Last week I posted a picture of an Oyster Catchers nest with one egg the pic today shows it buried under a pile of sand. Using an discarded tent as a sand sledge is not very helpful. While looking at the mess, a Grayling landed see pic, hopefully tomorrow with the forecasted warm day, there […]
Tuesday 10th July Walking around the reserve this morning, was amazed to see so many marsh helleborines in full flower. Also found a few yelllow bartsia near one of the pools. The area along the track between the two feeders was stuffed with warblers: sedge, willow and whitethroat plus a grasshopper warbler, for once in […]
This warm spell is hatching lots of Meadow Browns, still a few Large Skippers and an odd Common Blue but I was surprised to see a Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary in the usual area, it’s about three weeks since the first one was spotted. The Four Spot Dragonflies are still about but looking a bit […]
Hi, walking over old tip I was pleased to see a short eared owl hunting over the aerodrome. Coming down to the fishing pond I saw a female mallard with 5 or 6 ducklings possibly 2 weeks old. More breakfasts for the heron (see previous blog by Bri) who was preening itself on the long […]
Some bad news, last night one of the cygnets went missing, presumably dead. Yesterday it was looking out of salts, not keeping up with the other two, yet the day before it looked fine, at this age they are still very vulnerable and can very quickly deteriorate. The warm spell has hatched out hundreds of […]
Usually at this time of year we are worried about the ponds drying out but not this year they are filled to the top, the ground and us are thoroughly soaked. The wet does keep down activity of birds and insects but during the rain the other day, Yellow Shell moths were about in abundance, […]