Birds

29/04/22 Finally the hirundines are arriving in decent numbers. In Area 10 seen were 100 Swallow , 8 House Martin and 10 Sand Martin and the first 4 Swift of the year all feeding over Black Swan Lake.

26/04/22 Paul Hopcraft was in the Area 4 Balancing pond with his camera and took this photo of a Long tailed Tit carrying nesting material. Photo courtesty of Paul Hopcraft. In Arae 1 around Ludgrove School a Grey Heron was on the pond. Displaying Lapwing were performing on Grays Farm with singing Skylark as a backdrop.

24/04/22 In Area 10 a Whitethroat was singing near the Activity Centre close to the sluice, seen by Fraser Cottington . Close to the Emm Brook a Little Ringed Plover was seen on the bund at Bittern Hide at Lavells Lake by Grant Evans. Photo courtesty of Grant Evans.

22/04/22 A Cuckoo was seen near the Green Bridge before flying up the Loddon by Rick Dawson in Area 10.

20/04/22 In Area 10 early morning a Cuckoo was heard calling . Later in the day during a 45 min sky watch over the Car Park field by Fraser Cottington, 6 Buzzard , 3 House Martin and a Swallow were seen. In Area 4 a Little Egret flew up from the Emm Brook, 150m West of Kingfisher Bridge and a Swallow briefly circled below the treetops by the Emm Brook, probably feeding en route seen by Paul Bright Thomas. In Area 7A a male Lesser Whitethroat was again singing from the hedgerow on the East side of Ashridge Meadows, a Little Egret was flying downstream along Ashridge Stream at Ashridge Meadows. Also seen were a Skylark singing above Ashridge Meadows, and a Swallow by Paul O'Neill

19/04/22 A Swallow was seen over the pond on the East side of Ashridge Meadows by Paul O'Neill.

18/04/22 . In Area 7A a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the bushes alongside the Ashridge Stream, and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull were seen preening in the sun on a part-built house, off Queens Road. Both sightings by Paul O'Neill. .

17/04/22 This afternoon 3 noisy Herring Gull were pursuing a Common Buzzard and 2 Red Kite that were enjoying the thermals over my Area 4 garden.

16/04/22 Over my Area 4 garden a Sparrowhawk was cruising the skies looking for its next meal.

15/04/22 In Area 7A a male Yellowhammer was singing alongside Ashridge Stream at Ashridge Meadows. Seen by Paul O'Neill.

14/04/22 Over my Area 4 garden at lunchtime a Common Buzzard was riding the thermals, and a Chiffchaff was calling from the nearby shruberry and the local House Sparrow population seemed intent on emptying my feeders. In Area 10 a Willow Warbler was singing by the Green Bridge.

11/04/22 In Area 10 Sand Martin and Swallow were both seen by Fraser Cottington.

09/04/22 A calling Little Owl was heard overnight again in Area 7A at Matthews Green by Paul O'Neill and displaying Lapwing were seen in the Area 1 fields near Ludgrove School by Robert Godden.

08/04/22 In Paul Bright Thomas's Area 4 garden a juvenile Robin was seen . It appreaded to be a fledged juvenile as it was seen independent in tree , not being attended to by parents so therefore not just-fledged.

07/04/22 It was an early morning stroll in Area 10 and Dinton Pastures today. I finally caught up with a Willow Warbler . In and around the Car Park field were Green Woodpecker , Great spotted Woodpecker , Chiffchaff , Ring necked Parakeet Song Thrush and Blackcap .

05/04/22 A Willow Warbler was again heard singing in the Car Park field off Sandford Lane , seen and heard by Fraser Cottington. At 03:00 a calling Little Owl was heard in Area 7A at Matthews Green by Paul O'Neill.

04/04/22 Area 10 again and 2 singing male Willow Warbler were in the central copse in the Car Park field off Sandford Lane , seen and heard by Roger Stansfield.

03/04/22 In Area 10 a Swallow was flying around the Dinton Activity Centre seen by Fraser Cottington. Paul O'Neill was in Area 7A and saw a male Yellowhammer singing from the hedgerow in Ashridge Meadows. A female Stonechat in the bushes beside Ashridge Stream at Ashridge Meadows. A Little Egret roosting in an Oak tree beside Ashridge Stream then feeding in the stream and a male Kestrel over the A321 heading towards Ashridge Meadows.

01/04/22 In Area 1 a Lapwing was seen displaying over the fields around Ludgrove before landing and Skylark were also heard singing. In Area 7 a Green Sandpiper was seen feeding in the Balancing pond at the junction of Toutley Rd and Old Forest Road and a male and female Grey Wagtail were seen beside the Ashridge Stream at the junction of Toutley Rd and Old Forest Road Both sighitings by Paul O'Neill. . In Area 5 a Grey Heron was in the pond and a Little Egret was in the Emm Brook near Dragonfly Bridge. Both sightings and photo by Fran Stickler.

Insects

27/04/22 The moth trap was out overnight on (26/4/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 10 moths of 8 species . The highlights were Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius , Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis and the micro moth Tachystola acroxantha All first's for the year.This brings the FOTEB Moth list to 42 species for the year. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

26/04/22 Seen in the Area 4 Balancing pond by Paul Hopcraft were several Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria and Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines Butterflies

25/04/22 I was away at the weekend so the moth trap was only out overnight on (24/4/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 12 moths of 9 species . The highlights were Maidens Blush Cyclophora punctaria .The distinctive central cross-line is largely red and as the name suggests it is often accompanied by a central reddish blush on the forewings. and a male Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica This species shows distinct sexual dimorphism, the males of this moth are soft grey or grey brown, the females are white, both sparsely speckled with black. Both first's for the year. This brings the FOTEB Moth list to 39 species for the year.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. In Area 10 my first Dock Bug Coreus marginatus of the year was seen.

21/04/22 The moth trap was out overnight (20/4/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Numbers are still low, but with variety .Caught were 15 moths of 9 species . The highlight was without doubt The Streamer Anticlea derivata . A distinctive moth that has little variation, freshly emerged individuals often have a violet tint. The name 'streamer' refers to the black marking streaming from the leading edge. Another first for the year. This brings the FOTEB Moth list to 37 species for the year.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

18/04/22 The moth trap was out overnight (17/04/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 10 moths of 7 species . Despite the warm days, numbers caught have been low recently, maybe the full moon is complicating things. Highlights were Chinese Character Cilix glaucata . This unusual-looking moth has delicate silvery markings on some of the veins, and these suggest a character in the Chinese alphabet, hence its common name. It also combines its wing-pattern and resting posture to give the appearance of a bird-dropping, thus avoiding the attention of hungry birds. and the micro moth Dyseriocrania subpurpurella both firsts for the year. . This brings the FOTEB Moth list to 36 species for the year.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

17/04/22 In Area 4 my first male Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines of the year was seen. Im my garden this afternoon was a Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major and a Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus was running up and down my garden fence. Also what I believe to be a Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis was visiting my Muscari.

Plants/ Trees

10/04/22 Another emerging new plant for the year is Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata . The heart-shaped leaves of Garlic mustard are smooth and hairless, when crushed, they smell of garlic.

08/04/22 In Area 10 my first Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis of the year was seen.Cuckooflower, also commonly known as 'Lady's-smock', is a pretty, springtime perennial of damp, grassy places . Its pale pink flowers bloom from April to June and are thought to coincide with the arrival of the first Cuckoo - a sure sign that spring has arrived at last

02/04/22 During the Litter pick in Area 5, another patch of Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa were found near the Weir Pool.

Fungi Do not eat any fungi that have not been properly identified by a qualified professional, some are DEADLY when ingested (all species MUST BE cooked).

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

26/04/22 In the Area 4 Balancing pond a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen and photographed by Paul Hopcraft.

15/04/22 A young Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus was feeding in the Area 10 car park field and seemed oblivious to me being there.

06/04/22 At lunchtime in Area 7A, 3 Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus were seen grazing the field alongside the Ashridge Stream.

01/04/22 In Area 4 a young male Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was seen near Meadow Road at 15:30 by Fran Stickler.

Fish/ Crustaceans

Molluscs