Seaton Marshes Stuff

Whilst not having use of a car for the majority of the time I've still been trying to get out and about in the lovely weather we've been having. My destination of choice has been Seaton Marshes because basically it's just across the road from our house. I've only really been as far as the Borrow Pit, usually being a bit pressed for time but there has been a fair bit of Odonata action there.

Blue-tailed Damselflies - Ischnura elegans in mating wheel.

Yesterday I spotted a male Scarce Chaser - Libellula fulva, the first of this species I've ever seen on Seaton Marshes. Unfortunately it kept perching a bit too distantly for good photos but I got a couple of record shots of it.

The only birds on the pond were this Mute Swan and her single cygnet.

An extremely common plant on Seaton Marshes: Hemlock Water Dropwort - Oenanthe crocata.

Probably Britain's most poisonous native plant, insects love it!

I think this is a rather worn Andrena cineraria - Ashy Mining Bee.

Depressaria daucella

(Thanks for the ID Dave)

The not so lovely flower of Water Figwort with an unidentified bug.

Snipe Fly - Rhagio scolopaceus.

Aka the 'down-looker fly', here seen looking down.

It's good to see Small Tortoiseshell making such a great comeback this year. 

They're everywhere!

Cut-leaved Cranesbill - Geranium dissectum

Hedge Woundwort - Stachys sylvatica

Meadowsweet -  Filipendula ulmaria

 

 Privet - Ligustrum vulgare

 Spotted Medick - Medicago arabica

 Tufted Vetch - Vicia cracca

Wild Radish - Raphanus raphanistrum

Sweet Briar -  Rosa rubiginosa

Smells every bit as exquisite as it looks!

A couple of photos from the Axe Yacht Club from last week which I forgot to put on here.

Six-Spot Burnet Moth with a face-full of Red Valerian pollen.

Finally,on Monday evening I heard the local Herring Gulls going berserk and made it out onto the garden in time to see a Red Kite flying over. I missed at least six of these over the town last year so this is the first for the garden. Shame it was cloudy ...  definitely record shot conditions....

... See!