Changes

With one thing and another, it's probably three weeks since I last visited the reserve. Time enough for Nature to paint a different canvas, presumably using watercolours. The growth on the butterfly bank has been phenomenal and towards the northern end seems to consist mainly of Yellow Vetchling. However, about halway along, a single Corn Cockle flower was spotted, pointing its purple bloom skywards in defiance of all other vegetation. Through the Comfrey Triangle, Azure Damselflies flitted between grass stems and the occasional Blackcap could be heard. We arrived at the Far Hide in time to see a face off between two pairs of Great Crested Grebes. The victors, obviously buoyed by their success, then saw off a Coot. A Reed Bunting flitted past with a faecal sac in its beak, whilst, in the distance, a large bird heading north with a strong flapping motion of its wristy wings may have been an Osprey. Too far away to be sure. Retracing our steps to the Near Hide, I was struck by the Hendrix-ification of the bund, the Loosestrife flowers creating a purple haze, shimmering above the other vegetation. Several Reed Warblers hopped through the undergrowth immediately in front of the hide and a few Lapwing twisted and turned above the water. Twenty or so Common Terns were swooping over the lake, some of them juveniles with a white forehead. Swifts, too, were busy feeding on the countless flies dancing over the water surface. As we returned to the car park, the skies lightened as the sun put in an appearance. The butterfly bank resumed its eponymous function as we identified Ringlet, Small Skipper and Gatekeeper. It's great to go on holiday, but it's also good to be back.

Dewy-eyed over damsels

Story of my life, I guess. But enough about me, let's have some natural history.

Early Saturday morning, the air was quite still, the sun was shining and who could resist a visit to the reserve?

The car park already had a space occupied at 6am. Those moth enthusiasts must never sleep!

Wandering along, staring into the damp grass, many a roosting damselfly could be seen.

Azure Damselfly

In fact, there were damsels everywhere. Dragons were thin on the ground, but here's one that got away...

Exuvia of a Hairy Dragonfly

In the Centre garden, a riverine species, normally, was sunning itself on a leaf.

Male Banded Demoiselle

And along the boardwalk, a male Red-eyed Damselfly was enjoying breakfast...

But the highlight of the morning was watching the emergence of a Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly. A sequence of photographs showing this event can be seen here.

And they're off!

After a chores-y morning, I couldn't resist a half an hour's quality HESC time, so decamped to the reserve to check out the ponds for any emerging damsels or dragons.

The day was the warmest in a while, with a only a slight Northerly breeze, so I was delighted to discover a female Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, in the small pond in the Centre garden.

Round by the pond dipping area, a few Large Red Damselflies, Pyrrhosoma nymphula, were emerging and several female Azure Damselflies, Coenagrion puella, were taking their maiden flights, all milky wings and ungainly landings. Whilst watching a Red and an Azure that were perched quite close together, my eyes were drawn to a much larger shape a bit further away. Another female, but this time a Hairy Dragonfly.

Brachytron pratense

At last, the Odonata flight season seems to be underway.