Yesterday we spent time at Titchfield Haven around one of the small ponds looking for Damselflies and Dragonflies.
With a warm morning, there were many to see.
Four-spotted chaser dragonflies out in large numbers.
Female blue form Emperor dragonfly “tail dipping” – egg laying.
Azure damselfly mating.
Smaller than a Mallard the Tufted Duck is a medium-sized diving duck the male is black on the head, neck, chest and back, and white on the sides. It has a small crest and a yellow eye. In winter, numbers increase because birds are moving to the UK from Iceland and northern Europe {The female is entirely chocolate-brown, with yellow eyes }.
I decided to record my visit to Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve as a video.
At the end of the film is a Shelduck out at sea with her chicks – It is amazing watching these little birds journey in the choppy waters.
Tetragnatha Montana is a species of long-jawed orb weaver spiders commonly known as the silver stretch spider. These spiders have a habit of extending their front legs into a stick like shape
Now the sun is out Dragonflies and Damselflies are starting to fly.
Four-Spotted Chaser.
Four-Spotted Chaser. This Dragonfly has emerged deformed and missing one wing.
The Chaser below is deformed and missing 1 wing.
Azure Damselfly pair mating.
Hairy Dragonfly.
Banded Demoiselle.
Reed Warbler Titchfield Haven.
In summer, the Sedge Warbler a medium-sized warbler can be found in marshes, reedbeds and wetlands. they can be spotted singing from reeds or willow trees often perched high up. It is said that males never sing the same song twice, adding new phrases to impress females.
Longshore drift is a geological process that involves transporting sediments such as single and pebbles along a coast parallel to the shoreline. It is dependent on the angle of the incoming wave direction. Incoming wind squeezes water along the coast, which generates a water current which moves parallel to the coast. Longshore drift is the sediment moved by this longshore current. This current and sediment movement occurs within the surf zone.
Longshore drift has happened along Meon Shore over the years I have watched the shoreline change with shingle spits changing and growing and the beach make-up changes as the shingle size changes. Wooden groins slow the currents and help stop erosion. The small harbour at Titchfield Haven entrance gets blocked up as stones and sand get dropped in that area as the currents slow and can not hold their weight as they slow. This week the sailing club has been moving the shingle back from the harbour mount to fill in the area on the spit that is being eroded with it.
A day out is not complete without some nature watching.
Continued Reflections from my World. 