Blacktailed Godwits were two for the price of one on the flat calm water.
Several Greenshank and the evermore plentiful Little Egrets were probing the lagoons for tasty morsels.
You've always got a chance of Med Gull at Pennington.
A family party of Ravens were very vocal
A Water Rail was shamelessly exposing itself, Grey Plovers included a stunning sum plum male and a young Buzzard was chilling in the sunshine. I even managed to sneak in a year tick with a rather drab looking female Eider out on the Solent.
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| Juv Buzzard |
Next up was a short drive to Crockford Bridge in the New Forest to see what Dragon/Damselflies were about. We immediately jammed into one of my absolute favourites in the shape of a Beautiful Demoiselle.
A Small Red Damselfly is always a pleasure to behold.
Common Darters were everywhere.
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| Male |
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| female |
As were Black Tailed Skimmer...
...and Keeled Skimmer
My day seemed complete when we stumbled across a species I've long wanted to see. A Golden Ringed Dragonfly. Two in fact, I think male and female.
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| Male |
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| female |
A family of Spotted Flycatchers rounded things off nicely.
It was only when I got home and started going through my photos, that I noticed what I had presumed to be an Azure Damselfly, didn't quite look right. Just an atypical one I thought but best check the book just in case it's some sort of rarity, lol!!! _ Bloody hell! Judging by the book it appeared to be the rare and endangered Southern Damselfly. The features, habitat and location all seemed to confirm it.
Being of a sceptical nature, I still had some doubts so I'm grateful to Simon @ukwildlifepics for his help in confirming the id on twitter this morning.
How did students of nature cope before the advent of digital cameras? If I had a hat on I would take it off to them. Easy life nowadays.
Thanks to Simon for his help, Sharpy for the usual good company and Hampshire for being a great place to spend a day.
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