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the damp meadow looking stunning
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I have been busy with family commitments for the last couple of weeks so had not visited the Reserve in July until Thursday. Even Thursday's visit was very brief, just one circuit, so the records are correspondingly brief. I was totally amazed however when I turned a corner and the damp meadow came into sight - it was looking beautiful in the sunshine with as sea of yellow Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil pierced by Purple Loosestrife and creamy Meadowsweet. The pure white of Sneezewort was also visible here and there. The MWT Reserves Officer and her volunteers put a lot of effort into cutting this area each autumn and Southern Group Volunteers likewise expend a lot of energy raking it off and strimming it further afterwards. Seeing it look so beautiful in summer really makes our efforts worthwhile. Elsewhere the Marsh Woundwort was also making a purple haze which the bees were very much enjoying.
Birds:
SC209694 Great Tit flying over; Moorhen chick on pond alone; Wren heard not seen.
SC208694 2 x juvenile Goldfinch taking Sorrel seeds in meadow; Woodpigeon flying over; Chiffchaff heard not seen; male Blackbird.
SC208695 Chaffinch heard not seen.
Butterflies:
SC208694 3 x Meadow Brown seen together; ( and several individual sightings) Red Admiral
SC208695 Meadow Brown; Speckled Wood ( very faded)
SC209694 Meadow Brown; unidentified White flying at the back of the pond.
Other:
SC209693 Soldier Beetle;
SC209695 Mating Soldier Beetles
SC209693 2 x Eudasyphora species flies - probably cyanella and cyancolor;
SC209693 Rhingia campestris hoverfly
SC209693 Nursery Web ( no spider visible)
SC208694 Common Wasp
SC209695 Marmalade fly
SC209695 Nursery Web on Bracken and spider nearby ( Pisaura mirabilis)
SC2096 Wolf spider with egg sack on bracken
SC209694 and elsewhere - various bumble bees on Marsh Woundwort
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the new sign could not be clearer!
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juvenile Goldfinch taking Sorrel seeds
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seeds for the birds and also the caterpillar food plant for Small Copper butterflies
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Moorhen chick now nearly adult
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there are reeds on both sides of the path now
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Red Admiral
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Enjoying bramble nectar
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easy to miss a Meadow Brown with folded wings
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this one is on Common Valerian
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again, enjoying the nectar
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Meadow Brown with closed wings
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the new boardwalk - not quite finished
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the new pond now totally dry
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Marsh Woundwort along the gorse boundary
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a lovely purple haze
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several Bee species were enjoying its nectar / pollen
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I can see why people ask if Woundworts are Orchids
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a Wolf Spider with egg sack
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The Nursery Web of a Pisaura Mirabilis spider
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and another on bracken
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the spider was close by
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ripening cherries on the memorial tree - food for Blackbirds no doubt
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Hawthorn Berries ripe already
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Rowan berries also ripening
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| Testimony to recent drought : Powdery Mildew on Hogweed |
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Soldier Beetles very much in evidence everywhere
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| singles |
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and mating pairs
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Probably Eudasyphora cyanella
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Probably Eudasyphora cyancolor
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Marmalade Hoverfly
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Ripening nuts for the Wood Mice
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flowery approach to Private Entrance
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Ox-eye daisies along the path
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And some photos of the flowering meadow to close....
With thanks to Kate Hawkins for help with spider ID and Steve Crellin for Fly identification.
Please click on photos to enlarge them
