Weetslade Dragons

It was a bit late in the day to look for Dragonfly but a wander around the ponds in Weetslade Country Park this evening produced the goods
Black-tailed skimmer

This was very easy to photograph since it would not rise unless I was less than a couple of feet away. Saw only the one.

Four-spotted chaser - There were four or five on one pond and a couple on the other

Was unable to identify this one, which I am guessing is egg laying?


Amongst the wildflowers were many Ringlet, Small Skipper and Common Blue.

Plenty to watch

A short walk along the bridlepath which starts at Banks Pond last evening brought a nice selection of butterfly, moth and insect.
Common Blue

Small Skipper

Ringlet

Ringlet

Burnet Moth

Have been unable to identify this Damselfly - any ideas?


This is the stretch where they were seen

Longframlington Swallows

A couple of days ago we visited Longframlington Gardens where there were good numbers of Swallows with their brood on the wing.
Here are a few waiting to see if there would be any more meals provided



There were dozens of these Chimney Sweeper moths in the wild garden



During a brief stop at Felton we had a few minutes peering over the bridge where, I think, these small Brown Trout were idling the day away

Dragonfly

Am trying to get a handle on the location of Dragonflies around a number of locations.
I started out being really optimistic having earlier located many Damselfly in just about every spot I looked and in great numbers - Stannington, Gosforth Park, Havannah, Blaydon, Gibside, Prestwick Carr, Banks Pond, Big Waters.
But although this warm weather turned up, The Dragons hav'nt. At least not yet in any great numbers.
Only Banks Pond, and Big Waters have come up with the goods so far, but we shall press on.
Yesterday, Banks Pond had at least two Emperor as well as Four spotted Chaser


The Emperor's just would not alight. Watched a pair for 30 minutes and never saw them stop yet.

Unlucky 13?

Watching these swans over the past few weeks I had thought that they were doing their creche thing. After watching Springwatch and the severe demarcation between families I began to realise that this group of 13 young must belong to one brood.
Must be pushing the record books surely?

Bridle Path

An evening stroll up the bridle path at Prestwick Carr brought a group of 7-8 young Long-tailed Tit out in the evening sun





and this Red Admiral was doing more of the same.

What the....?

During a recent visit to Woolsington Ponds watching Damselfly I saw a couple of these creatures swimming eel-like just below the surface. They were 4"-5" long which they could vary by making themselves thinner and longer. They also looked to be flat across the back rather than rounded. Like nothing I have seen before


Any ideas?