Yachts, Common Seals and Little Egrets - boat trip along the river from Burnham-on-Crouch on 24th August 2025

On Bank Holiday Sunday, my friends and I had lunch in Ye Olde White Harte in Burnham-on-Crouch and then set off for a seal watching trip along the river aboard the Celtic Princess

The flag-laden Wivenhoe was moored at the edge of the river Crouch

There were lots of yachts sailing along the river

Wind Turbines on land behind the racing yachts

The boat passed Wallasea Island nature reserve

a Little Egret was standing at the edge of the riverbank

There was a group of multi-coloured Common Seals at the edge of Foulness Island

We were told that they get the russet colouring on their fur from wallowing around in the rust-coloured mud of the river at low tide

One of the Seals was enjoying a rest in the shallow water

A flock of Eurasian Teal was flying in the distance

There were Little Egrets and moored yachts in the distance

 

Flowers, damselflies and birds in Battersea Park - 18th August 2025

I went for a walk in Battersea Park in mid-August and saw that this large branch on the island had fallen into the lake

There was lots of Purple Loosestrife at the edge of the lake

Moody Grey Heron

The fountain was working well

There were some beautiful Waterlilies in the pond in the Old English Garden

Blue-tailed Damselfly resting on a leaf in the pond

Pair of Red-eyed damselflies ovipositing in the water

Common Blue damselfly resting on a water iris leaf

Male Common Darter dragonfly landed on a leaf for a few second

There were still some pretty flowers in the Old English Garden

I then continued my walk around the lake where I saw a pair of Egyptian geese

Male Common Pochard

Female Common Pochard

Pair of Mute Swans

 

Wildlife at Walthamstow Wetlands on 14th August 2025

I visited Walthamstow Wetlands on a sunny day in the middle of August and firstly went to the bridge  over the stream on the main road.  

There I saw of pair of mating Willow Emerald damselflies

also a female Banded Demoiselle damselfly

and a male Banded Demoiselle damselfly

and a Migrant Hawker dragonfly

Over the road in the other part of the Wetlands, I saw a beautiful Waterlily in a small pool

I walked along a path at the edge of one of the reservoirs where a young Grey Heron was hiding from me

It moved onto a shrub near a blackberry hedge at the edge of the stream

A tiny blue butterfly was resting on the edge of a leaf

View of one of the imposing tall electricity pylons on the site

Multi-spotted Ladybird on a patch of yellow flowers

Three juvenile Tufted ducklings swam in unison along the stream

A juvenile Grebe was lurking near some waterlily pads

A parent was skulking near reeds at the edge of the stream

I was lucky enough to get a view of a Kingfisher with a fish in its beak

A Little Egret was standing in nearby shallow water

A Terrapin came up for some air - I originally thought it was dead because it was motionless for some time but, when I went past the same spot a little later, it had gone

Pair of mating Common Blue damselflies attached to a twig

Large juvenile Great Crested Grebe swimming in one of the reservoirs

There was an adult Great Crested Grebe with two unevenly-sized chicks in the distance