A recent walk along the Bridgwater and Taunton canal rewarded me with a wonderful array of wildlife.

The gentle breeze brushed across the surface of the slow-moving water, creating delicate ripples that added to the tranquillity of the day.?

The yellow flag iris, now in full flower, lined the edge of the towpath, blending perfectly with the reeds and bull rushes from where the sounds of both sedge and reed warblers could clearly be heard as they searched among the thick cover for insects.

These summer visitors have similar songs which can make them difficult to tell apart by ear but the prominent eye markings of the sedge warbler make visual identification much easier.?

On the water, the occasional moorhen swam around dipping its head below the surface looking for a tasty morsel. With nesting under way, it won’t be long before they are accompanied by little balls of fluff and these will grow up to be babysitters for siblings born later in the year.

Hover Flies hung perfectly still on the wing in stark contrast to the darting flight of the large red damselflies as they hunted down smaller insects.?Occasionally a swallow would swoop down to take a refreshing drink before rising once more into the clear blue sky.

Then a high-pitched peeping call followed by a flash of iridescent blue heralded the arrival of a kingfisher as it flew low and fast, heading up stream and providing me with a grand finale to my trip along the canal.

LB Loxley