Wildlife in the Research Park

I have only recently found the Research Park for dog walking, and it is a welcome addition to others I'm familiar with.    There is an area at the far end of the Park which is not open to dogs and there is a hide there which I visited for the first time this afternoon.  The hide overlooks a stretch of water which I imagine was probably a gravel pit.   I particularly enjoyed seeing some birds not readily seen nearby - Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe with chicks and Common Tern with chicks.   It was a very hot afternoon and the Cormorant was 'panting'.   Butterflies and dragonflies were about too but I need to go back to do justice to some of those that I saw but didn't photograph successfully.

Common Tern chicks appearing to fend for themselves although a couple of adults were around.

It is a long time since I've seen a Common Sandpiper at the water's edge - delightful

A very hot day................

A Dab Chick with chicks!

A Meadow Brown butterfly.

This Meadow Brown butterfly was 'seeing off' what I think was a Skipper so making this a pictorial image