Red Admiral This is one of our commonest and most familiar butterflies, but it has an interesting life cycle. If you see one in August, it might well have hatched at Paxton, from an egg laid on a stinging nettle, but its parents were almost certainly immigrants. Thousands fly over the Channel every Spring from… Read More

Emperor dragonflies Throughout July, our largest dragonfly, the Emperor, can be seen speeding over the gravel pits, especially Hayling Lake and Rudd Lake. It’s very territorial, chasing off other dragonflies of all species. It is also a superb hunter, catching a range of insect prey which it often consumes in flight. Because it flies so… Read More

Swifts The swift is one of the last summer visitors to arrive, and one of the first to leave, but you will be able to see it around Paxton Pits until August. It is a superb flyer, probably the fastest bird of all in level flight, and small groups often fly around houses, making a… Read More

Cuckoos According to the old rhyme, in May the cuckoo sings all day. The male cuckoo’s song is so distinctive, it’s probably the best known bird song of all. However, the female cuckoo has a very different song, often described as a “bubbling chuckle”. Female cuckoos famously lay their eggs in the nests of other… Read More

Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers By the last week of March, the reserve was alive with the distinctive song of the chiffchaff. In April, it will be joined by its close relative, the willow warbler. How can you tell them apart? Probably not by looking at them. Even experienced birdwatchers struggle to tell the difference. However,… Read More