Spent a couple of hours at Rainham RSPB today, much busier than usual with many people keen to see the Spotted Crake thats been showing on and off for the last few days.
For my liking, the Crake was far too distant to wait around for the odd glimpse, so I wandered around the reserve, seeing what else was on offer.
There seemed to be a bit of a blue theme running through my sightings today, starting with this Southern Hawker
or " Blue Hawker" seen within the cordite store.
This area has been really good for Hawkers for me, last week I managed to see the Migrant Hawker and Southern Migrant Hawker.
There were two Southern Hawkers, one resting on the buddleia bloom, another on some brambles within about five feet of each other. This is another first for me, really pleased with these sightings.
Not the best Photographs, very muddled background, but you can clearly see the blue bands across the last three segments of the abdomen, making these males I believe.
There were quite a few Migrant Hawkers still on view, a Brown Hawker was flying around the inside of the Cordite store area, but once again never settling in view.
Red Admirals were the most numerous Butterfly feeding on the Buddleia blooms, with a few Holly Blue Butterflies flitting around in the undergrowth.
Moving on to the grasslands around the Ken Barrett hide, a number of male Common Blue Butterflies were seen.
And to complete the theme,
A Common Blue Damselfly resting up in the long grass.
Also noticed another two Wasp Spiders low down in the grass.
And for that touch of yellow, as I approached the Dragonfly pools
a Clouded Yellow Butterfly caught my eye, this was the only one seen, quite restless, never settling for longer than a few seconds,
always with wings closed.
This one looks quite worn, but considering its a migrant, possibly from North Africa or Southern Europe,
it was a welcome sighting.
it was a welcome sighting.
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