Canoe believe it!

Actually it's a kyak, which was submerged against the opposite bank of the Ver at the back of the reserve.

Jack fished it out and found these American signal crayfish in residence. The base of that bucket is 18cm across so they're pretty impressive at full stretch!

Swan

I snapped this swan when it was alone on the mere. A couple of days later there are four fairly mature signets too. And a little grebe. And a heron. And a kingfisher. All at once!

WWA Summer Event 2008

A little late to be posting about this, because it was 28th June that the Summer Event was held, but it was a great day and worth reporting. Better late than never.

Pond dipping was a big attraction with kids and adults alike.

I must say I assumed there wasn't much life at all in the water, since I never see anything other than fish. How wrong I was! We found the following in one small spot:

• Tadpoles - quite big ones, some with legs


• Small diving beetles - pure black - max 1cm long


• Water louse


• Caddisfly larvae - wrapped in debris, with just head and legs poking out of the front


• Some sort of nymphs


• Three spined sticklebacks, including pregnant males and very showy red bellied males


• A baby newt - found the next day during clear up


• Small shrimps

After all that fun we had a BBQ and the adults played whack a rat with even more vigour than the children.