Saturday 20 August 2011

Newcastle Great Park

After securing all three points this afternoon, what a relief, I went for a wander around around Newcastle Great Park ponds. I'm not sure how these will end up once the park is fully developed but currently there are more than a dozen patches of open water. Not all of much size, since I understand that is a sore point with the airport. However they are sufficient to support a growing dragonfly and damselfly population.
The processing of surface water drainage from the development is providing an interesting situation. It appears that the, run off is gathered into reed filled ponds and then filtered into the Ouseburn. It appears to work well having seen a pair of Kingfisher, Dipper and Grey Wagtail in the Ouseburn immediately downstream of the collection from the run-off. Although I have not seen fish in the Ouseburn they are in the ponds.
There are some significant areas of mud around the water but have not seen any waders at all to date.
I have recorded Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed and Emerald Damselfly. Four spotted chaser, Emperor, Southern Hawker and Common Darter dragonfly.
Today there were no hawkers but quite a few Common Darters and was unable to resist a few more pics.




1 comment:

Johnnykinson said...

........and very nice they are to. Bit of nice light for a change.