Wednesday 4 May 2011

1st. Damsels


SANDHOUSE LANE N.R.  BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.  MAY 3rd 2011

My first ever visit to Sandhouse Lane N.R. on a bright sunny morning (after an early light frost) with broken white cloud and a rather cool breeze. Max 17*C.

Sandhouse Lane is a disused sand quarry and offers two small ponds and areas of scrub, woodland, meadow and a heathland area that has formed on top of waste material from a former asphalt plant. This heathland is mostly covered in lichens and mosses and produces various orchids in late spring.

Once I had settled into a sunny sheltered spot next to one of the ponds it was just a matter of wait and see what flies by, or more to the point settles by. And I didn't have to wait long to encounter my first Damselflies of the year.

Azure (female)
Azure (male)
Common Blue (teneral male)

Common Blue (teneral male)
Large Red (female)

Large Red (male)
 I also saw a Variable Damselfly but alas no photograph.

Also spotted were various Butterflies, Moths and Bugs. Photographs of these next time.

2 comments:

holdingmoments said...

Cracking shots Trevor. Great time of year now, with all these damsels around.
Never been to Sandhouse Lane N.R., have to give that one a try sometime.

The Herald said...

Thanks Keith. Yeh,it’s a nice little reserve.
I was taking to a man at Marston Vale yesterday who said he was taking photos of WAXWINGS by the road outside of the entrance on the day that I was there; needless to say I didn’t see them :{
They’ve been there for a few days apparently!