30 Aug 23

RSPB Radipole Lake - North Hide

I definitely didn't time it right for a short walk to the North Hide this afternoon. Had I arrived an hour or so earlier, I would have seen a Hobby catching dragonflies in the sunshine. As it was, I arrived as thick black clouds were passing overhead and the bird watcher who saw the Hobby was making his way home.

However there was still plenty to see and hear with:
Sand Martin - A pair possibly feeding youngsters in the man-made Sand Martins nest site.
Blackcap - A lone bird heard calling by the river.
Chiffchaff - At least 3 heard calling along the walk
Goldcrest - A single bird heard by the river. Extraordinary as this may sound, but this is first Goldcrest I've noted since 17 Apr 23


Birds Recorded:
2 Grey Heron
1 Mute Swan
Mallard
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Sand Martin
Dunnock
1 Blackcap (heard)
3 Chiffchaff (all heard)
1 Goldcrest (heard)
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw

A Grey Heron makes its way across the reserve


Butterflies Recorded:
1 Speckled Wood


Moths Recorded:
#1 - moth sp.

#1 - moth sp.


Bees Recorded:
Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)


Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
wasps sp.
#1 - Ichneumon Wasp sp.
#2 - Ichneumon Wasp sp.

#1 - Ichneumon Wasp sp.

#2 - Ichneumon Wasp sp.


Sawflies Recorded:
#1 - sawfly sp.
#2 - sawfly sp.

#1 - sawfly sp.

#2 - sawfly sp.


Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
#1 - hoverfly sp.


Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Another Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Another The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)


#1 - hoverfly sp.


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
#1 - fly sp.
#2 - fly sp.
#3 - mayfly sp.
#4 - cranefly sp.
#5 - cranefly sp.


#1 - fly sp.

#2 - fly sp.

#2 - fly sp.

#3 - mayfly sp.

#4 - cranefly sp.

#5 - cranefly sp.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
#1 - pond skater sp.
#2 - pond skater sp.

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

#1 - pond skater sp.

#2 - pond skater sp.


Spiders Recorded:
Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

A Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)


Plants:
Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica)
Sea Aster (Aster tripolium)

Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) and growing between them..........

...........was this Sea Aster (Aster tripolium)


General Shots:

To the northwest of Radipole stands Hardy Monument. More on the monument Here.


Ted:

And last but not least we have Ted on his lead. We don't want to upset anyone on the reserve.