Stover Country Park

And some more views from Stover Country Park.

A Brimstone butterfly.

Stover Country Park - Emerald Damselflies

At Stover Country Park there were lots of Emerald Damselflies on the wing.

Stover Country Park - the aerial walkway

Last year's visit to Stover Country Park also included photos of the aerial walkway, definitely one of the key attractions at the park.   Gazing downamongst the tree canopy is very ineteresting.

Unfortunately my bird photos were hazey - which was a shame because they inckluded a Willow Tit, a species I haven't photographed before.  An excuse for another visit next year...

There were also Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Greenfinches and Nutchatches on the aerial feeders.

Stover Country Park - bird hide

Last year I blogged about visit to Stover Country Park. This year's visit was equally enjoyable and interesting, beginning at the bird hide which overlooks the lake.

Stover Country Park

On Saturday afternoon we went to Stover Country Park.


This is a young Oak Apple Gall (Biorhiza pallida) on an Oak.


We walked around the lake. This is a Coot nesting on an artificial platform in the lake.


And a Great Crested Grebe on its nest.


I like it when Reserves have notice boards telling one of exceptional things to look out for at the moment.



We saw two pair of Great Crested Grebes nesting.


There are plenty of Mallard on the lake. I just love it when the sun catches the sheen on a duck's head.


A Mute Swan.



There is an excellent aerial walkway in the country park.



It takes one into the tree canopy with aerial views of the wildlife.


We saw Grey Squirrels feeding on the ground, birds on hanging bird feeders and a Brown Rat which was darting in and out of the undergrowth. The latter's fur looked remarkably red in the sunshine. It was quite strange seeing Grey Squirrels from this angle.



All along the walkway there are attractive sketches and sayings and informative drawings. Some of them are from children's sayings and drawings.


Hanging in a Beech tree in the canopy.



Round the edge of the lake are a number of smaller ponds.



This is the bus stop outside the park.

Stover Country Park wildlife

There were lots of fungi in the woods at Stover on Saturday. This is the Common Yellow Russula (Russula ochroleuca) - one of the few species I could identify straight off.


I think this is a Cortinarius species - possibly C. bulbosus.


Another species that I was reasonably sure of - Lactarius hepaticus, the Liver Milk-cap.


These seemed too small to be Destroying Angels (Amanita virosa) but I certainly wouldn't try eating one to check! It could be Inocybe geophylla - the Common White Fibre-cap - but that is poisonous as well!


This could be a Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) which is a very variable fungus but the ring seems a little low down the stem. Again, I don't think I'd try eating it to see.


"Oh Look, there's a fish!"


Ian pretending to feed the ducks. The ducks kept looking for the non-existent food!


In one spot there were lots of Squash bugs (Coreus marginatus) on the vegetation.


This is a Squash Bug nymph.


Hemp Agrimony, one of the many flowers that were attracting hoverflies.


Gipsywort, a non-aromatic member of the Mint family.


Helen found a Common Lizard.


A Common Darter.


Ian was studying the oak trees.


This is Lochmaea caprea. Although known as the Willow Leaf Beetle this one was on Alder.


Another leaf beetle - Chrysolna rufa.


A juvenile Cormorant.


My first ever Water Rail. Not a brilliant picture but an exciting event.


A female Brimstone butterfly posed nicely for us.