Lake District, June, Day 5.

A lazy morning today, waiting for the sun to decide what it was going to do.  Eventually the day warmed up and the sky looked as though it was going to clear, so, after lunch outside, we set off for foulshaw moss to look for white-faced darters.  Although the main focus was the darters, which have been re-introduced here and are now doing well, we also hoped for other dragon and damselflies as well as the patch ospreys.  

Pulling into the car park we headed, as usual to the two feeding stations which, as always, came up trumps.  Among other species I was pleased to see tree sparrow, siskin and lesser redpoll.  Moving out onto the moss itself we reached the elevated viewing point where a kind birder let us look at the ospreys through his 'scope.  Very clear views of two birds standing on the nest, whether large chicks or adults I am not sure.

Around in the wooded marsh area large skippers were on the wing in large numbers with the odd meadow brown, a lone brimstone and my first ringlet of the year.  Azure damselflies were present in large numbers along with a few blue- tailed damsels and large reds.  I was pleased to find and photograph a single black darter female and a few four spotted chasers were on the wing with one posing to perfection.  I did eventually find a couple of rare white-faced darters, both male but sadly only resting on the boardwalk.

A couple of hours sped by and it was time to head off to Outgate, near Hawkshead, to visit some friends who have a cottage there.  Later, returning to the van, we decided that we had left it too late to BBQ.  Just as well, because when I let myself into the van it was like a sauna.  Thinking we had left the oven or hot plate on I checked but they were fine.  Opening the door and all windows and roof lights I noticed that the the radiators were pumping out heat and the water in the hot water tank was boiling hot.  Even the central heating fluid was boiling when I checked the expansion tank.  Turning off everything to do with heating and hot water we left it to cool down, although I did notice a glitch on the control panel: it claimed that the ambient temperature was -40C!!  No wonder it was pumping out heat.  Later, delving into the mysteries of the Alde control panel, I found a possible cause of the anomoly and corrected it.  Fortunately all seems good now.  Phew!!!

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Azure Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

Black Darter, female

Four spotted chaser

Four spotted chaser

Four spotted chaser

Large Red Damselfly

White Faced Darter, male

White Faced Darter, male