A lovely afternoon and so I decided to take a walk around the Tarn.
Stopping first at the small pool there is lots of activity with Azure damselflies and a few Large Red damselflies.
Moving on to the main lake I can see a large dragonfly patrolling the central area. I wonder if it is an Emperor Dragonfly (annual at this site) but there is something about it which does seem right. Moving up the side I find a Broad-Bodied Chaser perched on sticks in the water.This is a first site record for me.
At the eastern end I do find an Emperor patrolling, ever active – so unable to get any photos.
In contrast to the dragonflies, the butterflies have been disappointing with only a single unidentified Brown and a single speckled Wood to this point.
Returning to the small pool, I stop by the adjacent wildflower garden and my eyes are immediately drawn to a orange brown butterfly on a plant head. I take some record photos as I am really not sure of its ID. I think it might be a Skipper but which one I am not sure. (On returning home I consult my guides and plump for Large Skipper, which is confirmed by posting picture on UK Butterflies facebook site). Its a first record for me on the site and my first Large Skipper locally.
Birdwise, there is a new coot family of 3 chicks and the Greylag geese are growing up fast.
Our resident terrapin was also present sunning himself on his usual sun-bed!
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Speckled Wood [sp] (Pararge aegeria)
Large Skipper [sp] (Ochlodes venatus)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) 1
Pete's Favourite Things 
Sounds that it was an idyllic day!
Two first site records in one hour was pretty special. Which just goes to prove ‘The more you look the more you see!’
‘You have to be in it to win it!’
When I was into birding my greatest delight was to see a new bird in ‘my patch.
Me too!