Birds

31/01/24 In Area 10 the pair of Barn Owl were seen to leave the box in the wet meadow at 17:20 before flying to the trees on the left by Rebecca Rees. In the Car Park field a Mistle Thrush was singing in trees on the east side seen by Brian Bennett.

30/01/24 Out again in Area 7A & 8 today Paul O'Neill saw 2 Fieldfare land in a tree at Toutley Road a male and female Kestrel at Old Forest Road Meadows and a Little Egret in Ashridge Stream at Toutley Road bridge. Another, or the same,was seen at Ashridge Meadows 30min later. At the Dinton Activity Centre a Little Egret flew over and a Pied Wagtail was on the beach. Both sightings by John McGovan.

28/01/24 Paul O'Neill was out in Area 7A and saw a Green Sandpiper flying from the balancing pond at Toutley Road and a Little Egret heading NE over Copsewood.

27/01/24 In Area 10 at the Car Park field 2 Siskin were seen and a Kingfisher was on the Emm Brook , both sightings by Jack Jones. A male Gooseander was the highlight to a trip to Heathlake in Area 1. Also in Area 1 at Chapel Green were 35 Lapwing , Skylark were singing above the weedy fields at Greys Farm and a Little Egret was seen.

26/01/24 Robert Godden was out in Area 1 at Chapel Green and saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush , 115 Common Gull, 7 Grey Heron seen near Ludgrove School, 60 Jackdaw,,2 Raven and a Little Owl sat in a tree near the cattle feeding area at lunchtime. In Area 10 a pair of Barn Owl were seen to leave the box in the wet meadow at 17:15 and sit in a nearby tree. Photo courtesy of Nigel Hoult

25/01/24 Area 10 at Lavell’s Lake Car Park Field a Great White Egret flew from Lodge Wood towards the Dinton Activity Centre seen by Tim James and John McGovan.

20/01/24 This mornings spectuclar daybreak over Area 10 was captured by Fraser Cottington. Seen on the Old Golf Course perched high in a tree was a Kestrel seen by John McGovan.

19/01/24 In Area 8 perched in a tree at Old Forest Road Meadows was a Common Buzzard . It flew off after being hassled by Magpies, of which there were a total of 22, in the same, and an adjacent, tree. A male and female Kestrel were hunting over Old Forest Road Meadows seen by Paul O'Neill.

16/01/24 Seen in the Oak trees to the SW of Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 were a Little Egret and a noisy Ring necked Parakeet . In Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows a male and female Stonechat were in the field adjacent to Ashridge Stream and 7 Redwing were also seen by Paul O'Neill.

13/01//24 In Area 10 an Egyptian Goose with 8 Goslings was seen on the beach at Dinton Activity Centre by Alan Rymer.

12/01/24 Lunch time was spent in Area 1 around Chapel Green, seen were a solitary Grey Heron , a Common Buzzard , 25 Common Gull and 3 Ring necked Parakeet that flew over calling.

11/01//24 2 Gooseander were seen by the Green Bridge in Area 10 by Roger Stansfield and a Kestrel was seen near the Zip wire on the Old Golf Course by Tim James. Another Kestrel was also seen perched in a tree at the Area 7A Balancing pond.

05/01//24 Seen around Ludgrove School in Area 1 by Robert Godden were 19 Lapwing, 2 Stock Dove , 3 Grey Heron , 3 Nuthatch , 36 Rook , 33 Common Gull and a Little Owl in a hole in a tree trunk south of Luckley Road and east of railway. In Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows a female Stonechat was seen at the Balancing pond by Paul O'Neill.

01/01//24 On New Years Day in Area 10 Fraser Cottington saw 5 Little Egret heading south by the Activity Centre and a Kestrel was hunting over the old Golf Course at it’s southern end seen by Brian Bennett.

Insects

31/01/24 The moth trap was out again for its final time this month at dusk on 30/01/24 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning it produced 2 moths of 2 species . These were the micro moth Acleris ferrugana/notana and Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi .The total for 2024 is still 6 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

29/01/24 Spurred on by another mild night with temperatures in double figures and the "January challenge" the moth trap was out again at dusk on 28/01/24 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning it produced my best catch of the year with 6 moths of 4 species . These were 2 The Chestnut Conistra vaccinii 2 of the micro moth Acleris ferrugana/notana both new for the year and Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria and Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi With 2 new moths the total for 2024 is 6 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

28/01/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 27/01/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced a zero return. With no moths the total for 2024 is still 4 species.

26/01/24 After what has been a turbulent start to the year weather wise, the overnight temperature was 12.5°C so the moth trap was out at dusk on 25/01/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced 2 moths of 2 species . These were Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria and Spring Usher Agriopis leucophaearia a first for the year. The total for 2024 now stands at 4. Also in the trap was the female Ichneumon wasp Amblyteles armatorius One of the many medium to large (15mm) black-and-yellow banded species. The spine on the top of the thorax together with a precise colour pattern on the abdomen in both sexes distinguishes them from the many other very similar species. Females are distinctive but the yellow bands on the abdomen are narrower and curved, rather ring shaped. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

13/01/24 At this time of year it's all about keeping one eye on the weather before putting out the moth trap. With the prospect of a reasonably mild night the moth trap was out at dusk on 12/01/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced 2 moths of 2 species . These were Pale Brindled Beauty Phigalia pilosaria and Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi both new for the year. The total for 2024 now stands at 3. I am taking part in the January Moth Challenge this year and looking to see 10 species of Moth in my garden in January. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

06/01/24 The New Year always brings an air of eager anticipation for those of us who like to keep annual lists. The moth trap was out at dusk on 05/01/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced 1 moth of 1 species . This was a Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria . With my first moth added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2024 is now 1. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

06/01/24 Seen on the river bank at the base of a tree in Area 5 during the litter pick was the probable Garden escapee Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima . It has architectural evergreen foliage and dull purple flowers, but it comes into its own in autumn when its large seedpods split open to reveal rows of orange-red seeds that remain well into winter.

Fungi

06/01/24 Seen in the middle of the Spine road in Area 5 during this mornings litter pick were. Common Puffball Lycoperdon perlatum . The common puffball grows on the ground in woodlands and grasslands, often occurring in small clusters. When a fruiting body is mature, a hole opens at the top. When the puffball is bumped by a passing animal or even hit by raindrops, a cloud of spores is puffed out of the hole. The spores will drift away on the wind and help the fungus spread.

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

Fish

Amphibians and Reptiles

29/01/24 Seen in a grassed area in Area 4 at Neptune Close was this shed skin of a possible Grass Snake Natrix natrix Photos courtesy of Vicky Boorman via Facebook.

Mammals

16/01/24 Alongside the Ashridge Stream in Area 7A a female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was seen.

12/01/24 In the fields around Ludgrove School in Area 1 today were 2 Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus feeding in the fields.

Molluscs