Another new site for me, this one again being about thirty minutes away from the bed and Breakfast I’d being staying in, Monk’s Wood.
Monk’s Wood a known site for the Black Hairstreak Butterfly, on my walk Monk’s Wood, I stopped and photographed Syrphus Hoverflies, Tiger Craneflies and a Speckled Bush Cricket, but alas no Black hairstreaks, but it was a bit overcast..
I eventually moved off from the distraction of Bush Crickets, and bumped into a couple who were also looking for the Black Hairstreak and had seen a couple briefly, whilst taking to this couple another couple, who turned out to be doing a Black Hairstreak count over the last few days, they’d counted 109 yesterday, showed us where the best spots were for the Hairstreak. It wasn’t long before we saw plenty of Black Hairstreak Butterflies, eventually giving good photo opportunities. I eventually moved away from the site and caught other Black Hairstreaks around the site, I also found a few Spotted Longhorn Beetles.
I left Monks Wood at about 11am and headed further North, and towards home, stopping briefly at Barnack Hills and Holes, a good place for insects, Butterflies and Flowers. The going was difficult and I only picked up a few Butterfly species Brimstone, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and a few Marbled Whites
Paxton Pits based near St Neots, this would be my base for a couple of days, looking for dragonflies. My first time at this reserve, a well known place and hotspot for dragonfly species.
I’d set off early morning from home and was on site at 9am, a three hour tri. As I walked onto the reserve, I was greeted by a Male Banded Demoiselle, what a start, I was soon adding Azure and Common Blue Damselflies to the day list, a Four Spotted Chaser joined in along with a nearby female Black tailed Skimmer, what a great thirty minutes to the day.
Walking further into the reserve I found a quiet area with a bramble patch near to one of the ponds/small lake, here I found a Emperor Dragonfly, feasting on another unlucky dragonfly (turned out to be a Scarce Chaser), whilst watching the Emperor a male Scarce Chaser landed close by. A party of people of joined me in watching the Emperor, and taking photos, Peter Wood was with the party whom I’d talked to on a dragonfly site about my visit, he spent a while with me showing the areas of Paxton pits for certain species of dragonfly and where to find them.
Peter showed me the area where Norfolk Hawker (Green eyed) hung out, but by this time they were in the air, the dragonfly I mainly wanted to see, would be lifer, no worries there were plenty. Around this area during my visit I found Four Spotted Chasers, Scarce Chasers, Black tailed Skimmers, Norfolk Hawkers and lots of damselfly species.
After dinner I picked up a female type Black tailed Skimmer which hung around for a while for photos, turned out to be a Immature Male looking at the photos. I was just going to call it a day, I was getting nothing new, until I got talking to a guy who put me onto a Variable Damselfly site, needless to say I changed my plans and headed off. I eventually found the pool in question where I found the Variable Damselflies along with Red eyed Damselflies,Azure Damselflies, Norfolk Hawkers and a fresh Emerald Damselfly, now I called it a day, ending on thirteen species, I’d be back tomorrow.
The following day I went down the opposite trial to the Meadow trial, the Heron trial, plenty more Scarce Chasers down here along with Four Spotted Chasers, put I’d come down here looking for a Banded Demoiselle site, which I found near to the river, glorious couple of hours watching these and taking lots of photos.
The weather over my stay was a very hot, over both days and did become a little bit of a struggle around mid day. I was on site from 9am till 6pm on both days.
I’d stopped at a nearby Bed and Breakfast, The Hall farm near Tilbrook, about twenty five minutes away, the place was fantastic, grounds are huge with its own large pond, where I saw a single Emperor dragonfly. The room itself was large, clean, the shower was great, the hosts were welcoming and pleasant. Over all I had a fantastic time and one I look forward to having again, Paxton Pits was unbelievable for dragonflies and the people I meet were all very helpful, needless to say I became a friend of Paxton Pits.
A members day with today being a Butterfly and Dragonfly walk, the walk was due to start at at 10:30am, setting off from the visitor centre, I arrived on site for a walk around before that at 9:30am and to be sure of a car parking space.
The first bramble batch I encountered held a Common Green Shieldbug along with various ladybird larva, Harlequin, and Seven spot.
I took a right after going thru the first gate, finding my first Large Skipper of the year. Followed the path up and round and down again, finding a Yellow barred Longhorn Moth on route.
I decided on going down to a small pool I knew, but with the weather over the last few weeks, it was dry, so I looked around the nearest bramble patch, finding a nice snipefly, Rhagio sp.
The feeders were quiet with more squirrels than bird species, only finding Great Tit and Dunnock. It was now just after 10am, so I headed off to the visitor centre, ready for the walk.
The group had gathered, so off we went, sticking around the visitor center gardens and pools first seeing , Small Tortiseshell, Small Heath and Meadow Brown Butterflies, Damselflies about were mainly Large Red and Azure.
Up onto the North loop of the reserve were we found, Small Heath, Large Skipper and Common Blue Butterflies, also finding a Golden bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle. Onto the top of the loop, where the pools are, finding more Azure and Large Red Damselflies, but the find was a splendid male Broad Bodied Chaser, needless to say a few photos were taken.
We moved onto the reserve then and down to the dipping pond, finding more Azure and Large Red Damselflies, a few Speckled Wood Butterfly were new for the day, I ended the day on another Golden bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle
Broad Bodied Chaser Golden bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle
A quick visit into the local ponds before work to see if there were any new dragonflies on the wing, I was hoping for that Broad Bodied Chaser.
There were about seven Four Spotted Chasers on my favourite pond, along with plenty of Azure Damselfly, a few Large Red, and Blue tailed Damselfly, nothing new.
Butterflies about was a single Red Admiral and a pair of male Common Blue Butterfly.
Birds noted were Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Blackcap, Wren, Mallard and a “yaffling” Green Woodpecker
A late night trip up into Langsett moors for a certain crepuscular bird. The temp had dropped to about 6 degrees, 9:30pm, and not even a churr yet, I wasn’t feeling hopeful.
There were a few Woodcock flying around, keeping us entertained along with a single Long eared Owl, there was also young owls calling from the nearby tree line, the target bird was a no show, the Nightjar, was a heard only, and very briefly.
Huddsbirder 