Monday, July 25, 2011
Summer days
This dragonfly sunned itself on the Skimmia this morning for about an hour. It didn't move even when I noisily racheted up the clothes dryer right next to it and hung washing out.
This is probably a Southern Hawker, the bands (rather than spots) of paler colour on abdominal segments 9 and 10 being diagnostic. The "waisted" or pinched-in abdomen denotes a male.
Shorts bursts of churring from our "lawn" alerted me to the presence of what I think is a Common Green Grasshopper. It does have both antennae; one is pointing towards the camera and is out of focus.
A walk to the weir yesterday morning brought a warbler sunning itself on a post. There were lots of young chiffchaffs around so I guess this is one. I'm still not good on chiff/willow separation though, and here the extent of the primary projection is somewhat obscured.
However, a very sleek yellow bird nearby was certainly a willow warbler - confirmed when it gave a brief outpouring of song. Also present were sedge warblers, whitethroats, lesser whitethroats and a chattering Cetti's warbler.// posted by Christine @ 2:34 AM 
