Wolves Wild

Even when seen almost directly from behind, this butterfly feeding on a thistle flower couldn’t be anything else but a comma.

Another of the bird species on the RSPB reserve at Bowling Green Marsh. Two herons. Every few minutes, one started chasing the other. They both circled briefly, landed in different spots from the one they had started. After a pause, the cycle repeated.

The Exe estuary is one of the top spots in Europe as a winter destination for migratory birds. many of them feed on the flora and fauna of the rich river mud at low tide, and retreat to the marshes and reed beds of the floodplains of the river and its tidal tributaries at high tide.

Much of the wetland area downstream of Exeter’s (fast expanding) built-up area is now a series of RSPB reserves. One of the longest established is Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham.

High tide in winter is when the reserve becomes a birding magnet, pullulating with many species of waterfowl. But there’s a chance of something of interest at any season. Little egrets, like the one preening in the foreground here, are now year-long residents on the estuary. The spoonbill pair here, this time,  were resolutely keeping their distinctive beaks completely hidden.

A pair of common red soldier beetles, busily engaged in mating, and not at all disturbed when I brought the camera quite close to get these pictures. The male is a lot smaller than the female.

One of the black swans on the river Exe at Topsham, flying upstream. The bridge in the lasty picture carries the M5 across the river.

Common red soldier beetles are indeed common in summer, and bright red. Although they are small, they are fairly easy to spot when busy feeding on white flowers like these wild carrot.