MSQ......

A trip to Messingham again today in the not too brilliant conditions got some great sightings over the 6 hours i was on site.Several interesting sightings were seen of various species.On the bird front the best sighting was 2 Crossbill 'Chipping' there way over the pine plantation,the first i have seen for several months and the fourth year i have seen them here in mid-summer.Other bird sightings of note,were 2 juvenile Avocet feeding with their parents around the bottom islands on the main lake,also here were a couple of fledged juv. Common Tern and a female Tufted Duck with a huge brood of ten ducklings,i also managed to see a couple of Kingfisher as well.It wasn't the best day today for large flying insects and most of the butterflies and dragons where seen only in the brief spells of sunshine or when i flushed them,but i stll managed a cracking close encounter with a female Southern Hawker,see my Dragonfly blog.Other interesting insects included a lovely Grey Dagger larvae,6 Oxycera rara in several locations around the reserve today,Rhagium mordax,Brown-china Mark Moth and the strange looking conopid fly,Myopa buccata.The Dune Helleborine's are in full flower now also and the reserve is looking really good with it's show of wildflowers.A great morning out and it just goes to show you don't always need perfect weather to enjoy the hobby!.