In The Shadows of Heartache, My Dreams Come Alive

It was a Saturday morning and my van was due it's service. Luckily the garage is opposite Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve, so rather than sit and wait drinking awful coffee from a vending machine and reading boring car magazines, I picked up my camera and binoculars and set off for something much more exciting!
There had been reports that a rare Great White Egret had been seen here all week. No sooner had I arrived than the bird in question replied likewise.... 

It was all great here today. An adult Great Crested Grebe too

Along with another adult and juveniles

The familiar call of a Buzzard gave me a chance to get some shots as it glided overhead hassled by Crows as usual.

Back on the lakes there were a couple of Green Sandpiper zipping around,along with a couple of Common Sandpiper also which I managed to capture as they flew past...

The Grebes' were a constant entertainment. The juveniles had a constant peep, peep, peep call which wasn't too dissimilar to the sound of a reversing truck only a little faster. The adults would dive for food which was the only time the young would be silent and a little bemused as to where mum and dad had gone? 

You knew the adult had surfaced when the calls continued. The juveniles had a strange way of swimming when food was offered, in a subservient begging manner whilst kicking their legs behind them. The best analogy for this would be the wind up frog I used to have as a child in the bath. 

On one occasion a fish was offered to one youngster then immediately after exchange the adult turned aggressive and chased it away. Maybe it had had more than it's fare share of food? 

The Great White Egret returned to the scene...

I find it's neck almost incomprehensibly thin. Surely you can't fit other than tiddlers down there?

A couple of Grey Heron hoved into view so not to be outdone.

The GWE wasn't concerned about tiddlers. A big bird deserves a big fish.

It had caught what looked to me like a Rudd. I thought to myself, you are not going to fit that down big bird!

It took it's time tenderising and paralysing with a few stabs, then began the slow process of sharp neck flicks in order to widen the jaw and position the fish ready for consumption.

And in a blink of the eye it was down. A quick sip of water- I am surmising helps digestion- and it stopped for a few moments as the fish slipped slowly into it's demise and the Egret's satisfaction.

A slightly different shape from whence it started...'A wafer thin mint?' I thought of offering it !?

I had the call my van was ready for collection so I headed back. The Buzzard had alighted on a nearby dead tree, surrounded by starlings who knew they weren't going to be hassled by a slow scavenging raptor.

 A female Green Veined White ( Thanks Chris) flew past as I made my way along the lake...

 I picked up the van and decided a trip to nearby Eling Mill was in order to try to spot a passing Osprey. The Mute Swans' were in full family mode...

 I sat on the bench which overlooks Southampton Water and had my lunch. A Harlequin Ladybird joined me...

 The container terminal looms large over the water. In front the tide is out and the waders and gulls are taking the time to feed.

 A Little Egret showed it's skills in fishing in front of me...

 Having had no luck with Osprey Watch, I had time on my side, so I decided to switch tack and head to Broughton Down in North West Hampshire not too far away. This is a beautiful chalk downland full of wildflowers and butterflies.The weather was hot and clammy with thunderstorms threatening all around, but I took my chances... My first sighting was a female Common Blue

 A Large White next up...

 An Adonis Blue appeared and was very accommodating for me. Stunning butterfly. This picture doesn't do justice to the colour it shows.

 I crouched low down, back on my stomach. It still stayed, unperturbed.

 A Common Purple and Gold Moth, typical of habitat such as this. A little faded though.

 Common Blue were fairly prominent here and many fed on the Hemp Agrimony, a good nectar source later in the summer.

 Small Tortoiseshell have had a quiet year, just one showed here. The underwing not as eye catching as the upperwing...

 Meadow Browns are always numerous and were laying the foundations for next years brood.

 I moved away from the southern slopes. A scorpion fly was having it's lunch courtesy of some other unfortunate insect.

 Some good views looking north towards Wiltshire

 Field grasshoppers were everywhere and sprang up as I walked

 The most notable butterfly on this side were the Small Heath, here a couple were courting

 Looking distant I spotted a Stock Dove perched on a dead tree. 

 Brown Argus, arguably one of my favourites, still on the wing...

 Meadow Grasshoppers abound here too...

I walked back to the southern slope. My objective today apart from a walk in nature was to capture the Silver Spotted Skipper on film. They are usually easy to see here but so far I had drawn a blank.
Meadow Brown still the most numerous here. Fifty plus at least.

 Some more Brown Argus...

 ...and Small Heath

 The Adonis begged for more, how could I resist?

 Last up today was a lovely Six Spot Burnet on a Devils Bit Scabious, which sounds like a great title for an album!?
I hung on for ages in the vain hope of a Skipper but gave up as I had to head home. It had been an emotional week for us within the family so I needed to be there. As with everything in nature, the only permanence is change.  

N.B. The title of this blog is taken from The Alarm 'Permanence in Change' (In honour of Frank)