Birds

14/06/26 In Area 10 a Cuckoo was seen being chased down the Emm Brook by a Jackdaw .Sighting by Peter Scudamore. At Skinner Drive balancing pond in Area 7A a Reed Warbler was heard calling by Paul O'Neill and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from trees alongside Ashridge Stream,

12/06/26 At the Activity Centre in Area 10 a Kingfisher flew left to right along the Emm Brook. seen by Philip Giles

10/06/26 On the beach at the Activity Centre in Area 10 were 2 Grey Wagtail seen by Philip Giles. Seen and photographed by Philip Giles,

08/06/26 At Skinner Drive balancing pond in Area 7A a Reed Warbler was heard calling by Paul O'Neill.

06/06/26 A Chiffchaff was heard calling during the litter pick in Areas 4 & 5 along with Song Thrush , Nuthatch and a pair of Mallard on the brook. 4 Grey Wagtail including 2 juvenille's were on the beach at the Activity Centre in Area 10, with 25 Swift over the lake seen by Fraser Cottington.

05/06/26 A Greenfinch was in the Activity Centre car park seen by Anne Butcher.

02/06/26 Seen flying under the top decking at the Dinton Activity Centre by Philip Giles were 2 Swallow ,and 2 Grey Wagtail on the jetty.

Insects

15/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 14/06/26 and checked this morning . The catch was 58 moth's of 26 species. Highlights were a Common Wainscot Lozotaenia forsterana and The Coronet Craniophora ligustri . With 6 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 124 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

13/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 12/06/26 and checked this morning . The catch was 34 moth's of 19 species. Highlights were a Large Ivy Tortrix Lozotaenia forsterana and Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis . With 6 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 118 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

10/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 09/06/26 and checked this morning . A windy night is not really conducive for trapping. The catch was 9 moth's of 5 species. Highlights were a Burnished Brass Diachrysia chrysitis with it's spectacular brassy, metallic sheen on the forewings . The adults feed at dusk at the flowers of Honeysuckle, Buddleias and Red Valerian and Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata . With 2 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 112 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

09/06/26 Visiting my garden this afternoon was a Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina butterfly.

08/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 07/06/26 and checked this morning .The catch was 61 moth's of 28 species. Highlights were a Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria , L-album Wainscot Mythimna l-album and Marbled Minor Oligia strigilis . With 10 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 110 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

06/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 05/06/26 and checked this morning .Woken by the rain it was brought in at 02:00 , the catch was 20 moth's of 10 species. Highlights were a Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica a scarce immigrant species,, Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria said to resemble burnt paper and the micro moth Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla . With 3 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 100 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

04/06/26 With a window in the rain showers the moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 03/06/26 and checked this morning .A cooler night and as a result the catch was 25 moth's of 13 species. Highlights were a Pale Mottled Willow Phalera bucephala and the micro moth Eudonia lacustrata With 2 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 97 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

01/06/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 31/05/26 and checked this morning . A warm night.It produced a good catch of 40 moth's of 28 species. Highlights were a Buff-Tip Phalera bucephala .When at rest, the adults of this species bear a remarkable resemblance to a broken twig of Silver Birch. Small Magpie Anania hortulata and a Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae .These pretty black and red moths are often confused for butterflies. Their black and yellow caterpillars are a common sight on ragwort plants. The caterpillar’s bright colours warn predators not to eat them, giving a strong signal that they are poisonous With 6 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is 95 species.Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

02/06/26 Just starting to come into flower in Area 10 are Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis and Birds-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus and . Common bird's-foot-trefoil has a vareity of names that conjure up some interesting images: 'Eggs and Bacon', for instance. One of the more evocative names for common bird's-foot-trefoil is 'Granny's toenails', which gives an instant, and perhaps not-so-pleasant, impression of the claw-like seed pods.

Fungi/ Lichen

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

Reptiles

Fish

Mammals/Amphibians

15/06/26 A Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was heard barking outside my house in Area 4 at 02:30.

14/06/26 Seen in Area 10 on the edges of the lake was a Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus .Photo courtesy of Phiip Giles.

06/06/26 During the litter pick in Area 5 ,a froglet Common Frog Rana temporaria was seen moving through the grass near the river.

02/06/26 In Area 10 ,running up the drive to the Fishermans Car park was a Muntjac Deer Muntiacus reevesi .