Two trips to St. Catherine's hill produced very little in the way of bird pictures. With the breeding season drawing to a close and more leaf on the trees, there was much less activity visible than on our earlier visits in March.

There were exceptions though, including a family of five Jays which flew around up in the pine trees. Although spectacular and colourful, they nonetheless defied all my attempts to photograph them.

In contrast to the birds, the butterflies were abundant, spectacular - and cooperative. So too were the dragonflies. The one pictured here was about four inches (10cm) long and I am advised by the British Dragonfly Society that it is a Southern Hawker.

TJH.
July 2003