DAVID'S NATURE BLOG: June 2025

31 MAY 2025 – THORLEY WASH and RIVER STORT NORTH

I was unavoidably delayed in getting out this morning by an hour, so by the time I arrived at Spellbrook and aimed for the towpath along the River Stort towards Twyford Lock, it was almost 11.00 a.m. but the lack of birdsong and activity along this stretch of the Stort was a tad worrying.

The weather as I arrived was sunny, extremely warm - even humid, but was more overcast towards midday, then sunny intervals later on; and really, the heat was almost unbearable at times; although from Twyford Lock there was a cooling northerly breeze.

Right at the start I saw a few Banded Demoiselle Damselflies (the first ones for this year) but Red-eyed Damselflies were not seen here as in previous years. It wasn’t until I reached Thorley Wash Reserve that some birds made themselves known ………………. A male Reed Warbler sang from the depths of the reeds, so wasn’t seen; same goes for two male Cetti’s Warblers; a male Chiffchaff and a distant male Blackcap. A pair of Moorhens were seen with a single chick (did it have any siblings?), but very little else stirred. I was aware that this was the nesting season, but the lack of activity was still worrying, as was the distinct lack of insects. Hardly any bees; no dragonflies except for the odd Banded Demoiselles sailing gently up and down the river, and several Hairy Dragonflies which indicated that the species was taking a hold here; so that at least was encouraging.

I had intended to walk around the reserve itself, but the thick groves of nettles that put me off; and anyway, the lack of insects here - despite heavy vegetation - was disappointing. So, I turned back and continued north along towpath towards Twyford Lock.

The lack of dragonflies was concerning, but when I got to within twenty minutes or so of Twyford I enjoyed a ‘purple patch’ where several species new to me for the year at this site were observed within a very short stretch of the Stort - at least three Hairy Dragonflies; two Brown Hawkers; three or four Four-spotted Chasers; lots of Azure Damselflies; both male and female Banded Demoiselles; at least four Red-eyed Damselflies (although even with binoculars these were difficult to see well, as they were on lily pads some 30 feet or so away); and finally a single Black-tailed Skimmer - only the second record here since August 2006. It goes without saying that photography was virtually impossible due to the fast flight of the Odonata, and all I got was a few shots of the Banded Demoiselles as they alighted on the vegetation that lined the towpath. In addition, I did a bit of flower photography. I also noted a fairly large emergence of Mayflies, although none allowed me the pleasure of photographing them.

I rested a while at Twyford Lock, then continued along the Stort heading for Southmill Lock. Just before the entrance to Rushy Mead reserve (which I chose not to visit) I observed a lone juvenile Cormorant fishing for a while then at Southmill Lock - lots of Azure Damselflies; Hairy Dragonflies and at least two Emperor Dragonflies (a male and a female) were observed. But I was especially fascinated by the huge shoals of fish (I was advised by a gentleman who lived nearby on a canal boat) that they were mainly young Tench - a species I don’t think I’d seen here previously. There were also three young 'Jack' Pike - stark still in the water, waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting fish swimming by – so they could have had a field day with the Tench; and a superb mature Common Carp.

It hadn’t been an exceptional day but at least I’d boosted my local dragonfly tally. But one thing worried me more than anything else was the amount of human traffic along the Stort towpath - walkers; dog walkers; runners; cyclists etc. Of course, access to the towpath is open to anyone and everyone (including myself as a naturalist and photographer) but is it any wonder that all this activity (welcome or not) is having a negative effect on the Natural World. I’m not at all convinced that we can truly curtail this from getting worse.