Birds

26/04/24 In Area 7A a Swallow and a Skylark were seen over Wokingham Sewage Treatment Works by Paul O'Neill.

25/04/24 Seen by Paul O'Neill In Area 7A at Old Forest Road Meadows were a singing male Whitethroat a Little Egret was in the Ashridge Stream by Toutley Bridge, and a female Kestrel was also hunting here.

24/04/24 Seen In Area 7A & 7 by Paul O'Neill were 3 singing male Blackcap at Old Forest Road Meadows and another 3 at Emmbrook Walk.A calling male Willow Warbler was in Old Forest Road Meadows and 5 Chiffchaff were in Old Forest Road Neadows and 2 in Emmbrook Walk.

23/04/24 Seen flying over the duck feeding area of Area 10 this morning was a Great White Egret seen and photographed by David Rimes.

21/04/24 A Goldcrest has been seen in an Area 5 garden all day . Photo courtesy of Fran Stickler.

20/04/24 In Area 7A a Swallow was seen flying over Queens Road by Paul O'Neill.

18/04/24 A Cuckoo was again heard calling in Area 10 by Brian Bennett.

17/04/24 THe first 2 Swift of the year were over Black Swan Lake, along with 2 House Martin , 3+ Swallow and 5+ Swallow . All sightings by Fraser Cottington.

16/04/24 In Area 10 a Reed Warbler was heard singing in front of the hide and 24 House Martin were over Black Swan Lake.

14/04/24 In Area 10's Car Park Field 2 Willow Warbler were still singing and 4 Common Sandpiper were by the Activity Centre and the Jetty both sightings by Fraser Cottington.The first returning Cuckoo of the year was heard and seen.

11/04/24 An amazing sighting in Area 1 of a White Stork sat in the fields around Chapel Green by Jan Rose. Photos courtesy of Jan Rose.

07/04/24 In Area 7 a singing male Blackcap was seen in Emmbrook Walk and 2 male Song Thrush were singing 75m apart beside Ashridge Stream, either side of A321 both sightings by Paul O'Neill. In a slightly bizarre moment I am convinced that I saw a Red legged Partridge fly over Woosehill roundabout and land on the opposite pavement in Area 5 at 07:00.

06/04/24 Heard and seen during todays litter pick in Area's 4 & 5 were Chiffchaff , a male Blackcap a calling Great spotted Woodpecker and Nuthatch . The supporting choir were singing Blackbird, Robin and Wren . The sound of the dawn chorus is also on the increase . Lea Farm Lake – Kestrel hovering over towards Lavell’s, 14+ Sand Martin near the Sand Martin Wall (Steve Clarke) Lavell’s Car Park Field – Willow Warbler singing from the central copse (Dave Rimes)

04/04/24 It was busy in Area 10 with a Kestrel on the overhead wires at Lavells Lake by Jerrys bench seen by Nick Kightley and a male and female Bullfinch nearby seen by Fraser Cottinton. In the Car Park field a male Willow Warbler was seen by Nick Kightley along with a singing Mistle Thrush near the Activity Centre and old Golf Course. 3 + House Martin were seen by Fraser Cottington

03/04/24 In Area 10 at Lavells Lake by Jerrys bench a male Bullfinch was seen by Peter Scudamore.

02/04/24 In Area 10 an escaped Macaw was sat on the roof of the Dinton Activity Centre. Over Black Swan Lake 15+ Sand Martin and 2 Swallow Both sightings by Fraser Cottington.

Insects

27/04/24 Moth sightings have been few and far between recently because of this run of chilly nights and I have been House sighting for my daughter in Reading whilst she is on holiday. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

14/04/24 In Area 5 a Green veined White Pieris napi was seen .

14/04/24 Seen in Area 10 by Keith Boseley were 5 Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula the first of the year .

13/04/24 The mild weather continues and so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 12/04/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. a reasonable catch with 14 moths of 9 species. Highlights were the micro moth Semioscopis steinkellneriana , Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis and Oak tree Pug Eupithecia dodoneata . With 3 new moths added ,the total for 2024 is now 42 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. In Area 7 seen by Carol Woodman were Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines , Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus , Peacock Aglais io and Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni Butterflies.

08/04/24 In Area 10 lots of Butterflies were seen on the wing by Keith Boseley in todays sunshine. These were Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus , 2 Peacock Aglais io , Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines and 3 Comma Polygonia c-album . A Green-veined White Pieris napi was seen by Roger Stansfield.

07/04/24 The mild weather continues and so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 6/04/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. I usually only do every other day however the catch wasn't to bad 13 moths of 8 species. Highlight was another first for the year in a Frosted Green Polyploca ridens also seen were 3 Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli and 2 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 39 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

06/04/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 05/04/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.A reasonable result with 13 moths of 10 species. Highlight was my first ever Blossom Underwing Orthosia miniosa also new for the year was the micro moth Esperia sulphurella , Nut tree Tussock Colocasia coryli and Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata With 6 new moths added ,the total for 2024 is now 38 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. During todays litter pick a male Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni butterfly was seen.

05/04/24 The sun was shining this afternoon in Area 5 and a Peacock Aglais io butterfly was sunning itself also seen was my first male Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines butterfly of the year.

01/04/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 31/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.A reasonable result with 20 moths of 8 species. Highlight was a Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata new for the year. The rest of the catch was made up of the usual moths seen at this time of the year. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 32 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. A Peacock Aglais io butterly was seen in an Area 5 garden along with a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina .

Plants/ Trees

12/04/24 In Area 5 Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis also known as Ladys Smock is showing well, a sure sign that spring has arrived.

06/04/24 In the Area 5 pond a very fine Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris also known as King cup is in full flower.

05/04/24 In Area 5 Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata also known as Jack by the hedge and Greater Stitchwort Rabelera holostea are in flower. Greater Stitchwort has many other common names, including 'wedding cakes', 'Star-of-Bethlehem' and 'daddy's-shirt-buttons'.

Fungi

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

Fish

14/04/24 In Area 10 floating in the Emm Brook by the bridge from the Car Park field was a dead Pike Esox lucius . Photo courtesy of Peter Scudamore.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

14/04/24 Visiting the Bird table in my Area 4 garden was a Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis .

05/04/24 At 21:00 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen walking the streets in Area 4.

Molluscs