Insects at Paxton Pits

A selection of insects found on a recent stroll around Paxton Pits. 

Light Painting at Paxton Pits

During the week, I attended a light painting workshop at Paxton Pits, organised by the Friends of Paxton Pits, and run by Peter Wood.  Peter started with a talk in the visitor's centre.  He showed us some of his work and talked about the equipment he used.  Once it was dark enough, we headed out to the meadow behind the visitor's centre.  Peter first did a couple of demonstrations of what he can achieve. Rather irritatingly my remote release came loose just as Peter was starting his second painting, by the time I was reconnected I had missed part of it. Hence the odd gap in the right hand side of the second image.

 

 

We then spent the rest of the session, seeing what we could achieve on our own.

A Morning at Paxton Pits

I went to Paxton Pits (fairly) early on Saturday morning, in search of dragonflies.  I didn't find any of the big ones, but I did find a few darters.  Both the Common Darter and the Ruddy Darter.  I also found the last of the damselflies, the Willow Emerald.

Paxton Pits Catch-up

 Catching up on the blog.  Here is a mixed bag from Paxton Pits.

Chasers And Damselflies

Not a huge amount of success on my first dragonfly and damselfly hunting trips to Paxton Pits.  I am fairly sure the dragons are Scarce Chasers.  I have no idea as to the damselfly species.  They all look the same to me.

Baby Bunnies

 Taken at Paxton Pits.  All together now...aww!

Dragonflies at Paxton

All but one of these images were taken on one patch of brambles.  It was lit by the morning sun and a number of dragonflies were using it to warm up.

Top to bottom these are:
    a Broad Bodied Chaser,
    2 of the 4 Norfolk Hawkers I found,
    a Scarce Chaser Four-spotted Chaser (thanks Ann for putting me straight on my chasers),
    a Banded Demoiselle (found a short distance away from the others).

 

Return to Paxton Pits

With the slight easing of lockdown restrictions, I have started visiting Paxton Pits.  All of the hides are closed off, so I have been looking for insects.  On my first couple trips, I was mainly seeing small damselflies, but I did find a Scarce Four Spotted Chaser.

  

Gulls at Paxton Pits

Last Sunday morning I visited Paxton Pits for the first time in months.  It was a fairly bright, but very cold.  The water in the lakes was the lowest I can remember seeing it in years.  I wanted to practice capturing birds in flight.  Luckily there were plenty of black-headed gulls skimming the water.