8th July.
Sunshine and showers most of the day but substantially cooler due to the NNW wind.
The Tawny Owl put in a short appearance in the hamlet early afternoon. 6 Goldfinches; lots of Chaffinches and Tree Sparrows; 2 Male Bullfinches and a juvenile were on the feeders.
At 4.30pm, a group of Shelduck flew in onto the tideline.
Tawny Owl back on usual perch overlooking the field drain.
9th July.
Dawned sunny and stayed like this all day, although with a cool feel due to a NNW wind.
Early afternoon a Ringlet was seen in the hamlet. Later, on walking down the Lonning, John noted a number of Red Admirals flying. On nearing the hide he spotted his first Painted Lady. It was very mobile. The Workparty were in evidence filling in the track potholes and pulling Ragwort.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS.
KRM - Banded Demoiselle on Red Route just beyond the pond and wood.
10th July.
Had rained overnight and all morning but cleared up at lunchtime making for a fine sunny afternoon with a brisk NW wind.
The rain didn't deter a Fox who, at 9.30am, was seen sniffing about on the grassy edge to the road in the hamlet. We presumed it had picked up the scent of Rabbits who frequent that area. Having no luck though, it eventually trotted off along the road in the direction of Bowness.
Fox on roadside in the hamlet.
At midday, a Roe Deer and two fawns appeared on our orchard boundary where they grazed for a while before slipping back into the Discovery Field.
Female Roe Deer peering through vegetation on the orchard edge.
Two fawns.
Mid-afternoon, on a walk along the Lonning, there was plenty of Butterfly, Dragonfly and Damselfly activity. Red Admirals, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet and Large Skippers were flying, with a male Blue-tailed Damselfly seen on the track and a teneral male Southern Hawker on the LHS hedge.
Red Admiral on trackside hawthorn.
Male Meadow Brown.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on the Lonning track.
Ringlet amongst trackside vegetation.
Large Skippers near the hide . . .
. . . mating.
Male Blue-tailed Damselfly on the Lonning track.
Teneral Male Southern Hawker hanging on vegetation - letting its soft wings harden.
A juvenile Song Thrush was quietly sitting in the shade of the hedge.
Later at 8.30pm, as the tide was going out, Shelduck and Black-headed Gulls could be seen on the mudflats round Scargavel Point.
Shelduck preening on the mudflats at dusk.
RDC - Painted Lady about 50 yds north of the hide at 2.20pm
NVH - Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Emerald and Azure Damselflies. Four-spotted Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly.
11th July.
As it stayed sunny all day, although a strong SW wind was blowing, we decided to have a walk round the Blue Route.
Firstly, walking along the Lonning, we kept catching glimpses of the shimmering wings of Damselflies in the sunlight. A Wren's song rang out a we neared the 2nd Meadow Pool.
Male Azure Damselfly on Lonning vegetation.
Lots of Azures were about today.
Blue-tailed Damselfly.
A confident Wren singing from the Lonning hedge.
After a brief stay in the hide we turned through the gate on our right and onto the return leg of the Blue Route. We were interested to see that the large meadow to our left had already been cut and was drying in the sunshine. Our path took us round its perimeter and eventually, having passed Bushcraft Island, we reached the arable field, now resplendent in a haze of pink and white flowers. Whatever the crop was, the butterflies loved it. Red Admirals, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells, Green-veined Whites and Large Skippers were all dancing around amongst it. It was quite a sight to see.
The cut hay meadow.
Haze of flowers in the arable field.
A strip of mustard had been planted amongst it, as a green manure, thus cutting down on the need for the use of chemical fertilisers.
Red Admiral on a Bramble leaf along the path edge.
Small Tortoiseshell on thistle
Female Meadow Brown on cabbage-like leaves of the crop.
Male Meadow Brown amongst the crop.
A Ringlet, too . . .
. . . and numerous Large Skippers.
Carrying on round the Route, as we approached the Hay Meadow and Discovery Field, a pair of Oystercatchers flew over us and came in to land on the Dipping Pond island. Finally arriving back at the Wetlands Centre, we went to look at a number of Moths which Hedda had caught in a Moth trap she had set up here the previous night. The most notable of these being an Elephant Hawk Moth and a Garden Tiger.
On leaving the Lonning our attention was drawn to a young Crow on the stone wall to the left, calling out to be fed. What a din it made. Needless to say its dutiful parent did the honours.
The wide track through the hay meadow.
Oystercatcher pair on Dipping Pond island.
Path through the Discovery Field back to the Wetlands Centre.
Elephant Hawk Moth from Hedda's Moth trap . . .
. . . and a Garden Tiger Moth.
Young Crow (having just been fed) and adult.
12th July.
Rained overnight and early morning. As it cleared mid morning, butterflies started to fly. There were a good numbers of Goldfinch and young Tree Sparrows on the garden feeders.
NVH - Juvenile heron on Discovery Pond. 3 Bullfinches on feeders - one being fed by the male.
Stephen Hutchinson - Yellow Hammer below feeders on the car park edge.
14th July.
The day started off with a surprise. On opening the curtains at 9.30am, the Grey Squirrel was already helping himself to peanuts in the hanger, by suspending itself from the tree branch above and dropping its head and body down until it could reach its goal. With nimble fingers it prised the nuts from the basket and presumably stored them in its cheek pouches, as it did not seem to eat them. After a while it returned to the branch above, gave us a cheeky look and then disappeared.
Squirrel stretching to reach nuts.
Squirrel peering in before disappearing.
The afternoon turned out sunny with a light westerly - ideal for a trip down the Lonning. We had barely started along the track when a dragonfly came winging its way towards us. It spent a little time surveying up and down the hedge and then came to rest almost adjacent to us. It was a very colourful male Southern Hawker with extensive blue and apple-green markings and it had apparently caught a small insect which it proceeded to devour - giving us plenty of time to photograph it as it hung upright amongst the vegetation - virtually at eye level.
Male Southern Hawker - note the bands on segments 9 and 10, unlike paired spots on other Hawkers.
Butterflies were flying everywhere and we were pleased to be able to spot a Painted Lady soaking up the warmth of the track as we neared the hide. John had seen one here in almost the same spot a few days before, so we were on the lookout for it. Unfortunately, if it was the same one, it was looking very worn by now. Nevetheless a pleasure to see!
A rather worn looking Painted Lady on the Lonning track.
A female Meadow Brown.
Red Admiral.
Male Ringlet.
Silver Y Moth.
Male Blue-tailed Damselfly resting on bramble leaves.
The hide gave us a sighting of a Buzzard over the flooded wood - so a very satisfactory day in all.