Hello
A visit to Pitsford Reservoir today in warm temperatures was in order to check the nineteen viable owl boxes on the reserve. Although it is rather late in the season we found no evidence of any of the boxes being used by breeding owls, although there was a good Stock Dove take-up rate! And despite being there all day we didn't see a soul on our hike around the reserve!
The pleasant weather produced one of those days when the reserve is covered in literally thousands of damselflies skimming the water surface, festooning the waterside vegetation or flying up in the meadows. Many birds were taking advantage of the bounty with ducks, grebes, Coots, gulls and terns all consuming this massive release of food. Common Blue Damselflies were easily the most numerous but they were joined by large numbers of Large Red-eyed Damselflies and much fewer Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies.
Other odonata included an excellent showing of some ten Hairy Hawkers, lots of Four-spotted Chasers, several Black-tailed Skimmers and a single Broad-bodied Chaser. Both Beautiful and Banded Demoiselles were present. Butterflies were out in force and included Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Large Skipper, Green-veined White, Large White, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown and Small Heath. Chimney Sweeper moths were numerous and Cinnabar and a burnet sp were noted too.
Birds there included nesting Spotted Flycatchers, two Little Egrets, a hybrid female Red-crested Pochard x (maybe) a Mallard, a family of Ravens, three drake Pochard, a flock of twelve failed breeding Lapwings and good numbers of singing Garden Warblers.
Elsewhere and this evening a Barn Owl was hunting at Blueberry Farm, Maidwell and another Barn Owl was in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.
Regards
Neil M
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| Flowering Rush. |
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| Beautiful Demoiselle. |
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| Pitsford damselflies - Common Blue and Large Red-eyed. |
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