Tuesday 7 August 2018

Autumn's First Wheatear and Ruddy Darter


Orcombe was very quiet this morning but 2+ Willow Warbler, 2 Sand Martin, small numbers of Swallow and my first Wheatear (a juvenile) of the autumn, on the dung heap, were recorded.
 
 
Small Copper - Orcombe Point
 
 
Common Darter - Bruckland Ponds. I paid my first visit to this site this afternoon, and what a great place. Once you get past the surprise of the recorded message you're in a tranquil world, heaving with dragonflies. My target was Ruddy Darter (thanks to Steve Waite's blog) but I had to look at numerous Common Darter before I set eyes on one.
 
 
Common Darter
 

Ruddy Darter - a male. Note the coral red abdomen which is really pinched in the middle. I don't think I've seen this species before but I've seen Red-veined and Scarlet Darter. I've stuck all my 'Odonata' photos on a page which can be accessed from the menu bar at the top of this blog. Hope I've got 'em all right.

 
 
As I was leaving I spotted this Emperor Dragonfly. It presented a macabre image as it chomped its way through a Banded Demoiselle!

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