I paid a quick trip to the West Midlands Bird Club members only site at Belvide Reservoir today.
In the aftermath of the Whaley Bridge dam collapse the owners of Belvide, The Canal and River Trust, have lowered the water-level to allow for a full inspection of their dam. As a result the 'shore' is much further away than usual as is reflected in some of these photos.
And now someone else gets in on the action – one of a group of six Dunlin has wandered in to view.
A wader fast-disappearing. Unusually this Greenshank did not emit its diagnostic call so I had to fall-back on visual clues – well just clue really. The white tail with the white extending way up the back of the body is sufficient. Note the long narrow wings, somewhat accentuated by its rapid departure.
As it swings around the bill is just about visible. Rather long but not excessively so, with just a hint of an upward curve.
A splendid female Southern Hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea). The final segments of the abdomen of this species are banded. On other hawkers they are spotted.
(Ed Wilson)