Flowers, dragonflies and birds

On 2 August 2015, to De Wilck nature reserve. Among the birds there was this adult great crested grebe, swimming with its two youngsters in a ditch.

Before entering the reserve, there already was a common tern, and barn swallows, flying around. Grass rush flowers.

In De Wilck, lady’s thumb flowering along the footpath.

Frogbit flowers in the ditch water.

Male and a female blue-tailed damselflies in a tandem.

At a small lake, great cormorants, a mallard and a tufted duck on a small island. A common sandpiper near the western bank.

Arrowhead flowers and leaves protruding from ditch water.

A male emperor dragonfly flying over the ditch.

A small tortoiseshell butterfly on a bittersweet flower.

A great egret.

A mute swan couple with seven cygnets.

A northern lapwing flies.

Long-headed poppy flowers along the footpath.

A male black-tailed skimmer dragonfly just above the water. Flying lower and faster than the emperor dragonfly.

Two stock doves flying.

A red admiral butterfly.

In a meadow, five Canada geese. And two barnacle geese.

Edible frog sound.

A grey heron flying.

Two hares near a fence. We go back.

A kestrel hovering.

Scores of common linnets. The ones on the photo are juveniles.

We continue to the Spookverlaat hide, not far away from De Wilck.

A white stork standing on its nest.

A blackbird sings.

On the islet near the hide: great cormorants, mallards, a moorhen.

In the water, a tufted duck.

And in the reedbeds, this reed warbler.

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