15th June 2025 - daytime, RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk

I began my day searching for the Fen Raft Spider. One of the UK's largest species, they can literally walk on water so I side-stepped my way along the waterways in RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, binoculars glued to my face. A volunteer told me they'd seen one on a lilypad earlier in the day so I was convinced today was the day. No such luck. The hunt continues.

Under the scorching Summer sun, I was treated to a close-up windhover of a Kestrel, its head perfectly still. It slowly descended, dropping until it was close to the tops of the meadow grass, where it stopped. A lightning fast swoop and it was 'down' for about 5 seconds as I held my breath. No luck for the Kestrel either! It moved on along the meadow and so did I.

The damselflies are possibly the bluest I've ever seen this year. I understand that the blue from the damselfly isn't actually from the body of the insect, but a reflection of the way the light bounces off the structures of its body, not pigment. This particularly bright and warm May and June could mean that I'm seeing them in a different way this year.

I did a full lap of the Reserve, walking along the River Yare as far as I could go. I hope I will always be the kind of person who waves at the boats that go past. There's a unique feeling of connection that results from two grown adults waving at each other from boat to bank and vice-versa.

Searching for the Fen Raft Spider, RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk.