4/08/17

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A annoyingly patchy day with both sun and cloud constantly going on and off. There was mild gusts of wind and it was pretty warm throughout. Another day based around the Mainlake started off with a great bird, a Common Sandpiper but not only one but two. The pair had spent the day around the lake feeding in and around the boarders of the lake. Two Kestrels were heard near by and happily the 4 Mute Swan cygnets are still there and they have thankfully not been predated on. The Male Mute Swan is also still there with the cygnets. The 4 Great Crested Grebe chicks are also still there and they are practical the same size as the adult bird. Numbers of Tufted Ducks have increased with about 6 birds being present.
1 of 2 Common Sandpipers next to the Mainlake (Image By Luke Anderson)
Apart from those few birds there was nothing else of interest so its now down to the insects. To the area between the Metal Bridge and the Mainlake that is were most of the insect searches go on. In that area it came up with a lovely Southern Hawker and a couple of stunning new insects, such as a pair of Red-Legged Shieldbugs which is the seventh recorded shieldbug species for the site. Common Darters were also out and a few Holly Blues were fluttering around. Last but not least there was a single Larinioides Cornutus which is one stunning spider, not by color but by its pattern.
Southern Hawker (Image By Luke Anderson)

Larinioides Cornutus (Image By Luke Anderson)

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