Farlington Marshes (25/08/11)

A walk around the reserve revealed some migrants around including 7 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears and a few Whitethroats.  In Langstone Harbour an Osprey was sitting on a post until it flew off towards Hayling Bridge and eventually caught a large fish.

I heard a few Yellow Wagtails calling but couldn't find one.

In the bushes a sheltered spot held 2-3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Finally had a look at the lake (where the water level is very high) and found 2 Wigeon.

Thursley Common (22/08/11)

Hearing that up to 5 Common Hawkers had been seen here, I went to have a look and was successful in seeing at least 3 males and one female ovipositing.  Trying to photograph them was another matter.

Can you spot the ovipositing female?

Other species included: Black Darter, Small Red Damselfly, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Keeled Skimmer, Black-tailed Skimmer, Emerald Damselfly, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly

Tundry Pond (21/08/11)

The usual stuff except disturbed a Grass Snake which swam into the reeds by the main pond and a couple of Migrant Hawker's flying up and down.

My first Ruddy Darter of the year decided to identify itself in my book which I had put down, but it got the identification wrong!

Thursley Common (19/08/11)

Some warm sunny weather saw me at the premier Odonata site close to home.  Species seen were:

Emerald Damselfly
Large Red Damselfly
Small Red Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
female Emperor Dragonfly
Keeled Skimmer
Common Darter
Black Darter

Birds were thin on the ground but did see a few Stonechats, a couple of Wheatears and a fly over male Crossbill.

Pagham (14/08/11)

Started off with a seawatch at Selsey Bill but the only interest was lots of Gannets.

Met up with the RSPB group at Sidlesham Ferry and we had a brief look around the pool and hedgerows because there was a function at the visitor centre later.  We saw a Wheatear distantly in the field behind the pool, 2 Common Sandpipers on the pool and a Bar-tailed Godwit in the channel.

We then drove to Church Norton where the tide was coming in quickly.  Very few waders were showing but a Peregrine was sitting on one of the islands in the harbour.

Careful looking revealed a Whimbrel and 3 Mediterranean Gulls.  In the hedgerow was a Migrant Hawker and an Emperor Dragonfly.

We had lunch in the car park then drove over to the beach car park on Pagham side only to find it closed, so we drove to Pagham church and parked there.  We then walked out to the Breach Pool in a very strong SW wind.

Scanning the Little Egrets didn't reveal the reported Cattle Egret but there was a moulting adult Spotted Redshank on the pool along with a couple of Little Ringed Plovers.  I walked on a bit and spotted a wader on a piece of mud the others couldn't see.  I was just going to get them on it when it flew up calling and left - a Wood Sandpiper!  As I told the rest of the group a Yellow Wagtail flew over.

Still no Lesser Emperors (07/08/11)

Went to Blashford to try and see the reported Lesser Emperor but despite several visits to its favourite pond I couldn't find it.

Had some good birds though:

c10 Common Buzzards
female Red-crested Pochard
juv. Black Tern
2 Goosander
6 Ravens (family group?)
Sparrowhawk

Odonata:

Common Blue Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly

Emperor Dragonfly (including ovipositing female)
Black-tailed Skimmer
Brown Hawker

Warren Heath (31/07/11)

Yep, no Brilliant Emeralds here either, did see a Golden-ringed Dragonfly tho!

Basingstoke Canal (30/07/11)

Spent most of the late morning and lunchtime walking up and down the canal, but in all that time only found a couple of Downy Emeralds and one Brilliant Emerald which I nearly photographed but it spotted me and flew high up into a tree and wouldn't come down.

Also 3 or 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries seen.