Summer moves on, at Blashford on Sunday I saw my first gatekeeper of the year, oddly a little later than in some years, most other butterflies have been merging a little earlier than usual, so I am not sure why they alone are later.
The first gatekeeper at the year
It was also the first day I had seen brown hawker dragonfly, although I would guess they have been flying for a couple of days. The first common tern chicks also flew, even if a little tentatively, hopefully we will see over seventy fledge this year. Another first for the year was Essex skipper, they at every like small skipper, but tend to fly a couple of weeks later.
Essex skipper on yellow rattle
At least I think it is an Essex skipper!
I had another go at getting a flight shot of a hoverfly, a very frustrating thing to try, this was my best attempt.
hoverfly
I went on a walk down the Dockens Water to check where we will need to go Himalayan balsam pulling and if we have missed any plants. I found a few, but also a number of native marshland plants.
marsh bedstraw
water forget-me-not
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 