Another year - another social media platform. But same old, beautiful Norfolk.
#Cranwich

There were clumps of lurid green algae floating on the lake. Anyone know its identity?
More pleasant were the swarms of silver whirligig beetles skimming over the surface.
At Cranwich there's always beauty.
#WildflowerID #cranwich #breckland #norfolk #phycologyfriday #algae 2/2

Among the Nuttall's Pondweed lots of Fennel Pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus) rising up from the lake bed, reminding me of an #AnthonyGormley sculpture.
Any idea what this other plant is? #WildflowerID
#cranwich #breckland #Norfolk #wildflowerhour #wetlandplants #pondweed
4/6

A shoal of young Perch was in the warm, silty shallows - 25.8°C (warmer than the Med last month!) - to start with, then I chased them out over the beds of Stonewort (Chara vulgaris? globularis?).
Also a jack Pike out there.
#heatwave #freshwaterfish #Cranwich #Breckland 3/6

Amazed to see Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) in Wissey Little River (18.8°C). Some compensation for again dipping on Spined Loach. Gudgeon, Perch, Chub, Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris). #TestingtheWater Nitrate 1-2 ppm🙁, Phosphate <0.02 🙂.
#Cranwich #MySwim 1/6

Still a red letter day, thanks to @rock_nester fulfilling a lifetime ambition of mine by showing us an 11 day old Cuckoo chick in a Reed Warbler nest. Scary monster! With beautiful Yellow Iris in its garden. #BirdsSeenIn2022 #Wildflowerhour #EnvironmentDay #Cranwich #Norfolk 2/2

Returned to Wissey Little River at Cranwich in search of Spined Loach. Even with help from sharp-eyed Jude Allport, & a few obliging Gudgeon trying to fool us (despite their obvious scales, which loach lack), drew a blank.
#MySwim #Gudgeon #Chalkstreams #Wissey #Cranwich
1/2

For #EnvironmentDay took a @NatureMetrics eDNA sample from a small gravel pit lake at Cranwich (c20 years old in Wissey flood plain) for @TheBrecksLP @PondRiverStream #TestingTheWater project.
Good that Nitrogen & Phosphate both <0.2 ppm.
#Cranwich #Breckland #Norfolk
12/12

Phenomenal experience swimming into clouds of Daphnia (water fleas) against the evening sunshine - they become fragments of shimmering gold leaf. These planktonic crustaceans do a good job of clearing up the water.
#Daphnia #Cranwich #Norfolk #freshwater #EnvironmentDay
9/12

Some more views of smaller trout - some swam right under me.
1st time I've seen Perch (a lovely pool full) & Chub (a single small one) in Wissey Little River, which seems more Trout & Bullhead dominated further down.
#BrownTrout #Cranwich #Breckland #Norfolk #Chalkstreams 3/12