Kingfisher silhouette

Willow Emerald Damselfly at Kings Dyke NR, Cambridgeshire

Note the obvious 'spur' marking on the thorax. A key feature of this species

You can just about make out the pale wing spots, or pterostigma, another key feature

A damselfly with very few 20th century records in the U.K., but first seen in regular numbers in Suffolk in 2009. This species has been steadily moving eastwards over the past few years and has now been sighted in the Peterborough area on at least two occasions, one of which being the sighting that I had at Kings Dyke nature reserve a few weeks ago.

Not being a dragonfly or damselfly expert, I quite happily took the above photos without realising the importance of the sighting, or what species I was actually photographing. I knew it was an emerald type damselfly because of the colour of the individual, but it wasn't until I looked at the photos in greater detail and cross referencing with my dragonfly field guide, that I realised the individual was a Willow Emerald Damselfly (I think a female). A new species for the reserve and only the second in the Peterborough area, with the first being a week previous to mine.

The Kingfisher

Kingfishers at King's Dyke, Cambridgeshire

A couple of Reed Buntings

Long-tailed Tit

Blue Tit and a Goldfinch

Kingfisher

......or two!

Water Rail

A bird that is usually hidden away in a reedbed or among dense sedge and is heard by its' 'squealing' pig call. Sometimes, though the Water Rail comes into the open during its' search for food.

Some Insects

Orange-tip butterfly (Male) Anthocharis cardamines
Common Blue (Male) Polyommatus icarus

Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum

Variable Damselfly Coenagrion pulchellum

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella

Just a few photo`s of some of the insects seen on a wlk around King`s Dyke NR near Whittlesey. Some others that I saw, but was not able to photograph were Wall Brown butterfly, Small White butterfly, a very worn Peacock butterfly, Brown Argus butterfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Scarce Chaser Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly.

All photo`s were taken with my hand-held Lumix FS15.