Got some pond-dipping in with the team in the afternoon by carefully dodging the downpours whilst driving between sites. We tried the small pond at Petersberg first and caught some water beetles that looked seriously confusing to the untrained eye. Not sure what this one is yet but am going to have to work out a good way of photographing them, I may have to build a small tank for on-site underwater photography. This one is so shiny that you can see a reflection of both me and Number 2 in the photo!
Actually got out early this morning for a look at Klarningen. It really felt autumnal just after dawn and birds were on the move. The access track held yellow wagtail, wheatear and whinchat and a small flock of 21 golden plover was present in the fields. Greylag geese are massing too with over 300 on site this morning. Working through the wildfowl produced a couple of pintail and two shoveler. The spotted crake was still dashing about like a mad thing along the edge of the large Juncus bed. Everything spooked briefly when a sub-adult hobby (2K?) flew down the river. Waders included some dunlin (6), ruff (1), common sandpiper (1), spotted redshank (2), greenshank (4) and 11 wood sandpiper. At least 68 yellow wagtails left the site and headed south during the session perhaps the most memorable event of the day.
Checked out Petersberg and heard what may have been a brief snatch of song from a great reed warbler, I tried tape-luring to confirm but got no response...
Mid-morning saw us all out dodging heavy rain showers whilst doing some pond-dipping. The sunny spells produced some great dragonfly action. At Petersberg we had three Aeshna species bombing about and we turned up a great crested newt and a grass snake. The pond at Frestensfälla was busy too with Sympetrum danae and Aeshna juncea all busy breeding. But more rain threatened so we headed for home a lie-down.
Low-level pan-species listing continues to provide both headaches and enjoyment, this lovely hopper (Cicadella viridis) at Frestensfälla gave itself up pretty easily but many identifications elude me and the list of TBI is growing daily. Just have to hope we get snowed in this winter I guess.
Lestes sponsa are present in good numbers at most waterbodies in BK. Still no sign of a breeding location for Lestes virens though.
I would suggest a larger close-up of the reflection of those two good-looking people
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