Sunday 6th July 2014

So today wasn't supposed to be a birding day, I had way too much to do to go out. However, after a tweet of a cuckoo being spotted by Daphne's pool, my plans suddenly changed. 

After managing to find the pool - I usually get lost in this part of the reserve, I lucked out on the cuckoo. It was a couple of hours post tweet, so either moved on, or sitting in a tree laughing at me. Probably the second reason. Not all bad luck though, the reed warbler was still calling away quite happily.

So not a full birding outing today, due to lack of time. 

Weather :- cloudy with sunny spells.

Netherton hill :- 2 grey herons - both sitting in trees behind the pools, chiffchaffs - 2 heard, song thrush, swift and a brief view of a whitethroat. 

Canal :- 2 buzzards soaring over, another 2 chiffcahffs. Mallard with 3 ducklings, 2nd mallard with 6 ducklinga and a domestic duck with 5 ducklings. Moorhen with 2 juveniles. 

Daphe's Pool :- reed warbler heard, another chiffchaff and a coot with a juvenile. 

Insects :- lots of ringlet butterflies (50+), brown hawker dragonfly, lots common blue damselflies, small skippers, small tortie and meadow brown butterflies, comma butterflies and 7 marbled white butterflies. 

Flowers include :- buttercups, red and white clover, foxgloves, tufted vetch and spear thistle.

Marbled white butterfly