Walk along the river to Warnham LNR

Another fine day - walked from our stretch of the river north to Warnham Local Nature Reserve. A good start with a fine view of a Hobby hunting directly above, within a group of seven or eight feeding swifts. The group very gradually disappeared to the south downstream along the river course.
At Warnham, the sun had brought out the butterflies along the ride where they clustered on the flowering brambles - large numbers of Ringlet, some Comma, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, and the largest of all - Silver-Washed Fritillary.

                                                        RINGLET butterfly basking

RINGLET butterfly showing outer wing pattern

Birds included a good view of a family of blackcaps with adult male and female feeding fledged young with caterpillars and other insects, just above the butterfly brambles! A singing whitethroat and juveniles were seen in a willow and there was a fine view of a nesting reed warbler sliding down a reed to its hidden nest (brood patch indicated it was still nesting) where it remained, whilst another reed warbler was visible nearby. A chiffchaff was singing over the almost-dried out swamp and a reed bunting was seen briefly on the reeds close to the water where two great crested grebes were resting. Common terns were by far the most active birds on the Millpond. Leaving the Reserve I noticed a splendid grey wagtail carrying food, sitting on the sluice gates;  after posing for a while it flew off downstream.