Great Crested Grebe A bittern rose from the reed bed and flew before us, its legs trailing, the sun enhancing its ginger brown plumage. The interlude imprinted in my mind's-eye. In spring bittern were booming but I hadn't seen one for some years and this was a splendid sighting, seeming long and leisurely. Bittern are secretive with camouflage adapted to their reed-bed habitat so it's rare to see them. Young eels are part of the bittern diet and an RSPB conservation programme targets both species.
Illustrations in medieval Books of Hours show bittern whose call would once have been familiar. Bittern are a success story at Leighton Moss, Water levels in the reed beds are carefully regulated and, with young eels to add to their diet of fish and amphibians bittern numbers are increasing.
The morning grew bright and sunny and temperatures rose to about 19 degrees. Extreme temperatures are predicted for 17th-19th July, a record-breaking 40 degrees for parts of the UK. We expected to see butterflies and dragonflies. Vegetation looked lush and tall, refreshed by an overnight shower. We were not alone in our concern at the dearth of insects. A couple were looking for dragonflies, without success. Wardens record sightings at this RSPB Reserve and they confirm this yea's dramatic decline in numbers.
The morning grew bright and sunny and temperatures rose to about 19 degrees. Extreme temperatures are predicted for 17th-19th July, a record-breaking 40 degrees for parts of the UK. We expected to see butterflies and dragonflies. Vegetation looked lush and tall, refreshed by an overnight shower. We were not alone in our concern at the dearth of insects. A couple were looking for dragonflies, without success. Wardens record sightings at this RSPB Reserve and they confirm this yea's dramatic decline in numbers.
Arriving at Leighton Moss we learnt of early morning sightings: a pair of hobby, bittern and marsh harrier in flight, kingfisher, greenshank, redshank, and otter. Across the water we could make out a distant great crested grebe, several mute swan and coot. Enjoying the peace and tranquillity, the susurration of a breeze through the reeds and patterns of light and shadow on the water, we waited. Climate Change brings hobby further north. 'Look for ' orange-red trousers and supreme velocity,' we'd need sharp-eyes and good luck to glimpse those two hobby. At last, the great crested grebe swam closer and the sun illuminated the bird.
A juvenile marsh harrier flew directly toward us and, like the bittern flight, there was time to relish the sighting. A flock of redshank took flight and glinted in the sunlight. Black-tailed godwit followed them. There's an islet out in the water where cormorant gathered with two juvenile black-back gulls. Amongst them were godwit, redshank and greenshank. At that distance the images aren't sharp but red and green legs (shanks) distinguish them.
A juvenile marsh harrier flew directly toward us and, like the bittern flight, there was time to relish the sighting. A flock of redshank took flight and glinted in the sunlight. Black-tailed godwit followed them. There's an islet out in the water where cormorant gathered with two juvenile black-back gulls. Amongst them were godwit, redshank and greenshank. At that distance the images aren't sharp but red and green legs (shanks) distinguish them.
Raindrops lingered on vegetation and it was so refreshing to walk in wet grass in open sandals. There was marsh valerian and meadow sweet and the tall inflorescence of a purple flower I assumed was purple loosestrife. The couple we spoke with suggested the plant was marsh woundwort so I took more photographs to check later. Both plants bear a spike of purple flowers and are found in damp ground close to water. Looking at individual flowers the distinction is clear. Marsh woundwort, Stachys palustris, has a two-lipped corolla. The upper lip is hooded or rather flat. Flowers occur in whorls on a spike and there's a ring of hairs inside the corolla tube.
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria also has whorls of flowers on a long spike but petals are separate.
Stamens are pollinated by long-tongued insects, bees, butterflies. We found both marsh woundwort and purple loosestrife at Leighton Moss.
The early afternoon sun lit greater willowherb, codlins and cream, and the breeze swept tall reeds and flowers in and out of camera-shot. A memorable day with good views of bittern and marsh harrier in flight. And the call of redshank, wren and reed warbler, the shimmer of sunlit flocks and sunlight and shadow. Shade is cool, for a photographer and in anticipation of a heat-wave.
Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria also has whorls of flowers on a long spike but petals are separate.
Stamens are pollinated by long-tongued insects, bees, butterflies. We found both marsh woundwort and purple loosestrife at Leighton Moss.
The early afternoon sun lit greater willowherb, codlins and cream, and the breeze swept tall reeds and flowers in and out of camera-shot. A memorable day with good views of bittern and marsh harrier in flight. And the call of redshank, wren and reed warbler, the shimmer of sunlit flocks and sunlight and shadow. Shade is cool, for a photographer and in anticipation of a heat-wave.
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