Birds

23/07/24 In Area 7 a Sparrowhawk was seen on Carol Woodmans garden fence.

20/07/24 A Common Buzzard flew over my Area 4 garden, hotly pursued by 2 screaming Herring Gull .

18/07/24 Seen by Paul Bright Thomas high above Morrisons car park in Area 5, were at least 30 Swift .

17/07/24 Swift numbers had increased to 4 ,screaming over my Area 4 garden this morning.

16/07/24 A Green Woodpecker was heard from my Area 4 garden this morning.

14/07/24 During the Balsam Pulling session in Area 3, a family of very noisy Herring Gull were seen and heard and 4 screaming Swift were flying around the flats.

11/07/24 A Barn Owl was seen succesfully hunting over rough ground for voles, mice etc in Area 10 late evening by Don Broadbridge. Photo's courtesy of Don Broadbridge.

09/07/24 A pair of Green Woodpecker were seen flying North from the Car Park field in Area 10 by Rupert Woodman and a Tawny Owl called twice near the Green Bridge heard by Brian Bennett. A Cormorrant flew North over my Area 4 garden and a Swift was feeding overhead.In Area 1 a Grey Heron was on the Ludgrove School pond.

08/07/24 Seen in and around the boats at the Dinton Activity Centre in Area 10 were 3 Grey Wagtail , heard were Ring necked Parakeet ,singing male Chiffchaff and 2 singing male Blackcap .

06/07/24 Seen over Old Forest Road Meadows in Area 8 by Paul O'Neill were a male Sparrowhawk a solitary Swift 3 singing male Chiffchaff and 2 singing male Whitethroat .

05/07/24 3 Swift were over my Area 4 garden.

04/07/24 Near the Activity Centre in Area 10 there were 4 Juvenile Grey Wagtail were on the beach seen by Nick Keightly.

01/07/24 Near the Activity Centre in Area 10 a Grey Wagtail was seen by Elaine Charlston.

Insects

30/07/24 Back home after a few days away, so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 29/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was 66 moths of 16 species. The bulk of it made up of 40 Bird Cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella Highlights were the micro moths Acleris forsskaleana and Eudemis profundana . With 2new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 186 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

27/07/24 Resting on the swinging chair in Carol Woodman's Area 7 garden was a Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum dragonfly

25/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 24/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was 30 moths of 20 species. Highlights were Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria ,Yellow Tail Euproctis similis , and Grey Dagger Acronicta psi . The 'daggers' get their English names from the black dagger-like markings on the forewing. With 4 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 184 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

23/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 22/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was a good one with 44 moths of 22 species. Highlights were Chinese Character Cilix glaucata . This unusual-looking moth combines its wing-pattern and resting posture to give the appearance of a bird-dropping, thus avoiding the attention of hungry birds., Oak Hook-tip Watsonalla binaria and Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata . With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 183 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

21/07/24 Another warm, but overcast night, so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 20/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The catch was a good one with 48 moths of 27 species. Highlights were Yellow Shell Epione repandaria , Dark Umber Philereme transversata , Sharp Angled Peacock Macaria alternata and the micro moth Lime speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata . With 8 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 180 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

19/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 18/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning the catch was 33 moths of 20 species . Another really warm night. Highlights were an aptly named and stunning Bordered Beauty Epione repandaria , Waved Black Parascotia fuliginaria and a Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria . With 6 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 172 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

17/07/24 With the current spell of warm weather the moth trap was out again at dusk on 16/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning the catch was 46 moths of 25 species . I'm not sure why the big difference in catch size, but I'll live with it. Highlights were a stunning male Black Arches Lymantria monacha with its feathery antenna, Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata and the micro moth Metalampra italica With 8 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 166 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

15/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 14/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning the catches seem to be getting worse with 16 moths of 9 species trapped . Highlights were the micro moth Celypha lacunana and a Common Rustic Mesapamea secalis . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 158 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

14/07/24 During this mornings Balsam Pulling alongside the Emm Brook in Area 3 Large White Pieris brassicae , Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Butterflies were seen visiting flowers.

13/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 12/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning with a disapointing 20 moths of 9 species trapped . Highlights were Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides and Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 156 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

11/07/24 Finally the weather relented and the moth trap was out again at dusk on 10/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning with 24 moths of 15 species trapped . Highlights were Scarce Footman Eilema complana , Dwarf Cream Wave Idaea fuscovenosa and Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 155 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

08/07/24 With the weather affecting my moth trapping I decided to visit the Car Park field in Area 10 during a brief dry spell this morning . Butterflies put on a good show with Large White Pieris brassicae , Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus , Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina , Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and a Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris all on the wing. Also seen was a Roesel's Bush-cricket Roeseliana roeselii

04/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 03/07/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning with 23 moths of 14 species trapped . Highlights were Least Carpet Idaea rusticata and the micro moth Bird-cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella With just the one new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 152 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. Seen in my Area 4 garden was evidence that the Patchwork leaf-cutter bee Megachile centuncularis was in town. The appearance of semi-circular holes in the leaves of your garden plants is a sure sign that the patchwork leaf-cutter bee has been at work and then used my homemade bug hotel. It is one of a number of leaf-cutter bee species present in the UK. Leaf-cutter bees nest in holes in plant stems, dead wood, cliffs or old walls, and can be seen in gardens. They famously cut discs out of leaves (they particularly like roses), gluing them together with saliva in order to build the 'cells' in which their larvae live. The larvae hatch and develop, pupating in autumn and hibernating over winter. The patchwork leaf-cutter bee is on the wing from April to August, and feeds solely on pollen and nectar.

01/07/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 30/06/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning with 37 moths of 17 species trapped . Highlights were Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria ,the micro moth Endotricha flammealis and my first Box-tree moth Cydalima perspectalis of the year, not every gardeners favourite. With another 9 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 151 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

21/07/24 Seen by Simon Bartlam at Black Swan Lake in Area 10 was a Broad-leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine .Photo courtesy of Simon Bartlam.

19/07/24 Seen on the banks of the river in Area 3 during the Balsam pulling was Water Figwort Scrophularia auriculata .

08/07/24 In flower in Area 10 was Moth Mullien Verbascum blattaria it has tall spikes that carry pretty white flowers. The flowers have an attractive dark purple ‘eye’ and attract insects.

06/07/24 Seen alongside the river in Area 3 during this mornings Balsam pulling was the long spikes of Purple Loosestrife Scrophularia auriculata also seen were the sweet-smelling , frothy clusters of cream flowers that are Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria .

02/07/24 In Area 10 Rose Campion Silene coronaria is in flower. With its silvery-grey felted leaves and lax sprays of long-stalked, vivid rose-purple flowers it certainly adds colour to the countryside.

Fungi

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

Fish

Amphibians and Reptiles

04/07/24 Seen hopping around Carol Woodmans's Area 7 garden were young of Common Frog Rana temporaria even though she doesn't have a pond.

Mammals

04/07/24 Seen briely in my Area 4 garden this morning , whilst checking the Moth trap was a European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus my first for thr year. Certainly gets my vote.

Molluscs