Southern Migrant

A first for me this afternoon as I headed to Worcestershire after getting a heads up that this really rare Hawker had been spotted.

The southern migrant hawker normally is seen in Europe but has been of late breeding in Essex and Kent. 

It's quite a small hawker in comparison to other hawkers and what first struck me as it did a fly-by was the really vivid blue of his body and eyes. He was difficult to photograph in the breeze because of the reeds behind and I am amazed I got this shot. 

These hawkers lay eggs in tandem, and like vegetation that appears to dry up in the summer. To get to him I had to squish my way to the middle of the reed bed but it was worth it. Pleased to have seen something different and unusual this year. 

Perching hawker in Extra