Today I went for a walk.....
Yep, out and about around the reserve giving a VIP a feel for the marsh, its history, our involvement and its magnificent wildlife.
It was hot when we headed out at around 1230 but I was enjoying myself and did not notice till the end at about 4pm just how crispy I felt!!
Purfleet Scrape held Little Egrets and a few Teal when we started but no waders as such so we headed for the Cordite Woodland where Blackcaps were in full song while Chiffchaffs were seen feeding independent young in the Horse Chestnuts. Butterflies were everywhere and a Brimstone was seen on the Buddhlia along with countless Peacocks.
Brimstone (Bob Cooper)
We headed on round and I picked up my first Volucella zonaria hoverfly. Our biggest and most hornet looking of the mimics.
Fortunenately David Hook took a good shot of one yesterday for me to share!
Volucella zonaria (David Hook)
Plenty of Reed Warblers along the trail and we stopped to look at the small Wasp Spiders before the Ken Barrett Hide. A bit of growing yet to do! The large Terrapin was seen briefly in the big deep pool by the willow tree but it soon sunk from view while up above a pair of Peregrines cruised around us for some minutes with scarcely a beat of those powerful wings. Superb.
Bearded Tits pinged from just out onto Aveley Pool from the first platform and duck covered the water among the numerous Coots with broods of various sizes of Little Grebes, Great Crested Grebes, Pochard and Tufted Ducks while the Mute Swan pair still have their four normal and one silky white Polish youngster. Little Egrets paddled around wiggling yellow toes....
Polish and buddies (Tony Houston)
Three Hobbies caught dragonflies on the wing and the immature male Marsh Harrier with his damaged leg came past holding a young moorhen in that dangling appendage so it must not be quite as bad as it looks. Bjorn was suitably impressed with the show.
Down at the Dragonfly Pool the Biggs and Josh were shushing us as we approached. I was pointing at Hobbies, they were pointing at their feet where a family of Weasels were playing 'dare' backwards and forewards across the boardwalk before bounding off around the corner...
Laurie Bigg captured this priceless moment....
Meanwhile Baerded Tits pinged and I saw a couple of youngsters before a fine male popped out and showed well just in front.
Young male Beardie (Mark Vale)
The Perimiter Ditch was full of Little Grebes and their chicks and the Rudd were cruising the surface looking for an insect or two to suck under.
Dabchick family (Bob Cooper)
Meanwhile, Emperor and a Broad Bodied Chaser surveyed the channel and Small Red-eyed Damselflies were the first I had seen here this year.
BBChaser (David Hook)
We headed up onto the River wall where the tide was fully in. A family of Shelduck were seen up on the saltings and Common Terns fished in the bay. The path was lined with literally dozens of Skippers and Gatekeepers and Whitethroats kept us company for the entire route while that sun seemd to be getting hotter and my face redder.
Back near the centre nine Black-tailed Godwits in fine Icelandic breeding finery were back on Purfleet and a single Gonzo-billed Whimbrel was on one of the foreshore posts.
Hot, tiring but ever so rewarding. Nice to be out in the field. Role on autumn....
15-7-14