{"id":15763,"date":"2026-07-05T11:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marfell.me.uk\/wordpress\/?p=15763"},"modified":"2026-07-05T11:09:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T10:09:39","slug":"denso-marston-nr-river-aire-25-march-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marfell.me.uk\/wordpress\/denso-marston-nr-river-aire-25-march-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Denso Marston NR & River Aire. 25 March 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

A few sightings from 25 March at Denso Marston Nature Reserve. Tadpoles, Moorhens, Canada Geese, Grey Heron, Roe Deer, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The header image is of a Moorhen chick eating a Tadpole that its parent has just given it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As usual you can tap\/touch\/click on an image to see it in better quality in the carousel gallery with an i<\/em> for more information. And if you like what you see please click on one or more of the Share <\/em>buttons at the bottom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

DMNR<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

These are a few photos from a trip down to Denso Marston Nature Reserve and along the River Aire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the nice things of the visit was watching the adult Moorhen pick up Tadpoles and put them in front of the chick for it to eat. The chick had to make several attempts for each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the Canada Geese was dipping its head in the water and causing water to flow over its back and I was a little surprised to see it flow uniformly and cover its whole back – neck to tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t think I have seen a Common Malachite Beetle, Malachius bipustulatus<\/em>, before. Herons on the other hand are a frequent sight on the River Aire. This one though had picked up a long twig. I assume that it was for nest building. It’s a bit late to start a nest but perhaps they are one of those birds that takes stuff back to the nest throughout the breeding season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The photo of the car wheel is one of many I have taken during visits. In the next few days I intend to put them together in a post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Tadpoles\"<\/figure><\/div>
\"Moorhen<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Moorhen<\/figure><\/div>
\"Moorhen<\/figure>
\"Canada<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Canada<\/figure>
\"Common<\/figure>
\"Grey<\/figure><\/div>
\"Cardinal<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Ladybird\"<\/figure>
\"Spider\"<\/figure><\/div>
\"Green<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Green<\/figure><\/div>
\"Speckled<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Banded<\/figure><\/div>
\"Damselflies\"<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Banded<\/figure><\/div>
\"Bumblebee\"<\/figure>
\"Roe<\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Car<\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Track<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The squiggles show where I wandered taking the photos, though I don’t remember going in the river. You can move around the map by dragging, you can also zoom in or out, or make the map full screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n