Day Off

I spent my day's holiday wandering around the local area beginning at Blatherwycke Lake. This is the top site in the county for Mandarins and I counted at least a hundred and five which is the largest number that I've seen together. Not a lot else to report from here though the rheas and wallabies were still present in their usual spot. On the walk between here and Deene there was not a great deal though both buzzards and kites appeared to be enjoying the sunny and breezy conditions.

Red Admiral and Painted Lady.

Deene churchyard had both Red Admirals and a Painted Lady while several Ruddy Darters were sheltering from the wind. That wind probably explains why there was very little dragon or damsel activity at the lake, just a single Blue-tailed and a Small Red-eyed were seen. At the inflow there were four or five Green Sandpipers and a small number of Lapwings.

Small Copper and White-legged Damselfly.

Nearby Deenethorpe still had a couple of White-legged Damselflies while the sheltered lanes were providing inviting conditions for Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers. A Small Copper on the edge of the village was my first for several months. At an exposed feeling Deenethorpe airfield a flock of about twenty five Lapwings were the only things braving the wind. There was a bit more activity on the edge of Weldon Park Wood where Speckled Woods were present in large numbers. Good numbers of Small Heaths too and a single Common Blue also showed well here. It was a busy day for aeroplanes with five parked up including an almost luminous orange SIAI Marchetti 260.

Lapwings and Speckled Wood.

By this stage of the day the sun had beat a retreat and the first light shower of rain was beginning. I made my way across the fields to Harry's Park Wood which at least provided a little bit of shelter from further bouts of rain. During a couple of brighter periods I was surprised to see a male Silver-washed Fritillary as I'd thought that their season had ended. With time getting on by now I headed off to Weldon and my bus home.

It probably beats waking!