Crockford Stream

Crockford Stream is reportedly one of the most diverse Dragonfly locations in the UK.  Full information about the site and species you can find their is on the excellent Hampshire Dragonfly Website

I took a visit their on the afternoon of the 21st June – and it was a hot one.  After parking at Beaulieu Heath car park, I walked down towards the stream.  I stopped off on a pond on the way and watched some dragonflies flying about, and attempted to take some in flight shots of an Emperor on my Canon 100mm Macro Lens.  This cropped image is my best of the attempts.

Emperor Dragonfly in flight (Cropped).  Taken on Canon 650D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F8 1/1600 in Natural Light.

Hunting around the steam, I saw but was not able to get close to some Chaser Dragonflies, and some Demoiselles.  However the walk back along the gorse at the edge of the path, did prove fruitful, with these male and female Keeled Skimmers posing long enough for me to get some pictures of them.

Keeled Skimmer head on.  Taken on Canon 650D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F5.6 1/320 in Natural Light.

Keeled Skimmer (Small Crop).  Taken on Canon 650D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F5 1/1000 in Natural Light.

Keeled Skimmer.  Taken on Canon 650D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens. ISO 400 F6.3 1/640 in Natural Light.

Map of Location

Crockford Stream Car Park

This is only open during Summer Season

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