Carlton Marsh

 2 Common Terns were feeding over the scrape at 08.30hrs (K. Bannister/R.J. Boland).

Cudworth Moths 22nd & 23rd of June 2026

The extreme heat saw lots and lots of macro moths to my MV lamp in the garden last night. At least 22 species that included 3 Coronet, 6 Swallow-tailed, Pebble Hook-tip, Common Emerald, Fan-foot, Clouded Border, Blackneck, Light Arches, 3 Poplar Hawk, 20 Elephant Hawk, Clouded Silver, Common Footman and Spectacle.

Also of note c25 Box Moths.

                                         Blackneck

                                        Box Moth

                                                Coronet

                                                    Elephant Hawk Moths

 

Grey or Dark Dagger 

Pebble Hook-tip

 

Poplar Hawk Moth 

 

Ash-bark Knot-horn (Euzophera pingulis)

 

A Barn Owl was hunting beside the River Dearne at Darfield yesterday evening (Ben Parkin) 

Carlton Marsh & Brocadale

This morning Goldcrest, LRP, Kestrel, 2 Great Spot Woodpeckers, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Mistle Thrush.

Also 3 Large Skipper, 4 Red Admiral and a Cinnabar moth (A. Corrall/M. White).

 

Fox  (J. Finch)

Brocadale Nature Reserve 

4 Silver Washed Fritillary, 1 Dark Green Fritillary and c300 Marbled White (C. Parkin).

Carlton Marsh & Storrs Mill

Carlton Marsh

3 juv Grey Heron, Kingfisher, LBB Gull, Gadwall with 10 young, juv. Great Spot Woodpecker.

Butterflies included 16 Ringlet, 15 Small Skipper, 50 Meadow Brown, and 4 Common Blue.

Also 1 Narrow bordered 5 spot Burnet Moth and 1 Burnet Companion. All on the western meadow.

There were 2m Broad-bodied Chasers and several Emperor dragonflies.

Storrs Mill - Ardsley Viaduct 

2 Grey Wagtail, Buzzard, Heron. 

13 species of butterfly included 2 Painted Lady, 6 Red Admiral, 18 Small Tort., 25 Speckled Wood, 1 Brown Argus, and lots of Peacock larvae. 

There were c100 Banded Agrion, and 6 day-flying Chimney Sweeper moths (Chris Parkin). 

Carlton Marsh Moths

Last night seemed to perfect for moth catching as it was very warm and humid, However, in the 2 hrs Chris Parkin and I were there we only managed 15 species of macro moth. These included Ghost Moth, Barred Straw, Light Emerald and Small Fan Foot.

As we were catching a trio of Tawny Owl owlets constantly called from the trees around us in the darkness.

A Common Tern was present again and more Kingfisher photos were taken by Harold Heath & Clive Mitchell from the hide this morning.

 

Insects included 1 Painted Lady, 6 Small Tort., 73 Meadow Brown, 26 Ringlet, 12 Large Skipper, 21 Small Skipper, 5 Common Blue, 2 Brimstone, Common Darter and a Black-tailed Skimmer (C. Parkin/K. Bannister).

South Kirkby Industrial Park

A pair of Mute Swans had 5 cygnets.

14 species of butterfly today included 2 Gatekeeper, 4 Painted Lady, 46 Marbled White, 106 Meadow Brown, 72 Ringlet and 28 Small Heath,. Also present Common Darter (C. Parkin).

Carlton Marsh 17/6/26

 1 adult & 1 juvenile kingfisher and a Common Tern (Amy Lomas).

                                        Common Tern (Amy Lomas

 juvenile Kingfisher photos by Clive Mitchell & Harold Heath 

Carlton Marsh

This morning a Little Egret was on the western meadow pond (K. Bannister).

2 LRP and a Red-legged Partridge were on the wader scrape, and a Common Tern was on the scrape.

A female Yellow Wagtail was seen in the potato field and Small Copper was also of note. (L & A Corrall).

Carlton Marsh

The Common Tern spent part of the morning and afternoon over the scrape. Also of interest a juvenile Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Great Spot Woodpecker, and LRP and Oystercatcher on the wader scrape.

Meanwhile a pair of Yellow Wagtails  in a nearby potato field are almost certainly breeding (L A Corrall/R. Laverack).

6 Ringlet, 2 Meadow Brown, a Small Copper and a very faded Burnet Companion were seen in the western meadow during management work (CG).

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

Butterflies and moths included 13 Small Skipper, 1 Painted Lady, 2 Red Admiral, 4 Small Tort., 92 Meadow Brown, 9 Ringlet, 32 Large Skipper, 67 Small Heath, 22 Common Blue and 2 Small Copper. 1 Blackneck moth and 7 Burnet Cmpanion moths.

Also evident 7 (1f) Banded Agrion, 1 Smooth Newt, and a longhorn beetle (Chris Parkin).

 

Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata) (CP)

Carlton Marsh

The Common Tern spent most of the morning and afternoon fishing on the scrapes. 2 broods of very small young Gadwall, 6 on the scrape & 6 on the wader scrape, Kingfisher (scrape), Dabchick (w. scrape). A pair of Jackdaws were safeguarding at least 1 juvenile in the car park

Insects abounded despite the cool breeze. 2 Painted Lady, 7 Red Admiral, 6 S. Tortoiseshell, 19 Meadow Brown, 1 Ringlet, 6 Speckled Wood, 3 Large Skipper, 2 Small Heath, 4 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper. There were 5m 2f Broad-bodied Chasers on the western meadow ponds and a possible Brown Haweker near the hide.  Also 2m 1f Banded Agrion and 5 Burnet Companion moths.

The Hornet Mimic  Hoverfly (Velucella zonaria) and the rare Chrysotoxum festivum or vernale was resting on a bramble leaf.

                                        Common Tern (CG)

                       juvenile Jackdaw (CG) Note the blue eye colour

    Chrysotoxum festivum/vernale (Hooh-barred Spearhorn) C. Parkin

                  Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) C. Parkin
 

Carlton Marsh

Common Tern, Garden Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and Oystercatcher were the best for today (K. Bannister/A. Corrall/M. White/J. Finnerty).

Reed Warblers are fledgeing now as shown in the photographs below. 

                                        Being fed by the adult

                   Common Tern (Harold Heath & Clive Mitchell)

Carlton Marsh

The Common Tern visited the scrape again this morning and a Little Ringed Plover was on the wader scrape.

The Yellow Wagtail was displaying over the potato field and a Garden Warbler sang near the Scots Pines on the embankment.

A Tawny Owl with an owlet was in a Sycamore tree. 4 Song Thrushes sang, Great Spot Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, and 2 Buzzards.

Insects included 1m BB Chaser and 1 Ringlet (K. Bannister/L & A Corrall/CG). 

Carlton Marsh

Today's highlights included Little Egret, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Starlings, 9 LBB Gulls, 2 Yellow Buntings, 4 Skylarks, and a male Yellow Wagtail, the first this year, in a nearby potato field. 

Also 1 meadow Brown and 2 Small Heath (A. Corrall/M. White/CG). 

And an adult Fox with a cub 

Cudworth & South Kirkby Industrial Park

Cudworth

A Current Clearwing moth was found in Chris Parkin's allotment without the use of a pheromone lure!

Current Clearwing (CP)

South Kirkby

My first Marbled Whites of the year, 5 Painted Lady, 7 Meadow Brown, 1 Ringlet, 19 Large Skipper, 26 Small Heath, 31 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 4 Small Copper, 2 Brimstone, 1 BB Chaser, 1 Emperor and some Peacock larvae (Chis Parkin).

Carlton Marsh & Woolley

Carlton Marsh

A Common Tern was present first thing this morning again and a fresh dead Shrew was found on the embankment (. K, Bannister). 

 

Common Shrew (KB)

Woolley

Buzzard, Kestrel and 12 House Martins. 

Insects included 1 Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Dingy Skipper, 15 Common Blue, 10 Small Blue, 14 Small Heath, Shaded Broad Bar moth, 2m 1f Banded Agrion.

Common Spotted Orchid is flowering (Chris Parkin). 

Carlton Marsh

A Common Tern was fishing over the scrape at 07.47hrs and an Oystercatcher was present (K. Bannister).

By late morning both had left. However, the Common Tern returned to the scrape at 12.25hrs and continued to dive for fish alighting at times on a wooden post. A juvenile Heron pushed it off much to the annoyance of the Tern, which then began to dive bomb the Heron for superiority of the perching post. The pester power of the Tern won out. It was still feeding when I left at 13.10hrs. On returning to the wader scrape the Oystercatcher returned by 13.20hrs. (CG).

A Tawny Owl sang at mid-day from the school pond area. 

Carlton Marsh

On the wader scrape today adult Spoonbill at 07.42hrs (Keith.Bannister). This only the second record of it here and the first to come down and feed. It moved on at 08.30hrs (Amy Lomas). 

Spoonbill photos taken by Amy Lomas 

Also 1 LRP, 2 Lapwings, 12 Canada Geese and c20 Gadwall.

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

2 Meadow Brown, 4 Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral, 14 Speckled Wood, 9 Large Skipper, 43 Common Blue,  61 Small Heath, 3 Brown Argus, and 4 Small Copper. Plus 15 Burnet Companion moths (C. Parkin).

Cudworth/New Park Springs/Carlton Marsh

Last nights moths in Chris Parkin's Cudworth garden.

                                              Poplar Hawk

                                                Gold Spot

 

New Park Springs, Grimethorpe

 A site not well watched for insects. The highlights today included 4 Painted Lady, 5 Large Skipper, 73 Common Blue, 64 Small Heath, 1 Dingy Skipper, 4 Emperor Dragonfly and 23

Burnet Companion moths.

Also c12 Skylarks and a Buzzard. Flowers included Southern Marsh and Bee Orchids (C. Parkin)   

 

Carlton Marsh 

1 LRP displaying 05.30hrs (K. Bannister) and 2 Oystercatchers were present at 13.5hrs (CG) 

Carlton Marsh

2 Little Ringed Plovers were on the wader scrape at 05.30hrs (K. Bannister).

Insects mostly on the western meadow included 26 Common Blue, 2m Orange-tip, 5 Speckled Wood, 7 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Large Skipper, 2 Dingy Skipper, 3 Red Admiral, 10 Painted Lady.

4 Silver Y moths, 13 Yellow Shell, Cinnabar, 35 Burnet Companion moths.

3 Banded Agrion, 5 (2m) Broad-bodied Chaser,  Emperor and a Squash Bug (C. Parkin/CG).