Friday 31 July 2020

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

17 species of butterfly today included 2 Holly Blue, 2 Brown Argus, 2 Small Copper, 309 Gatekeeper, 334 Meadow Brown and 44 Peacock. A Vapourer Moth and c200 Six spot Burnet Moths were flying  and male Broad Chaser was also notable. (Chris Parkin) 

Ewden valley 31/7/20.

Very breezy keeping it comfortable and the light better than expected with little heathaze. Small amount of migration with 16 Swallows and 10 Swifts south. Plus 1 Wheatear down, 3 juv Ring Ouzels, 1 Crossbill through, 9 Stonechats. Mistle Thrush 4, Meadow Pipit c102, 1 Golden Plover down. Raven total of 8 and raptors, - Merlin 1 male, Peregrine 1, Kestrel 5, C Buzzard 4 and probable cc Marsh Harrier distant and brief.

Wintersett + VisMig + Moths 31.07.20

Very hot and humid,  21 - 28 degrees with 3/8 high cloud and a warm south westerly breeze.  Thunderstorm triggered at 19.30hrs
Anglers CP Vis.Mig: A Green Sandpiper flew SW at 06.10hrs.  A Greenshank flew over at 06.20hrs. A Raven flew over towards the Pol field at 06.35hrs.
Going south: Sand Martin 61.  Swallow 42. 
Anglers CP: Common Sandpiper 4. Turnstone 1.  Shoveler 7 south.  A Nuthatch was on the hill + 1 Pits Wood. Lesser Whitethroat 3 on east bank meadow.     Lapwing 220.  Oystercatcher 1. 
Wintersett Res:  Mandarin Duck 1 eclipse drake.  Little Grebe 7.  Pochard 2 + 1 ACP.. Goldeneye 1 female.  Great Crested Grebe 38 + 13 ACP + 5 CHRes.. Common Tern 6.
Cold Hiendley Res: Great Crested Grebe young 2 at least  + young WRes.
Odonata: Emperor 2m boathouse reeds WRes.   4 Spotted Chaser 1 CHRes..  Small Red-eyed damselfly 6 MLPond + 2 pairs in cop. Skimmer Pond.
Lepidoptera: Small Skipper 1 boathouse reeds.  
Reptile: The Yellow-bellied Slider was in the boathouse reeds.
Moth trapping overnight: Brown-veined Wainscott 1.  Double Lobed 1.  Crescent 1.  Oak Hook-tip 2.  White Satin 2.  Scarce Footman 2.  Beautiful Hook-tip 1. 
 

Thursday 30 July 2020

Wintersett + Ringing + Moths 30.07.20

30.07.20:
19 - 22 degrees, hot and humid,  with 2/8 cloud and a light south easterly.
Anglers CP: 2 Whimbrel flew SW at 05.50hrs. Common Sandpiper 1.  Oystercatcher 1.  
Wintersett Res: 9 Arctic Terns (8 adults and a 1st Summer).  6 of these adults visited Anglers CP.  The juvenile Black-neked Grebe still present.  Great Crested Grebe 40 + 11 ACP + 2 CHRes..
A total of 25 Birds were ringed today: Reed Warbler 5.  Sedge Warbler 1.  Blackcap 1.  Garden Warbler 1.  Willow Warbler 3.  Chiffchaff 5.  Reed Bunting 4.  Goldfinch 2.
Overnight Moth Trapping: White Satin 3.  Scarce Footman 4.  Beautiful Hook-tip 1.  Crescent 2.  Yellow-barred Brindle 3.
Reptile:  A Grass Snake was in the area.

Great Crested Grebe 1 young hatched, rest still being incubated  WRes.  SDenny
Arctic Terns on ACP this morning    SDenny

30/7/20 Woolley Park

Group of c.40 Siskin seen plus 4 Greenfinch.

Carlton Marsh

Todays highlights were 20 + Siskins feeding on Alder and Birch seed, 3 Kingfishers, juv Buzzard and Sparrowhawk calling, 7 Lapwings, Willow Tit and 3 Water Rails calling. 2 Red-eared Terrapins were still in the main scrape. A Moorhen sitting 6 eggs is her third attempt.(JP DS CG)

Our small dedicated wildlife group completed an amazingly difficult job of cutting loads of thick bramble, Hawthorn and Elder to provide much clearer views over the wader scrape. All we need now is some fancy birds.

Wednesday 29 July 2020

Carlton Marsh

A Willow Tit was among the birds ringed this morning. The juvenile Buzzard is flying more now and calling loudly. A Siskin, a Greenfinch and a fledged juv. Garden Warbler were other notables. A lone Little Egret was on the wader scrape again, this bird roosts here, and 2 Willow Warblers continue to sing.
Butterflies included 6 Gatekeeper, 2 Large White and 6 Small White.

 Blue-tailed Damsel (Ischnura elegans)
Dead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) D.M. Smith

Tuesday 28 July 2020

Wintersett 28.07.20 + 29.07.20

Wintersett 29.07.20

Anglers CP:  Greenshank 1 over.  Great Crested Grebe 9. Tufted Duck 1 young + 6 young WRes..  A juvenile Little Ringed Plover  and a juvenile  Ringed Plover were on the shallows.  Cormorant 6. 
Wintersett Res: Tufted Duck 45 + 151 CHRes + 2 ACP.  Mallard 50 + 84 CHRes.  + 29 ACP.
Little Grebe 1.  Goldeneye 1 f.  Wigeon 1.
Odonata: Emperor 1 male.
Reptile: The red-eared Terrapin was in  the north east corner.
Overnight Moth Trapping revealed 2 Nicrophorus investigator beetles.


Wintersett  28.07.20

12 - 17 degrees with sun, varying cloud and a strengthening, cool north westerly.
Anglers CP: A Ruddy Shelduck flew in from the south,   circled ACP and left south 07.20hrs per Gray Speight.
Wintersett Res: Pete Smith spotted a juvenile Black-necked Grebe in the NW corner at 11.55hrs.  Little Grebe 2.  Oystercatcher 2.  Goldeneye 1 female.  Great Crested Grebe 41 + 4 CHRes.  + 4 ACP.  Sand Martin 250. 
Cold Hiendley Res: Mandarin 1 eclipse drake.
Moorhouse Lane Pond: Little Grebe 20.  Moorhern 17 and Teal 1. 
Botany Bay: Kingfisher 1.
Lepidoptera: Ralph Hibbert and Les Corrall had 2 Meadow Browns in Haw Park Wood.  

 Black-necked Grebe juvenile  WRes  GJSpeight

Black-necked Grebe juvenile photo-bombed by a Tufted Duck and a Sand Martin. SDenny
 









































Monday 27 July 2020

Wintersett 27.07.20

Rain overnight, and then all morning, showers and sunny spells this afternoon.
Wintersett/Cold Hiendley Res:  Mallard 134 + 42 ACP.  Tufted Duck 205 + 2 ACP + young 6 WRes + 1 ACP.  Great Crested Grebe 42 + 9 ACP.   Goldeneye 1 f. WRes..
Anglers CP: Oystercatcher 1.
Cold Hiendley Res: Eclipse male Mandarin 1.  Gadwall 1.  Pochard 1.  Grey Wagtail 5 on spillway.  A Cetti's Warbler singing on north bank.
Wintersett Res:  Green Woodpecker 1 in SW corner. Kingfisher 1.


Sunday 26 July 2020

Carlton Marsh

3 Little Egrets, 10 LBB, 2 Herring and 1 Common Gull on the wader scrape.

Woolley
17 species of butterfly included 5 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 156 Gatekeeper and 89 Peacock. (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett + Ringing 26.07.20

16 - 20 degrees with 8/8 - 6/8 cloud and a moderate south westerly.
Cold Hiendley Res: The Eclipse drake Mandarin at east end this afternoon.

Image
Mandarin - eclipse drake  CHRes.  SDenny
58 birds ringed at Anglers CP and Wintersett
Highlights were  10 Reed Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 6 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Treecreeper, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Tree Sparrow, 3 Bullfinch. 

Insect:  A Six-belted Clearwing,  Bembecia ichneumoniformis, was egglaying on Bird's-foot trefoil on the Pol at Anglers CP.   It is the first record for this site.
Image 
                              Six-belted Clearwing  Bembecia ichneumoniformis  RBailey                             Late news:                             


Visiting birder, Martin Weir  @wakeyweir86  was sitting on the bench by the Boathouse Reeds when he noticed a Bittern flying across the res. It dropped in to the reeds to the right of him, about 100m away. he was unsure about what side it came from as he only saw it as it got close. It was about 2pm.

Saturday 25 July 2020

Wintersett + Vis.Mig. 25.07.20

16 - 19 degrees, with 6 /8 - 8/8 cloud and a cool westerly breeze.
Anglers CP Vis.Mig: Going south: 
Swift 320.  Sand Martin 113. Common Gull 1.  Herring Gull 56.  Lesser Black-backed Gull 74.   
Anglers CP: 2 Little Egrets dropped in at 07.40hrs and left south15 minutes later.  Nuthatch 1.  Cormorant 8.  Oystercatcher 2.  Dunlin 2. Lapwing 200.  Psycho, the adult Yellow-legged Gull flew to Waton Hall.
Wintersett Res: Mallard 91 + 36 ACP.  Little Grebe 3.  Great Crested Grebe 38 + 2 Cold Hiendley Res + 4 Anglers CP.
Cold Hiendley Res: The eclipse drake Manadarin Duck still present. Tufted Duck 159 +  3 WRes. + 1 ACP.  Gadwall 6.

Lepidoptera: Essex Skipper 1 at ACP.  Ringlet 1 CHRes..
Odonata: Black-tailed Skimmer 1 male, ACP.
Moth trapping overnight produced: 2 Yellow Barred Brindle.  1 Scarce Footman.  2 White Satin.  1 Beuatiful Hook-tip.  1 Antler and 1 Spruce Carpet.  1 Crescent. 

 Essex Skipper  1st at Anglers CP  25.07.20  SDenny

Carlton Marsh

3 Little Egrets 06.25hrs wader scrape, 2 left north later. 8 species of butterfly included a Holly Blue.
A Peregrine flew west at 17./15hrs (Geoff Miller)

Friday 24 July 2020

Carlton Marsh - Update

2 Peregrines were flying over the marsh this evening and 2 Little Egrets were still present. As I left about 20 Swallows looked as though they were going to roost. A Purple Hairstreak was flying and 2 Siskins were present.

Earlier Chris Parkin had 14 species of butterfly that included 5 Red Admiral, 55 Peacock, 44 Gatekeeper, 8 Comma, 43 Large Skipper, 25 Large White and 18 Speckled Wood, but only 1 Common Blue!

Wintersett + Ringing 24.07.20

16 - 19 degrees with 8/8 cloud and a light southerly breeze.
Anglers CP: Oystercatcher 1.  Tufted Duck 5 small young.
Wintersett Res: Little Grebe 3 and  2 small young at Moorhouse Lane Big Pond.
Haw Park Wood: Green Woodpecker 1
35 Birds were ringed: Highlights were:- 5 Reed Warbler,  3 Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcap,  1 Whitethroat,  3 Tree Sparrow,  2 Bullfinch,  7 Willow Warblers and 7 Chiffchaff.
Odonata - Moorhouse Lane Ponds:  A 4 Spotted Chaser  and 4 male Small Red-eyed Damselflies (on Skimmer Pond).   3 male Emperors + 1 male on Anglers CP..
Lepidoptera - Moorhouse Lane Ponds:  4 Essex Skipper and 3 Small Skipper.

Ewden valley 24/7/20. G Speight , S Green.

Lammergeier seen from the shooting lodge over Cut Gate, Margery Hill areas late morning drifted south at 12-09pm. Plus, C Buzzard 3, Merlin 3, Kestrel 4, Peregrine 1, Hobby 1, Red Kite 1. Raven flock 9, Golden Plover c 34, Stonechat 6+, Ring Ouzel family party in bracken. Cormorant total 10 includes a flock of 8 n. Tree Pipit 1, Meadow Pipit 30+, Mistle Thrush flock of 9, GS Pecker 1. Redpoll 2+, Siskin 5+, Swift 3, Swallow 2.

Carlton Marsh

5 Little Egrets were on the wader scrape at 06.00hrs after the water level was lowered yesterday. 10 LBB Gulls and c100 BH Gulls were seen later and a Willow Tit was seen near the ringing ride steps.

Thursday 23 July 2020

Carlton Marsh

2 Little Egrets, Grasshopper Warbler singing (northern Meadow) and a Siskin this morning.

Last nights moths in my Cudworth Garden included these very colourful allbeit common species.

 Common Emerald
 Latticed Heath
Oak Hook-tip

Wintersett 23.07.20

15 - 17 degrees with rain until mid morming and a westerly breeze.
Cold Hiendley Res: The eclipse drake Mandarin Duck still present.  Kingfisher 1. 
Wintersett Res: Mallard 5 small young + 3 medium young CHRes..  Tufted Duck 6/8 surviving.  Oystercatcher 2. 
Odonata: A Southern Hawker was in Haw Park Wood.
Lepidoptera: A Small Skipper was on the east bank WRes..

Eclipse drake Mandarin Duck   CHRes..            ASmith

Wilthorpe Marsh 23/7/20.

Oxbow pond area, 8 Parakeets, 2 Green Sands, 1 L Egret, Willow Tit on canal.

Wednesday 22 July 2020

Carlton Marsh


On the wader scrape this morning Little Egret, 14 LBB Gulls and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere Great Spot Woodpecker, a singing Grasshopper Warbler (Northern Meadow), Sparrowhawk and Juv. Buzzard.

Gatekeeper, Ringlet and 1 Purple Hairstreak.
A Little Owl has been reported from the the old Carlton Pit site on a building there and has been there for several weeks. (Steve Bettell)

Carlton (21-7-20)
Moths last night in Dave Smith's trap included Nutmeg, Plain Golden Y and a micro Oegeconia agg.

 Nutmeg
 Plain Golden Y
Oegeconia quadripuncta det. by H.E. Beaumont (New for Barnsey Oxycera?)

A Herald moth and yet another Small Ranunculus was trapped by Chris Parkin in his Cudworth garden last night.