Twizell Wood

 My wife and I had a walk through Twizell Wood today and as it is late in the season for dragonflies it is probably the last time I will visit. We saw only two male Southern Hawkers but there were still quite a few Common Darters on the wing however I did not expect to see any butterflies but a late Comma showed briefly.

Southern Hawker hunting for lunch.

Southern Hawker eating lunch.

There was quite a stiff breeze and this Southern Hawker seemed to prefer to hunker down in the grass rather than fly around.

Male Common Darter. I did not see any females.

This Comma butterfly landed briefly on a tree unfortunately it was blown off by a gust of wind and I could not relocate it.

We saw three Curlew in a field on the way back to the car and I managed to get a couple of them in flight as the flew off.

Twizell Ponds

 A cracking morning at the ponds in Twizell Woods a couple of days ago. Still loads of Dragonflies but the only Damselflies I saw were Emerald (no pictures). It’s always a challenge to try to photograph Dragonflies in flight and it doesn’t always come off as you can see with some of these images however, I love trying.

Southern Hawker.

This was the only Migrant Hawker I saw. It flew off after I managed to get this shot and I didn’t see it again.

Common Hawker.

This one liked this tree as it landed on here on a number of occasions.

Female ovipositing.

Mating Common Darter.

Three’s a crowd. A pair of Common Darter photobombed.

There were quite a few in tandem.

Another pair.

Common Darter in flight

Common Darter in flight

I like the way it turned its head to look at me.

Male posing.

Red-legged Shieldbug.

Final instar Bronze Shieldbug.

Leaf Hopper.

Speckled Wood Butterfly.

Two Speckled Wood Butterflies.

This Toadstool was on the opposite bank of the stream I was walking along and it must have been at least eight inches in height but unfortunately there is nothing to give it scale.

Gibside NT

My wife and I had a great day out at Gibside the other day with a walk along the avenue to the Octagonal Pond then down to the Dragonfly Pond. However, the day started with a walk around the Walled Garden. The gardeners have planted flower beds with wild flowers, some were just past their peak, but they were buzzing with bees and other insects it was fantastic to see so much wildlife, I could have stayed all day just in this garden. At the Octagonal and Dragonfly Ponds there were still good numbers of Dragonfly and a few Damselflies but not as many as I had hoped but, as I said, it was still a great day out. Any help with identification would be much appreciated.

I have never seen a Bee with a blue pollen sack.

White-tailed Bumblebee.

A Mining Bee?

Another Mining Bee?

Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Hoverfly.

Tachinid Fly.

Red-legged Shieldbug.

Common Green Shieldbug.

Small Copper Butterfly.

A hitchhiker on the Small Copper.

Speckled Wood Butterfly. Still plenty of these around I saw more of these than any other butterfly.

A Flesh Fly blowing bubbles.

Southern Hawker.

In flight.

Unfortunately, this female Southern Hawker has come to her end after laying her eggs.

Trapped in a web an Emerald Damselfly has probably come to its end too.

Migrant Hawker.

In flight.

Ruddy Darter?

Common Darter.