Upper Crockford Stream, New Forest

Last time we visited Upper Crockford the sun was nowhere to be seen, but we were a lot luckier this time. The stream runs across the heath and eventually through the woods. It is shallow and slow moving with plenty of heather and a few reeds so is perfect for dragonflies - and so it proved!!
We recorded 10 different species of dragonfly and damselfly. Common and ruddy darters preferred the heath and bogs to the stream, as well as an emerald damselfly and a couple of blue-tailed. Three golden-ringed dragonflies patrolled up and down the stream, catching flies and fighting off intruders, all the while dazzling the impressed onlookers. I couldn't believe it when one landed, perched on a purposely positioned stick in the middle of the stream giving me the chance to remove my shoes and socks, wade out into the middle and take lots of brilliant photos (see My WAB Gallery). The most abundant dragonfly around was the keeled skimmer of which I again got lots of close-up photos. We found the rare southern damselfy which is considerably smaller than its other blue cousins and also some small red damselflies and beautiful demoiselles. Finally, a mention to a female southern hawker sighted right at the end. I can't say how good that stream is for dragonflies....
The dragonflies kept me busy today so I didn't get searching for many flowers like I usually do, but I still managed dwarf gorse, devil's-bit scabious, cross-leaved heath and hampshire purslane (only found here I think) on the heath. In the bogs there was water plantain (I haven't got a photo yet because whenever I come across a plant I find that the petals have all fallen off ), lesser water plantain, bog asphodel (gone to seed), marsh st.john's-wort and lesser skullcap.
Other insects included a heath grasshopper, lots of gatekeepers and about 3 silver-studded blues. Not much time for birds today (thanks to the dragonflies) but a buzzard and kestrel were seen and a couple of very noisy hobbies flew over as well.