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a lovely afternoon in prospect
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Thursday was a beautiful May afternoon so, after an early lunch, I headed for the Reserve. Before I had even gone through the gate I could see a male Orange Tip butterfly fluttering around ahead of me and just a few steps further in there was a Holly Blue on the holly, possibly laying eggs. I failed to get a photograph of it unfortunately but some of the other butterflies were more obliging. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209694 Goldfinch x 2; male Sparrow; ringed Dunnock near the hide; male Chaffinch; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Great Tit flying over; Jackdaw flying over; Sedge Warbler; Moorhen; Mallard drake; Heron flying over. Buzzard circling high above.
SC208694 Blackcap heard but not seen; Robin; male & female Chaffinch; Pheasant and Willow Warbler heard not seen; Great Tit flying over; Sedge Warbler heard from the reeds.
SC209693 Robin and Willow Warbler heard but not seen.
SC209695 Blackcap; Goldfinch; female Blackbird;
Butterflies:
SC210694 male Orange Tip; Peacock ( very ragged)
SC209694 Holly Blue on Holly; Unidentified White flying; male Orange Tip near hide; male and female Orange Tip near stream inlet; male Orange Tip near new pond
SC209693 male Orange Tip
SC208694 male Orange Tip; Red Admiral;
SC209693 Green Veined White
Other:
SC209694 Large Rabbit sitting on path;
SC209694 9 x Gorse Shieldbugs in the gorse
SC209694 11 x Hairy/ Sloe Shieldbugs along gorse boundary, often in dandelions
SC210694 2 x Hairy/Sloe Shieldbugs near gate in nettles
SC209695 Small unidentified Snail on Hogweed
SC210694 Garden Snail in wall crevice
SC209694 Pond Skater, Diving Beetle.
SC209694 Honey Bees on Hawthorn Blossom throughout reserve.
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male Chaffinch
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this Dunnock was ringed ( as last week)
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| Goldfinch |
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Mallard Drake
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| Moorhen |
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Sedge Warbler singing from Hawthorn
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a very vocal bird!
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male House Sparrow
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the Heron almost landed in front of the hide but spotted me and aborted the landing!
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male Orange Tip on Cuckoo Flower
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did he leave his pheromones?
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a female landed on the same flower a few minutes later but quickly took off again following the male's route exactly!
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a Green Veined White - the green veins are on the underwings
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mating Sloe Shieldbugs ( aka Hairy Shieldbugs)
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there were many others - often inside Dandelion clocks!
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hard to spot, Gorse Shieldbug eggs
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another set in a different gorse bush
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that may be one egg hatching top right!
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adult Gorse Shieldbug
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I counted 9 altogether
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Garden snail in crevice in wall
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small unidentified snail on Hogweed leaf
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stream hardly visible now
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looking back along the boardwalk
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the usual view from the boardwalk
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usual view of the meadow
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apple blossom across the meadow
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the new pond remains clear for the time being
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clear enough to spot a diving beetle
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hawthorn going over for the usual view of the hide
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new reeds now visible
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view from the ramp
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view through the willows
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And finally, a couple of videos..................
It seems that a dandelion clock is worth defending against all rivals!
a refreshing bathe for the Moorhen
As always, an interesting visit. Although the air was buzzing with honey bees in the Hawthorn blossom, I saw no Bumble bees this time. I was surprised not to see any Speckled Wood butterflies either nor any ladybirds. Unlike my last visit, I did not photograph any hoverflies. All that could change during my next visit, of course.
Please click on photos to enlarge them
