So day off this week was today, so decided to head Arne-wards, despite it being closed, as there a couple of similar heathland sites in the vicinity. In the end I plumped for Middlebere, hoping on the off chance with no visitors, the Dartford Warblers may have extended their range from Arne. Well, they might have, but I didn't notice if they did!! I was also hoping for male linnets, but I didn't spot any, but possibly some females!
Pretty much everything I saw remained obstinately far away, or with it's back to me....Grrr!
I was greeted by Meadow(?) Pipit
Female Stonechat
A warbler (possibly willow as it is yellower than chiffchaff...but hey... it didn't sing!)
A dragonfly-ey/chaser-ey/darter-ey type thing, but only managed this one shot before it flew away, so colouration not evident... but it looks like something has run over its body, so could be a very rare Tyred Flat-Bodied Roadkill Darter
Got some more of this one though :o) .... and I'm going for Yellow Winged darter, as it has yellow spots on the wings! (with my luck it will be a pink spotted darter, coz on the bottom of it's tongue there is a green spot, or something equally random!)
Some sort of Shield Bug?
A Gold and Blue Darter... could be one of many, so I'm going for the same again, but with Quink fetish
Not sure, in this twofer one shot, started thinking maybe female linnet and stonechat, but then went juvenile stonechat, or any combination and have now confused myself!
Lady Stonechat
Lord Stonechat
Probably a Chiffchaff
Another shiny beetle, very similar to one from last week
A wasp thing that likes holes? Not sure if it was digging this one, or hunting in it
One for the butterfly/moth ladies....
A convenient little puff of breeze allowed a sighting of the underwing, Cin
There was some sort of fly...
In old money, I used 2 and a half rolls of film on the next subject...…. Lightened quite considerably on the PC
Elevenses
Mr Stonechat
Not sure on this fella
And not even going to guess on this one!
Peek-a-Boo...I'm coming for youuu
Not sure but this could be a tree pipit, as it was properly white on its belly, and also a really bright eye brow!
So despite no Dartfords, I saw my 1st "bigger than a damsel" dragonflies of the year, and despite everything remaining distant, a pleasant couple of hours was spent before it got too hot!
Stay Safe All
Ah, good, the holidays are still ongoing, I can relax and enjoy, beer in glass, glass in hand....
Great collection of photos PB, and the dragons are superb.