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First Radley Community Family Day,

3rd June 2010 at Thrupp Lake

 

[posted 06/06/2010, updated 07/06/2010]

 

A selection of photographs taken of the first Family Day event, organised by the Northmoor Trust, at Thrupp Lake.
 

The first community family event at Thrupp Lake organised by the Northmoor Trust was held on Thursday 3rd June. This was a small scale event aimed at children and families and local people generally, targeting those who have hitherto not become involved in the ongoing clearance and conservation work. It was an opportunity for everyone to come and simply enjoy an hour or so, or the whole day, in beautiful surroundings, observing the wildlife, or simply enjoying the glorious sunshine.

About 40 visitors attended the event and engaged in general exploration, bird watching, and pond dipping under the supervision of naturalists from the Northmoor Trust, as well as paddling in the very inviting cool water at the edge of the lake.

Refreshments were provided courtesy of the Northmoor Trust, and everyone who came enjoyed their visit.

 

Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010. Photographed by B Crowley.

Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010

 
The event was attended by Harry Barton, CEO of the Northmoor Trust, and Duncan Brown, Mayor of Abingdon (in his official regalia).

 

 

Duncan Brown, Mayor of Abingdon with Harry Barton, CEO of the Northmoor Trust by Thrupp Lake on 3rd June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley.

Duncan Brown (Left) Mayor of Abingdon and Harry Barton, CEO of the Northmoor Trust

with Thrupp Lake in the background.

 

 

Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010. Photographed by B Crowley.

A flotilla of canada geese making their way across the lake in the distance.

 

Lakeside picnic in the shade of a gazebo, 3 June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley.

Picnic in the shade of the gazebo.

Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley.

An island in the lake, upon which black-headed gulls and common terns appear to be nesting in the company of a family of cormorants.

 

 

Thrupp Lake 03 June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley.

Thrupp Lake from Sandles' garden.

At the water's edge. Community Event at Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley.

Lakeside revelry on the beach.

 

 

By Thrupp Lake, 03 June 2010. Photograph by B Crowley

Local naturalists, Jo Cartmell and Sue Calvert-Fisher. (Peter Harbour in background)

 
 
The children were enthralled by the creatures they found in the water during pond dipping, particularly the water scorpion and damselfly larvae, and by the damselflies themselves emerging from their aquatic larval state into shimmering delicate adulthood instantly able to fly with a grace and adeptness matched by few other creatures. The children also enjoyed hunting for bugs under logs in the wooded areas. It is to be hoped that these encounters at Thrupp Lake will spark a lifelong interest in natural history.
 
 
Some flora and fauna noted on the day
 

Birds

Canada goose (approx 20 seen on lake)

Mute swan

Coot

Black-headed gull (several in flight and roosting on island)

Common Tern (several - seen diving into lake)

Great crested grebe (2)

Cormorant (pair with chicks on island)

 

Insects

Many coenagrionid damselflies (Azure, Blue-tailed and Common-blue)

Four-spotted chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)

Tenthredo mesomelas - a sawfly

Athalia rosae - a sawfly

Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae)

Coenagrionid damselfly larva, probably blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura elegans)

Water Scorpion (Nepa cinerea)

Various unidentified caddis fly larvae.

 

Molluscs

Great Ramshorn Snail (Planorbis corneus) (empty shell)

Great pond snail (Lymnea stagnalis)

Ear pond snail (Lymnaea auricularia)

Freshwater mussel (Anodonta sp.) (empty shell)

 

Plants

Yellow-flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)

Reedmace (Typha latifolia)

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)

Willow (Salix spp.) - lots of fluff blowing across the lake, at times giving the

impression of snow.

Orchids:

Twayblade (Listera ovata)

Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa)

White Helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium)

 

 

If you were present at this event and observed anything else of note, please contact us.

 

Four-spotted chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) Thrupp Lake, Photographed 3 June 2010 by B Crowley.

Four-spotted chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)

 
 
 
If you have any questions about future events contactemail to Melati Granucci
 

 For more information about the natural history of the Radley Lakes, please visit the appropriate links below.  

 

Related Links

Programme of Radley Community Events at Thrupp Lake

Radley Community Day, 16 July 2010 at Thrupp Lake

Radley Community Day, 28 May 2010 at Thrupp Lake

Radley Community Day, 23 April 2010 at Thrupp Lake

Big Tidy Up at Thrupp Lake Begins

Northmoor Trust

Natural History of the Radley Lakes

Nature Pages on this Website

 

 

 

 

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