Thanks to volunteer Graham for his report and photographs
It was dry but cloudy for the whole day at PB on Sunday. A resultant lack of flying dragonflies meant that recent spectacular Hobby displays would not be repeated on this occasion. However, as ever, there were many other wildlife highlights to be enjoyed.
Quite a few birds were singing as I walked down the zigzag path, including Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Blackcap. After a fairly short stay in West Mead Hide I took the left hand path towards Redstart Corner, and as usual there were some invertebrates that caught my attention. A bush cricket nymph returned my gaze,
a Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) was practising its climbing skills,
and a Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata) was picking up some pollen.
Near Redstart Corner, there were a few butterflies to be seen. A Marbled White flew by without settling, but a Small Skipper was a bit more obliging.
Further along the path a male Stonechat was collecting food for its young family,
as was a Common Whitethroat near Winpenny Hide.
A Sedge Warbler could also be seen and heard nearby.
Just outside the hide I spotted a Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis).
After a while in Winpenny Hide I moved on first to the Wetland Discovery Trail, and then to Adder Alley where a Greenfinch perched conveniently next to the path.
After helping some younger visitors enjoy scoped views of birds on the North Brooks from Hanger View I made a brief visit to the nearby field viewpoint. Among the flowers on show were Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil.
On a fence rail I noticed that one of the holes in the wood was being visited by a Trichrysis cyanea Cuckoo Wasp.
For my final image I found some Tube-tailed Thrips on an Oxeye Daisy.