Christine's walking & birds blog

We walked up through the plantation looking for an azure hawker dragonfly. The only birds were meadow pipits until, as we sat eating lunch in the spot where I was buzzed recently by a golden eagle and a raven, a small bird of prey materialised in front of us, jinking about like a merlin before flying off up the hill. Greger thought it was more likely to be a kestrel, and I have to admit it was very light in colour. Of course, it had to appear just as I had a cup of coffee in one hand and a Mr. Kipling apple pie in the other, so there was no chance of a photo!

On the way back to the car we got caught in a downpour - as did this caterpillar, one of two on the roadside verge.


Subsequent research reveals it to be the early form of the caterpillar of the fox moth (Macrothylacia rubi). We didn't see any azure hawkers, and it's maybe a bit late for them now; but it wasn't really dragonfly weather.