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Kent's Dragonflies & Damselflies (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR226An exciting day in the company of Odonata expert, Marc Heath, as we search the wonderful Stour Valley for a wide variety of dragonflies and damselflies, including the rare Norfolk Hawker.
£60
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Join Kent dragonfly recorder, photographer and birder Marc Heath in the garden of England, Kent where we will spend our day at Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh (situated 5 miles to the east of Canterbury) searching for and photographing the excellent variety of dragonflies, damselflies and birds that can be found in the Stour Valley.
We will start the day at Grove Ferry where we should, weather permitting, see a variety of Odonata including Variable, Blue tailed, Azure and Red-eyed Damselflies along with Emperor, Hairy Dragonfly, Banded Demoiselle, Broad-bodied and Four Spotted Chaser. This is also a good area to locate the nationally rare Norfolk Hawker where we should encounter them in great numbers in the various ditches. Walking around both sites is generally flat and we anticipate walking around four to five miles during the course of the day.
- Norfolk Hawkers at their Kent stronghold
- A variety of damselflies, including Variable and Red-eyed Damselflies
- A day learning about the complexities of the Odonata world
- Possibility of finding Beavers
- Led by an Odonata enthusiast and superb photographer
Day Trip Location
Dates & Prices
2026
Tour Leader: Marc Heath
Marc has been a naturalist for over 35 years with a special interest in birds and for the past ten years, dragonflies and damselflies. It was at nearby Chislet in June 2012 where he first had an encounter with the rare Norfolk Hawker which sparked an interest in Odonata. Since then, he has spent much time travelling parts of Kent and out of the county to study and photograph common, scarce, and rare dragonflies and damselflies. This has given him the chance to produce the website ‘A Photographic Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Kent’ (www.marcheathwildlifephotography.zenfolio.com). This showcases photos of the different species, their nymphs and exuviae to be found in the county. In January 2020, Marc became the county dragonfly recorder for Kent which has enabled him to complete fieldwork and surveys on behalf of the British Dragonfly Society. Marc has had a number of photos published in magazines including Dragonfly News, Atropos, the British Wildlife Magazine and Birdwatch. You can also find further published photos of Marc’s in books including ‘Europe’s Dragonflies’ and ‘Dragonflies and Damselflies of Britain and Western Europe’.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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