I was hoping for a nice warm, sunny, still summer’s day to
venture back down to Ashdown Forest but despite today being the best day of the
week it did not quite turn out as I had hoped.
I met Carl at Old Lodge car park and it was already cooler
and windier than anticipated as we set off on the circuit. We had a pleasant walk around but it was very
quiet with not a huweet, churr, toloeet or gyp from any of the breeding
specialities. Stonechat families were
showy though and were new for Carl and a few Siskins blew around in the wind.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRKue2bxHoOl6W3K_ISCp26J71xp-R0pxATiMet2AH3rGwjrBB7_5qkbzmQZopO_5pEgUm0rlUitUwqGNj4IWw3VDd3gzos4MFmLb4r_BFL3y2ALiBpmSnIMeVskO1gcZvpTw-ZSY6oI/s640/DSC01475.JPG) |
Stonechat |
The bog was very dry and there was only a little water in
the first two pools around which I searched the edges for Raft Spiders.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLTNXnD4NMALQZUFKVptJNWOTH-BFMQ3nMEtb8vkO9pGGILpbtM4-FzW9gYBa5zwg9NQfvGdN2FlBXchq5yfLxm1RjyR0QAQ_uGV2KPFCUtqjqSJtZ9_ZKOEQQiwNKdOou7neZgoUIf8/s640/DSC01474.JPG) |
Bog Asphodel |
Quite a few Poecilobothrus nobilitatus were dancing on the
bouncy meniscus of the pool, waving their wings at the vaguely interested females.
A couple there, asked me if I knew what
they were and I have to admit to loving telling them, yes, and then tripping
this one off the tongue. The gentleman
enthusiastically wrote it down in his book.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsSLQqq53AAtchpEsgUweHSu1ZYCPhyU_dmFu7Nr7rglhjH6HlrmD54yKZfSDh1U7Hu7c9QFLjPtGT3AoSGtWO-ynFayQeE3YR0enG0ah6lgiYprbpqlLzi27tcslHhb73vEVHQJVtDs/s640/DSC01481.JPG) |
Poecilobothrus nobilitatus |
Male Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer briefly dropped in and
we found several Azure and Large Red Damsels but I thought that there would be
more big dragons around these sheltered pools.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA70cqcVg61Qeaege21hIjmtAwdp41M5AonnW1sZ-rqRrkFUqEJNqwB6NaRdXyQD7AK_bWneFzIphj18Lk-4OmJbmZLUiE28NROhvY_zKOty4Pht60kRNSFFVz8wGOOK1Uiyr4qRQVF_Y/s640/DSC01492.JPG) |
Large Red Damselfly |
Two Southern Hawkers were found at different stages of
emergence and only now had to avoid being eaten before taking their maiden
flights.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGlO-jo-yxgq0YTG0UwMOPcZ5j_qDl1bHNnJVV3v4Qy3gXlQ-Wkgf4Zb7hKFLbid5WZLnK-BzjJgXjYV1VcoEsDTNk07p7Qbj7BkRLnj3e5fNVCY8w64KvoskRyBZdV9671ECowR-G9U/s640/DSC01483.JPG) |
Southern Hawker |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOhCHRfP9Ikram2rI5yS1dahIMaiuXlLyqf_kwDQEB6XYKyPZZ5RST3VSmdnVwjiQPZzbFAQbJ9Z3Ts_Pta-pA0RJoyTe2wxW6WccnQKU9mT-T8HRikkoj6PGXEGmgiCIkaElY8k8AjA/s640/DSC01489.JPG) |
Hercostomus nigripennis - apparently!
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5a6lJqpPI-LZJ6M0rkiuFUgfm046s4wE_Dg3Gd4_FSPAbbht-cuNGG5hgGT6TNDajtU1glOdSYPIh-PW7v-ZhyphenhyphenvoChXuJeV1kYeFB3xFejnwL5b7zQSu_qTYkWiEaVLdDBkeoDbIl0M/w625-h414/DSC01519.JPG) |
Alebra albostriella - quite probably!
|
A Willow Warbler gave a little bit of song and lone Buzzard
was dragged in speedy circles across the sky and a brood of third grown
Pheasant chicks fed unconcerned at our feet in the grass – not the best of
survival traits.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHhDtVc4HPWqURACDGEa-jfnULnMNwOw6cj-YVB0dczKpsNDYGhbYXsKdVbZkOok_xDdIFZCp6Knrw2wUIHHZ6uhE2cZmIhnu_ErKr4v5pUbWVa5OJm6R5F2sfIa9zyxReliPzTLY-wo/s640/DSC01485.JPG) |
Pheasant - could have picked them up |
Heath Spotted Orchids were dotted up the path as we climbed
out of the valley bottom and a tiny little ground hugging blue flower became my
second Bellflower in two days but this one, the Ivy-leaved, was at completely
the other end of the scale to yesterday’s Nettle-leaved.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Qnk0YkxV2PY_Ri0ZWpmPskyZLOE58USjh_Vr0qfcVXZJkej7Da9y_qr14fpNg_rD3ZT-OwhD4TKQYiPptG_jREweSWo1YuQUN0GHlm2Td5uVaI_vm7r_M_vEDAjUU8K6wUXveWbKVCs/s640/DSC01497.JPG) |
Heath Spotted Orchid |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflQBJ-073CW8praL3tl0NRVDKEvErWxIDuAcn2upbnLX2VqyD-Z94amhV_j8N9tdCSD074Ki3KWE28uok0Od-UOUtTXEIUWu0WZ2v5LuBiwL1qgFxsSgdQDeGtTobOifLsIhhqc6gTTs/s640/DSC01499.JPG) |
Ivy-leaved Bellflower |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DLrlFEMVHW5Ftz-iwWm4rbmlA0Y6jOX84vHTCDxD0pA8gW1iE7hb-EATp17tAY9rryyjFBRdBwTJ5cqEIav5tDwvjcYcoz84womQTesWKtZy56I-hF90_JtMsNnnR2LI27ZISty_1Mk/s640/DSC01504.JPG) |
Ivy-leaved Bellflower |
After a spot of lunch we drove down to Ellison’s Pond but it
was not really how I remembered it. I
know that the cows use it as a watering hole but there was very little vegetation
around the edges and lots of thick mud where they and hounds had been in. The chances of a Raft Spider to rival that of
ten years ago were probably a little less than zero. A chance shot of briefly
perched Dragon gave me a nice Keeled Skimmer although I only realised when I
got home.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSy6jmmJtBvv6y1Q95JDvc2TU2AUGD5Y6wEK37GbUPMwZhtxYR4uGTrh92D08C2t8pWwbJxK0g4KYzOW7TTAvehfRJz19De9bqu1wcdB_ItPF3vm8NVxNqhVTJ0Uc4tqcpHfQnxdzTvY/s640/DSC01506.JPG) |
Keeled Skimmer |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6SgrxKHlQ816jSFj6r0fUCE-qdxuRMd5EJs9LnDyMhfHnNPOAXOUveXIMYZ5jbc0kwD7SOAOMG1mNZGkiKeTWmTI5_BI-yIStqMQXGoxdvfMzMW-IU9yJqRl3jLX_ynKvcGst7IKc-E/s640/DSC01510.JPG) |
Pond skater - one of the bigger species
|
![White Water-lily](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzhc1nHc1YtwPa40nlDZ1hTDN8niCs8FdbJsP-b4cYO4PE8KbbKObDgjKB27Z-miD7YD4ZTYvvN-bhOpClP6uYQ5bze9L9aZ-ODwKamXFfG4hmUCt40mOJ1P50BgIgVZtbRSKRcFX6do/w625-h416/DSC01511.JPG) |
White Water-lily
|
We conducted an undulating circuit out on the heath where
Stonechats, Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were encountered but there were no insects
bar a couple of windblown Small Heaths and Meadow Browns and none of my hoped
for Blues.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguW1QkxEWdSLTXTJnCAJETuyzcTt1oFO0Dgh-J0O5fxWyL47c6THGd6dv8dCt2AgmnaBElPhB-itXo8uihdTIQufDqrqXSE36XGcZH4qKIMMiYUs6fMH-SxfxHoyoD9gq29vdA_bD1Aso/w625-h416/DSC01515.JPG) |
Stonechat |
With increasing wind and dropping temperatures we decided to
cut our losses and head for our homes. It may not have been the wildlife
extravaganza I had hoped to share but it is always good to catch up and have a
good reminisce.
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