WWF is always worth a visit at any time of year. At this time, it's rather quiet on the bird front, but there are plenty of insects around - ideal for a bit of macro photography. Before I got anywhere, the sightings board at the entrance to the reserve made rather... interesting reading.
Like Bedford Purlieus, Woodwalton is another site where I'm never quite sure of where I am. Fortunately, the site is sort of rectangular shaped, with rides mostly running through it going east-west or north-south, which is helpful. Since it was such a hot, sunny day, there were lots and lots of insects around. Here are a few photos of the ones that didn't elude me.
I found a clump of decomposing, big daisy things (botany is not my strong point). I don't know if they were wild or not, but Speckled Wood butterflies were going mad for them.
This fly-looking thing was interesting...
As usual, I don't know what this moth is, either...
Darters were everywhere, but I had a long wait until I found some that sat still for long enough for me to get a photo. I suppose I need to improve my fieldcraft, or find something not as skittish...
Ruddy Darter
Common Darter
On my meandering way back to the car, I walked past a big bank of thistles, which was absolutely heaving with butterflies and other insects. Here are the highlights:
I didn't recognise Wall at the time, but of course the wonders of digital photography meant that I could show them to Brian later on for instant IDing.
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Tatty, but nice: Red Admiral
Brimstone
I'm a big fan of reeds. When you look close they're really quite beautiful, full of interesting colours and patterns.
What's in my CD player: Ladies Love Oracle - Grant Lee Phillips
The interesting fly-looking thing is a female Scorpion-fly, probably Panorpa communis. It is more closely related to things like Lacewings than true flies. See blogs passim on Weedon's World of Nature and The Natural Stone.
ReplyDeleteThe moth is a common pyralid - Udea lutealis.
I would put money on the first two Darters being male Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum). The pinched 'waist' look of the abdomen and deeper reddish, rather than orange, colour are good indicators. The third one looks much more like Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) with the more parallel sided abdomen.
The flower in the final pic looks like Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife).