Carlton Marsh

A Common Tern visited the scrape this morning and the Greenshank from yesterday was still on the wader scrape (N. Lunn/J. Finch).

                                        Common Tern (J. Finch)

                                               Greenshank (J. Finch).

Carlton Marsh Monday 10/8/26

c30 Swallows came in to roost, 3 Swift flew through before dusk, A juv. Tawny Owl called. Also Great Spot Woodpecker, Water Rail called.

                                     Garden Warbler (CG)

Tuesday 11/8/26

A Greenshank was on the wader scrape most of the day (K.Bannister/J. Finch). 

 

The BMBC Rangers cut back the vegetation on the island in the scrape.It didn't bother the resident Mute Swans and Canada and Greylag flock. 

Still present on the dike 2 female Small Red-eyed Damselflies, several Blue-tailed, Emerald, Emperor and Brown Hawker as well as male Ruddy Darters.

                                   BMBC Rangers (R. J. Boland)
 

                                 Greenshank (John Finch)

                                        Ruddy Darter male (CG)

Carlton Marsh

2 juvenile Buzzards and at least 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks were calling.

A Little Grebe, 12 Greylags and 20 Canada Geese were on the scrape with 20 + Gadwall and 2 Mute Swans.

Butterflies included a Clouded Yellow feeding on Devil's Bit Scabious (CG), 10 Painted Lady, 12 Red Admiral, 62 Meadow Brown, 16 Gatekeeper, 9 Speckled Wood, 5 Small Heath, 36 Common Blue, 7 Small Copper, and 1 Brown Argus.

1 male and a female Small Red-eyed Damselfly (the female ovipositing), c10m 1f Ruddy Darter, 2m Emperor and 1 Migrant Hawker (C. Parkin).

                               Clouded Yellow (CG)
 

Carlton Marsh & Cudworth

Our wildlife group was busy cutting back regenerating scrub this morning.

A pair of Little Grebes have at least 1 very very small young that was almost gobbled up by a Black Headed Gull, it just managed to dive to safety. 4 Teal and c40 Gadwall were amongst the wildfowl present.

Cudworth's old rail station site 

A Humming Bird Hawk Moth was found grounded here. We don't often see them resting like this (Chris Parkin).

 

                       Humming Bird Hawk Moth (C. Parkin)

Carlton Marsh & Thurlstone & Cudworth

 Mixed flock of 50 Canad and Greylag on scrape, Kingfisher. A Snipe was on the wader scrape at 07.18hrs (Neil Lunn).

2m & 1f Small Red-eyed Damsel on the dike (CG).

Thurlstone

 23 Wall Brown, 2 Pained Lady, 2 Holly Blue and 3 Small Copper (C. Parkin). 

 

Upper Cudworth

Another Humming Bird Hawk Moth and a Painted Lady were feeding on Geoff Miller's Buddlea this evening, This Hawk moth has been seen regularly in Les Corrall's Low Cudworth garden over recent weeks. 

 

Also in Low Cudworth recently an infestation of Box Tree Moth larvae in Chris Parkin Jnr's garden.

                               Box Tree Moth larvae (C. Parkin junior)
 

 

Carlton Marsh

A Green Sandpiper was on the wader scrape at 07.33hrs (K. Bannister).

Also 2 Goldcrest, 6 Red-legged Partridge (3 juvs), 2 Buzzard,  Little Grebe.

4 Ruddy Darter, 6 Common Darter, 3 Common Blue and Nursery Web Spider (L & Corrall). 

In the evening 2 Water Rail called, c75 Swallows roosted and 7 Swifts Flew west.

10 Purple Hairstreaks were flying around the tops of Oak (CG). 

Carlton Marsh

A snipe was on the wader scrape early this morning (K. Bannister)

Also present at least 3 juv. Sparrowhawks calling, Juv. Buzzard, 2 Greylags, 11 Canada Geese, and 3 Lapwing.

A butterfly survey produced 2 Comma, 13 Gatekeeper, 5 Green Veined White, 3 Red Admiral, 16 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Ringlet, 1 Painted Lady, c30 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Heath, 1 Brown Argus and 1 Small Copper.

3 Small Red-eyed Damselflies (1m 2f), and 2m Ruddy Darter (CG/C/ Parkin).  

 

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

Butterflies encountered today were, Clouded Yellow, 6 Painted Lady, 231 Meadow Brown, 43 Small Heath, 102 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, 17 Brown Argus and 18 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).

 

 Clouded Yellow (C. Parkin)

Carlton Marsh

Wednesday 29/7/26

2 Little Egrets, Green Woodpecker (first this year), 2 LBB Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 4 Lapwings, Kingfisher, and 2 Tawny Owls called at dusk (Neil Lunn//JP/CG).

 

A moth session produced 25 species of macro that included 19 Copper Underwing, Maiden's Blush, which is new to the list, 2 Red Underwings on sugar, Twin Spotted Wainscot, Old lady and 2 Sallow Kitten (Chris Parkin/CG)

 

                                    Maiden's Blush (CG)
 

                                   Twin Spotted Wainscot (CG)

 

Carlton Marsh

Monday 27/7/26 

12 Swallows, 2 Water Rail,  Goldcrest, Common Tern 1 adult 1 juvenile, Teal Tufted Duck still with 7 young, 1 Swift and the Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) (L & A Corrall/CG).

 

Tuesday 28/7/26 

Grey Wagtail.

Insects included 18 species of butterfly 10 Painted Lady, 12 Red Admiral, 178 Meadow Brown, 1 Large Skipper, 48 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, 7 Brown Argus, and 15 Small Copper.

Also 2male Small Red - eyed Damselflies, 1 in tandem with a female and 12 Emperor (Chris Parkin). 

Carlton Marsh

Today's highlights were 2 Common Terns (1 juv being fed) from 07.10hrs until mid-day. They chased off a Herring Gull and a LBB Gull, but they were continually harassed by a Black Headed Gull all morning. 

                                Adult Common Tern (J. Finch)

                               Juvenile Common Tern (CG).

A Dunlin still in summer plumage was on the wader scrape at 07.30hrs but that was chased off by a Black Headed Gull (Keith Bannister/John Finch).

Also present 3 Lapwings, Kingfisher and a juv. Sparrowhawk was calling. (CG)

A common Sandpiper was on the wader scrape this evening (Dave Standish).

Insects included the first proof of breeding of Small Red-eyed Damselfly when a female was seen on the dike ovipositing in tandem with a male. 2 Ruddy Darter males, Southern Hawker, 

7 Gatekeeper, 7 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, 7 Common Blue, and c50 Meadow Brown. 

 

                       male & female Small Red-eyed Damselflies (CG)

Cudworth

A Humming Bird Hawk Moth was feeding in Chris Parkin's Barnsley Road garden. 

South Kirkby Industrial Park

20 species of butterfly today included 3 male Silver Washed Fritillary, 5 Painted Lady, 1 Dingy Skipper, 102 Common Blue, 17 Brown Argus, 13 Small Heath, 1m Brimstone and 12 |Small Copper (Chris Parkin). 

                         Silver Washed Fritillary (C. Parkin)

Carlton Marsh & Littleworth Park

Coal Tit, Great Spot Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard.

Along with 2 Ruddy Darter, 3 southern Hawker, 8 Brown Hawker, 3 Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Les & Andrew Corrall).

Littleworth Park-Monk Bretton 

18 species of butterfly included a phenomenal 232 Common Blue, 43 Brown Argus, 9 Painted Lady, 314 Meadow Brown, 175 Gatekeeper, 12 Small Heath and 21 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).

Carlton Marsh

 Our wildlife group were busy again this morning strimming the path verges etc. We were joined by young Rueben, who is on school holiday at the moment.

A walk around with Gary Haywood produced a Grey Wagtail, Water Rail, and Buzzard.

Butterflies included 1 Holly Blue, 6 Common Blue, 4 Painted Lady and several Red Admirals.

Wharnecliffe Woodmoor

The derelict pit site is a haven for butteflies that included 23 Painted Lady, 21 Red Admiral, 13 Peacock, 5 Comma, 26 Common Blue, 4 Holly Blue, and 5 Brown Argus.

 

A Mink ran accross the railway line towards Carlton Marsh (Chris Parkin).

Carlton Marsh 20/7/26 & 21/7/26

Monday 20/7/26

Great Spot Woodpecker, Goldcrest, 2 Teal, 5 Mistle Thrush.

Also 1 Small Heath, 4 Holly Blue, and 2 Migrant Hawkers (K. Bannister/L & A Corrall). 

Tuesday 21/7/26 

Kingfisher, Little Grebe 1adult 1 juv. 52 B H Gull, 3 LBB Gulls, one tried to take a mallard chick, and a Common Tern at 06.50hrs (K. Bannister) 

Insects included Holly Blue, 7 Common Blue, 1 Purple Hairstreak and 5 Painted Lady.

1m Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 2m 1f Ruddy Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser, 1m Banded Agrion and 2 Brown Hawker.

Carlton Marsh Update

32 Mallard, the males in 'eclipse', and the family of Tufted Duck. 

An additional 18 species of butterfly that included 12 Painted Lady, 34 Red Admiral, 28 Peacock, 15 Comma, 388 Meadow Brown, 206 Gatekeeper, 37 Common Blue, 6 Holly Blue, 8 Brown Argus, 12 Small Copper, 18 Large White and 108 unidentified White species.

Also 3 Ruddy Darter (Chris Parkin). 

Carlton Marsh

A male Silver Washed Fritillary was found on the embankment today by long time Carlton Martian - Peter Senior. This is only our 2nd record of it and the first since July 2021!

Storrs Mill to Ardsley Viaduct 17/7/26

20 species of butterfly included a Silver Washed Fritillary on a Buddlea, 4 Purple Hairstreak, 10 Painted Lady, 63 Red Admiral, 42 Peacock, 88 Speckled Wood, 3 Brown Argus, and 8 Small Copper. Also Ruddy Darter male and 18 Banded Agrion (Chris Parkin).

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton 16/7/26

Excellent counts of butterflies included 8 Painted Lady, 5 Red Admiral, 676 Meadow Brown, 455 Gatekeeper, 173 Common Blue, 32 Brown Argus and 3 Holly Blue. A total of 1,600 of 17 species.

Also of note here Emperor Dragonfly and the Hornet Mimic (Volucella zonaria) (Chris Parkin). 

South Kirkby Industrial Park

Butterflies included 15 Painted Lady, 9 Red Admiral, 26 Peacock, 465 Gatekeeper, 86 Common Blue, 22 Brown Argus and 10 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).