We had a very enjoyable guided walk this morning. The blue-winged teal had gone, but we saw the two avocets back on the site, and also had our first sighting this year of a redshank chick. The latter was feeding some distance from its parent, although it still has some growing to do before it will be able to fly.
Damselflies and dragonflies were everywhere, with multiple sightings of scarce chaser dragonflies, but the most amazing sight was of dozens of damselfly larvae that had climbed up a pair of tree trunks and were in various stages of emergence, from some adults just coming out of the larval case, others expanding their wings and others taking their maiden flights.
The star plant of the morning was great dodder, a nationally scarce plant that is a parasite of nettles.