Birds

31/03/22 2 Redwing were seen in the Area 10 Car park field by Anne Cronin.

28/03/22 Making use of what could be the last sunny day for a while I visited Area 10. In the Car Park field the Kestrel was again watching the world from the wires and a Green Woodpecker was feeding in the field. The metronomic call of the Chiffchaff were heard everywhere and also heard was the rich scratchy, squeaky whistled phrases of the Blackcap in full song.

26/03/22 In Area 7A a Raven was seen flying over Eamer Cresent mobbed by a vocal crow. In the reeds on the East side of Ashridge Meadows a male Reed Bunting was heard singing . Both sightings by Paul O'Neill. In Area 4 , Paul Hopcraft has a pair of nesting Blue Tit in his garden that pick Insects off his Prunus . He also has a visiting Nuthatch that is picking bark off his Acer griseum , presumabely for nesting material. A Blackcap was heard singing in the Area 10 Car Park field by Anne Cronin.

25/03/22 In Area 4 I was treated to a Sparrowhawk visiting my garden fence this afternoon.

24/03/22 Over Area 7A , 4 Common Buzzard were seen riding the thermals by Paul O'Neill and 7 were seen over Area 10 by Fraser Cottington.

23/03/22 In Area 10 a male Blackcap was heard singing near the Dinton Activty Centre .A Common Buzzard was in the Area 4 Balancing Pond and Paul O'Neill was out again in Area 7A/7 and saw a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Pied Wagtail a Kingfisher flying up the Emm and Linnett at the junction of Toutley Road and Emmbrook Road.

21/03/22 Paul O'Neill was out in Area 7A (Ashridge Meadows and saw a Chiffchaff alongside Ashridge Stream, a Little Egret flying W to E over the Meadow, 2 Stock Dove feeding in the Meadow,a male Yellowhammer singing from the top of oak tree at the entrance to Ashridge Meadows and 2 Skylark a Male singing in a display flight above Ashridge Meadows before joining a second, presumably a female, on the ground. A Sparrowhawk was also seen flying S to N over Queens Road. .

20/03/22 A White Stork was seen drifting over Area 10 this morning. Photo courtesy of Simon Bartlam. In Area's 4 & 5 at least 5 singing Chifffchaff were heard.

19/03/22 A quick visit to Area 10, where a Kestrel was hunting the Carpark field with 10 lingering Redwing seen flying from the cente copse to the hedgerows . A Song Thrush was feeding in the field and nearby an Oystercatcher was seen flying over the Emm near Lavells Lake. Photo courtesy of Keith Milner.

17/03/22 A Kestrel was hunting the Carpark field in Area 10 to a back drop of a calling Green Woodpecker and Ring necked Parakeet In Area 3 a pair of very noisy Herring Gull were showing their undying love for each other on the rooftops near Lidl. In Area's 4&5 a Red Kite and Sparrowhawk were locked in an aerial battle and Nuthatch were seen.

15/03/22 Paul Hopcraft was in and around the Area 4 Balancing pond with his magic camera and mamaged to get a stunning shot of a Common Buzzard enjoying the thermals. Also seen was a pair of Grey Wagtail down by the river. The Grey wagtail is more colourful than its name suggests with slate grey upper parts and distinctive lemon yellow under-tail. and in the small trees at the Balancing pond were Jay.

14/03/22 In Area 4, low over Paul Bright Thomas's garden were a pair of Siskin , 3 Cormorrant in breeding plumage were seen heading high NE and along the Emm a Chiffchaff was heard calling. In Area 10 at the Car Park field a Green Woodpecker was heard calling and a Ring necked Parakeet flew over. Down by the Green Bridge a Tawny Owl was seen sunning itself in its usual tree seen by David Rimes.

12/03/22 It was a day of incoming and ourtgoing migrants in Area 10 with 5 new Spring Chiffchaff arrivals between the Green Bridge and the Car Park field and 22 outgoing Autumn Fieldfare in an Oak near the Emm Brook , both seen by Fraser Cottington.

10/03/22 The first signs of Spring in Area 10 with a Chiffchaff singing in the Wet Meadow, a Kestrel was seen on the wires again in the Carpark field. Both sightings by Anne Cronin.

07/03/22 A Kestrel was seen and photographed in and around the Area 10 Car Park field by David Hampton.

06/03/22 A Little Egret was on the Balancing pond in Area 8 at Old Forest Road Meadows before flying to feed on the Ashridge Stream. A Blue Tit was seen checking out one of the nest boxes in Area 7.

03/03/22 The rain finally stopped and what a difference it made on my stroll around Area 7 at Emmbrook Walk. Still no sign of any sun but the birds were singing, Heard were Greenfinch , Song Thrush ,Blackbird , Robin , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Dunnock and a Great spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming. A Sparrowhawk was seen flying over Area 8 at Old Forest Road Meadows and a Moorhen was seen in the Balancing Pond in Area 7A by Toutley Road .

01/03/22 The first day of meteorological Spring proved a very dank and murky morning, that didn't get much better all day. I spent the day watching my Area 4 garden, where the usual House Sparrow , Collared Dove ,Wood Pigeon , Starling and Blue Tit were all visiting.

Insects

28/03/22 The Moth trap was out again overnight (27/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It was a bit of a non event with 12 moths of 4 species caught . There were not really any highlights to the catch with just the usual Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi and Small Quaker Orthosia cruda making up the bulk of the catch. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

25/03/22 The Moth trap was out again overnight (24/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 28 moths of 9 species . Highlights, caught were a Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata and a Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

22/03/22 With the good weather set to continue the Moth trap was out again overnight (21/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 32 moths of 13 species . Highlights, caught were an Acleris literana a first for the year and the FOTEB life list, Red Green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata another first for the year and a Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria . The bulk of the catch was made up of 6 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi , 13 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda and 4 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica . adding 3 more species to the year list, this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 27 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

20/03/22 By the weir pool in Area 5 my first Peacock Aglais io Butterfly of the year was seen. As it was the first day of Astronomical Spring the Moth trap was out again overnight (19/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Moth catches decreases significantly as the fullness of the moon increases. This is because moonlight inhibits the flight activity of the moths, and modifies brightness of the artificial light source used in the trap relative to background illumination.This would account for the dismal catch of 5 moths of 5 species . Highlight, caught was an Early Thorn Selenia dentaria a first for the year. The rest of catch was a Twin spotted Quaker Orthosia cerasi , Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica , Oak Beauty Biston strataria and a White shoulderd House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella. adding 1 more species to the year list, this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 24 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

18/03/22 During the Community Orchard planting today both Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni , > and a Comma Polygonia c-album were seen on the wing. The current Anticyclonic weather over the UK looks good for mothing for the next few days. So with this in mind the Moth trap was out again overnight (17/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 11 moths of 7 species . Highlight was my first Twin spotted Quaker Orthosia cerasi of the year. The supporting cast were 1 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi , 4 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica , Oak Beauty Biston strataria, Diurnea fagella , Early Grey Xylocampa areola and White shoulderd House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella. adding 1 more species to the year list, this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 23 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

16/03/22 Like me enjoying the lunchtime sun at Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 was my first Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina of the year. Also seen was a Buff tailed Bumble Bee Bombus terrestris showing all of its diagnostic features except its Buff tail.

15/03/22 With the weather warming it was a good day for Butterflies in Area 4. Seen at the Balancing pond by Paul Hopcraft were a Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni , Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae and a Comma Polygonia c-album . This now brings the FOTEB 2022 Butterfly list to 3 species. Photos courtesy of Paul Hopcraft

14/03/22 Under today's midday sun the first Butteflies of the year were seen with 2 Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni seen in the Area 10 Lavells Lake Car park by Alan Rymer and a further 2 seen in Area 4,also seen in the Lavells Lake Car park was the first Bumblebee of the year a Queen Buff tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris . The Moth trap was out again overnight (13/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Caught were 10 moths of 9 species . Highlights were a White shoulderd House Moth Endrosis sarcitrella and a Double striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata . all new for the year.Gymnoscelis rufifasciata The supporting cast were 2 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi , 1 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica , March Moth Alsophila aescularia , Small Ouaker Orthosia cruda, Diurnea fagella , Early Grey Xylocampa areola and Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana. adding 2 more species to the year list, this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 22 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

09/03/22 The Moth trap was out again overnight (08/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. The best catch of the year so far with 30 moths of 8 species caught . Highlights were a Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla ,3 Small Ouaker Orthosia cruda, Early Grey Xylocampa areola and the micro moth Diurnea fagella all new for the year. The supporting cast were 17 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi , 3 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica , a Satellite Eupsilia transversa, and 3 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta. adding 4 more species to the year list this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 20 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

04/03/22 Encouraged by Tuesdays haul I put out the Moth trap overnight (03/03/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied it this morning. It was another good catch with 14 moths of 7 species caught . Highlights were The Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix the species that got me interested in Butterflies and Moths and an Oak Beauty Biston strataria , The remaining moths were a Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta , 4 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi , Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana , 5 Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla and a Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica adding 4 more species to the year list this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 16 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

01/03/22 I put out the Moth trap overnight (28/02/22)in my Area 4 garden and emptied it this morning. Despite a wet forecast I got my best haul of the year with 7 moths of 2 species caught . They were 5 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi and 2 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta another new one for the year list this brings the FOTEB 2022 Moth list to 12 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

30/03/22 In Area 5 Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa are putting on a really good display. The presence of wood anemones another early sign of spring can indicate ancient woodland as it is a slow-growing species which spreads via rhizomes – horizontal underground stems.

28/03/22 In Area 10 the signs of Springs emergence can be seen . Primrose Primula vulgaris has just started to appear, along with Greater stitchwort Stellaria holostea Star-of-Bethlehem' and 'wedding cakes' are just some of the other names for greater stitchwort.

20/03/22 Once March arrives you can start to keep a look out for pussy willows coming into flower. Their easily recognisable light grey, oval-shaped, furry male catkins are meant to resemble a cat’s paw, hence the name “pussy”. They also used to be known as goslings, which seems to have fallen out of favour somewhat, but I love as they really do resemble miniature, newly hatched geese! Eventually these catkins burst open with golden yellow pollen. Female catkins are longer, with a silvery green appearance and because pussy willow is what is called a dioecious plant, male and female flowers grow on separate trees. Pussy willow is in fact a country name for the Goat Willow Salix caprea these were by the pond in Area 5

17/03/22 I was down by Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 at lunchtime and saw Red Dead Nettle Lamium purpureum , White Dead Nettle Lamium album , Common Dog Violet Viola riviniana was just starting to appear. It has five striking purple petals that overlap each other slightly, with a white centre. The bottom-most petal has darker purple detail.Its called Dog violet because its less spectacukar than its relative the Sweet Violet. Dog Violets dont have a scent.

03/03/22 Growing in the disturbed ground from the road works in Area 8 at Old Forest Road were Red Dead Nettle Lamium purpureum not Nettles at all, but belonging to the Mint family. I am reliably informed that these are edible.

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

17/03/22 Seen in the Area 10 Car park field in the afternoon sun were numerous feeding Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus .

13/03/22 Amazingly in Area 10 an Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra was seen and photographed on the Emm Brook by Adam Saunders.

02/03/22 A Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen running through Area 4 at 02:20 this morning barking.

Fish/ Crustaceans

Molluscs