Blashford Lakes 3 July

The weather was hot and sunny. Highlights were Mediterranean Gull, Little-ringed Plover and chicks, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern and Brown Hawker dragonfly.

As usual there were a few Siskin at the feeders in the car park. There was also a Greenfinch which gave us a nice comparison between the two species. We walked down to the Tern Hide overlooking Ibsley Water seeing a few Common Blue Damselfly on the way. On Ibsley Water there were many Grey-lag Geese, Canada Geese and Coot with several Common Tern flying about and perching on posts. However the Little-ringed Plover with chicks seen on the shingle in front of the hide was the highlight. There was also a Lapwing with a chick, a Great-crested Grebe on the water, a Buzzard circling over distant woods and a Mediterranean Gull that flew over the hide! Outside the hide there were a few Meadow Brown and Painted Lady butterflies. We walked through the woods along the Dockens Water to get to the other two hides overlooking Ibsley Water. Enchanters Nightshade was flowering in the woods and we saw Beautiful Demoiselle along the stream and a few Trout in the stream! Along the more open track to Goosander hide we saw a couple of Comma and a Green-veined White.
Below the Goosander Hide there are many artificial holes to encourage Sand Martin to nest and they have taken to it well. We saw many of them coming and going. We also saw a Little Grebe on its nest with 4 eggs very close to the hide, Tufted Duck on the water and a few Lesser Black-backed Gull with the many Black-headed Gull. On the way to the furthest hide, Lapwing Hide, we saw a couple of Brown Hawker dragonfly and the leaves of lots of Colt’s-foot that had finished flowering. It was fairly quiet from Lapwing Hide, just a Common Sandpiper and a Little-ringed Plover in front of the hide and Roesel’s Bush-cricket heard singing outside it. We saw more Comma butterfly on the way back and a Jay. Just before the car park we lifted one of the metal sheets put down to attract reptiles and there was a small Grass Snake under it- a great end to a very enjoyable walk.
Simon Curson