Fish!

Just went down to the reserve today and was astounded to see a 6cm greeny brown fish under the bridge nearest the river. Probably a fully grown stickleback, but my fish identification skills are limited. Lots of small (1-2cm) dark fish hiding around the edges near the next bridge, by the spit too.

I couldn't get a picture of the fish though, so here's a damselfly - a Banded Demoiselle I believe.



The ducklings were also out - just five of them, and quite grown up now. I also saw one or two moorhen chicks with mother, though they were darting amongst the fringes and so hard to be sure whether it was one chick going in circles or two in a row.



Finally - a picture of a ladybird larva for those that don't know what one looks like. They're quite different to the finished bug!

nice to see the regulars!

the male bullfinch again, no sign of the female

the great spotted woodpecker













a grey heron in the bog area,
hunting for frogs I think

a welcome visitor

a male bullfinch having a nice feed, like all birds that

visit, half seems to be discarded on to the ground.

Ah, there you all are!

Where is everybody?

Twelve ducklings have hatched out and are whizzing around the Mere - but be quick to see them as the Heron is waiting in the wings for his supper! Yesterday, there was the first sighting of four Moorhen chicks - alas - today, only two remain. Many visitors have commented on how beautiful the Reserve looks today. And it's true!

Blossom

The blossom is out. Notice the tiny orange caterpillar eggs on the leaf at the bottom.

the slime

A new visitor . . . .brown slime,
across the Mere.
Some sort of algae.
Have not been to site for while,
so don't know how long it's been here.
Looks nasty.



meanwhile, some more pleasant sights






The last two pics show our woodpecker at the feeders, but as you can see, he was being a bit secretive!
Look closely, in the upper pic. -he's there.

From the far side of the bridge, across the Mere, I saw him arrive at the feeder. As I approached him, (very slowly and quietly across the bridge) he sidled around to the back of the feeder. You would never have realised he was there.... Luckily, we both held our nerve, the next frame captured him beautifully.

top: wren
middle: robin
bottom: gt. spotted woodpecker