Butterfly, Dragonfly, Heron and Rodley

Popped over to the Rodley Nature Reserve on Wednesday to have a stroll around.  It's not just known for it's bird life.  It is home to one of Britain's best Dragonfly reserves with a special area dedicated to ponds to encourage their growth.  It certainly works as their are many different types visible by the ponds...info boards help explain the different types.

Anyway, here's a few pics..

Domestic bliss!  This one is not at Rodley but the back garden.  Cat and Squirrel find room to live together!

I've not posted a magpie picture before so here is one I took at Ogden Water earlier this week.

You may remember the picture I posted earlier this summer of seven cygnets at Rodley walking in a line. These are the same swans, grown up.

A common darter - dragonfly at Rodley

A common darter soaking up the sun.  Dragonflies are the hardest subject to film I have come across!

I found this portly chap walking along by the river.  A common toad.

This butterfly is called a Comma.

A 'little tortoiseshell' often mistakenly called a Red Admiral.

A Peacock

Another view of the beautiful Peacock butterfly

Again...a little tortoiseshell 

I like the Heron.  A solitary bird but majestic and elegant.
This is a series of snaps I took yesterday as I watched it flying then come into land...

This one had striking eye and chest markings...

Touchdown on one of the Rodley Lagoons

The wingspan of a Grey Heron is 5.5 to 6.5 ft (185cm)

A majestic bird...