As I approached the reserve I could see it raining to the south and feared the worse. And till about 2.30 the conditions were overcast and miserable with very little to photograph, except a little grebe with its young - but there was a spoonbill on show, the closest I'd ever seen a wild
one, but still far to far away to photograph. I wandered round for a bit, as I didnt want to go home so soon after travelling for so long to get there, and soon after entering the forest area a weasel shot across the path just in front of me. I hung around till 2.30 and decided to stay for a bit
longer and try and find some water voles. I didnt unfortunately but I'm glad I stayed as around 3pm the sun came out; and so did the insects and Marsh frogs. There was atleast 4 female Emperor Dragonflies flying round and laying eggs. Also up near the rifle range was a tame wren
singing his heart out. And on my way out I saw one of the biggest Marsh frogs I have seen yet. In the picture the smaller frog is about the size of a full grown common frog, which shows how big the other is! And I did see a species of dragonfly I didnt regonise which kept dipping its abdomen into the water and wrestled/mated? with a male black tailed skimmer but as I had the camera following it waiting for it to land there was a splash and then a marsh frog sitting there - the dragonfly presumably in its gut!
As I approached the reserve I could see it raining to the south and feared the worse. And till about 2.30 the conditions were overcast and miserable with very little to photograph, except a little grebe with its young - but there was a spoonbill on show, the closest I'd ever seen a wild 
one, but still far to far away to photograph. I wandered round for a bit, as I didnt want to go home so soon after travelling for so long to get there, and soon after entering the forest area a weasel shot across the path just in front of me. I hung around till 2.30 and decided to stay for a bit
longer and try and find some water voles. I didnt unfortunately but I'm glad I stayed as around 3pm the sun came out; and so did the insects and Marsh frogs. There was atleast 4 female Emperor Dragonflies flying round and laying eggs. Also up near the rifle range was a tame wren 
singing his heart out. And on my way out I saw one of the biggest Marsh frogs I have seen yet. In the picture the smaller frog is about the size of a full grown common frog, which shows how big the other is! And I did see a species of dragonfly I didnt regonise which kept dipping its abdomen into the water and wrestled/mated? with a male black tailed skimmer but as I had the camera following it waiting for it to land there was a splash and then a marsh frog sitting there - the dragonfly presumably in its gut!
1 comment:
That frog is a beauty! I don't think I have ever seen one so big either.
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