19 Jun 23

RSPB Radipole Lake

Today I visited the North Hide at Radipole, in the hope of seeing my first Sedge Warbler of the year, plus any Hobby's that might be around. Well I succeeded on one front, when a Sedge Warbler rose from a Hawthorn tree and did a couple of displays before falling silent. As for seeing a Hobby, that might take awhile before I get to see one.

Other highlights were the number of dragonflies, damselflies and demoiselles on the wing, including several Scarce Chasers. Well at least I think they are, as I've not come across them before.

Birds Recorded:
1 Grey Heron
1 Mallard
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
30+ Sand Martin
2 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
10+ Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
5 Cetti's Warbler
3 Common Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting

The Sand Martins were busy around their artificial nest site

Fish Recorded:
2 Carp

I'm pretty sure this is a carp feeding in the River Wey which flows through the reserve. Earlier I'd spotted one swimming under the bridge. The video is at normal speed and then clipped on the end I slowed it down as a fin come out of the water. Not sure if that really helps though!

Amphibians Recorded:
1 Frog/Toad

A froglet or toadlet!!

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:

Scarce Chaser

Norfolk Hawker

Hairy Dragonfly

Banded Demoiselle

Common Blue Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly

I think this is a Scarce Chaser. Its certainly not one I have seen before. It certainly looks like this one here.

If the photo above is a Scarce Chaser, then these below must be I guess.

Scarce Chaser

And another Scarce Chaser

And one more Scarce Chaser

A female Norfolk Hawker

A female Hairy Dragonfly and here............

...............she is devouring an Ichneumon sp

A male Banded Demoiselle

And a female Banded Demoiselle

And another female Banded Demoiselle

A male Common Blue Damselfly

An immature female Common Blue Damselfly

A female Blue-tailed Damselfly violacea form

An immature male Blue-tailed Damselfly

Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White
3 Small White
1 Brimstone
1 Speckled Wood
1 Red Admiral

A female Small White

A Brimstone blending in with a Sycamore leaf.

Moths Recorded:

2 Scarlet Tiger moths (Callimorpha dominula)

A Scarlet Tiger moth and........

.............another

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

A Honey Bee just leaving a bramble.

Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Ichneumon sp. (deceased)


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Mini-tiger Hoverfly (Parhelophilus frutetorum)

A Mini-tiger Hoverfly (Parhelophilus frutetorum)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

A male Swollen-thighed Beetle

Plants:

orchid sp

Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)

An orchid sp.

Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)