A busy weekend

On Saturday, ERCCIS (Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly) held a Surveying for Dragonflies Workshop on the reserve. The emphasis was on identifying dragonflies by their exuviae. When a nymph is fully grown it crawls out of the pond up the stem of a plant. It then sheds its skin and the adult dragonfly emerges. The skin that the nymph left behind is called the exuvia and each one has its own characteristics.

The group collected all the exuviae they could find and identified 268 Emperors (150 females, 118 males), 45 Common Darters, 14 Four-spotted Chasers (8 females, 6 males), 6 Black-tailed Skimmers (5 females, 1 male) and 14 Emerald Damselflies! Many thanks to Steve Jones for these figures.

The following day Dougy Wright and Steve led a very enjoyable three hour walk, concentrating mostly on wildlife in and around the ponds. Seventeen people attended and despite the lack of sunshine, we did really well - thanks guys. The highlight for me were the Water Stick-insects.



Thanks to Dougy for this species list:

Butterflies: Clouded Yellow, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Small White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Grayling, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Holly Blue

Moths: Silver Y, Straw Dot, Pyrausta despicata

Odonata: Emperor, Golden-ringed, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emerald Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle

Other Insects: Water Stick-insect, Water Scorpion, Great Green Bush-cricket, Long-winged Conehead, Meadow Grasshopper

Reptiles: Slow Worm, Common Lizard, Adder skin

Amphibians: Common Toad, Common Frog

Mammals: Fox, Common Shrew, Wood-mouse

I forgot to take my camera, but you'll find some quality photos on Steve Rogers' blog:

http://www.swopticsphoto.com/2011/07/field-trip-to-windmill-farm-lizard.html