Tuesday 18 May 2010

Rodley Nature Reserve

A highlight of a weekend trip out to Rodley Nature Reserve were the Common Whitethroat, a summer visitor to the reserve. A first positive sighting for me, id'd with the help of friendly fellow visitors. Armed with the ability to put a name to a feathery face, it became easier to spot them due to their habit of perching conspciuously on the tops of bushes and tall weeds. These two hung around by the Dragonfly ponds.







This Great Tit popped its head out of the bird box situated in the Dragonfly ponds area.



Butterfly action consisted of four Small Torstoishell, two by the pools and a couple in the Meadow.


On the way to the Visitors Centre for a cuppa and to pick up a copy of the Annual Report for 2009 another Common Whitethroat appeared in the vegetation on the edge of Tim's Field.




Refreshes and refuelled I made my way up to the meadow, I followed the mown path up to the far end of the field and sat for a while to admire the view. I became engrossed in the thin stemmed flowering perennial grasses with densely packed spikelets Common Timothy (Phleum pratense) or Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) perhaps?


Looking down over the reserve I couldn't help but hear these three Mute Swans raise themselves from the wetland and head off downstream together.


Here you can see the stamens more clearly, grey at first, turning brown with time, maturing from the top of the spikelet to the bottom.



6 comments:

  1. The whitethroat pictures are excellent, Linda. You certainly find some good places to visit.

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  2. Another nice reserve Linda. Watch out for the Lesser Whitethroats too! ;-)

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  3. Great photos of the Whitethroat. I love it when their legs straddle two branches.

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  4. Hello Emma, there are so many lovely places to visit around here, Rodley is handy because its just a couple of miles up the road and there's always something interesting to see and learn about.

    Hello Warren, thanks I will do. I'm just starting to get to grips with the variety of warbler types, there are so many, enjoying every minute of it though.

    Hello irishwildlife, thanks for dropping in. Grasses do make good subject matter, I find it just takes a little bit of time and patience to work out what it is that's of interest and then try out a few different ideas.

    Hello John, they're super birds aren't they. This is the first year Ive really noticed them and am surprised by how prevalent they are.

    Best wishes all, Linda

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  5. Great photos Linda - I may have seen you at Rodley
    www.startbirding.co.uk
    http://duckwomansdiary.blogspot.com/

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