6 June 2021

Found a new bird on the reservoir today - it's the first time that I've seen a Great-crested Grebe here.  There are a lot of them on Farmoor reservoir, so I suspect that they call in from time to time.

Great-crested Grebe [Reservoir]

A pair Tufted Ducks were on the pond on the 3rd Blue first thing this morning.  There were also several more on the reservoir along with Gadwall and Mallard.

 

Tufted Ducks [3rd Blue]

There are also plenty of young birds around.  This Chiffchaff was part of a family group of 5 or 6 birds behind the 14th Blue.

Chiffchaff [14th Blue]

There were a lot of Beautiful Demoiselle's on the left of the 4th on the Blue, centred around the small pond. The males have darker wings and are a more vibrant blue/green than the females.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Male) Calopteryx virgo [4th Blue]

Beautiful Demoiselle (Female) Calopteryx virgo [4th Blue]

There are also a few of the much smaller Common Blue Damselflies around.  This one was at the bottom of the Tubney range to the left of the 3rd Red.

Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum [Tubney range]

Nearby in the long grass was this Cardinal Beetle.

Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis [3rd Red]

As I visited different areas of the courses, I saw lots of Common Spotted Orchids - anywhere with water nearby.  This was one of the patch in the fen on the 3rd Blue.

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii [3rd Blue]

There are also a few different species of Speedwell in the rough.  This is Slender Speedwell from the 13th Red. There is a nice display of Germander Speedwell along the hedge on the Doghouse range.  

Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis [13th Red]

Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys [Doghouse range]

In the shorter grass you may also come across Thyme-leaved Speedwell, which has smaller, paler flowers.  This photo is from early May, but there are still plenty in flower.

Thyme-leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia [15th Blue]