Littleworth Park- Monk Bretton

Butterflies - 172 Meadow Brown, 1 Peacock, 36 Ringlet, 13 Large Skipper, 10 Small Heath, 5 Common Blue, 10 Small Heath and 1 Small Copper. 

Also 3 Burnet Companion and 2 Six-spot Burnet moths and 3m Broad-bodied Chasers (C. Parkin).

Wintersett + Insects + Ringing 20.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Common Scoter 1 male.   

An Osprey flew low north over the west bank clump at 09.12hrs, 

being mobbed by a Black headed Gull.

56 birds were ringed this morning,  (Pete Smith),  with highlights of:  

Chiffchaffs 13,  Willow Warbler 1,    Treecreeper 2,  Blackcap 9 and a Garden Warbler.

 Anglers CP:  +  Insects: 

A male Banded Demoiselle and a Large Red Damselfly flew over the Pol Board Walk pond. 

A female Brimstone Butterfly flew over.

Mute Swan 2 young.   

Mallard 12 very small young were in the shallows.

Common Tern 1.  

South Kirkby Industrial Park & Cudworth Common

2 Grey Partridge. 

Butterflies included my first Marbled Whites -18, 41 Meadow Brown, 89 Ringlet, 1 Brown Argus and 3m Brimstone (C. Parkin)

Cudworth Common

An Osprey flew south at 20.55hrs accompanied by an irate Oystercatcher heading towards Edderthorpe Flash (CG).

Wintersett + Insects. 19.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Common Scoter 1 male.  

Anglers CP:

A 3rd Summer Lesser Black-backed Gull took a 

Black-headed Gull Chick.

A male Lesser Whitethroat was on the Pol.   

Mute Swan 2 very small young.

Common Tern 1. 

A Barn Owl flew over north bank.

Lepidoptera:

A female Brimstone butterfly  flew over  Anglers CP.

Odonata:

A Large Red Damselfly was flying over the Pol Board Walk Pond.

Carlton Marsh

3 Teal, 2 juvenile Grey Herons and 2 Lapwings were on the wader scrape. Elsewhere a Goldcrest sang in the car park and 3 juvenile Robins were feeding nearby. A Cuckoo sang from the marsh.

Insects on show today were the odd Common Blue Damsel and the more common Blue-tailed with a single of the variant rufescens. 

Also 3 Burnet Companion moths, a Blood-vein and a Latticed Heath moth. Butterflies were represented by a Common Blue, 6 Ringlets and a Meadow Brown (K. Bannister/CG}.

Blood-vein (CG)

Thick-legged Beetle (CG)

Wintersett + Insects 18.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Common Scoter 1 male. 

Mute Swan 1 very small young,  south east corner 

+ 5 young north west corner.

Cold Hiendley Res:

Mallard 7 fledged young.

Anglers CP:

A Barn Owl flew over the  east bank.

Shoveler 1 male.   Oystercatcher 7.   Common Tern 1.

A Lesser Whitethroat was on the Pol.

Lepidoptera: ACP:

Ringlet 2.   Brimstone 1.

Carlton Village

This scarce moth was a first for Dave Smith when he found it in his light trap this morning.

Bird's Wing (Dave Smith)

Wintersett Sunrise - Sue Bilcliffe

Sue Billcliffe snapped a photo of this incredible sunrise over Ryhill.

Wintersett 17.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Common Tern 3.   Lesser Whitethroat 1 male on the Pol.

A Barn Owl was  hunting  around Vis.Mig. Hill at 09.40hrs. (SC)

Wintersett Res:

Goldeneye 1 female.

Carlton Marsh

Birds present at some point during the day Little Egret, Kingfisher, Lesser BB Gull, 2 Lapwings, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cetti's warbler and a pair of Teal.

Insects included a male Common Blue Damselfly, Four Spotted Chaser, 4 Meadow Brown, and our first Ringlet of the year.

Day flying moths included 1 Mother Shipton and 7 Burnet Companion.

Wintersett + Insects 16.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Gadwall 4.   Oystercatcher 7 (2 families).  Sand Martin 2. 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the south east corner.

Botany Bay:  Mallard young - 3  small/medium.  

Wintersett Res:  Grey Wagtail 1. 

Odonata - Anglers CP:

Emperor 1.  4 Spotted Chaser 1.   Black-tailed Skimmer 3. 

Carlton Marsh

Today's best 5 Greylags, a pair of Teal, Kingfisher, A Little Egret flew north at 12.21hrs and a Cetti's Warbler sang.

Wintersett + Ringing 15.06.2024

44 Birds were ringed before rain at Wintersett Res..

Highlights were:  

Cetti's Warbler 1,  Blackcap 9,   Garden Warbler 1,   Reed Warbler 1,

Reed Bunting 1,  Chiffchaff 15 and Willow Warbler 2.   - R.Bailey.

5 young Cetti's Warblers were in the clump.

Anglers CP:  A Grey Heron was at the board walk pond.

A Little Egret was on the shallows.  Shoveler 1 male.

Carlton Marsh

A Hobby flew low over the reed beds south at 12.20hrs. A Goldcrest continued to sing in the car park and a Lesser Black-backed Gull called in (Andrew Corrall).

Cudworth Common

A Garden Warbler sang from bushes near the wind turbine, they seem to be quite scarce this year. 

 

Banded Demoiselle males are now very common along the River Dearne near Edderthorpe Flash (CG).

 

A Little Owl was showing well this morning in Les Corrall's Cudworth garden.

Wintersett 14.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Gadwall 3.   Common Tern 2.

A Red Kite flew over west.

Carlton Marsh

The highlights for today were Kingfisher, 1 LRP, 2 Treecreepers, a singing Goldcrest and a Dabchick (K. Bannister/L & A Corrall).

A Meadow Brown and a Burnet Companion moth were the only insects on show due to the cooler conditions (CG).

Wintersett + Insects 13.06.2024

Anglers CP + Insects:

A Lesser Whitethroat was on the south west bank.

Mallard 3 small young (from 4),  off south west bank.

Lepidoptera: Large Skipper 1.    

Botany Bay:

Red-eyed Damselfly 5 males. 

Mallard 7 fledged young (1 white).

Gadwall 2 very small.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 2.   Goldeneye 1 female.

Carlton Marsh

There were several warbler species singing notably 8 Chiffchaffs, 10 Reed Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers and several Blackcaps.

There were also family groups of Long-tailed Tits and Great Tits. A Goldcrest sang in the car park and 2 Yellow Buntings were in full song from the tops of nearby hedgerows.

When the sun came out 2 Meadow Browns, a beautiful male Common Blue and a Large Skipper were visible. 

Also the first Emperor Dragonfly of the year, 1 Four Spotted Chaser and 2 Emerald Damselflies, our first for 3 years!

18 Burnet Companion moths are now looking worse for wear.

4 spikes of the Common Spotted Orchid and several South Marsh orchids added even more colour.

Wintersett 12.06.2024

Anglers CP:

A Redshank was in the shallows.   Barnacle Goose 1.

A Lesser Whitethroat 1 male south west bank.  

Shoveler 1 male.   Common Tern 3.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull took a Black-headed Gull chick.

Carlton Marsh

A Grey Wagtail, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Lapwing and an Oystercatcher were seen on the wader scrape today (JP/L & A Corrall/S. Cox).

A Cuckoo sang first thing (K. Bannister) and a Mallard had 3 small young on the scrape.

The wader scrape is being topped up from the dike by the neighbouring farmer with a large pump.

Wintersett 11.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Barnacle Goose 1 (PW et.al).   Redshank 1 in the shallows.

Shoveler 1 male.  Cormorant 1.  Common Tern 3. 

Common Sandpiper 1.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull took a young Black-headed Gull chick.

4 very small Mallard young were in the CP shallows.

Oystercatcher 2 fledged young + 1 fledged young.

Wintersett Res:

Grey Wagtail 2 juveniles were on the boathouse slipway.

Carlton Marsh 10/6/24

2 Avocets on the wader scrape at 07.51hrs were the first since 30/5/2019! 4 Sand Martins and c20 House Martins were on the main scrape and a Cormorant flew north.

2 Foxes were on the prowl (Keith Bannister).

Wintersett 10.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 10.   Mute Swan 5 young.  Goldeneye 1 female. 

Anglers CP:

Shoveler 1 male.  An adult Redshank was in the shallows,

Mallard - 4 small young in CP shallows,  

also 2 medium/large young,   2 fledged young, + 2 small young.  

A Great White Egret, with a yellow bill, flew in to the CP shallows,

but Black-headed Gulls chased it off. 

It flew east  and looked to drop in Moorhouse Lane Ponds at 11.30hrs.

Oystercatcher - 2 fledged young + 1 young.  Greylag Goose 30.     

A male Lesser Whitethroat was on the Pol.

Insect:

 

 

Carlton Marsh

A Common Tern diving this morning at 09.15hrs for at least 10 minutes was the first for this year (R. Frost/P. Rawson/P. Bishop et al)

A Grey Wagtail was present his afternoon.

Wintersett 09.06.2024

Anglers CP: 

A male Lesser Whitethroat was calling on the Pol.

Shoveler 1 male.  Oystercatcher 6 adults.  

A male Sedge Warbler heard at the ACP Hide. 

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 5.  A Grey Wagtail  was on the boathouse slipway. 

Carlton Marsh & South Kirkby Industrial Park

We were joined by about 12 members of the Barnsley Naturalists Society. They split into two groups taking turns to pond dip and walk the Western Meadow. The meadow produced 4 species of damselfly and a female Black-tailed Skimmer.

A Common Blue, 2 Small Heath and 2 Dingy Skippers.

Also a few Burnet Companion and Yellow Shell moths, 2 Thick-legged Beetles and 4 Bee and Southern Marsh Orchids.

 

                                     Green Shield Bugs mating (CG)

                                                     Bee Orchid

                                     Carlton Village

                                    Puss moth (Dave Smith's garden)

South Kirkby Industrial Park

In all the years I have been recording butterflies, I have never known numbers as low. Today, my earliest Ringlet by one day, 6 Brimstone, 1 Brown Argus, 14 Common Blue, 9 Small Heath, 2 Dingy Skipper, 10 Large Skipper, 8 Meadow Brown,  and a pair of Coot with 3 well-grown young (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett 08.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Black-headed Gull 1 juvenile. (Not Local).   Common Tern 2.

8 very small Mallard were in the CP shallows (new).

Mallard young:  2 medium + 2 large + 2 small.

Flora: 

Pyramidal Orchid 1 north west bank ACP. 

Insects: 

A Black-tailed Skimmer 1 ACP.

A Meadow Brown Butterfly was in the east bank meadow ACP.

Carlton Marsh

1 LRP today on the wader scrape with a Lapwing and 2 Grey Herons. This evening 7 House Martins and c20 Swifts. A Leopard Slug (Limax maximus) was only our second record it (K. Bannister).

Around mid-day this year's first Meadow Brown was airborne along with 1 Common Blue. 

Other insects of interest were 34 Burnet Companion and a Blood Vein moth. 

Also of note a Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) that was new to the data base, a Two-banded Spearhorn (Chrysotoxum bicinctum) and our first Banded Demoiselle of the year. A Spotted Orchid was also found (Chris Parkin).

Blood Vein Moth (C. Parkin)

House Martin (S. Cox)

Speckled Wood (S. Cox)

Wasp Beetle ( Clytus arietis) (C. Parkin)

Wintersett 07.06.2024

 Anglers CP:

Canada Goose 29 young.    2 medium young Mallard were in the CP shallows.

Oystercatcher 1 young (south).  16 Lapwing were in the CP shallows.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 4.   Cormorant 1. 

Odonata:

A female Broad-bodied Chaser  was seen behind the CP hide.

Carlton Marsh & Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

Carlton Marsh

2 Little ringed plovers had left by late morning. There were 3 Grey Herons and 40 Gadwall, many in eclipse plumage. A Little Egret flew north during the evening (S. Cox).

This year's first Red Admiral and a Small Heath were on the embankment, and a male and female Broad -bodied Chaser were of note (L & A Corrall./CG).

 

Littleworth Park

3 Meadow Brown were my first for this year. Also present 23 Small Heath, 21 Common Blue and 3 Small Copper. 

 

The first Common Darter and a Emperor Dragonfly was on the wing, and 7 day-flying Mother Shipton, 7 Burnet Companion and Six-spot Burnet larvae was found.

 

There were c200 Bee Orchids in flower (Chris Parkin).

Wintersett Area: 06.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

A Sanderling,  in summer plumage,  was on the boathouse slipway this morning. (SD et al.) 

Follow link for Video:    

https://x.com/StevieD131/status/1798731202972549238

Goldeneye 1 female.   Common Tern 4.   Cormorant 1. 

Mustelid:  

A Weasel was seen in the south west corner Wintersett Res..

Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 5 adults + 2 young + 1 young.   Shelduck 2.

Sue Billcliffe - One of my favourite poppy photos around Wakefield!

Carlton Marsh

2 Little Ringed Plovers again today on the wader scrape with a Little Egret. There's not much water in and its receding fast, which is  beyond our control for the moment. 

During grass cutting a Dingy Skipper and a Burnet Companion were seen.

Wintersett + Odonata + Lepidoptera: 05.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 2 young + 1 young.   Shoveler 1 male.  

Sand Martin 3.  Gadwall 9. 

Mallard 3 Medium/Large young ,  

+ 3 Medium young + 2 very small young ACP hide.

A 3rd summer Lesser Black backed Gull was in the shallows.

Anglers CP  Odonata:  Emperor 1 male.  

George's  Corner:  Lapwing 2 adults.

Disposal Point: Lepidoptera

Common Blue 1 male,   Small Heath 1.  

Disposal Point - Plant: Yellow Stone Crop 

Moorhouse Lane Big Pond:  Odonata:

Broad-bodied Chaser 1 female.    4 Spotted Chaser  2. 

Azure Damselfly 1 male.

Carlton Marsh

Everything of note today began with the letter L - Little Ringed Plover 1, Lapwing 2, LBB Gull (3rd summer), Little Egret, the first since 17th April!

Large Skipper butterfly, our first this year (L & A Corrall).

Wintersett 04.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Common Scoter 1.  (SC)   Common Tern 5.  Herring Gull 1.  

Goldeneye 1 female.

Botany Bay.

Mallard 7 L/FL young +  7 L/Fl young (1 white).

Wintersett 03.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

A male Cuckoo  was on the east bank..

Common Tern 5. 

Anglers CP:  

An Egyptian Goose was seen this morning, on the rock wall. It flew off north west at 10.20hrs

Mallard 2 medium young + 2 Large young.

A 3rd summer Lesser Black-backed Gull took 2 more Black-headed Gull chicks! 

A Lapwing was chasing Crows in Stubbs Wall field.

Oystercatcher 2 young +  1 young.

Carlton Marsh

A juvenile Tawny Owl was 'branching' this morning (Terry Smith) and 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on the wader scrape.

Juvenile Tawny Owl (Terry Smith)

South Kirkby Industrial Park

Butterfly numbers are really low so far this year. However, I saw my first Painted Lady, 18 male Brimstone, 25 Common Blue, 28 Small Heath, 10 Large Skipper, 1 Brown Argus and 3 male Orange-tips.

Birds sightings included 2 Grey Partridges and 10 Mistle Thushes (Chris Parkin).

Wintersett + Ringing 02.06.2024

Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 2 young + 1 young..  Shoveler 1 male + 1 female.

A male Hairy Dragonfly was seen south west corner,

along the path this morning,   First for CP.  (PM, AS) .    

An Emperor Dragonfly was seen on west bank clump. 

Herring Gull 2 adults + 4 north.  Canada Goose 28 young + 1 very small young new.

21 plus Odemera Nobilis + 1 Hornet were counted on vegetation in the Golf Course Field.

Haw Park Wood:

2 adult  + 2 juvenile Treecreepers were seen this morning.

Golf Course Field.:

Hornet 1.

Wintersett Ringing -  Pete Smith.  R.Bailey.

12 birds were ringed this morning @Wintersett

Highlights of 1 juvenile Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff (2 juv), 2 Bullfinch.

Common Tern 4.    

Lepidoptera:

Brimstone 2 males  ACP.

Carlton Marsh

The wader scrape had 1 LRP, 1 Lapwing and 1 LBB Gull. A family of 5 Mistle Thrush were on a nearby horse pasture and a pair were feeding fledged young in the car park.

So as it was quiet I went to look for day flying moths etc. Although there was little sunshine, I managed to find 3 Yellow Shell and 24 Burnet Companion moths along with single Small Heath and Common Blue butterflies. (CG)

News from the B.T.O of a local recovery of a Blue Tit S395266 that was ringed at Carlton Marsh as a 2nd calendar year bird at 14.29hrs on 19/1/2020. 

It was found after it flew into a glass window on Royston Road, Cudworth on 27/5/2024 at the home of Mr. Brian Guest. A distance of 2kms 1,590 days after it was ringed.

 

Woolley 

This is prime site for the Small Blue butterfly 92 were counted today. Along with 3 Large Skipper, 12 Common Blue, 2 male Brimstone, 1 female Orange-tip and 2 Brown Argus -13 species.

Also of note 2 Grey Partridge, 12 House Martin, a Common Lizard and Spotted Orchid (Chris Parkin).

Wintersett 01.06.2024

Wintersett Res:

Mute Swan 36,  and 4 young + 2 CHRes. + 3 ACP.

A Red kite flew over.   Grey Wagtail 1.

Common Tern 6.  Goldeneye 1 female.

Mallard - 8 large young at Boathouse + 7 large young Botany Bay (6+ 1 white).

Anglers CP: 

Teal 1 male + 1 female.  Oystercatcher 2 young + 1 young.

Herptera:

Grass Snake 1.