A walk by the River Hull in September

 

It was cold and cloudy to start the day and didn't look too good for a bush-cricket survey walk, but I packed the bat detector and headed towards the river Hull via Barmston Drain at Cough Road. It was quiet, the only thing of note were Mallard flocks flying in circles.  

Mallard.

Elder branches Oak Road Lake with Willow Emerald oviposition scars. 

I stopped to check for bush-crickets at suitable habitat, and there was much along the river bank and adjacent land. It was at 10:30, when the sun started shining, that Long-Winged Coneheads started chugging near Ennerale ponds. The circuit was locked, so I couldn't visit the ponds. 

That time of year when I find dead shrews on paths. This Common Shrew, looking very fresh, it's little tongue out, was on the River Hull floodbank by Ennerdale Leisure centre.

I carried towards the reservoir and then it became obvious why the ducks were flying, there were two workers strimming the vegetation on the banks. A few gulls were in the middle of the water, the level so low that they were standing up.

I returned by the same bank of the river, it was warmer and sunnier. A Little Egret flew over.

I carried on mapping the Long-winged Coneheads and Roesel's. After Sutton Road Bridge a sheltered spot had attracted a Comma and a Speckled Wood.

The beautifully camouflaged and intricate pattern of the underside of a Comma wings

Comma, in all its brightness.

Speckled Wood.

Another patch of Long-winged Conehead habitat by the river bank.

Despite the almost continuous song along the river bank, this is the only conehead I saw all day, a singing male so bright green it contrasted with the dead grass stems.

Long-winged Conehead habitat shot.

Common Darter.

I was very pleased to spot a family of Little Grebes with two chicks in the drain, they quickly hid in the marginal vegetation, so this is the only chick I photographed.

Female Migrant Hawker.

Basking green shieldbug, Palomena prasina.