Blackheath – Dan Doughty
Beautiful photos of silver-washed fritillary by trust warden Gavin Durrant at Reydon Wood - including a variant called Valenzia (greenish/dark form) which occurs in a small number of the species and the first known record of the variant in Reydon Wood.
Valenzia variant of silver washed fritillary at Reydon Wood – Gavin Durrant
Silver washed fritillary – Gavin Durrant
Five lesser emperor dragonflies were recorded at Carlton Marshes recently in the annual dragonfly survey by staff and volunteers carrying out routine dragonfly survey for the year. This species is smaller and duller in colour than the more commonly seen emperor dragonfly.
Five lesser emperor dragonflies were recorded at Carlton Marshes – Gavin Durrant
‘Sedge’ the Konik pony has been "helping" warden Jamie Smith with fence repairs!
Don't you just love working with livestock? Sedge the Konik pony "helping" while fence repairs were being carried out – Jamie Smith
Warden Andy Hickinbotham spotted this male and female wasp spider at Lound Lakes. Mating season is a very risky business for the small male, as the much larger female usually cocoons and eats him afterwards!
Female wasp spider moulting into adulthood – Andy Hickinbotham
Male wasp spider preparing to risk life over mating – Andy Hickinbotham
We are talking about cutting meadows and marshes, bruising bracken and topping reedbeds - these management techniques, in combination with grazing, help maintain optimum floristic diversity and allow specialist plants to thrive.
Teamwork day cutting and clearing a section of Oulton Marshes – Lewis Yates
Blackheath bracken bruising – Dan Doughty
Jamie Smith topping at Church Farm Marshes. A combination of grazing and topping helps reduce dominant rush species, allowing better floristic diversity in the sward.
Matt Gooch topping at Carlton Marshes
Our wonderful Lound Lakes volunteers removing bracken from stock fencing in the heavy rain. After tea and chocolate biscuits, they left happy, accomplished, but still damp! – Andy Hickinbotham
This robin's pincushion was spotted at Lound Lakes. It is a gall caused by the larvae of the tiny gall wasp, Dipoloepis rosae.
Robin's pincushion, a gall caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp, Dipoloepis rosae – Andy Hickinbotham
Reserves intern Ella Broom snapped another amazing sunrise at Trimley this week. She was also lucky enough to snap a great white egret and heron together (it is zoomed in so rather fuzzy) but gives us a good comparison of size between the two birds. There are birds galore to be seen out on the flood area at the moment, with green sandpiper, snipe, ruff, and Egyptian, greylag and Canada geese.
Great white egret and grey heron at Trimley Marshes – Ella Broom
Trimley Marshes sunrise – Ella Broom
The heather at Knettishall Heath is looking spectacular, and there are loads of exciting insects to be seen including these butterflies and mining bees.
Holly blue at Knettishall Heath – David Stansfeld
Common blue at Knettishall Heath – David Stansfeld
Mining bee at Knettishall Heath – David Stansfeld
Knettishall Heath – David Stansfeld
Parasol fungi are thriving at Dingle Marshes - we wonder if anyone has been taking shelter under them during recent downpours!
Parasol fungi are thriving at Dingle Marshes – Jamie Smith
Lackford Lakes Visitor Officer Michael Andrews had a bit of a shock when he came face to face with this shield bug and caterpillar dangling in the middle of the trail! We are not sure whether the shield bug was consuming the caterpillar, or just taking a ride.
Shield bug and caterpillar at Lackford Lakes - Michael Andrews
After a wet June and July, the meadow management season has just started with hay making at Martins’ and Mickfield Meadows, and cutting and grazing at Hutchison’s Meadow.
Warden Ben Calvesbert cutting hay at Mickfield Meadow
Our brilliant heaths and meadows volunteer team raking and a forking the more species rich, wetter area at Hutchisons meadow. The rest of the meadow will be grazed by our sheep flock – Ella Broom
Warden Rachel Norman has been cutting and collecting vegetation on an area of marsh at Snape Marshes. This section used to be rich in orchids, but over the years their numbers have dropped. So, in an attempt to bring them back, we started a cut and collect program using the tractor and Ryetec. As a result, we've noticed a big increase in the number of flowering orchids here this summer. The cut and collect at this time of year really helps the orchids, as it reduces competition, offering them more light and space to grow.
Warden Rachel Norman cutting and collecting vegetation on area of marsh at Snape Marshes.
Our conservation grazers are out in force. New additions at Winks Meadow - sheep are rotationally grazed at Winks to help maintain the wonderful diversity of orchids and other grassland wildflowers seen at the meadow each year. The reserve is temporarily closed while grazing is in progress. At Hen Reedbeds, our British white cattle have been happily munching and trampling.
British white grazing within the reedbeds at Hen Reedbeds – Jamie Smith
