passing the footpath down to Mallard Hide we decided to have a quick visit just really to see what if anything was visible, we were amazed at how low the water was to the front of the hide {Mallard Hide is on Lagoon 1} to the level we are used to in the Winter months. We again spotted the G.W.Egret and then a bird went by at great speed, we both said Kestrel and then with a quick change to Hobby, we both fired off numerous shots and then the bird was gone and off course we both had totally the wrong camera settings but that's photographing birds, some you win but most and some you lose.

We then carried out on down the track towards Wet Meadow and got a few images of Darters, Snails and Spiders, a quick visit into Snipe Hide but nothing to see so we headed back towards the car park as time was passing getting a few more images on our return arriving at the car at about 17.15hrs.

We then followed our usual route on our return but saw no extra Little Owls, spent some time at site 9 having our tea and helping the adjacent lady farmer untangle on of her sheep from a fence, this amazing lady farms a considerable sized farm with numerous sheep all by herself and is in her 80's.

So after our good deed for the day we got on our way and got home at a reasonable hour.

Having the end of season Osprey meeting on Sunday so post will be a bit late, sorry. 

Little Owl Site No. 2.

We drove past the site looking on our outbound trip and could see nothing so turning round and returning the way we came to get back onto our normal route we slowed down and eventually stopped having found the bird well tucked away in the nest tree. 

Little Owl Site No. 5.

Arriving at the site and looking down the field from the top of the hill, Richard spotted the bird sat in the hawthorn bush, only bird we saw at the site. 

Nest Tree, Little Owl Site No. 5.

Since we have been logging this site, the tree and birds have suffered two traumas, the first a branch fell and landed on the other side of the tree taking away the nest hole and two years ago the section fell leaving the scar to the right of the image, this was the second nest hole the birds had destroyed. After this section fell away the birds spent the rest of that winter in a tree on the far side of the field, but again moved back to the tree in the Spring to raise young. This is where we erected an little owl box to the bottom of this scar. This image shows a crack that is developing to both sides of the tree and it appears these birds have also either seen or heard this crack growing and appear to have moved into the tractor shed on the farm.   

Little Owl Site No. 6.

Again the bird showing its a creature of habit appearing in its usual spot.

Little Owl Site No. 9.

This bird we found in a tree about 100 metres from the nest tree, also kept its back to us. 

Little Owl Site No. 15.

Tucked into hole in the side of the tree about a metre above the ground, took no notice of us at all. Again suffering with the line wire on the fence.

EGLETON RESERVE.

White lipped Snails, plus a visiting aphid.

These seen on the track near Mallard Hide, the lower snail is very colourful.

Male Common Darter with prey.

You can see the small fly in its mouth 

Male Common Darter.

Common Blue Damselfly. 

Female Common Darter.

I think the colours and wing patterns are stunning. 

Common Garden Spider.

This seen between Snipe and Mallard Hides, not sure as to what the prey its caught is.

Speckled Wood Butterfly.

Near Mallard Hide. 

Common Blue Damsel with bent body.  

Bedeguar Gall Wasp. Diplolepsis Rosae. {Robins Pincushion}.

A Bedeguar Gall is not the product of a single larva but a group of  Gall Wasp larvae each residing in individual chambers within the gall. They will overwinter in the gall and emerge in the Spring and reproduce parthenogenetically.

Hobby, Mallard Hide.
I would say the worst image of a Hobby I have ever taken, shows how bad the others I took with this one were. 

OUR GARDEN.

Southern Hawker Dragonfly.

Looks as if its tucking into a nice rosy apple, but it had landed on a Hawthorn Berry. 

Southern Hawker Dragonfly. 

Large Cabbage White Caterpillar, Peiris Brassicae. { I think).

Walking along the top of the fence in or garden. 

Male Common Darter. 

LAKE TO REAR OF OUR GARDEN.

Common Blue Damsefly.

Went around to the lake to try for some images of Dragonflies, it was unfortunately a lot windier  than in our garden and the dragonflies were flying far to fast so took a few images and returned home.
Managed the above image, not perfect but not easy to get. 

Speckled Wood Butterfly.

They are starting to look a bit worn at this time of the year.


Thank you for your visit, hope you have enjoyed the images as much as we did in taking them, sorry the post is a bit late, blame the Ospreys!!

Please feel free to leave a comment.