Birds Total: 42
Plus: Brimstone, Common Blue, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Small White butterflies. Cinnabar Moth caterpillar.
Plus: Banded Demoiselle, Blue-tailed, Common Blue damselflies; Black-tailed Skimmer, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Southern Hawker dragonflies.
Plus: 7-spot Ladybird; Flesh Fly; Hoverfly; Scorpion Fly; Pond Skaters.
Plus: Konik Ponies; Water Vole.
It was still very hot and humid out, the run of very good weather still with us. On the way down to the Reserve I spotted a pair of Common Terns overhead. And while I was setting up I could see Greenfinch; Great Tit; Chaffinch and Pheasant.
But the bad news was that I was told the Draper Hide was closed for renovation. Fairly annoying as this was the Hide that the interesting sightings were seen from. Had I known I would probably have gone elsewhere.
Anyway, as I was here I continued on. By the first pond I spotted a few Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on the usual Ragwort. There were a couple of Blue-tailed damselflies and there was also a Scorpion Fly present.
A Pied Wagtail could be heard flying overhead and there was a Brown Hawker patrolling the area. Moving further up the trail a Common Darter appeared and also posed for me. I reached the Draper and did indeed find it closed. Frustrating.
I had a quick look from the Twin Hides. Apart from BHGs and Coots only Common Terns could be seen from the Tern Hide. The two juvenile Black-necked Grebes were on their own now, their parents had disappeared. They were at the far end of the lagoon, diving under every now and then. There was also a Little Grebe family in the area.
I spent an hour or so in the Kingfisher Hide. The Kingfishers didn't give as good a display as before, that was nearly impossible. But almost. There wasn't much else about though. Not even very many people, it seemed a bit quiet today, a little bit puzzling in this lovely weather.
There was nothing to report from the Warbler Hide. On the way back I spooked a Song Thrush, which flew angrily off.
I spent another hour or so in the Kingfisher Hide. It was the same as before but with the addition of hearing a Cetti's Warbler; a Water Rail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A little Wren was darting about just in front of the Hide.
On the route back there was a Little Egret on the one of the lagoons - Egrets, I've seen a few! I found the Draper Hide had re-opened and while I was in there I spotted a pair of Mute Swans with 5 Cygnets; 2 Grey Herons, one of which was sporting a new line in footwear; a pair of Garganey; a Little Grebe family; 1 Lapwing; 4 Green Sandpipers and at least one Snipe. But there weren't too many other birds about, as to be expected.
It turned out to be a very good day out, despite the closure of the Draper Hide.
For more of my photos please visit my Flickr site.