Carlton Marsh

This morning's best 2 drake Shovelers, Goldcrest, 2 Buzzards, 4 Cetti's Warblers, Water Rail and 3 Mistle Thrushes (Andrew Corrall).

This afternoon Grey Wagtail, Redpoll, Siskin, Kingfisher, 2 adult Common Gulls and Little Grebe (CG).

 

Carlton Marsh & Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

A Kingfisher, 3 Greylags and a Little Grebe were on the scrape. 12 Teal and a male Stonechat were on the wader scrape.

Also present at least 3 singing Cetti's Warblers and a Great Spot Woodpecker

Our wildlife group were busy strimming on the embankment etc.

Littleworth Park

A Clouded Yellow was found at the exact spot where it was on 13th of October! 

Also present 1 Red Admiral and 2 Small Copper (Chris Parkin). 

 

Cudworth Moths

A cold night last night didn't stop a Black Rustic, 2 Blair's Shoulder Knot and a Box Tree Moth flying to the garden trap.

                                           Blair's Shoulder Knot
 

Carlton Marsh

c100 Pink Feet Geese flew SSE at 0923hrs (CG).

Grey Heron and Grey Wagtail photos taken by Clive Mitchell were submitted by Harold Heath.

Carlton Marsh

Our wildlife group was busy scrub bashing this morning, Ringing produced a late male Blackcap.

Also present Kingfisher, Buzzard. Sparrowhawk, Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Water Rail and 2 Cetti's Warblers.

A skein of Pink Feet Geese were heard from a distance heading west at 08.38hrs.

A Rose-ringed Parakeet was found at Shafton Green (Simon Cox).

Cudworth/Carlton Marsh & Littleworth Park

Cudworth overnight moth trapping 12th &13th Rusty Dot Pearl, Red Line Quaker, Black Rustic, Barred Sallow and Merveille du Jour.

                                    Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugata)

                                        Merveille du Jour (CG)

Carlton Marsh 13/10/26

2 Buzzards, 15 Teal , 3 Willow Emerald Damselfly.

                                  Willow Emerald Damselfly (CG)

Littleworth Park  

Butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady, 4 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood and 3 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).

 

 Clouded Yellow 

 C. Parkin)

Carlton Marsh

As we enter the autumn many of our summer visitors have left for warmer climes. We await the invasion of Pink Feet Geese and northern thrushes and the possibility of an unusual duck species.

It has been quiet over recent days, the only birds of note being 7 Red-legged Partridge on 5th, 2 Goldcrests and a single Collared Dove on the 8th (its a scarce bird here), and Little Egret, Kingfisher and this autumn's first Redwing on the 9th (K. Bannister/JP/L&A Corrall).

Cudworth & Carlton Marsh

Last nights moths in my Cudworth garden included 6 Lunar Underwings, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Light Emerald, Angle Shades and The Vestal (my first since October 1995)! And 2 Willow Emeralds.

                                       Lunar Underwing

                                          The Vestal

Carlton Marsh

2 Common Gulls, 4 Shovelers, Kingfisher, Water Rail and 29 Teal. 

The Contractors have finished reed cutting in the marsh now.

 

This is the view from the hide now.

 

Carlton Marsh

 Today's sightings in pictures by Harold Heath & Clive Mitchell.

                                    female Kingfisher

                                     Sparrowhawk

Carlton Marsh & Littleworth Park

2 Shovelers and 25 Teal were on the wader scrape. 30 Skylarks were on the east fields this morning (JP).

Last night members of our wildlife group attended the Town hall to receive a Platinum Award from the Yorkshire in Bloom competition. 

The plaque below was also presented to the founding members of the reserve to celebrate its 50th year. 

 

The Truxor machine did a sterling job of opening up channels in the reed beds. The contractor has now started to remove unwanted Willow trees in the marsh.

 

Beaded Chestnut in my Cudworth garden last night.

 

Littleworth Park 

2 Red Admiral, 3 Brown Argus, 4 Small Copper, 3 Common Blue and 3 Vapourer moths (C.. Parkin). 

 

 

Carlton Marsh & South Kirkby Industrial Park

A Little Egret was present (K. Bannister).

Both Truxor machines were busy again this morning (R. J. Boland)  

 

South Kirkby Butterflies

3 Clouded Yellow, single Peacock, Comma, Small Heath, Brown Argus, 2 Common Blue and 5 Small Copper (Chris Parkin). 

 

Carlton Marsh & Littlworth Park-Monk Bretton

Grey Wagtail, 25 Teal, Kingfisher, Great Spot Woodpecker, 2 singing Cetti's Warblers, 2 Water Rails called. (CG). 

6 Yellow Buntings were on the east fields and a Yellow Wagtail flew south (JP).

3 pairs of Willow Emerald in tandem, Brown Hawker, Ruddy Darter and Migrant Hawker. 

                                           Willow Emerald

Littleworth Park

9 species of butterfly included single Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Small Heath, 5 Common Blue and 3 Brown Argus (C. Parkin). 

Cudworth

 c150 Pink Feet Geese flew over Darfield road heading east at 11.20hrs.

Carlton Marsh Update 24/9/26

2 Tawny Owls called at dusk along with 3 Water Rails. 7 Starlings came in to roost.

Birds ringed included 2 Goldcrests, 2 Cetti's warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs and 5 Blackcaps.

                                             Goldcrest

 

Robin

                                                    Cetti's Warbler
   

Carlton Marsh

A Red Kite flew low over the northern meadow.

Butterflies included 7 Red Admiral, 12 Speckled Wood, 3 Common Blue and 2 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).

       The Truxor reed cutting machine hard at work (Melvyn White) 

 

Carlton Marsh

3 Shovelers were present this morning and an Egret species flew over in the distance (Keith Bannister).

At dusk this evening a Bittern came in from the south and alighted in a reed bed near the hide. After a few minutes it got up and began giving an aerial display, croaking as it circled the scrape at height, before leaving south. Normally this behaviour is only given by overwintering birds when they finally leave in March (Dave Standish).

This despite the reserve being disturbed by 2 Truxor machines removing excess reeds during the day!

Carlton Marsh 22/9/29 Update & Storrs Mill & Cudworth

A Curlew flew east mid morning and a steady stream of Skylarks were moving south, (JP).

A moth session with Chris Parkin produced 9 species of macro that included Lunar Underwing, Angle Shades, Barred Sallow, Old Lady and Black Rustic. Earlier a Noctule Bat was feeding over the scrape.

Storrs Mill to Ardsley Viaduct

2 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 3 Grey Herons and 3 Mute Swans.

Butterflies included a male Brimstone, 5 Red Admiral, 3 Peacock, 2 Comma, 25 Speckled Wood, 2 Common Blue, 6 Small Copper,  and 30 unidentified White species (C. Parkin). 

 

Cudworth

2 Noctule Bats were feeding over Firth Avenue in the early evening in daylight and 2 Great Spot Woodpeckers were feeding on fat balls in Dave Standish's garden there. 

Carlton Marsh

 A Shelduck was on the wader scrape.

Also of note Little Egret south, Greenfinch, 3 Coal Tits, 2 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk. 

Carlton Marsh/Cudworth/ Littleworth Park-Monk Bretton

Carlton Marsh

The site will be disturbed during the next two weeks due to habitat management of the reed beds and the removal of invasive trees.

Despite the disturbance to the scrape, a Shoveler and the rest of the wildfowl and Swans didn't seem to mind too much. 2 Cetti's Warblers sang and the Coots were battling as usual.

The first Common Gull of the autumn was on the wader scrape with Black Headed Gulls and 10 Teal (CG).

 

Cudworth

A male Vapourer Moth was languishing on Chris Parkin's garden shed door this afternoon. 

 

Littleworth Park 

4 Pied Wagtails and 36 Magpies were of interest.

Butterflies included 4 Small Heath, 4 Common Blue, 3 Brown Argus, and 10 Small Copper  (C. Parkin). 

Cudworth 20/9/26

I have been catching moths for the past 42 years. During that time I have caught some fabulous looking species, but I never dared to dream I would ever catch a Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini). Thanks to the gift of a moth trap from Paul Thorpe via his cousin, the late Graham Guest.

  Clifden Nonpareil  

 

                                                    The Underside

Also in the trap was a late Swallow-tailed Moth, a Lesser Yellow Underwing, a Small Dusty Wave and 2 Box Tree moths. 

 

 Swallow-tailed Moth