NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

After several days of uncomfortably hot temperatures, it was back to just having to endure a moderately 'hot' day, with the added bonus of a moderate easterly breeze. Yesterday afternoon, Gordon Hay took on the role as a 'Mad dog' or an 'Englishman' by going out to Holmethorpe in the midday sun, and finding a Lesser Emperor, a species of Odonata that we both thought long overdue at the sand pits. This morning, I tried to emulate him. On arrival there was not an awful lot yet on the wing, so I walked along the northern side of Mercer's Lake and kept one eye on the water's edge for any dragonfly action. A few were flying as I reached the north-eastern corner, so edged down to be closer - Black-tailed Skimmers and Emperor Dragonflies, with a few Common Blue Damselflies for company. A fallen tree, partially submerged and only 25m from where I stood, was acting as a perch for a number of Black-headed Gulls. I idly scanned them, realising that in the water alo...

This non-native, invasive plant is one of those attractive undesirables. Found in its native range from Canada all the way down to Argentina, it crops up in lakes and ponds across the UK. This clump is to be found outside of one of the bird hides at Porth Reservoir in Cornwall. Regardless of its bad press, it cheered my day up.