Birds

31/08/24 Over Area 1 at Ludgrove School 4 House Martin were feeding over the school buildings and 4 Ring necked Parakeet were noisly calling as they flew around the treetops.

30/08/24 A Barn Owl was seen in the Area 10 Carpark fielde by Philip Millar.

29/08/24 In Area 10 over the landfill 2 Swift were seen by Nick Kightly.In the carpark field a Spotted Flycatcher , Garden Warbler and 10+ Blackcap were seen by Fraser Cottington.

28/08/24 A Sparrowhawk was seen flying over my Area 4 garden at 14:00.

25/08/24 The first male Redstart of the Autumn was found by Tim James in the Area 10 Car Park field. Photo courtesy of Fraser Cottington. Also in the Car Park field was a Kestrel perched on the wires. See and photographed by Nick Baldwin.

22/08/24 Seen in Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows by Paul O'Neill were a Hobby heading low N>S and 3 Stonechat one female and two juveniles. At Copsewood of Queens Road a male Stonechat was seen.

19/08/24 2 Swift were seen in Area 10 over Goat Island by Fraser Cottington .

15/08/24 Seen in Area 10 by Fraser Cottington were 2+ Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler in the central copse of the Car Park field and 5 Grey Wagtail near the Activity Centre.

11/08/24 Captured flying over Area 10 was a Hobby . Photo courtesy of Anne Palmer.Also seen by Anne and another superb photograph was a Kingfisher .

06/08/24 10 Swallow were seen flying across Area 10 heading South by Brian Crathorne.

02/08/24 Seen on the river during Balsam Pulling in Area 5 was a Grey Wagtail a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling and a Nuthatch was also heard along with a Blackcap .

Insects

29/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 28/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning . The catch was 40 moths of 19 species. The highlight were Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago and Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 214 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

27/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 26/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning . The catch was 35 moths of 19 species. The highlight's were Dark Spectacle Thalpophila matura , Dingy Footman Thalpophila matura and the micro Moth Pandemis corylana With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 212 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

24/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 23/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied at 02:30 this morning due to the rain . The catch revived a bit with 40 moths of 19 species. The highlight was Tawny-barred Angle Thalpophila matura With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 209 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

21/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 20/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was low again with 17 moths of 12 species. The highlight was 2 Straw Underwing Macaria liturata . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 208 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

19/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 18/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. With overnight temperatures only just in double figures the catch was low as expected with 14 moths of 7 species. Highlights were Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea and Cypress Pug Eupithecia phoeniceata . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 207 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

17/08/24 A slightly battered Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator was seen and phtographed in Area 10 by Nick Baldwin.

16/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 15/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. A reasonable catch with 36 moths of 25 species. Highlights were Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulina , Orange Swift Triodia sylvina and Vines Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua . With 5 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 205 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

15/08/24 In Area 10 a Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum was seen and photographed by Geoff Slocombe, unfortunately it was in the beak of a Little Egret .

13/08/24 With the sun shining I went for a walk around Area 10 and the car park field. Damseflies and Dragonflies were on the wing and seen were the dragonflies Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta and a female Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum thankfully both resting . Danselflies were Banded Demoiselle Thaumetopoea processionea and Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens .

12/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 11/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. A very warm night the catch was 42 moths of 20 species. Highlights were the micro moth Cydia amplana , Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea and Oak Processionary Thaumetopoea processionea . With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 200 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. In Area 10 a Penant Wasp that I belive to be Gasteruption jaculator agg was seen and photographed by Mark Lauri. There are however several similiar species.

10/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 0908/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was a very autumnal 18 moths of 15 species. Highlight was a Dusky Marble Orthotaenia undulana . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 197 species. Also in the trap was the Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium . Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

08/08/24 Seen during this mornings Balsam pulling in Area 7 were a Comma Polygonia c-album butterly, seen by Fran Stickler , the Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus and Xanthogramma pedissequum and the Solider fly Oxycera rara .

07/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 06/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. A very disapointing catch of 17 moths of 9 species. Highlights were Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac and Yellow-tail Euproctis similis showing its yellow tail. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 196 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

05/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 04/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was 30 moths of 20 species. Highlights were Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis , the micro moth's Acrobasis advenella and Crassa unitella . With 4 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 195 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

04/08/24 Not an insect, but on my garden fence was the Harvestman Odiellus spinosus .They are arachnids, related to spiders and scorpions. Many are predators, eating smaller invertebrates which they catch using hooks at the ends of their legs.

03/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 02/08/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was 44 moths of 23 species. Highlights were a male Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar dispar , Lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing Noctua janthe and the micro moth Blastobasis adustella . With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 191 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

01/08/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 31/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was 58 moths of 17 species. Highlights were Vapourer Orgyia antiqua and Evergestis limbata . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 188 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

19/08/24 On the Sycamore leaves in Area 5 were Aceria pseudoplatani agg. These red, pimple-like bumps on the leaves of young sycamores are caused by tiny mites which overwinter in bark crevices and then emerge in spring to feed on the unfurling leaves. As they pierce individual cells to feed, the surrounding cells are stimulated to divide, enlarging and forming the prominent red galls. The mites lay eggs inside the galls from mid-May and several generations can occur over a season, finally exiting the leaves in autumn to overwinter in the bark. Although it disfigures a sycamore, it does no permanent damage to the tree.

15/08/24 Very visible along the Emm Brook at the moment is evidence of the Horse chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella The horse chestnut leaf miner is the larvae of the moth Cameraria ohridella. The adult moths are tiny at about 4-5mm in length. They are a rich brown colour with bright white chevrons edged with black. In early summer, the adult female lays up to 180 eggs on newly opened leaves. The hatched larvae feed on the leaves. The larvae then pupate and can overwinter in the leaf litter until they emerge as adults in early spring to lay eggs on that year’s fresh leaves.

14/08/24 Adjacent to the footpath by the Balancing pond in Area 4 are lots of Knopper Gall Andricus quercuscalicis on the Pendunculate Oak.The knopper gall wasp, Andricus quercuscalicis, is a tiny wasp that produces ridged outgrowths, or 'galls', on the acorns of our native Pedunculate Oak; forming in August they are sticky and red, later becoming woody and brown. A second generation then develops in the catkins of Turkey Oak.

03/08/24 Seen in Area 5 whilst Litter picking the central reservation of the Spine Road was Chicory Cichorium intybus with its bright blue flowers.

Fungi

19/08/24 Seen by the Weir Pool in Area 5 while Balsam pulling was King Alfred's cakes Daldinia concentrica .

05/08/24 By the river in Area 6 while Balsam pulling by Emmbrook School was Sycamore Tar Spot Rhytisma acerinum . This is actually a fungus. The fungus overwinters on fallen leaves. Fresh spores are produced in Spring, these have a sticky coating. The spores attach themselves to the new leaves as they form. The fungus does no lasting harm to its host tree.

Do not eat any fungi that have not been properly identified , some are DEADLY when ingested .

Fish

Amphibians and Reptiles

24/08/24 Seen and phographed by Caroline Moore in Area 10 was a Grass Snake Natrix natrix swimming across the lakes.

Mammals

29/08/24 A Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen running across the Spine Road in Area 5 at 22:00.

05/08/24 At 00.30 a European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus was seen roaming around through the borders of my Area 4 garden.

Molluscs