Goring for Clubtails on Saturday 14th May

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

And you got photo of the day for springwatch flickr/ twitter well done!!!

Did I? I missed that! I saw they had faved it on Flickr and that it was on the flickr feed on BBc UK nature website but missed the POTD!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Did I? I missed that! I saw they had faved it on Flickr and that it was on the flickr feed on BBc UK nature website but missed the POTD!

yeah you did!! 'APPLAUSE'

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Just had a browse Neil, and there's nothing wrong with your shots. (I've just spotted your grey heron in ox-eye daisies too - excellent!) Been looking for your Springwatch photo opf the day but can't find it - which one was it?

I'd be up for a repeat visit next year Gill, and you can bring junior along to show him/her off!

Dave P.

It was a link on springwatch twitter that led me to it, It said " POTD: beauty isn't only skin deep and Neil's called it 'clubtailed dragonfly emerging on the bridge 3'

Hmm not sure I'd bring babe - ound to demand attention when I'm just getting a good focus!! Might try for the mince-pie meet though if we have one!!

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by pressld2

My estimate of £15-£20 to replace was a little low - I've just ordered the parts for £27. A shocking price for a couple of bits of plastic but not the end of the world! Thanks again for all your efforts, gents!

Well that is Nikon for you

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

Well that is Nikon for you

Exactly that sort of thing never happens with Pentax!


(though only because they dont make small macro flashes in pentax fit! )

[Cordaline]

Adam & I went back to Goring this afternoon.
We went to the Hartslock Nature Reserve to find some orchids.

We found Common Spotted, Common Twayblade and:-
Monkey Orchid

Orchis purpurea x simia. The new hybrid species that is a cross between the Monkey & Lady Orchids.


Scorpion Fly

Scorpion Fly (different sex i think. not a brill pic)

Cercopis vulnerata

Garden Chafers

Green Hair Streak

Small Heath

The views from the top of the hill



A Red Kite graced us with it's presence for a while

[Wild-Woman]

Excellent finds and shots Vicki. Did you investigate the field up the hill just off the pathway we went along? Was that part of Hartslock?

Beautiful orchids. I'm quite jealous.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Excellent finds and shots Vicki. Did you investigate the field up the hill just off the pathway we went along? Was that part of Hartslock?

Beautiful orchids. I'm quite jealous.

I'm more than 'quite' jealous.

I'm also interested in the whether that field we could see was part of a reserve?
Which I had had the energy to climb up to see. 10 tears ago ...........

[Adam Cheeseman]

The field where you could see the Ladies 'bottomising' Jules is the lower slope of the reserve and had only one Monkey Orchid in it. The upper slope was probably not visible where we were looking from at the weekend but is a much steeper slope and had several Monkey Orchids and many hybrid orchids as well as one Common Spotted Orchid and several Common Twayblade. There are lots of other basal rosettes present marked by numbered plastic sticks. Apparently, due to the drought conditions it has not been a good year numbers wise for orchids. Lots of Chalk Milkwort and other common calcareous grassland plants. Couldn't find a pure Lady Orchid in flower. Vicki's pic of the hybrid is the closest I could find in colouration. If you look closely though you can see the appendage between the 'legs' of the hybrid flower. Not so much a Lady Orchid, more of a Ladyboy Orchid. The hybrids are said to be similar to the Military Orchid, which is not present here. The Lady Orchids only first appeared at this site in 1998 and the first hybrid was discovered in 2006 I believe.

Cheers,

Adam

[Dragoner]

I was also at Goring yesterday (Thursday) looking for clubtails. Watched 2 emerge on the railway bridge footings but they were the only two I saw.

Did also see red-eyed and white-legged damsels in the field just to the west of the bridge - the white-legged were my firsts of the year.

Stephen