Wildlife

BLOG

6 August 2023 Hawking

I am a long way behind in terms of blogging and even processing photos this year. On the rare occasion I do get a free day, I want to spend it outside seeing wildlife rather than in the photographic darkroom... In mid-June, I spent a pleasant afternoon at Suffolk Wildlife Trust's Carlton Marshes reserve. I like this place, and have seen nice things here (such as American Bittern, Fen Raft Spiders and a displaying Buff-breasted Sandpiper). After dropping my daughter nearby for her birthday party, I sent out with the aim of finding a singing Marsh Warbler. It transpired that someone had already found one at Carlton a couple of days earlier, and that it had gone. Nice idea, poor execution. And I couldn't see any aquatic arachnids either. But the dragonflies were most pleasing, with many Norfolk Hawkers and plenty of Scarce Chasers sharing the honours.

First the hawkers.

Wildlife

James Lowen 

Like Norfolk baker (which we should really now call Green-eyed Hawker), Scarce Chaser is expanding its range and no longer respecting its own name.