Every little helps

Well last weekend was our themed weekend Things with Wings. Being a Bank Holiday as well, the reserve saw plenty of visitors, many of whom also came to see what had been caught in our moth trap overnight. The moths caught included poplar hawkmoth, white ermine, cockchafers and many more.

A fresh looking White Ermine moth

Poplar hawkmoth hangs onto a Cockchafer for support.

Yellow Belle, a Breckland species.

The visitors were amazed at the different varieties that we caught and some were even brave enough to hold them.

Getting to know a Billywitch

Poplar hawkmoth wows those looking on.

Due to the success of the moths, we may be holding moth trapping days more often, so watch this space.

The weekend also saw us hold our first bat walk on the reserve. Thankfully the weather held out and the bats enthralled all those who attended the walk. We saw and heard several species on the bat detectors including pipistrelle’s, noctule’s and daubenton’s to name a few. Look out for more of these bat walks in the future.

Every little helps

As many of you know, there are many people who help out at Lackford by donating their time, whether it is in the visitor centre or out on the reserve. One group that help out are the Young Wardens. Last week they got busy out on the reserve helping to clear some willow to create a dragonfly viewing point for visitors to the reserve. They also helped by filling the new tree nursery with some saplings and planting some saplings out on another part of the reserve.

Maria gets ready to plant some new saplings in the tree nursery.

A sapling planted out on the reserve.

A big thanks to the Young Wardens, your work has not gone unnoticed. If you are 10-15 and would like to join the Young Wardens, then click here for more details.

If you would like to help out in the visitor centre, we are still seeking some bubbly, confident volunteers to help out on Sunday’s, Monday’s (during summer period) and Tuesday’s. See here for more details.

Plants for sale

We have had a fresh delivery of plants with a big thanks to all those who have donated them to us. Please feel free to pop along and have a browse, all we ask for is a donation and all proceeds goes towards the Trust.

Give a plant a home in your garden.

Sightings

The past week has seen the kingfishers showing well and now their young have hatched, they will be seen more often as the busy task of feeding the chicks gets underway. Many of the smaller birds such as the tits and warblers will have had their young fledge by now, so keep an eye out on the reserve as the parents still feed their young, but out in the open now.

Kingfisher approaches with food.

Red crested pochard still have 3 young down at Fullers mill hide and the shelduck still have 7 young on the Slough.

Birds of prey are still to been seen with hobby’s around the visitor centre and sailing lake. There have been more sightings of late of red kite and other birds visible this week were buzzard’s, kestrel and sparrowhawk.

Swifts have been plentiful, especially when the wind picks up, and so have house and sand martin’s. Great crested grebes are nesting down on the east lakes. This is also a good area for the dragonfly spotters amongst you. Recent and regular visitors Tony and Sandy (@tonyandsandy) recently saw and photographed this unusual looking four-spotted chaser.

Libellula quadrimaculata praenubila form (@tonyandsandy)

This form of dragonfly is known as a praenubila form and can be distinguished by the extra darkening of the wing-tips, which isn’t seen in the normal form. It is thought that this darkening is caused by the water temperature whilst the dragonfly is still a larvae. 

A normal looking Four-spotted chaser taken by wildlife guide Colin Robson.

Hairy and broad-bodied chaser’s  have been seen flying around the reserve and red-eyed, common blue, azure and banded demoiselle have also been seen in numbers near Bess’ hide.

Red-eyed damselfly by @tonyandsandy

Butterflies are also being spotted around the reserve. This weeks sightings include brown argus, red admiral, small copper, peacock, brimstone, speckled wood, comma and still the occasional orange-tip.