Birds

30/11/19 In Area 4, 2 male and 1 female Mallard were on the river near Kingfisher Bridge. Once again a Kingfisher flew upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.

29/11/19 In Area 10, 15 Little Egret were on the island near the feeding station on Black Swan Lake seen by Tim James. In Area 4 by Kingfisher Bridge, 2 Kingfisher were flushed from the river and flew upstream. In the ivy on the riverside trees were Goldcrest, Blue Tit and Great Tit.

28/11/19 2 Redwing were seen over the car park field in Area 10 by Bob Bennett and 6 Little Egret were on the south side of Black Swan Lake by the Dinton Activity Centre seen by Andrew Merrick.In Area 5 Blackbird were feasting on the Hawthorn berries in Morrisons car park.

27/11/19 Richard Marsh saw a Kingfisher fly over the Wet Meadow at Lavells Lake in Area 10.

26/11/19 Just downstream of Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 a Kingfisher was seen flying off further downstream during Nest Box clearance. In Area 10 by the beach area next to the Dinton Activity Centre 15 Little Egret were seen by Andrew Merrick. The highest number that I have heard of along the Emm Brook.

25/11/19 A Tawny Owl was heard calling in Area 5 this morning at 05:00.At Heathlake in Area 1 a pair of Pochard were on the water with approx 45 Mallard , Great crested Grebe and 5 Cormorrant roosting on the Island.

24/11/19 Paul O'Neill saw a pair of Kestrel in trees in Area 7.

23/11/19 Despite the Work Party around the pond in Area 5 a pair of Mallard never moved as Roland was clearing the vegetation. A Great spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker were heard flying over by Dragonfly Bridge.

21/11/19 In Area 7, 2 Kestrel were calling whilst flying around over Eamer Crescent seen by Paul O'Neill and 43+ Fieldfare were at the bottom of the car park field in Area 10 before flying off west. Seen by Fraser Cottington.

20/11/19 3 Bullfinch , one male and two females were seen in the copse east of the car park field in Area 10 by Richard Marsh.

17/11/19 On the flooded field opposite Ludgrove Schol in Area 1, the Grey Heron numbers had increased to 5. Also seen were 32 Mallard and 2 Moorhen .

16/11/19 A Barn Owl was seen returning to its box in Area 10 at 07:05 this morning by Nick.

13/11/19 At 08:00, 18 Ring-necked Parakeet were seen heading South over Matthews Green Road in Area 7 by Paul O'Neill; presumably from the Dinton roost.

12/11/19 Only 2 Goosander seen at Heath Lake in Area 1 today.1 male,1 female. Also seen were Black headed Gull , Coot , Mallard , Grey Heron and Great crested Grebe .

11/11/19 In Area 1 this afternoon, Patrick Crowley saw 8 Goosander at Heath Lake . These comprised 3 male and 5 female. One male was an immature. Meanwhie on the flooded field opposite Ludgrove School also in Area 1, 4 Grey Heron were sat around the edges.

10/11/19 At 08:00 25 Redwing flew over my Area 5 garden as I was topping up the garden feeders.

09/11/19 23 Ring-necked Parakeets were seen near the Emm Brook above the feeders in Area 10 by Anne Cronin, at 16:00 presumabely on their way to roost.

08/11/19 At 07:30 a Grey Heron flew over my Area 5 garden as I was topping up the feeders. Also 2 Rooks were seen flying West over Area 4 by Paul Bright- Thomas.

07/11/19 Picking the sunniest spot in Area 10, a Robin was letting everybody know that this was his territory. Only for a short period in late summer while they are moulting and inconspicuous do robins stop singing. Both sexes sing. Autumn and spring songs are distinctly different. The autumn song starts after the moult, from late summer onwards. It is more subdued and melancholy in its tone, while the spring song is powerful, confident and upbeat. The spring song can start as early as mid-December, reaching full force in spring. Its purpose is two-fold: to defend a territory and to attract a mate. Therefore, spring song is far more powerful in males. Robins are adapted to life in poor light and are often active in half-light when few other birds are about. They tend to be among the earliest birds to start the dawn chorus and one of the last to stop in the evening. Street lights and floodlights can trigger singing in the middle of the night, and if roosting robins are disturbed, they can burst into song even in complete darkness.

05/11/19 At 16:30 again a Common Buzzard was seen flying over Brookside in Area 5, presumably going to roost.

04/11/19 In Area 5 at 16:30 a Cormorrant was seen flying over my house going South. Meanwhile in Area 10, 6 Siskin were foraging in the Alder trees near duck feeding area adjacent to the Emm at Black Swan Lake. A Grey Wagtail was seen flying over the Dinton Activity Centre beach both sightings by Richard Marsh.

03/11/19 Singing for all it was worth this morning, was a male Robin in my Area 5 garden. The garden feeders were visited by 8 Goldfinch , Blue Tit , Blackbird ,, Robin , Collared Dove , Wood Pigeon ,Magpie , Starling and a Carrion Crow was heard calling. Down by the river a solitary Redwing was on top of a firtree, and a Song Thrush was high in the riverside Ash.

02/11/19 3 Little Egret flew over the Emm Brook in Area 10 this morning.

01/11/19 A Great White Egret flew over the Car Park field in Area 10 going south towards Black Swan Lake seen by Richard Marsh. 5 Fieldfare were seen flying over Paul Bright Thomas's Area 4 garden.

Insects

11/11/19 Enjoying the sunshine and Ivy flowers a Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana was seen in Area 1 at lunchtime near Ludgrove School .This large fly is easily identified by the jet black colour adorned with orange-gold on the base of its wings, on its feet and on its face.

03/11/19 In Area 5 a Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina was seen on the Brambles . Feeding on the nectar from the Common Ivy flowers in Area 1 were Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris , Greenbottle Lucilia sericata ,a Fleshfly sp and the Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus Its two 'moustache' black bands on tergites 3 and 4 of its abdomen are unique. Some specimens also show white bands on the abdomen, whilst other forms are quite dark.

Plants/ Trees

13/11/19 In Area 10, White dead-nettle Lamium album can be seen still just about in flower.

Why do leaves change colour

Fungi

17/11/19 On the front lawn of my neighbours garden in Area 5 Dead Moll's Fingers Xylaria longipes have appeared.

03/11/19 At the very start of the Emm Brook in Area 2 Violet Bramble Rust Phragmidium violaceum can be seen. Phragmidium violaceum causes leaf rust on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus aggregate). This can take the form of reddish purple blotches, but these can be joined together to form larger blotches. In Area 5 a Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria has popped up underneath the Silver Birch trees.

02/11/19 Sulphur tuft Hypholoma fasciculare is a common woodland mushroom, often in evidence when hardly any other mushrooms are to be found.These were seen in Area 10 .

Other Wildlife

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

29/11/19 In Area 5 a Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis was enjoying a lunch of Rose Hips, before perilously hanging off the thin stems to get another, from the dwindling supply.

28/11/19 My first Weasel Mustela nivalis for a very long time along the Emm, was seen scurrying across the path in Area 10 by the Dinton Activity Centre boat compounds as I sat in my car in the car park. It explored the hedgerows and then returned by the same route.

16/11/19 Still not too cold to send the European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus that visits my Area 5 garden into hibernation, it was once again seen out and about.

03/11/19 An out of focus Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus was caught on camera in my garage, enjoying the Sunflower Hearts.The tiny, brown wood mouse is one of our most common rodents and is very likely to be found in the garden. It is similar to the house mouse, but has larger ears and eyes relative to its size.

02/11/19 2 Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus were feeding in Area 10.But distant.

Fish/ Crustaceans

Molluscs