Saturday 24 September 2011

Dragonflies at Waveney Forest






This morning I drove down to Waveney Forest, I had to pull in at a layby on the left hand side for a postman's van, as I pulled up I noticed a large dragonfly patrolling the woodland edge, it was a superb male Southern Hawker. Jumping out of the car I managed to obtain a few shots before it flew back a few yards and settled again, a great start!
From the car park, I walked down the northern most track following the pylons and it was immediately apparent there were loads of Common Darter, probably around 300 seen during the whole walk! There was a heavy dew on the vegetation and the flowering heather was completely covered in loads of spiders webs. A male Marsh Harrier flew over. Either side of the path, a variety of funghi seen including 5 Fly Agaric and a particularly fine and large Wood Mushroom (Agaricus silvicola) Thanks to Michael B for the ID. Three quarters of the way down I saw a Common or Viviparous Lizard which quickly scuttled off. By some sun drenched heather, 2 Small Coppers and a showy Comma butterfly were seen. Also seen flying through was yet another Southern Hawker dragonfly, this time a female, which briefly perched on some Silver birch, it flew again and I tracked it down again and managed a few further shots were obtained (see 2nd header picture).
A barking nearby Deer was probably either a Red or Fallow Deer, a large Deer was seen walking away through the wood. By the end covert, a mewing Buzzard was heard too. Several Siskins were heard too.

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