Having introduced me to butterflies last week, ForestPuffin, the fledgling blogger and young son of my birdy buddy Martin, then went trailblazing for us in Fore Woods, an RSPB reserve in Crowhurst, near Battle, East Sussex.
We shipped in provisions later and heard tell that Migrant Hawkers and Common Goldenrings were the flavour of the day.
We returned along the stream to the scene of his earlier successes where both species sat very well for us and we all managed some good pictures.
This female Migrant Hawker shows the characteristic yellow 'golf tee' or 'nail' marking on the second section of her abdomen and even allowed my 11-year-old son to reach out and touch it. The Migrant Hawkers were airborne in good numbers in the sunny corner of the field, but I was not able to get a flight shot.
The Goldenrings were fewer in number but almost as approachable. Only 2 were seen, but they were seen well enough to last me for the rest of the season.
We took it in turns to get up nice and close, trying not to disturb it so that we would all get a go.
A good look was also had of a Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara. We are a herpetologically deprived country with only one other leggy species, the rare and localised Sand Lizard, to choose from. The Slow Worm is a legless species that takes our entire national lizard list to 3. It makes identification easy though. Seeing one close and still like this is unusual for me.
Thanks again to ForestPuffin for his pioneering.
No comments:
Post a Comment