29/5/10: Lee Valley Park - Cheshunt for Cornmill Meadows

A London Natural History Society meeting, primarily for Odonata, starting out at Cheshunt railway station. The weather started out OK, but turned against us, though it did mean that later on the insects we did find stayed put while we got photographs.

Early on we got Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Azure as well as a Large Red-eyed Damselfly, the latter a new species for me.

Having only recently found Yellow Vetchling (Lathyrus aphaca) for the first time, I was pleased to come across a small amount at the outset of this walk.

This male Banded Demoiselle was one of several seen close to water

A Cetti's Warbler was heard. We found a Large Red Damselfly. Spindle, Wayfaring Tree and Guelder Rose have been planted as hedging ,

This male Hairy Dragonfly had been grounded on flowering Spindle by light rain

Tufted Vetch, Bush Vetch and Red Campion were amongst the plants seen

This Perennial Cornflower (Centaurea montana) was a 'garden escape', despite being some distance from any habitation. Several Agrimony were later found.

At the Cornmill Meadow area there was a female Hairy Dragonfly, a Pheasant, a Snipe, Shoveler, a Swallow and a Little Egret. I saw one of what appeared to be two Cuckoos.

A colourful red and black Froghopper on Horseradish was later identified as Cercopis vulnerata.

We tried to make up for the lack of Odonata action by trying to get pictures for identification of the two or maybe three species of Cranefly, but none would settle, despite the conditions.

A short-cut on a public footpath back towards Cheshunt in reality involved a long trek on a very narrow track through a field of wet Rape on horribly sticky clay soil.

Back at the various lakes 60-70 Swifts (more in the distance) and a few House Martins zoomed overhead. A Jay was later seen.

26/5/10: Along Thames Road and down at the Wetland - Goatsbeard and Marsh Frogs

The grassy-leaved Composite Goatsbeard had come to relative prominence today, specimens being seen in flower in Eversley Avenue, along parts of Thames Rd and in a couple of gardens on Crayford Way :

Goatsbeard in flower in a shrub bed on Thames Road

A single plant of Sainfoin, which I haven't seen in this location before, was noted in flower in the interesting 'weedy' areas around the Perry Street roundabout. 6 White Campion were also in flower here.

Another attempt was made to get some photographs of the Marsh Frogs at the wetland, but they jump into the water as soon as disturbed (which is before you see them) and don't re-surface for ages. When they do, the slightest movement causes them to quickly submerge again. This is the best shot I got .....

Marsh Frog (Rana ridibunda) at the Thames Road Wetland site

There was a fair amount of Odonatan activity. A female Hairy Dragonfly was seen ovipositing along this channel:

This channel between narrow banks at Thames Road Wetland sees Dragonfly and Marsh Frog activity

Blue-tailed Damselfly on an old Reedmace stem at TRW

A Large Red Damselfly perches on a Creeping Buttercup flower at TRW

Large numbers of Blue-tailed Damselflies were along the north side of the site, below the Sewer Embankment. There was also a male Banded Demoiselle here, the first of this species that I've seen within the TRW 'bowl' proper. Lots more Blue-tails and a number of Azure Damselflies were on the Nettle/Comfrey bank between the deep water part of the site and the Wansunt. Some Water Boatmen of Notonecta sp. were seen, along with a small fish (though no fish have been deliberately introduced to the waters here).