A wander at the lake and meadow

Yesterday the weather was cool and wet, the rain was heavy and lasted throughout the day. Sunday was better and we did have a walk across the meadow along the lakes in Rushden.

There were very few damselflies and dragonflies today, normally we see large numbers. The weather was cool and changeable and this may have been why. The number of insects generally seems lower this year on this walk. we made a point of looking closely to discover insects today. Rewarded with beetles and bees as well as cinnabar moth caterpillars.

The teasels were a magnet to bees and they were great to watch as they moved across the dusty pink flowers .

There were a few butterflies flitting about especially around the brambles. Gatekeepers and speckled woods and one peacock butterfly .

The swans were resting and preening with their cygnets which are large now. They were in a family group behind some trees in the lake. Hard to photograph through the growth.

Ducks were swimming in groups with their large ducklings and plenty of coots and grebes and diving cormorants. There seem to be far fewer fish when looking down into the lake from the boardwalk this summer.