Odd ball plant at the nature reserve

The Safari had a meeting to attend which was close to the nature reserve and once we were done we were able to have a sunny hour our so over there.

We had a couple of targets for our Patchwork Challenge to find. A quick look from the hide down from the new Visitor Centre, which is looking good with it's new artwork, gave us very little other than the two Garganeys over in the scrape.

We had a look down the dyke and across the fields but there wasn't anything to see. Once near the scrub the dragonflies started to make their presence felt. We had Common Darters basking on the stone path, several Migrant and Brown Hawkers. 

At the 'new' rear scrape there was a Green Sandpiper (MMLNR #93) asleep in the farthest corner...it always seems to be the farthest corner for us pic-wise at the mo.

We had a chat to GN who was gathering dead hedge material for tomorrow's volunteer group. He'd had a bit of fun disturbing a Wasp nest. While chatting a Cetti's Warbler called from the reeds beyond the bush behind him, the first he'd heard for a while.

He also showed us some plants that had come up put of the seed bank after last winter's construction work. Several lovely blue Cornflowers had come up, how long has that seed lain dormant in the soil? There was also a pretty pink flower we didn't recognise at all. Any ideas anyone?

Rather straggly, about a foot tall at most, with only a few lanceolate leaves.

From there we had a slow walk through the scrub listening out for a chance of Garden Warbler but the scrub was just about silent, nothing was calling or moving in there other than a couple of Woodpigeons, not really surprising given the temperature and time of day, we'd have more luck in the morning.

Out of the scrub on the old track the butterflies were impressive, a Peacock, several small Whites some may well have been Green Veined Whites but wouldn't settle and a fair number of Common Blues. Gard to count as they kept doubling back behind us and then the same or others overtaking us as we walked. Best were a couple of Small Coppers.

Nothing else of any new note was on found on the way back. But annoyingly once near the Land Rover and under the trees all the gulls went up in a noisy panic, a few minutes earlier we'd have stood a chance of seeing what all the fuss was about.

Where to next? A look at Patch 2 and our final kid's group on the beach of the holiday tomorrow.
In the meantime let us know who's hiding in the farthest corner in your outback.