Home and Away: Radipole Lake In Late May

It was another very sunny and warm day, and after a shopping trip in Weymouth, I had a walk to the North Hide at RSPB Radipole Lake. As you would expect in May there was quite a bit of bird activity , especially around the Sand Martin's nest site, where a Grey Heron decided to visit!!

Other birds of note were a very distant view of a Marsh Harrier to the north of the reserve, plus 5 species of warbler, all of which very vocal.

Dragonflies and Damselflies were very abundant, but where were all the butterflies. All I noted was 6 of 3 species which was pretty dire.

Birds Recorded:
1 Grey Heron
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Kestrel
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
30+ Sand Martin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
10+ Reed Warbler
5 Cetti's Warbler
4 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Bunting

A Sand Martin mobs the Grey Heron which was standing on the Sand Martin's nesting site.

That must be some itch. A Grey Heron on top of the Sand Martin's nest site.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo

Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella

A male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens

And another male Banded Demoiselle

A female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens

Another female Banded Demoiselle

A male....................

...................Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo

A Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans

Another Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans form violacea

A male Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum

A male Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
4 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Moths Recorded:
2 Silver Y Autographa gamma

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius

Andrena sp.

Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius

Andrena sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea
The Footballer Helophilus pendulus

The Footballer Helophilus pendulus aka Tiger Marsh Fly

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea

Soldier Beetle Silis ruficollis

7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata

A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea

Next to this male Banded Demoiselle is a...............

.................Soldier Beetle Silis ruficollis

Plants:

Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa
Cow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris
Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus arvensis
Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus