![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOF3l_Tj01p-bCMebCf7Dm9LeH3X_2g7Q2eZLZCU2FnWmqVPtrwmKhk4UbMhSQVGtraHnDs26XN6lfS0rt4VUHZrlAa4x4WWONE5E4rxGRfbMBEbSCM_yTlW2BNUqW6hI1XVBbA5NFQU/s640/bl_iridescent+bugs+welney+5681.jpg) |
Rainbow iridescence! Possibly Dock Beetles (Gastrophysa viridula) ... |
We spent some wonderful hours at
WWT Welney, and although the weather could hardly be described as a perfect summer day (dream on!), we thoroughly enjoyed all that the reserve has to offer. The highlights on this occasion were the mammals ...
water voles (the prototype '
Ratty') and hares, but there were also other stars such as
Avocets and grasshoppers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtNYiSP0JnAn7QLUOm2lCqBzuROcIS5gbiw24_8VE8HcqxSSCuWQsXCjSwyXO8bzLjWqxpyOqPM16FXcsysC-XhQI-ZtDA1bnxyVXZEWtSf6YS1Qp3rlSXsOJGB18ynwD9Z0CuU4bPpM/s640/bl_water+vole+welney+5701.jpg) |
Something was stirring in the river bed ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRqx2_cJwaHPeJzos0jlK6OPyfk4vlKLIdlUTIU0hz8WvnOl6qc5_g0tRNdDTT9ua8qrzYyyEIAavvCuNhV6yl9OeO4sheXJjGKpsZ0yG-GOM_JDT6DuXafV-rwUvj_YC8i4oDHprr3c/s640/bl_water+vole1+welney+5791.jpg) |
... and a beady-eyed Water Vole ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy89Mqz64qhlTOo2z8q6Su0G7fNXl0YBQhqwEmTrHDpAaKaFrC8SiRqE4o-09lC3COWiry2JGKwSlCsiOo4VKgdLIS_KMe_iyrPaNpwRDUK3y2kpfVY2u61ln5dbqA9V036w3p6HQRT0/s400/bl_1water+vole+619+welney+1.jpg) |
... emerged from the reeds. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVCjjTbGgokpfb_GKUqX-j8S2mO2zugQltGAbYPtGEAJRKM1LkcHAFxYha_CMCFSxqwt_CUg_CG2ttNeMlWKbqnxB7RP10kqAACnXsVte_O4EC11Dijf7CfbGbwUM4zopKfMYowQH3Pk/s640/bl_reed+bunting+603+welney+1.jpg) |
A male Reed Bunting perched just outside one of the hides. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-m2Lvm-XlIuPTR5ViKVgMFLMutPZSfmZolkpyRRErgDYuVWrA92klZtl_9laEf_R4tnq1OABlbWC_xPqh1g5alSLIj5pLPmeCN0kxrZE0TNFJOnvrhtBJDvXjf_4PpniVUsegmXtHubQ/s400/bl_reed+bunting+605+welney+1.jpg) |
I'm not sure that this is the female ... but it was close by. Do you recognise it? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7FuXvi4gD9J3ITc1ZmZVe85tjfOV5J2L56ixPQvkraDhyphenhyphenuWr6ychiigtqhDTimfhgm5l2VuDc6CP8erMzUNxTP9RUPi4JI6-Dt6bvJnuz5hJE5ZbFt8iVvosmfEzwNdX8M_ZYKmw2BU/s640/bl_519+marsh+harrier+welney1+copy.jpg) |
A Marsh Harrier caused some consternation as it flew overhead. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfH8GCl8tQApqhfX5GNaxCkksMI4Bh2UTdoy_gRkQjZWfC3Cq7QxECJ3DaXnmQBz4Bhq49b8CgztSAT6YyddRTQ-tieojCU0MUc_c8bXE1yxMKxtFzqALJ7aKYL_eUbsb19KwaXnHcVYE/s200/bl_528+oystercatcher+welney1.jpg) |
The Oystercatcher seemed unconcerned. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXawdMAvKvfPJnD9L35_d2UyDkjQgG0kSpfemMLhgYi4BpkYyOd0Nyv5Q2HQl_wm5x0Lri7XsU5y7uhhv9DGlfXPiFUoPIHazVxqos0ai-5i5Hq7Iya7jYB04ZuizASqVs05PgQDC12s/s400/bl_insect+621+welney+1+copy.jpg) |
Sadly I don't think we saw a Butterfly ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgortstqaphIhUq6VSjid74AE6bK3Djg9VRb0Mpma08CDnAxgM6u5ooSCNIWhDttLkPfzInED6Cpqt8zrhEWo7w2hyklCQEBx9o3iL_OGefGBzyTz59OVIJIq-cZeXbk2oZlKS-3Ri-0EM/s640/bl_549+bees+welney1.jpg) |
... but there were some great insects! I think these are Carpenter Bees ... |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNTBB5EfI6BC7zl09osseXC8J-9G5TkHrkINZ-IrmPt6T2dR6WHgznnJQXt-DKZAxTuNSX45blFWmAc9ObL7dEv_E6GXDGR0sLOiXlHO_weXzVNiAH-wlpZTjFHS7ewDTV7bERsXJF5c/s640/bl_638+welney+1.jpg) |
There had to be 7-Spot Ladybird (we actually saw two). The white insect is, I believe, small Lacewing. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6QLgUZbooDiW_pe4QMU_F1OIWohu4BHG7J8DMxvsW73kGFd-PrdB_csZ7qXVH7_uhyphenhyphenIobNsiiaYUI9ci-oPGloPyrK69RNUQP3fMwZk9H2U3X0EKzTkrvBH_cKEUcFSq3_BBKEaqNpk/s400/bl_cuckoo+628+welney+1.jpg) |
We heard a Cuckoo (my 2nd this summer). It was perching on this wire some way off. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZfldayjD8lML-m_PMsV3VKxT8mITZfe-xuCpT-I3Jp0ZK0V3AQVA7UWpvAl2AMqeyD03mWNNiqz7A4Oqg8qs_d_L9UZzAsY-0zKJwJxziD0y_nwqBn2x1sbhbBG46B0B-eR1jdOsubQ/s200/bl_avocet+welney+5051.jpg) |
I love to see Avocets ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BLAkkSZd5e_ZSxtRTixDOOjpSDdc9x8Dx0XNG7J01JDC2YbLMFpDf6x5JdXaRIWMCwbjyUkoTrtPrVkA_5lBjO5j83W20BbB8Q58jA8ZBfUCHuQIIz5hqd0Pl6wREOoSpho42L3bkEE/s400/bl_avocet+welney+5311.jpg) |
... even at a distance. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxUE0cWEqOyHtRZI_h1ksZWnvDhsXtfXYnGIuTJfAGfyO_ltkHEZOInHkgoCMcMV8PZyY4ikA3obfuOFAZt9FuTMTzLKVd8nBvg8SuYyLpH0vVvpOLiHk1U-VSfq61B_0Qb1GW-HYwtc/s640/bl_caterpillar+welney+5631.jpg) |
We may not have seen butterflies, but this green caterpillar was stunning! |
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_l_eCNFSQGZH_4z1h0p8yUi7LOU6QeAifcBPIkentSMrNLVJJW7z8jn3N_oXaGxfqJs2jqco-Sy-6hv9yfWWfAv_yHj_Yhyphenhyphen-LCHGwToeknQqCESMarXhB3vfk0cZVkYGC0H4T_r0BTB4/s640/bl_damselfly+625+welney+2.jpg) |
It was too windy for Dragons, but we saw one or two Damselflies ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2OKluDPOXWPMCkYoEBdBSnULOOhenE5Q69HmK6m3PaPP68vT2ejjAedSMKRd8tNmK0uuHHyqhhQrMxHMKPzek9qX8HlA-XlqyYI-co0OIhDhtxxhhPAU86W2n3rx-iwBwRpb0yowBR4/s400/bl_damselfly+633+welney+1.jpg) |
... in sheltered spots ... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdss5fIU79j2ARWyYGhn_Y4Pf8oU5sfalyRyRlwukzJI7VaX0TZ501N7z1Vo0UB1qBW7t6R8Cw9xM5Qhw9N-8cOSLY9Z2mZpKeGYQ4UxzGxVnEGA5HN1CCNb-Hbb6a_kbrmQj6_rwdqJo/s640/bl_grasshopper+welney+5461.jpg) |
... and quite a few Grasshoppers. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHAhyl0cmCnfBTs3Gzg9Q33vFnWsaYWqokSVotsALGwaw8h7rqIjQWeB7Vt967S_3GgQgB7MMK1aix2czSukxgJBNd3aFhvJuXZLTBJqjYYDJ4dY9LrhHszFJp0ZMYS7Vt3WCnymWVR8/s200/bl_hare645+welney+1.jpg) |
These distant ears were unmistakable! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJLDGctinzUvv_6jhs5qXExe2lK51OFpN0ENt9AYwi-a7HCMk0Lrck7ka6mHOSJ-RlClgP0bFBAeY8d4LVu1NHUY9ejBIlHgiuuYyHb7WjSFjmOY6276O5JNTKrkmVh-KoeDkE28wIJE/s320/bl_hare642+welney+1.jpg) |
... but the Hare didn't hang about for long! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMojfbSY73zRA__bk3-cTkSCE6PZrv4D5IB52jJBf_c-zuqGPOmK_ZJN3uhOOhtcLKTqd_05xyvesXdHyBVhn2H3ILULdpliTTgOxqzr9ecKz0WqPB8sGD68LFAQJMYv15F7SwycaqFo/s640/bl_660+welney+1.jpg) |
Welney ... what a great place! |
4 comments:
This is wonderful, Caroline! Thanks for sharing. I gasped over and over!
Kay
Ellicott City, MD
USA
what a wonderful place! I'd love to see avocets! I like your photos of the reed buntings, such handsome birds and a nice song too, there are a few of them around the coastal paths and Lagoons in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh
oh and how wonderful to see the water vole!
Oh wow. You see and shoot a lot of good things. I liked your visit and thanks for identifying them. I was searching in my mind for damselfy the other day. Your refreshed my gray cells. I liked all the shots and even the lady bug was a great shot.
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