Keeping Things Going.... Sightings 21st Feb

Hello there, long time and all that! I offered to blog today given that Andrew is away.

So without further ado, here is the sightings picture from today. 

For me today, my highlights were through my macro lens - butterflies, bees, shieldbugs and ladybirds. 

This small tortoiseshell was feeding on blossom near to the VC. A delight to see :) 

I saw another small tortoiseshell near the path on the reedbed trail. A brimstone butterfly was seen around the ponds and I also saw one from my car (a male) near Gypsy Marsh.

I found a few ladybirds today in the gorse. All of the ones I saw were six - spots.

Here's one in the gorse with a hiding shieldbug.

There were a few spiders getting a bit of warmth as they rested on posts.

The yellow gorse was popular today with the bees. There were quite a few about. 

Here's one & just look at the pollen sacs!

It was lovely and warm today in the sunshine and not surprisingly, plants are starting to emerge. I found a tree of flowering blackthorn near the meadow seen from the reedbed path. It won't be long before the blackthorn along Green Lane will in blossom too.

Blackthorn has blossom before leaves whereas hawthorn has leaves before blossom. So this weekend, you are likely to see blackthorn blossom.

Something else you are likely to see at the moment is displaying wildfowl. If you see males 'bobbing' their heads, they are looking to attract a mate.

Displaying wildfowl at the moment are: goldeneye (WI), shoveler (all over but maybe best from the reedbed hide), teal and gadwall (all over) and mallard. 

So finally, a tale from last Saturday. I was walking down the reedbed path when I saw not one, but two bitterns close together. Two! 

Here's a photo of one that decided to fly over reedbed three towards reedbed 5. Most definitely a lovely surprise :)

Andrew will be back soonish but in the meantime, the forecast looks great for a visit.