This afternoon i ventured out in the sunshine on one of my favorite walks with the dog.
Not a cloud in the sky nor even a breath of wind my expectations were high of seeing wildlife of interest.
Passing a group of grazing forest ponies unwelcome wildlife descended on my dog
and myself in the form of horseflies with an appetite for flesh, brusing them from my bare legs (I was wearing shorts at the time) and from the dog we made a hasty gettaway.
Further along the track my eyes fell upon a lovely group of Common Spotted Orchids
providing a splash of colour in the somewhat drab green surroundings.
Finally we happened upon the swamp and as i stood on the little bridge where the swamp gives birth to the stream my eyes were taken by the amazing scene i was whitness to, Dragon and Damsell flies were in abundance, at any one time there were between 30 and 40 in the air.
I watched transfixed as they danced and played tag with each other, most of them were either the pale blue drangon flies and the large red damsell flies but occasionaly along came a keeled skimmer to join thr happy throng, a broad bodied chaser happily hovering just beneath my feet at the waters edge became the object of the attention of one of the others, like a spitfire it dived down and ejected the chaser from its territory but unknown to the masses another chaser which i was unable to identify was ovipositing across the other side of the open water, unfortunately having only a standard lens with me i was unable to get any decent shots without lowering myself into the mud and wading across which i was not prepared to do so the pictures below are all there is.
This one although poor shows the chaser actually in the process of egg laying, it is on the corner of the reeds if you are having trouble making it out.
The second picture above is slighty clearer and shows the chaser airborne a few inches above the water.
What i found interesting was the relatively short body of this species compared to the broad bodied chaser.
Whilst all this activity was going on a group of swallows were swooping and diving down to just above the water and without making barely a ripple were plucking insects from the water before flying back up into the air, the speed and agility is a sight to behold.
Casting my eyes to the other side of the bridge another Dragon fly was all by itself merrily racing back and forth, i have no idea what it was but the body was a blueish colour and the head which seemed disproportionately large compared to the body was a dull yellow, presumably camera shy it made off into the distance before i had chance of a shot.
Time being short we started the walk back but on the way a little butterfly landed on the path in front of me.
I have idnetified this as an Orange tip but not too sure it is.
Further along the track a small bird flew into a nearby tree, initially thinking it was probably a robin i almost ignored it but curiosity got the better of me and i ventured closer for a better look between the branches, another one camera shy and definitily not a robin, it seemed to be mottled brown but as it flew away a dull rusty red splash of colour could be seen at the topside base of the tail, another mystery.
Returning home to do some work in the garden all i have now of the afternoons events are memories, but what better memories could anyone wish for.
Ian
Re: A perfect day for a walk 
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