Birds

30/03/24 Seen flying low over the landfill and Car Park field at Lavells Lake in Area 10 was a male Merlin before turning over DAC at about 150ft and continued South. Seen by Fraser Cottington.

29/03/24 In the copse in the middle of the Car Park field at Lavells Lake in Area 10 was a constantly singing male Willow Warbler before moving to a hedge to the north of the field. Seen by Fraser Cottington.

28/03/24 In Area 1 during a lunchtime walk the birds appeared to be playing hide and seek. A Grey Heron was hiding in the reeds in the flooded field and a Pheasant was skulking in the long grass, also on a patch of nearby water was a fine looking male Mandarin . A male and female Grey Wagtail were seen by Paul O'Neill at the Old Forest Road balancing pond in Area 7A The male was in courtship flight, then seen mating.

27/03/24 In Area 7A in a small ornamental cherry tree in Herd Drive were 3 Siskin seen by Paul O'Neill.

26/03/24 Heard by Paul Bright-Tnomas in Area 4 was a singing male Blackcap .

25/03/24 In Area 10 a returning Swallow was seen flying low over Black Swan Lake from the Dinton Activity Centre in the rain along with 2 calling Oystercatcher , 6 Ring necked Parakeet and a Grey Wagtail was on the beach. In Area 1 at Ludgrove a Little Egret was seen flying from the Emm Brook.

24/03/24 In Area 10 a Linnet was seen flying low over the Carpark field by Fraser Cottington and a Willow Warbler was seen at the same location by Nigel Rampton

23/03/24 In Area 10 a Swallow was seen flying over Lavells Lake by Patrick Crowley. Meanwhile in Area 7A behind the Balancing Pond at Catherwood Place a Skylark was displaying, a a female Grey Wagtail was in the Ashridge Stream at Toutley Road bridge, nearby a Green Sandpiper was in the Balancing ponds and a female Kestrel was hunting over Old Forest Road Meadows all seen by Paul O'Neill.

17/03/24 The first returning Sand Martin were seen in Area 10 by Fraser Cottington.

16/03/24 In Area 7A at the Balancing Pond at Catherwood Place a Reed Bunting was seen by Paul O'Neill. In Area 10 where the Emm Brook meets the Loddon by the Green Bridge a Gooseander was seen by Philip also a male Bullfinch watched by Simon Huggins.

11/03/24 In Area 7A a Raven and 2 Skylark were seen by Paul O'Neill.

10/03/24 Seen by Steve Clarke in Area 10 were a male and female Bullfinch by Betty's Bench.

09/03/24 A late morning walk around Area 1 at Chapel Green/ Ludgrove was very productive. Seen and heard in the fields were Skylark , Green Woodpecker , Great spotted Woodpecker a Common Buzzard on the ground before taking to the trees. A Grey Heron was fishing in the flooded fields and Ring necked Parakeet were heard. In Area 10 a Chiffchaff was heard calling by the Activity Centre by Fraser Cottington.

07/03/24 At 07:15 seen from my Area 4 garden were 2 Greylag Goose , calling as they flew over. Patrick Crowley visited Heath Lake in Area 1 and saw 18 Shoveller 11 males and 7 females a large gathering for the lake.

06/03/24 A visit to the Balancing Pond at Catherwood Place in Area 7A produced a Little Egret and 2 pairs of Coot with a Parliament of 16 Magpie sat in a tree. At 17.20 a Grey Heron flew over my Area 4 garden.

02/03/24 During the litterpick in Area 5 a Great spotted Woodpecker was loudly drumming on an old Oak tree, a Nuthatch was calling and Song Thrush , Robin and Wren, were also heard. In Area 10 near the Activity Centre, 20+ Siskin were in Alder’s seen by Patrick Crowley.Also seen were 2 Oystercatcher and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull on the raft on Black Swan Lake. Seen by Paul Mattingly.

01/03/24 Having topped up my Area 4 garden feeders a Goldfinch appeared.

Insects

31/03/24 Sat on the wall of my Area 4 house was a Dark-edged Bee Fly Bombylius major .

30/03/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 29/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.Overnight temperatures dropped and as a result it contained only 5 moths of 2 species. Highlight was a Early Thorn Selenia dentaria new for the year. The resting position of the Early Thorn distinguishes it from all other British thorns, with wings held back and close together, similar to a butterfly. The rest of the catch was 5 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 31 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. Sitting on my neighbours path was my first Peacock Aglais io butterly of the year.

29/3/24 Seen in Area 3 was a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis .

25/03/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 24/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It has decided to go for quality over quantity . It contained 5 moths of 3 species. Higlight was a Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria new for the year and a March Moth Alsophila aescularia . The supporting cast were 3 Hebrew character Xestia c-nigrum . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 30 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

23/03/24 I was suprised to find that overnight temperatures dipped to 5°C, but the moth trap was out anyway at dusk on 22/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It contained just 1 moth which was a Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis .New for the year. The English and scientific names of this moth are derived from the distinctive yellowish colour of the antennae. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 29 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

21/03/24 Again good overnight temperatures and no rain forcast so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 20/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It contained 6 moths of 4 species . Highlight was the migrant moth Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis new for the year With 1 new moth added the total for 2024 is now 28 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

20/3/24 As we are officially in Spring it was appropriate that the sun came out and so did the insects,seen in Area 10 were 3 ,Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni , and 3 Peacock Aglais io butterflies by Alan Rymer. In Area 4, my first 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata of the year was seen.

14/03/24 Overnight temperatures were in double figures and no rain so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 13/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It contained 24 moths of 12 species, my best so far this year . Highlights were the micro moths Agonopterix alstromeriana , Agonopterix heracliana , and the macro moths Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata and a Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta all new for the year also 4 Early Grey Xylocampa areola and a Emmelina monodactyla .With 4 new moths added the total for 2024 is now 27 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

11/03/24 A bit of an error with the overnight weather but the moth trap was out again at dusk on 07/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Despite the overnight rain it contained 12 moths of 4 species . Unfortunately no real highlights but 3 Oak Beauty Biston strataria , 3 Small Quaker Orthosia cruda , 5 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi and a Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana .With no new moths added the total for 2024 is still 23 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

08/03/24 With another reasonable night forcast the moth trap was out again at dusk on 07/03/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It contained 9 moths of 4 species . Highlights were the micro moth Diurnea fagella and a Early Grey Xylocampa areola both new for the year also 5 Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum and a Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi .With 2 new moths added the total for 2024 is now 23 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

06/03/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 05/03/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced 4 moths of 4 species . New for the year were March Moth Alsophila aescularia and Small Quaker Orthosia cruda With the 2 new moths the total for 2024 is now 21 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

04/03/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 03/03/24 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning and produced 2 moths of 2 species . These were Chestnut Conistra vaccinii and Oak Beauty Biston strataria Nothing new was added and the total for 2024 remains at 19 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

21/03/24 Seen in Area 10 were Primrose Primula vulgaris Primroses are a cheerful sign of spring. They are one of the first woodland blooms and an important nectar source for butterflies.

15/03/24 Currently in flower by Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 are Wood Anemone Anemonoides nemorosa Wood anemone is one of the first spring blooms, arriving to take in the light through the leafless canopy in broadleaf woodland.

Fungi

01/03/24 Seen on an Elder tree in Area 10 was Jelly Ear Auricularia auricula-judae)

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

Fish

Amphibians and Reptiles

02/03/24 Seen in a pond along the Emm Brook was a large amount of spawn from the Common Frog Nyctalus noctula .

Mammals

28/03/24 In Area 1 during a lunchtime walk at Ludgrove a Male and 2 Female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus were seen feeding in the fields. The male appears to be moulting into its summer coat.

23/03/24 Seen on the landfill in Area 10 this lunchtime were 3 Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus and skulking through the Brambles was a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

16/03/24 In area 10 at dusk several small bats, assumed to be Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus were seen by Paul Etherton.

12/03/24 In area 4 at 02:00 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was heard barking.

09/03/24 In Area 1 during a late morning walk at Ludgrove a Male and Female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus were seen feeding in the fields before resting under the trees.

02/03/24 Around the Emm Brook area Red Fox Vulpes vulpes can be seen and regularly come into gardens these visit the garden of Abigail Green. Photos courtesy of Abigal Green.

01/03/24 Feeding tight against the hedgerow in Area 7A was a male Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus . The first that I have seen for a while. Also seen crossing the Spine Road at 20:30 in Area 4 was a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

Molluscs