From here we headed to the hides, noting comma and red admiral butterflies whilst over the other side of the water, ravens, red kites, buzzards and a solitary sparrowhawk circled, attracting the attention of carrion crows and jackdaws.
We noted several species of leaf mining moths on leaves of bramble, sycamore and hazel as we headed along the boardwalk to the main hide. Tufted duck dived on the adjacent pool and from the hide: pochard, wigeon, grey heron and overhead several meadow pipits and a linnet.
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| Comma |
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| Red admiral |
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| From the viewing point |
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| Greylag, black headed gulls and lapwing |
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| Distant raven, on of 2 present over the Easeneye Estate |
From here, we set off to meet Darren again along the dragonfly trail. A flock of blue, long tailed and great tits were working their way through the willows as we came across a single goldcrest, Common blue damsels, common darters and migrant hawkers were on the wing as were plenty of caddis flies. Red signal crayfish made the day list and soon after we watched as a kestrel dived from a telegraph pole into the grass, to then be chased by a magpie. Overhead, a sparrowhawk flew by after a Great Spotted woodpecker. A green woodpecker called as we checked the buddleia for butterflies and finches but a Speckled cricket on the fence was all we noted.
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| Tufted duck washing |
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| tufted duck |
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| grey heron |
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| drake pochard |
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| great crested grebe |
Over the bridge and through the coppice finished the 2.5 hour stay where several flowering plants were noted along with more comma and red admirals as well as one Large white.
In all, a wonderful morning in great company. I then drove the group to Rye Meads RSPB Reserve just a few miles the other side of Stansted Abbotts. Here, it was picnic time, so after a check on the board to see what was about and having enjoyed a coffee, I left the group to go in search of green sandpiper, kingfishers, wildfowl and more stonechats. With a bit of luck, the day list of bird species may have reached a most creditable 70.
Thanks to Darren Bast for helping with this trip and giving up his morning to show us around the dragonfly trail. Most grateful.
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| Great crested grebe |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Distant red kite |
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| Comma, showing the "comma" marking on the underwing |
- Little grebe
- Great crested grebe
- Cormorant
- Grey heron
- Mute swan
- Greylag goose
- Canada goose
- Mallard
- Gadwall
- Shoveler
- Wigeon
- Pochard
- Tufted duck
- Red kite
- Common buzzard
- Sparrowhawk
- Kestrel
- Red legged partridge (feathers only!)
- Pheasant
- Water rail (heard)
- Moorhen
- Coot
- Lapwing
- Black headed gull
- Herring gull
- Lesser Black backed gull
- Wood pigeon
- Collared dove
- Green woodpecker (heard)
- Great spotted woodpecker
- Skylark (heard)
- Meadow pipit
- Pied wagtail
- Wren
- Dunnock
- Robin
- Stonechat
- Blackbird
- Ctti's warbler (heard)
- Goldcrest
- Great tit
- Blue tit
- Long tailed tit
- Nuthatch (heard)
- Magpie
- Jay (heard)
- Jackdaw
- Carrion crow
- Raven
- Chaffinch
- Goldfinch
- Linnet
Large white butterfly
Red admiral
Comma
Speckled cricket
Red signal crayfish
Migrant hawker
Common darter
Common blue damselfly
Various caddisfly
White tailed bumblebee
Hornet
Wasp
Harlequin ladybird
Merveille du Jour (released, trapped in Little Hadham)
White point moth (released, trapped in Little Hadham)
Stigmella aurella leafmine
Phyllonorycter coryli leafmine
Phyllonorycter messaniella leafmine
Phyllonorycter devoniella leafmine
Stigmella microtheriella leafmine
Cameraria ohridella leafmine
Cameraria ohridella leafmine
Herb robert
Mallow
Common comphrey
Indian balsam
Scarlet pimpernel
Common field speedwell
White dead nettle
Bristly ox tongue
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| Merveille du Jour (Pleasure of the day) |
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