Wednesday 18 May 2016

Hairy Dragonflies at Westbere

With the season well underway now, the challenge seems to be to time my outings after work when the sun is shining, easier said than done as often its lovely and sunny during the day and clouds over during the afternoons. Yesterday was just this with lovely sunny skies during work hours and slowly clouding over during the afternoon. I decided that with breaks in the cloud that I should get some activity so drove down to Westbere Lakes at 3.30pm. It wasn't long until I started seeing the first of at least 300 Variable Damselfly on the wing. There could easily be triple this number as I only checked a few well known areas. Moving on and walking along the river towards Fordwich for a few hundred yards revealed 8 Hairy Dragonflies with a pair seen mating providing me with a few camera opportunities of these superb dragonflies, surely one of my favourites.


Hairy Dragonflies (mating pair)

It was also pleasing to see 4 Scarce Chaser along the river which were my first of the year and a few photos were obtained. I shall post these in due coarse. There were also a few hundred at least of both Blue tailed and Azure Damselfly and I also saw my first 3 Banded Demoiselle's with a male providing a few shots. Despite not the greatest weather, just superb to be out and about seeing plenty of dragonflies and damselflies in good numbers and a few photo opportunities too. Only a few weeks I suspect until the Norfolk Hawkers appear at Westbere, now that I am really forward to again.

Hairy Dragonfly (female) 

Hairy Dragonfly (male)  

Hairy Dragonflies (mating pair) 

10 comments:

  1. Outstanding pictures of the Hairy Dragonflies, you are brilliant.

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    1. Many thanks Bob, one of my favourite species to see.

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  2. Great pictures Marc are these with the Sigma 180 ?

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    1. Thanks Mike, no the Sigma 150mm macro lens.A great piece of kit.

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  3. The close-ups really do reveal how hairy these critters are! Positively strokable, lol. Love that 3rd shot - each clinging on to the other.

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  4. A superb set of images, Marc. I'm still hoping to find one of these again this year - they're not too common up in these parts.

    Best wishes - - - Richard

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    1. Many thanks Richard. Good luck with the hunting. They are brilliant when you really study their colours and detail.

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  5. Reminds me of something you would see in Cirque du Soleil.

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