Wednesday, 31 May 2017

One of the emerging Mayflies populating our riverbank today ...


Sunday, 28 May 2017

A male Red-eyed Damselfly guarding his lily pad ...


Large Red Damselfly on the riverbank today...


Wednesday, 24 May 2017

A lovely sunny day with lots of micro life going on....

A pair of Azure Damselflies...



A male Banded Damoiselle...



An Ashy Mining Bee...



An Early Bumblebee...



and a hoverfly...



Tuesday, 23 May 2017

At the moment you can often hear the male Cuckoo calling...


you probably know his call - he sounds like this...

Male Cuckoo - Male Cuckoo song

but the female sounds very different - a rich bubbling chuckle - listen out for her too...

Female Cuckoo - Female Cuckoo song

Monday, 22 May 2017

Cow Parsley...



Cow Parsley and Buttercups...




and a fast retreating fox...


Tuesday, 9 May 2017

The meadows are full of yellow meadow buttercups...


a pair of cuckoos were flying about and calling...


and one coot family have young...



Tuesday, 2 May 2017

Whitethroats join the chorus on the back hedge ...




while a pair of Little Ringed Plover are hanging around the scrape...


Wednesday, 26 April 2017

It's a cold North wind but... in sheltered places,

 Moorhen young are mooching in the ditches...



and Chiffchaffs are chirping in the hedgerows...




Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Sedge Warblers have arrived and are singing in the reeds...



Lady's Smock coming up in the meadow...



and a Coot... looking good!




Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Male Smooth Newt ... swimming in a ditch...


Sunday, 16 April 2017

Early sunshine on Easter Sunday morning and all the birds were singing...

a beautiful Chiffchaff...



a male Blackcap...



and a long tailed tit...



Monday, 27 March 2017

The usual pair of swans have returned to the main pool and have been busy building their nest...




while volunteers have been building a Sand martin nesting box...


Tuesday, 14 March 2017

Friday, 10 March 2017

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Spring has sprung ... birds are singing and collecting nesting material... frogs and newts are making their way to the pools and a Heron is taking the opportunity for a feast...



Some amorous frogs...


result!... Yes, frog spawn is starting to appear...



Friday, 24 February 2017

A Little Grebe seen on the scrape...


a heron on the main pool...


and bright Celandines, a sign of Spring...




Thursday, 23 February 2017

Storm Doris passes through...



and leaves its mark...



Tuesday, 14 February 2017

Its all about FOOD!

Flocks of Canada Geese have taken to grazing on the meadow .... and retreating to the river...





A Robin looking for worms at the edge of the car park...



A Water rail seen feeding among the cut reeds with a pair of Mallards....


A Reed Bunting feasting on reed seed heads...



Monday, 13 February 2017

A Redwing taking advantage of the peace and quiet while the carpark is closed...