With apologies to Damon Albarn

"All the beetles, so many beetles
They all go hand in hand.
Hand in hand through their...
Pond Life"

I went for a walk at lunchtime; the sun was out and I took a walk around our small ponds, looking for dragonflies. A broad-bodied chaser had been seen yesterday, but I was happy enough with the blue-tailed and common blue damselflies I could see. I sat for a few moments and the clear waters were brimming with insect life: besides the adult damselflies laying their eggs in the vegetation suspended on the surface, the water was alive with water boatmen, pondskaters, numerous beetles and snails. 

Earlier in the day, someone had told me that "there's not much around". At this time of year, it's true that we don't have hundreds of birds on the lagoons or the estuary, as we might in the winter, but here in the pond, there was so much going on that I wanted to find that person and say "you're looking in the wrong place - this is where the action is!"

The big news of the week was a black stork that crossed the estuary early on Tuesday evening; unfortunately, no-one saw it from the reserve, so it failed to become the latest addition to the reserve's bird list. This weekend's rain has seen a few more waders drop in, with dunlins, ringed plovers, common sandpipers and whimbrel today, while oystercatchers and lapwings both have chicks (so the path to the Vardre Viewpoint remains closed). While doing the weekly waterbird survey, Sarah found a single snipe - not unknown in May, but is this one that didn't leave or is back already for the autumn?

The other big news of the week is that on Wednesday, our lonely great crested grebe found a mate, and they've wasted no time with courtship displays, much head-shaking and today they are building a nest on the Deep Lagoon.  There are moorhen chicks on the Bridge Pond, and the coot nest in front of The LookOut hatched a single chick too, so there's plenty of high-pitched squeaking from demanding youngsters. A little grebe here midweek was the first for a while, and there are gadwall, teal and shoveler hanging around, raising speculation that they might nest.

We're coming into the orchid season, with the first bee orchid spotted near the Carneddau Hide, and the first southern marsh orchids along the Ganol Trail (be aware that the track remains wet, which is why it's so good for marsh orchids!).  Look in sheltered spots on sunny days for common blue butterflies nectaring on bird's foot trefoil flowers, while last weekend a visitor reported wall butterfly and azure damselfly.  Moth-trapping last weekend didn't bring a huge haul, but a poplar hawkmoth, pebble prominent, heart-and-dart, and shuttle-shaped dart were nice.

Our trail-cam has picked up another nocturnal otter, but we haven't had any recent sightings of stoats, which is one of the most frequently asked questions at this time of year.