First trip to DMNR on first May.

You might have guessed that I quite enjoy a quiet walk along the river at Denso Marston Nature Reserve. My first May visit there was on first May.

As usual please tap on an image to see it in its gallery carousel.

One of the first things I spotted, other than a couple of Blackbirds and Robins on the path down to the reserve, were 2 Long Tailed Tits. They pulled at little web-like clumps on the side of a Crack Willow. I did wonder if they were going to use it in a nest but one of them hung by one leg and pecked and pulled at it, looking as though it was eating what, I guess, are little spiders within it. It could actually be silk from a moth. When do bushes get covered in silk by moths to protect their caterpillars? I still have not got a shot of a Blackcap this year but I could hear several. Only Chaffinch and a Song Thrush let themselves get photographed. I already have plenty of photos of Mallard, Goosander and Mandarin Duck so I left them alone this time.

I couldn’t resist another photo of the Alder Leaf Beetle on Alder leaves. And with the Alder theme this is what I’m pretty sure is an Alder Fly. Alder Leaf Beetles were also on Hawthorn and sticking with the theme I spotted a Hawthorn Fly. Slightly smaller than the Alder Leaf Beetles and green, but similar shape, is what I think is a Green Dock Beetle. This one looks enormous under its wing cases and ready to lay a few thousand eggs. Other little things with wings were Helophilus Hoverfly, Nomada Bee, Early Mining Bee, Male Orange-tip and a Speckled Wood. I took the last photo so that I could look at it at home. I couldn’t see it properly in the wild. I wondered if it was a cocoon like those of the Burnet Moths. Now, to me, it looks like a catkin has got stuck on a twig. But how did it wrap around the twig. Is that what it grew on or is it actually the chrysalis of a moth? It’s hairy/furry so not a Burnet moth.

The last photos are the Bracket Fungus again that is on a Crack Willow. A Red Campion coming into flower and an industrial trolley in the river, yet more wheels in the river.