It was back to Hill Head this morning, fine weather was forecast, warm and sunny, so of course it was raining as I parked the car. From the car I walked around to the visitor centre, the reserve is closed for bridge construction work on the west side and I was interested to see how long it would be until it was complete, turns out it is still a while yet.
I walked around the sea wall and spent some time scanning the water, there was quite a stiff easterly wind and it was high tide, but there was little about out on the water. I decided to walk along the canal path, I hadn't done it since the spring and doubted very much would be about, but you never know. After walking around the bottom part the path was shaded by the trees which was very welcome as the sun was now getting warm. There were plenty of butterflies about, mostly Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper, but there were also several whites. This Green-veined White showing very well.
The path opened up and along the canal there was an Emperor Dragonfly patrolling the reeds and water. I stopped to watch and attempt to get a photograph in flight. I was pleased with these two.
There was a scuffle with another Emperor and this went on in the water. As I turned to walk away a Banded Demoiselle settled on the bushes close by.
The last time I had walked here the path had been washed away, but there has been a lot of work done to repair the bank and the path itself has been improved immensely.
A pair of Comma butterfly were imbibing on a patch of soil.
Then one settled in the branches above me.
Approaching Posbrook I noticed this ladybird settled on a thistle head.
There were a few Swallows at Posbrook, but very little else, I turned around and walked back down the path.
I stopped at a patch of valerian where there was for once this year good numbers of butterflies. This a Peacock.
A quick flash of the stunning eye on the upper wing.
There were also three Small Skippers.
As I was talking to two persons, a Green Woodpecker called and flew across the meadow and settled on the branches of a dead Ash Tree that usually has Spotted Flycatchers in the autumn. There were two and both were immature birds
They have a prehistoric look about them at this age.
A little further along another male Banded Demoiselle.
I decided to have a look on the east side of the reserve and headed to the Walkway Pond to look for dragonflies. There wasn't much about, several Azure Damselfly.
But there was also a Ruddy Darter which was a surprise, theface being a reddish colour, where the Common Darter is more yellow.
I walked up to the Knights Bank Hide, checked the Frying Pan where Highland Cattle were cooling off in the water and there was little else. Walking back another Comma on the bramble.
I walked to the car and sat looking out across the water, the tide was falling and one or two terns were settling on the exposed beach. However I decided after my lunch to head home, it was hot and I couldn't face looking through the Common Terns today
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