Stunning Photos

Norfolk Hawker.

On June 23rd, Matthew Rodgers visited the Hayling Pit to photograph our Norfolk Hawker dragonflies. In fact, for the last couple of weeks, it has been impossible to visit the favoured spot in the corner of the lake without seeing a photographer.  Most of us don't get a photo worth having but Matthew was either very lucky or very patient; or probably both.

He managed to get a series of pictures of the dragonflies IN FLIGHT! They are so sharp you can see the way the legs are tucked away for streamlining with the front ones tucked up behind their metallic green eyes. What a beautiful addition to the fauna of Paxton Pits.

Bittern at the Hayling Pit.

His luck didn't end there. A big, brown, blurry shaped leaped into focus from the reeds at the far side of the bay. A bittern was flying straight at the camera. Matthew fired off a couple of shots and well, see for yourself.

We have had reports from the village in the spring of a booming bittern but assumed it had left long ago. Normally we only see them in winter, so this is a very exciting find. I don't think they bred here but they are so hard to see, who knows?

Thank you Matthew for sharing the photos with us.