Third Willowherb to the Right!

Our Dragonfly Safari took place this morning and we hoped to see several species of both dragonflies and damselflies around Rabbit Wood out on the training area.  Unfortunately the wind had not looked at our events page and it was almost blowing a gale!  Not good for any flying insects.  The bees were hanging onto thistle flowers, butterflies were sitting low in the vegetation and very few damselflies were daring to take to the wing!  Even birds were struggling to fly.

We visited Willmire Crater next and fared little better.

Weather permitting we will be back there towards the end of the month to ring the Meadow Pipits who flock there to feed.  Some were seen flying.

Our final stop was much more shelterd and in the sunny less windy places darters and some dragonflies were seen flying.  One eventually settled, a Southern Hawker.  However trying to pinpoint its exact position lent itself to many excellent directions!  'Stand here, look up the path, just to the right.'  'Look half way up the path, past the tree on the left and look right, and down a bit.'  And finally  'Move this way, look up the path, third willowherb to the right.' 

The next job was to try to get a  photograph.  Height was important, Elizabeth was just too small!  So this is the photo that Adam took.  Thank you.

Thank you to Keith and June for sharing their knowledge throughout our walk.  Thanks also to Tony and Adam for ensuring that we visited the different sites without getting lost.