Natural History Group

Field Trip Report – Rodley Nature Reserve 10 July

A small group of four attended the latest trip of the Nature Group, this time to the excellent Rodley Nature Reserve that is situated just inside the Leeds ring-road.

Although the day was fine and the reserve is marvellous, photographically it proved the least satisfying of our trips this year. Some of us managed to capture the butterflies we saw, Ringlet, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma, but the bird hides and dragonfly ponds yielded little and the photography was difficult.

There was much activity around a large nest-box that held two Kestrel chicks, and the unpacking of a moth trap enabled the close study of these wonderful creatures. We must visit Rodley again later in the year, I think we were just unlucky on the day we went.

Large Red Damselflies Coupling Digitalis
Large Red Damselflies Coupling by Phil Reeds
Digitalis by Phil Reeds
Bee on Thistle Large Red Damselfly
Bee on Thistle by Phil Reeds
Fringed Waterlily by Julia Kay

Next field trip: Saturday 24 July. We are going up Wharfedale this time, meeting at Conistone at 9am. Park by the bridge area. We will walk up Scot Gate Lane to the limestone pavements. All welcome!