Wednesday 15th August 2018
Day at Minsmere
WEATHER
20’C in car when we arrived... Cloudy with a few Dark once about. By 12:00, the sun had burnt them away and the afternoon was sunny.
The Buddleia outside the Visitors Centre was busy with Butterflies, mainly Red Admirals and the Bird feeders near the Visitors Centre has Birds busy fly backwards and forwards.
Outside the café this morning was quiet of Bird life, so was the walk from the North Wall to the Beach there was no a sound or sight of birds along the path.
The North Hide was quiet but if you looked hard, there were some birds on the Scape. If you stood by the stairs on the right hand side as you walk in the door and was quiet, you could hear the Hornets in the roof it sounded like they were eating the wood.
By lunchtime, it was sunny so we decided to sit outside to have our lunch. There was more bird life outside the café at lunchtime and I think I saw a Hobby flying along the Sand Martins blank.
Our afternoon walk around Minsmere starts off heading to the Sluice. As we get to the Sluice, we saw the Konik Polski Ponies enjoying the sun. This time of year it is nice to just sit by the seats and just search a cross the Scrape and I think, it is one of the nicest views at Minsmere with the Coast Guard Cottages in the distance. Our walk back along the path we came across a Peacock Butterfly Caterpillar going across the path. Just out the front of the Wildlife Hide there was two young Grebes I am not sure which Grebe they are because the Adults were not where in sight. Round at the Bittern Hide Path at was busy with Butterflies but nun wanted to settle so I could get some pictures, I was lucky enough to get a picture of a Male Common Darter Dragonfly resting on the back of the bench.
Konik Palski Ponies
Peacock Caterpillar
Grebe (which time I'm not sure)?
Male Common Darter
As we were leaving, we walk past the Buddleia just outside the Visitors Centre and saw a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly.
Hornet Mimic Hoverfly.
Glad you had a sunny day Nick with some lovely views of the ponies and the Common Darter, it looks calm and peaceful there.
Glad the sun came out for you Nick, it's a Little Grebe I reckon :-)
Never been to Minsmere Nick but getting to 'know' the place through your descriptive posts & pics... great one of the Peacock Butterfly larvae! Was lucky enough to have the Hornet mimic Hover on a moth trap at my local reserve last week, very big & impressive & noisy with it!
Yes - little grebe