Birds

31/10/22 In Area 7A a Kestrel was seen on the wires before dropping to the ground for prey. In Area 4 seen by Paul Bright Thomas were 3 Lesser Redpoll

30/10/22 Seen flying over the Woosehill Roundabout in Area 5 this afternoon was a Common Buzzard .

29/10/22 Paul Bright Thomas was out again in his Area 4 garden and had a flyover Hawfinch , along with a Gadwall . He also visited Area 10 and saw 15 Fieldfare heading South West over the car park field. Photos courtesy of Paul Bright Thomas.

25/10/22 Paul Bright Thomas was watching the skies above his Area 4 garden and saw 2 Song Thrush in neighbouring trees, 10 Redwing ,3 Long-tailed Tit a Coal Tit in his own garden, a Sparrowhawk over low ,3 Meadow Pipit heading South East, 10 Linnett heading low South and a Lesser Redpoll going South East.

24/10/22 Fraser Cottington spent an hour watching the landfill at the bottom of the car park field in Area 10 and saw 11 Fieldfare , 20 + Redwing ,16 Chaffinch heading west and 2 Green Sandpiper heading east.

23/10/22 In Area 7A a male Stonechat was seen on the overhead wires near the pond off Queens Road by Paul O'Neill,

22/10/22 110 Wood Pigeon and a Fieldfare were seen over Area 4 by Paul Bright Thomas, meanwhile 23 Fieldfare and 100 Redwing were seen heading South West over the Area 10 landfill with 1000 Wood Pigeon sightings by Fraser Cottington.

18/10/22 2 Ring necked Parakeets flew over the car park field in Area 10 calling.

16/10/22 In Area 5 one of the resident Grey Wagtail was feeding on the banks of the river . In Area 10 there was some visible migration across the landfill site with small groups of Redwing going West. 20 Skylark moving South, 10 Chaffinch in dribs and drabs and a Linnet South. Area 10 sightings by Fraser Cottington.

15/10/22 A Kestrel was seen hunting over Area 7a Ashridge Meadows. In Area 5 a calling Mistle Thrush and a Green Woodpecker were seen . Paul Bright Thomas was in his Area 4 garden and saw 4 Song Thrush flying over South, a Chiffchaff heard singing by the Emm Brook and a flock of 15 Greylag Goose flying South East.

14/10/22 3 Gadwall flew over Paul Bright Thomas's Area 4 garden this morning.

13/10/22 Paul O'Neill was out and about in Area 7A and saw a Little Egret flying downstream on the Ashridge Stream . 4 Little Grebe , 3 juveniles and an adult on a pond, off Queens Road. A male and female Kestrel sat on wires beside pond off Queens Road and 11 Linnet in trees in the car park opposite co-op shop on Queens Road.

11/10/22 3 Little Grebe 1 adult and 2 juveniles were in a pond adjacent to the building site, between Queens Road and Ashridge Stream in Area 7A, seen by Paul O'Neill. In Area 10 a Green Woodpecker was seen feeding in the Car Park field by Adam McTiernan.In Area 5 there were two Moorhen in the Brook and a juvenile male Green Woodpecker near the pond. A Buzzard was active around the balancing pond in Area 4. Sightings and photo by Paul Hopcraft.

10/10/22 In bushes in the centre of Car Park field in Area 10 were 40+ Redwing seen by Nick Kightley.

08/10/22 Seen on my walk around Area 8 and Old Forest Meadows this morning were 4 Song Thrush ,3 Meadow Pipit , 2 Skylark overhead, 5 Greylag Goose and 4 Canada Goose flying through calling. In Area 5 a Cormorrant flew over. In Area 10 the juvenile Artic Tern was still present on Black Swan Lake for the 3rd day also seen were 1 Sand Martin , 1 House Martin and 14 Swallow . Sightings by Fraser Cottington.

07/10/22 In Area 10 the juvenile Artic Tern was still present on Black Swan Lake and even spent time preening on the beach opposite the Dinton Activity Centre. Photo courtesy of David Rimes.

06/10/22 In Area 10 a juvenile Artic Tern was seen around Black Swan Lake from the Dinton Activity Centre by Nick Kightley and 4 Swallow were seen by Fraser Cottington.

05/10/22 A sign of late breeding in Area 5 with the empty shell of a Woodpigeon egg found underneath the trees.

04/10/22 In Area 10 a Sparrowhawk was seen over the car park field by Michael Hubbard, 2 Swallow were seen by Nick Kightley and a Stonechat was sitting on the vents in the the landfill seen from the end of the car park field also by Nick Kightley.

02/10/22 In Area 10 at the car park field 5 Swallow were heading East also 5 House Martin were over Lavells Lake seen by Fraser Cottington.

01/10/22 Seen in Area 4 and 5 during this mornings litter pick were Common Buzzard over the Spine Road. A calling Chiffchaff at least 2 Grey Wagtail seen at atleast 3 different locations along the river. A Dunnock was calling from a riverside bush, and several Nuthatch were also heard calling.Over Paul Bright Thomas's Area 4 garden were 3 heading West and a Linnet heading West calling.

31/10/22 On the scariest weekend of the year the moth trap was put out at dusk on 30/10/22 in my Area 4 garden . No ghosts or ghouls were lured into the trap but it did produce a catch of 9 moths of 7 species. The highlight was a ghostly looking Jasmine Moth Palpita vitealis another first for the year and the garden. This a migrant moth that is found in Southern Europe 1 new moth was added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , bringing the total for 2022 to 232.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

29/10/22 The moth trap was put out at dusk on 28/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and as predicted it had to be brought in when the rain started at 03:00. It produced a catch of 14 moths of 9 species. The highlight was a Red-line Quaker Agrochola lota another first for the year. 1 new moth was added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , bringing the total for 2022 to 231.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

27/10/22 Still hoping for a few more new moths for the year, so the moth trap was put out at dusk on 26/10/22 in my Area 4 garden . It produced a catch of 8 moths of 7 species. The highlight was a male Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria a first for the year. 1 new moth was added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , bringing the total for 2022 to 230.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

25/10/22 The moth trap was put out at dusk on 24/10/22 in my Area 4 garden . It was caught in a few unexpected light showers of rain but still produced a catch of 12 moths of 10 species. No highlights , but a very smart looking Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella and November Moth Epirrita dilutata were nice to see. No new moth's were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , keeping the total for 2022 at 229.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

23/10/22 Another predicted very mild night with temperatures of 14.5C prompted me to put out the moth trap at dusk on 22/10/22 in my Area 4 garden . Totals caught were 32 moths of 16 species. Hghlights were a November Moth aggEpirrita dilutata a first for the year. Also seen was a 3rd Generation Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata . 1 new moth was added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year bringing the total for 2022 to 229.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

18/10/22 The moth trap was put out at dusk on 17/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Totals caught were only 7 moths of 6 species. The highlight was a Scarce Bordered Straw Helicoverpa armigera a first for the year. It is an immigrant species to Britain. Also seen was a Vines Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua 1 new moth was added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year bringing the total for 2022 to 228.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

16/10/22 With double digit overnight temperatures predicted the moth trap was put out at dusk on 15/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Totals caught were 15 moths of 6 species. No real highlights but 6 Barred Sallow Tiliacea aurago a very variable moth as can be seen from the 2 photos. Also hiding in the bottom of the trap amongst the egg boxes was a Hornet Vespa crabro always a scary suprise in the morning. No new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. In Area 5 a Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus butterfly was on the wing in the sunshine.

15/10/22 On flowering Ivy in Area 5 was a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis . In the Widflower area the Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum was feeding on the Corn Marigold.

14/10/22 With the promise of a mild night the moth trap was put out at dusk again on 13/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Totals caught were 23 moths of 9 species. Highlights were Merville du jour Griposia aprilina , one of our most beautiful moths, especially when freshly emerged andGreen-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae both first's for the year. 2 new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year bringing the total for 2022 to 228 .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

10/0/22 The moth trap was put out at dusk again on 09/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Totals caught were 4 moths of 4 species. Once again no real highlights . Might be time to put the trap away for the year No new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

09/10/22 In Area 4 on a patch of dirt , sunning itself was an over-mature female Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Dragonfly.

07/10/22 The moth trap was put out at dusk again on 06/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It was a night that promised a lot but only gave a little. Totals caught were 19 moths of 6 species. No real highlights, but 11 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba were caught. The large yellow underwing is a very common, large, brown moth, with orangey-yellow hindwings, bordered with black. It holds its wings folded back, flat along the body, and scuttles about on the floor, a bit like a mouse! No new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

05/10/22 On the shed in my Area 4 garden this morning was the Cranefly Tipula confusa .One of the smaller craneflies with marbled dark and pale patches on wings, which are held in line with the body at rest.

04/10/22 The overnight temperature was again in double figures so the moth trap was put out at dusk on 03/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. Totals caught were 54 moths of 21 species The highlight was an Orange Sallow Tiliacea citrago a first for the year and the FOTEB list. A Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis was another first for the year. Also seen was a Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla . Plume moths rest with its wings tightly rolled, resembling a small cross. 2 new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year bringing the total for 2022 to 226 .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

03/10/22 Found on my kitchen wall this morning was the Caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus Probably escaped from yesterdays Moth trapping. The colouration may vary from pale to dark brown but the distinguishing feature is the dark edged pale 'half moon' on the rear margin of the wing - from whence the Latin 'lunatus'. Caddisflies are small moth-like insects, having two pairs of hairy membranous wings. They are closely related to Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) which have scales on their wings.There are 199 British and Irish species of caddisfly. Also seen was the Caddisfly Limnephilus flavicornis .Another escapee.

02/10/22 With the overnight temperature in double figures the moth trap was out again overnight on 01/10/22 in my Area 4 garden and taken in at 04:00 before the rain. It was emptied this morning. Totals caught were 27 moths of 15 species The highlight was a Barred Sallow Tiliacea aurago a first for the year along with a Blairs Shoulder-knot Lithophane leautieri another first for the year. Also seen was an Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa . 2 new moths were added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year bringing the total for 2022 to 224 .Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

01/10/22 Feeding on the Ivy flowers around the Weir pool in Area 5 were Hornet Vespa crabro , Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris and the Ivy Bee Colletes hederae .The Ivy bee is a new arrival to the UK. First recorded here in 2001, it is slowly spreading north. It feeds mainly on the nectar of ivy flowers and can be seen in autumn. Sitting on the leaves of Bramble was the Dock Bug Coreus marginatus A large and mottled reddish-brown squashbug with a broad, oval abdomen. The two small projections between the antennae are diagnostic.

Plants/ Trees

09/10/22 Pollinators love them for the nectar and pollen they provide early in the year.Gardeners curse them for the stubborn taproot. . It came as a big suprise to me to find out that there are 250 species of Dandelion in Britain. This one in Area 1 is a Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale .

08/10/22 In Area 1 the fruits of the Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa are ready to drop. Sweet Chestnut trees can live for up to 700 years and do not bear fruit until they are at least 25 years old. A treat when roasted.

01/10/22 In Area 5 was a Hedge Woundwort Stachys sylvatica . The wildflower patch in Area 5 still has Wild Carrot Daucus carota , Corncockle Agrostemma githago, Cornflower Centaurea cyanus . Poppy Papaver rhoeas and Corn Marigold Glebionis segetum . .

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

30/10/22 Seen in Area 1 at Gorrick Woods were Yellow Staghorn Calocera viscosa .It's a bright yellow, branched jelly fungus resembling stubby antlers. And Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon . Growing to a height of 6cm, candlesnuff fungus looks like a snuffed-out candle wick. It has a black base, grey mid-section and white tip.

19/10/22 Under the Silver Birch and Pines in Area 1 at Gorrick Woods are lots of Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria . Fly agarics are poisonous and should not be eaten

01/10/22 In the topsoil that was laid alongside the new path through Area's 4 and 5 fungi have started to appear . As yet unidentified. Further investigation required.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

02/10/22 In Area 4 at 03:45 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was calling near my house.

Fish/ Crustaceans

Molluscs

08/10/22 Making its way across the stone path at Old Forest Meadows in Area 8 was a Black Slug Arion ater .