27/09/23 In Area 7A a Whinchat was seen with a male and female Stonechat in a field behind St Cecilia's school by Paul o'Neill. Paul Bright Thomas had 2 Raven fly over his Area 4 garden heading West , cronking and 4 Swallow heading South East.

26/09/23 A Tawny Owl was again calling distantly outside my Area 4 house early this morning.

24/09/23 A morning walk around Area 1 produced Great spotted Woodpecker , Jay ,9 Mallard in the wet field at Ludgrove along with 2 Grey Heron .

23/09/23 Fraser Cottington was watching the Landfill in Area 10 from the Car park field and saw 2 Raven ,10+ Meadow Pipit and 25 Swallow .

22/09/23 I was woken from my beauty sleep at 02:00 this morning by a calling Tawny Owl .

16/09/23 In Area 10 a Grey Wagtail was seen on the Dinton Activity Centre beach by Brian Bennett and 5 Blackcap and 10+ Meadow Pipit were seen on the landfill by Fraser Cottington. At the Skinner Drive Balancing pond in Area 7A Paul O'Neill saw a male Stonechat and a Little Egret .

10/09/23 Old Forest Road Meadows in Area 8 were visited by Paul O'Neill who saw a male and female Blackcap at seperate locations, 2 Chiffchaff and a calling Willow Warbler .

09/09/23 Fraser Cottington was out and about in Area 10 this morning and saw 3 Little Egret from the Dinton Activity Centre, and 50 Ring necked Parakeet leaving the roost. 4 Blackcap , a Whitethroat and a Kestrel on the landfill. A Willow Warbler was in Hawthorns by the footbridge over the Emm in the Car Park field.

08/09/23 Seen at the Car Park field in Area 10 were 7 Common Buzzard , 2 House Martin and a Swallow by Fraser Cottington.

07/09/23 Calling from a neighbours tree in Area 4 at 18:00 was a Ring necked Parakeet .

06/09/23 Seen on the Landfill and the Carpark field by Fraser Cottington in Area 10 were , 2 Whitethroat a Lesser Whitethroat , Blackcap and Reed Bunting .

05/09/23 In Area 7A at the Copsewood/Skinner Drive balancing pond a pair of Stonechat were seen on the North side by Paul O'Neill. Heard over Paul Bright-Thomas's Area 4 garden were a juvenile Rook and a Siskin .A male Redstart was on the hedge at the bottom of the Car Park field in Area 10 along with a Spotted Flycatcher on the Landfill. Both seen by Fraser Cottington.

03/09/23 A Green Woodpecker was heard calling in Area 4 , whilst having breakfast in my garden .

02/09/23 On the metal fence in Area 7A at Copsewood a pair of Stonechat were seen by Paul O'Neill.

01/09/23 Over the landfill in Area 10 at least 9 Common Buzzard were seen together by Fraser Cottington. A Knot was seen on the Dinton Activity Centre beach by an unknown observer

Insects

28/09/23 With a hint of Storm Agnus in the air the moth trap was out at dusk on 27/09/23 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning . A windy night kept numbers down with 38 moths of 8 species caught. The highlight was a L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album One of the more distinctively-marked of the wainscots.This was new for the year, with the best of the rest being a Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata . Also included in the catch was what I believe to be a Four banded Flower Bee Anthophora quadrimaculata With 1 new moth added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is now 230 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

25/09/23 Another night of Moth trapping. The moth trap was out at dusk on 24/09/23 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning . A mild night helped numbers rise with 95 moths of 19 species caught. The highlight was a Barred Sallow Tiliacea aurago new for the year, with the best of the rest being a Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa . With 1 new moth added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is now 229 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. Later in the day a Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Butterfly flew through my Area 4 garden,

22/09/23 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 2109/23 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning . Early rain and lower temperatures resulted in a bit of a dip in numbers with just 30 moths of 9 species caught. The highlight was 2 Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra new for the year, with the best of the rest being a Twenty- plume moth Alucita hexadactyla .The English name of this unusual little moth is something of a misnomer, as each wing is separated into 6 'plumes'. The scientific name is more accurate, meaning 'six-fingered'. It is the only British member of its family. With 1 new moth added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is now 228 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

17/09/23 On what I believe will be the last warm dry night for a few days the moth trap was out again at dusk on 16/09/23 in my Area 4 garden and was emptied this morning . A good night with 195 moths of 23 species caught. 131 of them were Box Tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis . Highlights were Dark Bordered Pearl Evergestis limbata , Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata , Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata and Lunar Underwing Omphaloscelis lunosa all new for the year, with the best of the rest being Angle Shades Hydraecia micacea . With 4 new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is now 227 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

14/09/23 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 13/09/23 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning , overnight temperatures dipped to 11°C , so numbers dropped with 62 moths of 15 species caught. No real highlights again today with the best of the rest being Rosy Rustic Hydraecia micacea . with no new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is still 223 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

10/09/23 With the warm weather continuing the moth trap was out again at dusk on 09/09/23 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning , it was a good night with 155 moths of 29 species caught. Highlights were Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis a migrant moth and a Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis . Best of the rest was a Dusky Thorn Ennomos fuscantaria , with 2 new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is 223 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

07/09/23 The moth trap was out at dusk on 06/09/23 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning , it was a big night with 214 moths of 25 species caught. The emptying was made more exciting by the suprise addition of 105 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris . Highlights were Scarce Bordered Straw Helicoverpa armigera a migrant and a possible Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta cagnagella but recorded as Yponomeuta aggregate due to it being very similar to several other Yponomeuta species. Best of the rest was 111 Box Tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis , with 2 new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is 221 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

04/09/23 The moth trap was out at dusk on 03/09/23 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning , it was a reasonable night with 114 moths of 23 species caught . Highlights were Flounced Rustic Luperina testacea a very worn Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria and a Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata . Best of the rest was 32 Box Tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis , with 3 new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is 219 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

01/09/23 The moth trap was out at dusk on 31/08/23 in my Area 4 garden.The trap was emptied this morning , it was a shorter trapping time due to overnight rain and therefore numbers were down with 57 moths of 15 species caught . There were no real highlights and no new moths added to the FOTEB Moth list for the year , the total for 2023 is still 216 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

02/09/23 The Horse chestnut leaf-mining moth Cameraria ohridella has spread rapidly since it was first identified as present in Britain from Wimbledon in 2002. The effect on the appearance of horse chestnut trees in late summer can be profound. Heavily affected trees can drop their leaves early, it has been found that this has almost no effect on the growth rate or health of trees, although conkers may be slightly smaller.

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

Fish

21/09/23 I have recently received a report of an 8.5lb Barbel Barbus barbus caught in the Weir pool in Area 5.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

09/09/23 At 06:00 a Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was seen flying around the trees in my Area 4 garden.

01/09/23 In Area 5 on the Spine Road , a European Hegehog Erinaceus europaeus was unfortunately seen during the litter pick.

Molluscs