Southern Hawker dragonfly

21st August 2024 - John W spotted this female Southern Hawker dragonfly, apparently laying eggs in one of his small 'bucket ponds'.

Rivercare - August sampling results

19th August 2024 - the RiverCare team undertook their monthly river sampling of the Granta at the ford in Abington, and the results are shown below.  Generally, the sample was a bit more spare than in previous months, but most of the usual species were present, but in lower numbers. More unusual were the two Stone Loach and two Bullhead fish caught in the sampling. 

Stone Loach and a Bullhead

Bullhead

Stone Loach - showing the six barbels around the mouth

Olive larva

Small Signal Crayfish

Freshwater Shrimps - Gammarus

Mayfly larvae

Cased Caddis larva - can just see the legs and head at top left

Caseless Caddis larvae

[photos Andy M]

Common Darter and Emerald Damselfly

18th August 2024 - a female Common Darter was seen in Lagden's Grove on Granta Park, well away from water and perching on flower stems and leaves, occasionally darting out to catch a passing insect. Near the lake, a more uncommon species, an Emerald Damselfly - this group of damselflies being unusual in that they hold their wings diagonally to the body when resting, rather than alongside the body as is more usual for damselflies. Andy M.

Female Common Darter

Female Common Darter

Female Common Darter

Emerald Damselfly

Butterflies and Moths on a Granta Park walk

18th August 2024 - walking through the wildflower meadows on Granta Park, Andy M spotted a few Common Blue butterflies - the males showing their bright blue upperside wings whilst in flight, with the female upper sides being mostly brown with a blush of blue near the body.  A Large White was seen nearer the river, being mostly white, but with the black tip extending down the side of the upper wing, and two Meadow Brown were seen flying around, locked together as a mating pair. 

A small, and very daintily patterned Latticed Heath moth was seen on Lady's Bedstraw flowers, and a strikingly patterned Treble-bar moth seen resting in the long grass.

Male Common Blue butterfly

- strong blue dusting near body, with orange spots faint on the upper wing

Female Common Blue butterfly

- strong orange spots on both upper and lower wings

Female Common Blue butterfly

- brown, with blue disting and fading orange spots on upper wing

Large White - black tip extends down the side of the upper wing

Mating Meadow Brown pair

Latticed Heath moth

Treble-bar moth

Tufted Duck, and other birds, on Granta Park

18th August 2024 - Andy M took his camera for a walk around Granta Park, and was very happy to see a female Tufted Duck on the lake, alongside a considerable number of Canada Goose, several Barnacle Goose and a Greylag. The large number of Mallard were still in moult, so all appeared as if in female plumage, although the males could still be distinguished by their yellow-green bill, whereas the female bill is more brown and orange.  A good sized flock of House Martin flitted overhead, occasionally 'splashing- down' to take a drink or a brief bathe, whilst in the reed bed the Reed Warbler were still skulking around, making their grating, short contact calls. On the cricket green a dispersed flock of Pied Wagtail, including many juveniles at this time of year, scurried around feeding, on flies, grubs etc.

Female Tufted Duck

Female Tufted Duck and Canada Goose

Female Mallard in moult

House Martin

Reed Warbler

Female/juvenile Pied Wagtail

Female/juvenile Pied Wagtail

NatureWatch trip to Wicken Fen

18th August 2024 - our last planned NatureWatch trip of the year was to Wicken Fen to see dragonflies, butterflies and anything else of interest. Seven members and a grandchild joined the boardwalk route around the only remaining unimproved fen, in lovely sunny if slightly breezy weather. 

The dragonflies did not take long to find, with several darters seen hunting along the ditches, where they were more sheltered from the breeze. The small ponds provided lovely views of a Migrant Hawker dragonfly and a Moorhen, and a winding walk through the meadow revealed Ruddy Darter looking out from its blackberry perch, and a resting female Migrant Hawker. The latter species has characteristic brown and yellow patches on the thorax ('body') and a yellow T-shape on the second segment of the abdomen ('tail'). Further along, on the open water of the lode, Brown Hawker was seen patrolling over the water (the only dragonfly with brown wings), and Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and Azure Damselfly resting on the vegetation there. 

Along the more shady part of the walk, Common Darter looked out from their perches, with Peacock, Red Admiral, Essex Skipper and Speckled Wood butterflies all being seen there, whilst a group of Swallow flitted overhead, and the yellow flowers of Greater Bladderwort provided a splash of vibrant colour in the ditches there.

A few of the group then continued to Adventurer's Fen, where a Southern Hawker dragonfly was spotted resting, this species having pairs of blue dots down the abdomen (in common with other species), but with the dots on the last two segments characteristically linked to become blue bands. A Little Owl could also be seen on the wood pile where it, and maybe its relatives, have lived for many years.

Male Migrant Hawker

Female Migrant Hawker

Moorhen ploughing through the pond weed

Male Ruddy Darter on its 'lookout'

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

Azure Damselfly, reacting to another passing male

Teneral (recently emerged) Common Blue Damselfly

Common Darter, male on a prominent 'lookout' perch

Speckled Wood

Peacock

Red Admiral on Hemp Agrimony

Essex (or possibly Small?) Skipper

Male Common Darter - with brown/yellow thorax

Male Ruddy Darter - with rufous thorax and red face

Female Ruddy Darter - ochre colour with black markings ...

... and brown and yellow eyes, with a yellow frons ('face').

 Ruddy Darter, mating pair, male on the left

Greater Bladderwort

Swallow, acrobatically catching flies

Southern Hawker, female

Southern Hawker, female - paired dots fused as bands ('tail-lamps') on last two segments ...

... and yellow 'head-lamps' on the thorax behind the eyes. 

A Little Owl soaking up the sun on its wood pile