Not often, mind, but sometimes. Today, as threatened, I was naughty and swanned off up to zumerzet looking for dragons - despite it looking a bit threatening first thing. Mission was to find Variable Damselfly, and hopefully also a 'red' Darter dragonfly sp. too, plus to get a look at female Little Bittern, and whatever else was about.
It did eventually rain, but it waited 'til gone half six, so no worries! Before that it almost hit 30 on the blazing hot Levels, and the dragons were everywhere! Having missed Variable Damselfly on my brief detour earlier this month, I was amazed that the first blue damsel I managed to get bins on proved to be one! Yes! :D This coming after I'd met an immature male Migrant Hawker, that stayed so put I was able to not only get my book out to make sure of the ID [I have no shame, and take my copy of Brooks & Lewington out with me....], but also to assemble my paparazzi setup [took it in the bag, deary me...] and get a shot from as close as my big lens will focus. He was more bothered by passing Brown Hawkers than by me - or the guy who came stomping past, then stomping back!
Also new for the year was Ruddy Darter - much more red and black than B & L indicate, a real stunner! - so I'm a Scarce Blue-tail away from my target. It's enough to make me a little giddy, I tell you!
I made three stops and got in eight and a half hours of field time, seeing 15 species of odonata and 50 species of birds [I think]. Star performers were definitely the Marsh Harriers - at least 5 individuals, the best being a 3cy male that put on a wonderfully prolonged display of hunting into the wind, with a pair of playing juveniles [one of which then tried landing in a small tree top and only just pulled it off..] coming a close second. Bitterns restricted themselves to two brief flight views - a Big one in exactly the same spot as one last Friday week, and the female Little one flying away from the site. A Great White Egret sighting was even briefer, and a Hobby didn't stick around either.
Did I mention how good the dragons were? On my way back from the Little Bittern, I got buzzed and examined by a Southern Hawker - face to face with an insect that's definitely looking back was an interesting experience! I was face to face with a Horsefly that settled on the rear hatch of my car as I opened it at Woodbury, but all I got then, as it turned to look at me, was 'target acquired'.. A Brown Hawker near Noah's Hide was much less interested - it seemed to think I was just moving scenery - while no Emperor has ever deigned to recognise I even exist! ;) A male Black-tailed Skimmer kept very neat pace beside me along a drove - I tried speeding up and slowing down to check - until I reached the edge of his territory. Interesting, that; a very odd co-incidence, it being disturbed by me [but the others I'd bothered just looped around behind me], or maybe behaviour adapted to moving animals disturbing prey? I have no idea, but I'd guess the latter. I also got to use the Big Scope [which I'd lugged along - thus the camera stuff in the bag] to ID damsels way out in the ponds - not very efficient [much better for watching birds] as the ones I got on were all Red-eyeds, Common Blues, and Azures!
Present all day, and perhaps causing the reduced Little Bittern sightings, were a LOT of helicopters. I think it must have been everything the Army hasn't already got in Afghanistan, and included Apaches! I've not seen them in person before, and it was jokingly mentioned that they were going to be on anti-egger duty next year - spot 'em on the thermal imaging and waste the scum with the chain gun... >;)
I was just getting back to my car when the first spit-spots of rain started [after waiting more than an hour for another Little Bittern flight] and the 5 degree drop in temperature as the front passed was most welcome on the drive home. Day's a good 'un.
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