Chard Road Gravel Pits 20th August

Last night I paid a late evening visit to the gravel pits. It was very quiet on the bird front apart from a nice group of Mandarin Ducks on the East Lake.

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)

They were a mixture of eclipse males and females. There was also a single Green Sandpiper on the far bank and the usual Mallards,Coots and Little Grebes.
A walk down to the West Lake produced a group of three juvenile Grey Herons and a few Hirundines skimming over the water.

Orb Web Spider (Araneus diadematus)

There was more to see in the way of 'bugs' with quite a few Dragonfly's and Damselfly's on the wing and a few early moths flitting about.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerium)