Dragonfly Days

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.

Video of the day can be seen here —- PRESS

Dragonfly List :-

1. Azure Damselfly
2. Banded Demoiselle
3. Black tailed Skimmer
4. Blue tailed Damselfly
5. Common Blue Damselfly
6. Common Darter
7. Emerald Damselfly
8. Emperor
9. Four spotted Chaser
10. Norfolk Hawker
11. Red eyed Damselfly
12. Scarce Chaser
13. Variable Damselfly

Butterfly List :-

1. Large Skipper
2. Large White
3. Meadow Brown
4. Red Admiral

Bird List :-

1. Blackbird
2. Blackcap
3. Cetti’s Warbler
4. Chiffchaff
5. Common Tern
6. Cormorant
7. Cuckoo
8. Garden Warbler
9. Great Spotted Woodpecker
10. Green Woodpecker
11. Greenfinch
12. Grey Heron
13. Jackdaw
14. Mute Swan
15. Reed Bunting
16. Reed Warbler
17. Sedge Warbler
18. Stock Dove
19. Tufted Duck
20. Woodpigeon

Other Species :-

1. Spotted Longhorn Beetle
2. Wasp Beetle