Photo Blog

I love observing nature through the changing seasons both in my Norfolk wildlife garden and the surrounding countryside. I blog about wildlife gardening as well as about Norfolk butterflies, wildflowers and other flora and fauna that I come across. Bookmark my Norfolk nature photo blog to keep up to date with my photographic adventures.

Return of the Emperor Dragonfly

Hurray - a wildlife gardening victory has occured!

Checking out the pond the other day I discovered not one but two female Emperor dragonflies, Anax imperator, ovipositing amongst the floating Water Soldiers in the pond. Known as being a pioneer species that prefers open water habitat, Emperor Dragonflies were the very first species to colonise our wildlife pond, but they’d not been sighted in our garden in a decade.

Last year we removed the massively overgrown Water Lily that was swamping the pond so much it had formed its own island. Obviously his highness approves of the change!

Late Spring by the Pond

After a long chilly spring, the first and second week of May saw high pressure finally arrive in East Anglia and our meadow and pond burst into a hive of belated activity as temperatures soared into the 20s.

I saw my first Large Red Damselfly, my first Yellow Flag Iris and my first Broad-bodied chaser dragonfly, whilst the Ragged Robin started to reach full bloom. Our butterflies also got busier with Holly Blues out and about early, dancing along the native hedgerow. It seems to be a good year for them. With my Garlic Mustard and Dames-violet also in flower, Orange-tips and Green-veined white butterflies have now made an appearance too, though sadly in ones and twos.

Yellow Flag Iris flower spike

Pink Ragged Robin flowers

Large Red Damselfly