A group visit.

Wheatear

I went into work today to lead a small group from Market Deeping U3A (University of the Third Age.) Nine of them turned out and I enjoyed their visit so much I stayed an extra hour. We saw so much! 

Hobby

If birds are your thing, then a wheatear in the former Lafarge site should float your boat. Then we picked up a lesser whitethroat but lost it while we were distracted by a hobby. There was a kingfisher and a buzzard at the river viewpoint, plus all the usual birds on the Heronry Lakes. 

Brown argus.

For me the wasp spider, brown argus, small heath and common blue butterflies were a delight and the plants were excellent too. We poked around and found cornflower, corn chamomile, poppy and wild carrot as well as my set pieces like great dodder and blue fleabane, which is everywhere at Paxton. We found yellow-wort (a gentian related to centaury) in an area we didnt expect it. It usually grows on chalk.

Mating damsels.

And finally there were dragonflies and damsels. We all saw migrant hawkers, southern hawkers, brown hawkers and ruddy darters. 

Wasp spider

Don't ever tell me there's nothing to see at Paxton in August!

If you would like to bring a group for a guided tour, please book well in advance. You will find a booking form on our website at https://sites.google.com/site/paxtonpitsnaturereserve/visiting/group-visits