Pond in Autumn

I have posted before about the walks at Denso Marston Nature Reserve. I am surprised that more people don’t turn up. They are a great way to learn more about the nature right on out doorsteps.

This latest one was titled Pond in Autumn and as you can guess it was centred around the water on the reserve. If anyone can help with the ID of some of these things please do. I tend to be busy taking photos and don’t listen to Steve all the time – nor do I make notes.

I took along my extension tubes to let me get nice and close to the creepy things found in the water.
Polaroid Auto Focus Macro Extension Tubes

This was also pretty much the first time I was taking my new Canon 7D Camera Body out and about.

We started near the pond created by the Spider Club (an old bath sunk into the ground) and while Steve was talking about the pond I took some photos around and about.

The first was of a fungus growing on a tree stump

As usual you can click on the image to view it larger on Flickr.

While we were talking there were 4 or 5 Speckled Wood butterflies flying around. Fortunately one of them settled long enough for me to get a photo of it.

We then moved on to the main pond and did some dipping with the nets.

The tray was soon teeming with life

Phantom Midge Larvae

Snails, with Damselfly Larva

Smooth Newts

Unknown 1

Waterboatman

Pond Skater

Unknown 2

Water Scorpion

Part way through the pond dipping someone noticed a small bird fly out from the reeds over the water. Everything stopped while the bird was identified – a Sedge Warbler

We then went back to looking at pond creatures where we saw a Brown Hawker dragonfly Larva

Lots of little nymphs

Fresh Water Louse

As usual we then finished with a drink of coffee and some biscuits. During this we noticed that the pile of wood chippings was growing a nice set of fungi

On the way out after the walk I noticed dozens of wasps near the timber edge of the path, not too far from the Spider Club area. A hole in the ground, under some nettles, about 2 inches in diameter had wasps flying in and out of it. I didn’t stay around too long.