June 5th Strumpshaw Fen

Reed Buntings

Walking to Strumpshaw, all I was thinking was how many orchids at the reserve was in flower right now? However, my curiosity turned to disappointment. The bee orchids appear to not be anywhere close to flowering, the common spotted orchids were nowhere to be seen in the usual grassy areas of the first part of the woodland trail, and the meadow trail was completely switched over from how it was last week with the cattle moved to the section where I saw those early marsh orchids, leaving me walking around a different, yet very orchid-less part of the trail. Only the twayblade I saw last Wednesday was the only orchid I saw all day, now in full bloom. What has happened to Strumpshaw's orchids? Are they late this year? I'll have to see if my luck changes next week.

Bittern

Feeling rather deflated from the lack of orchids, I stopped over to the Fen Hide. A pair of mute swans were feeding on the aquatic plants alongside their three tiny, fluffy, grey cygnets. Reed buntings were also feeding their young sitting on reed stems in full view, while reed warblers were churring half hidden nearby. A male marsh harrier soared low over the front of the hide, almost completely diverting my attention from a bittern that decided that that exact moment was the time to make its emergence from the reeds. If it thought I didn't see it, it was wrong. I have photographic proof!

Swallowtail

So far this summer, the swallowtails had been evading me. I have yet to see one this year. That is, until today! I finally got my chance to see one at long last. They had been seen most days when I wasn't on shift. The nectar garden outside the Reception Hide was lacking the crowds of photographers circled around it like they usually do during the swallowtail season in the last two Wednesdays, but not this time. It was all back to normal as visitors from all over England joined me in enjoying the moment as this beautiful and rare butterfly came to drink its share of nectar from the sweet rocket flowers. There was a lengthy gap between its first, early performance of the morning to its next showing around lunchtime, where it stayed a lot longer for everyone to see. Between appearances, during its absence, I was completely mesmerised by the activity of the ruby-tailed wasps on the nectar garden stump that I found it hard to tear myself away.