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.
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