Brilliant weather and the kids are back at school!!
Yesterday I took myself off to Wheldrake Ings – always a
good bet for a few migrating waders at this time of year. And it might well
have been, but I was not able to get close enough to spot anything. There were
good, but distant views from the now restored Tower hide, but unfortunately YWT
have yet to complete repairs to the boardwalks for the other two - I wish I had known beforehand. However, From Tower hide I
was able to watch a couple of Marsh Harrier search the flooded areas for a meal
– one female and the other a juvenile. Neither were successful in anything
other than spooking all the duck and gulls that had been peacefully roosting.
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| Marsh Harrier |
The dragonflies were relishing the warm sunshine, with a
number of Brown and Southern Hawkers, and Ruddy Darters patrolling the hedge
and willow borders. Some had paired up and were ready to lay eggs for next year’s
generation, and many were looking the worse for wear, with tears to those
delicate wing panels. I came across a single Banded Demoiselle – a species I
normally associate with earlier months of the summer. What a beauty!
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| Brown Hawker |
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| Southern Hawker |
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| Mating Southern Hawkers |
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| Mating Ruddy Darters |
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| Baned Demoiselle |
On the way back to the car I did come across an
obliging Lesser Whitethroat. It looked like a juvenile, and was greedily
picking off insects on the brambles near the bailey bridge. A very nice bird.
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
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