This is a nymph case from a hatched dragonfly from my pond. I think it's a southern Hawker however I missed it emerging so couldn't confirm - we also get the Broad Bodied Chasers like you do and they are quite early flyers plus a couple of other species I haven't been able to pin down. it's about 60mm long.
Not great photos as I was leaning out over my veg patch, but spotted this on top of my bean poles on Sunday.
I am extremely grateful to Spider and Rorschach for posting the photos of dragonflies and damselflies. I really struggle with insect identification and have to say that it is excellent that there are two people on here who are able to assist. I have an excellent guide book to these insects as well books on butterflies and moths. I have tended to give up with moth identification as it is probably one of the hardest things to do. I have not seen too many insects so year this year. There are loads of Banded demoiselles along the Itchen , as ever, as well as the odd Beautiful demoiselle. Not seen any Chasers this year although I often see the blue bodied Broad chaser. These are the males. The one thing that I love about birdwatching and nature is that you always find people who know a lot more than you and who are willing to pass on their knowledge. More photos of insects, please...…. Out birdwatching between Otterbourne and Shawford last weekend, I saw a stoat hunting rabbits in a field. I am not sure if I have ever seen a stoat in the wild before, although I have seen weasels runa cross the road in front of my car on a few occasions. In this instance, the stoat ended up being mobbed by about 10 jackdaws who refused to let him escape from a patch of nettles for about five minutes, It was an incredible sight. I am still trying to get my photos posted.
Dorset Coast on Sunday, looking from just above West Bottom, over Middle Bottom to Bats Hole (the Chalk cliff) Don't you love those Dorset names The next Head is Durdle Door
This isn’t my picture, but worth a share as it seems that the Flamingos that inhabit the Laguna de la Mata (salt lake near Torrevieja, Costa Blanca) have produced a lot of chicks this year. Something that doesn’t happen every year, apparently. Mrs B and I were planning a trip to this salt lake on our next visit, as we haven’t been there for a while.
Great walk around Breamore, Hale & Woodgreen today England's Green and Pleasant land and it didn't rain till I was back in tha car Picture postcard cottage at Woodgreen
Copied this from Facebook, this bird is a rosy starling.....can honestly say I don’t recall ever seeing one.
This is my little weekend coffee morning spot. Went out on my bike at 7 and then back by 9:30 to be quickly showered and then take a coffee in this little corner of a sun trap, next to my sunflowers
This is the side of my house where I have dumped some stuff like an old upturned, broken veg trough... wild flowers (some people call them weeds) have sprung up and I love that colour splash of purple, yellow and white, along with the urge to sift through the branches and twigs that are hidden under the trough. There must be a whole hotel of wildlife under there.
