A walk along the Lonning and back via the Blue Route at the height of Summer is pure joy.
The arable fields here are ablaze with colour and a hive of activity as butterflies, bees and insects utilise this rich source of pollen and nectar. These fields have been planted up with crops to provide seed for declining farmland birds during the winter; others to produce seed but also act to fix nitrogen into the soil thus acting as 'green manure' reducing the need for added fertiliser and then game cover mixes to act as a shelter for pheasants, partridge and deer too.
1 8 16 - Phacelia and Mustard are in flower at the moment in the gated field near the Centre . . .
. . . with Bistort in the field margins.
4 8 16 - Flax is starting to flower alongside Bistort in this field as well .
27 7 16 - Arable field out on the farmland.
27 7 16 - Small White Butterfly nectaring on Fodder Radish flowers . . .
. . . with Bumblebee(sp ?) supping nectar there too.
1 8 16 - Red Admiral Butterfly joins in the fun.
Pools along the route.
Look out for damsel and dragonflies landing on water plants on the edge of pools along the route. Although the damselflies are very small and delicate, their rapidly beating wings catch the sunlight as they move from plant to plant and can be easily spotted. The Dragonflies are larger and therefore more noticeable.
1 8 16 Male Blue-tailed Damselfly. Note the two-toned wing spot.
1 8 16 - Male Common Blue Damselfly. It stands out amongst the blue damselflies for being intensely blue.
1 8 16 - Damselfly ovipositing (laying eggs) on vegetation in the Discovery Pond.
6 8 16 - Male Emerald Damselfly resting on rushes in Broken Willow Pond next to the Discovery field.
16 7 16 Male Azure Damselfly.
16 7 16 - Female Common Darter.
1 8 16 - Female Black Darter.
The Lonning - Part of the Blue Route (and the Red Route also).
1 8 16 - Small Copper on trackside vegetation.
4 8 16 - Wall Butterfly restlessly flitting along the vegetation. I followed this one for five minutes before it settled.
4 8 16 - A Bumble Bee, a Common Wasp and a Mason Wasp all feeding on the same Bramble head of flowers.
1 8 16 - A Green-veined White Butterfly. Bramble flowers are obviously a good source of nectar.
. . . and the leaves are good platforms for a bit of sunbathing.
4 8 16 - Swallows seen from the Meadow Pool screen, as they hawk over the meadows for insects . . .
. . . and joined by Goldfinches.
'People' activity seen along the Route.
1 8 16 - Stephen, Rush topping to improve the habitat for breeding waders (particularly Lapwing) in Spring.
1 8 16 - Results of Stephen's labours. We notice also, that during the winter months both Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese chose to graze here when they come to the farm.
4 8 16 - Looks like a "School Holiday's" walk round the Red Route. Seen here crossing the Raised Bog on the boardwalk.
. . . and picnicking near the Visitor's Centre before doing a bit of Pond Dipping.
4 8 16 - German cyclists from Coburg left a complimentary comment in the Logbook: " Wonderful".
4 8 16 - Campfield Workparty returning after a spot of Ragwort pulling for the benefit of grazing livestock and to prevent excess growth in Lapwing breeding fields . . .
. . . with their spoils.
And it's all done with a smile!