Carlton Marsh

 An Oystercatcher was on the wader scrape with 2 Lapwings.

                        Chickory in a nearby field (K. Bannister)

Cudworth

A Humming-bird Hawk Moth was feeding on a Buddliea in Chris Parkin's Barnsley Road garden. 

Wintersett Sightings 30.06.2025.

Anglers CP: 

Common Sandpiper 3.   Ringed Plover 1.

Oystercatcher 1.   Little Egret 1.

Gadwall 3 young.

Odonata:

Red-veined Darter - 1 male in south east corner ACP.

Moorhouse Lane Ponds:

Marbled White Butterfly 1.

Ruddy Darter 1.

4 Spot Chaser 1.

Azure Damselfly 2 males.

Wintersett Sightings - 29th June 2025

 Wintersett Reservoir:

Common Tern 6.  

Great Crested Grebe 1 large young in boathouse reeds.

Anglers CP:

Oystercatcher 5.

Odonata:

Red-eyed Damselfly  2 males Botany Bay.

Small Red -eyed damselfly,  and  at least 5 males Botany Bay.

Butterflies:

White-letter Hairstreaks: 

- 3 Botany Farm  + 2 Ryhill,  + 1 Haw Park Lane.

Wintersett Sightings 28th June 2025

Anglers CP:

Red Kite 1 south.   Hobby 1.   

Common Tern 4.   Oystercatcher 4. 

Wintersett Res:

Dragonflies - Botany Bay:

Red-eyed Damselfly 1 male.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly 10 males.

Carlton Marsh

Little Grebe was last seen in April until last week. Now they have appeared with 2 well grown young on the main scrape.

Butterflies today included; 112 Ringlet, 3 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock, 12 Comma, 8 Small Tort., 120 Meadow Brown, 12 Large Skipper, 43 Small Skipper, 1 Small Copper, 32 Large White, 7 Small White, 5 GV White, and 102 White species that couldn't be identified.

Dragons included 5 Banded Agrion, 1 Southern Hawker, 3 Brown Hawker, 3 Emperor, and 1m 1f BB Chaser, the latter ovipositing. 

Also of note 2 NB 5 Spot Burnet moths, and the Spotted Longhorn Beetle. (C. Parkin/CG).

 

Spotted Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata)

 

Carlton Marsh & Woolley

Carlton Marsh

Oystercatcher at 07.10hrs and 3 LRP at 07.30hrs on the wader scrape (K. Bannister).

 

Also 4 Common Terns on the main scrape at 07.30hrs, 1 left north 3 left south (J. Finch).  

 

Woolley

16 species of butterfly today included 2 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock from a new brood, 13 Comma, 57 Marbled White and 6 Small Blue.

 

Also 1m Banded Agrion and a Common Lizard (C. Parkin).  

Littleworth Park - Monk Bretton

Insects included 3 Red Admiral, 4 S. Tort. 4 Comma, 486 Meadow Brown, 233 Ringlet, 122 Small Skipper. A Roesel's Bush Cricket, Emperor Dragonfly and a Common Darter (C. Parkin).

Wintersett Sightings - June 25th 2025

Anglers CP:

Little Egret 1.   Little Ringed Plover 1

Oystercatcher 4.   Herring Gull 12,

Siskin 4 flew south,

Butterflies:

Gatekeeper 1.

Carlton Marsh

Single LRP and Oystercatcher on the wader scrape and Kingfisher and Little Grebe on the main scrape.

A Garden Warbler sang, the first since April (Andrew Corrall). 

Carlton Marsh

 4 Oystercatchers were on the wader scrape at 07.35hrs (Keith Bannister).

Wintersett Sightings - Thursday 26th June 2025 + 28th June 2025

26th.06.2025

Anglers CP: 

Red Kite 1 flew south.   Hobby 1.  Common Tern 4.

Oystercatcher 4.   Little Ringed Plover 1.Crossbill 6 flew west at 09.23hrs.

Greylag Goose 86. 

Butterfly: Gatekeeper 1. 

28th.06.2025

Wintersett Res:

Botany Bay:

Red-eyed Damselfly 1 male. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly 10 males   

Carlton Marsh

A Little Ringed Plover and 2 Oystercatchers were on the wader scrape this afternoon, and 2 adult Little Grebes were on the main scrape.. 

Dragonflies included 2m 1f Broad-bodied Chaser, male Emperor and a male Southern Hawker.

Several Coltsfoot leaves were found with the fungal Gall Rust on them.

                           Coltsfoot Gall Rust (Puccinia poarum)

Carlton Marsh & Cudworth

On the wader scrape 46 LBB Gulls, 12 Herring Gulls and 1 LRP. A juvenile Kingfisher was feeding on the main scrape.

Insects included several Emperor Dragonflies and this year's' first Brown Hawker.

Butterflies included 8 Small Skipper, 27 Meadow Brown and 66 Ringlet. Also Cinnabar moth and a Cranefly on the hide door (Nephrotoma quadrifaria) our second record of it.

Newtown - Cudworth 

Last night was very warm and humid which provided some very nice moths and in good numbers. There were 15 yes 15 Elephant Hawk Moths in the trap, 5 Swallow-tailed, 6 Coronet, single Small Fan-foot, Scarce Silver Lines, The Sycamore, The Shark, Peppered Moth etc.

 Coronet

The Shark 

Cranefly (Nephrotoma quadrifaria)
 

 

Wintersett Bird sightings 20th June + June 21st 2025

20th June 2025:

Anglers CP:

Little Egret 1 over.

Black-tailed Godwit 2 flew south east.

Shoveler 1 male.   Little Ringed Plover 1.

22nd June 2025

Pochard 1 female.

Dragonflies:  

Red-veined Darter 3 males  + 1 female egg laying.

Lesser Emperor 1 male.  4 Spot Chaser 1

Butterfly:

Small Skipper 1.

Wintersett Res:

Goldeneye 1 female.

2 Red Kites were circling together.

Common Tern 2.  Hobby 1.

South Kirkby Industrial Park

Little Egret, 2 Buzzards. There were 15 species of butterfly today, my first Gatekeeper, 4 S. Tortoiseshell, 4 Comma, 188 Meadow Brown, 177 Ringlet, 36 Marbled White, and 2f Brimstone (Chris Parkin).

Carlton Marsh

On the wader scrape this morning Green Sandpiper (briefly) (K. Bannister) 

LRP, Oystercatcher, 8 Herring Gulls and 13 LBB Gulls (J. Finch)

3 Fox Cubs were playing out (P. Rawson).

Also single Large Red Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, 2 Emperor dragonflies, a Small Skipper and 10+ Ringlet. (CG).  

A barn Owl has been hunting regularly at the rear of Farfield Cottages over recent days from around 8pm. 

Wintersett Bird Sightings - July 2nd 2025.

Anglers CP: 

Gadwall 4 very small young.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 8 adults + 1 juvenile.

Great Crested Grebe 1 large young.

Mute Swan 1 young + 6 young.

Goldeneye 1 female.

Grey Wagtail 1.

Cold Hiendley Res:

Pochard 6 males. 

Carlton Marsh

The first of this year's juvenile Black Headed Gulls was on the scrape with a Cormorant (J. Finch).

A Cuckoo sang over Storrs Mill Wood (not previously heard this year here. A Vincent)

Woolley

Marbled white are doig well here with 93 counted today. Small Blue 28 could be in trouble as there is little or no Kidney Vetch for the eggs and larvae. 195 Meadow Brown 122 Ringlet a Banded Demoiselle and a Blackneck moth were just some of the insects found in this excellent wildscape (C. Parkin).

 

Wintersett - June WeBs count 2025

Wintersett -  June WeBs count 2025

Mute Swan 7.   Canada Goose 215.   Greylag Goose 94.   Cormorant 1.

Coot 85,   Moorhen 11,   Great Crested Grebe 7.   Mallard 67.

Gadwall 24.   Tufted Duck 22.   Oystercatcher 4.   Lapwing 21.

Grey Heron 2.   Little Ringed Plover 1.   Common Tern 4. 

Wintersett Bird Sightings - Anglers CP: June 18th 2025

Anglers  CP: 

Lesser Whitethroat 1.   Sand Martin 15.

Cormorant 2.

Butterflies:

2 Large Skipper.

Brimstone 1 male.

Large Red Damselfly 1 male.

Brown Hawker 1.

Black-tailed Skimmer 10.

Emperor Dragonfly 1 male.

Carlton Marsh & Littleworh - Monk Bretton

This morning on the wader scrape, 1 LRP, 14 Herring/LBBGulls, 1 Grey Wagtail and 3 Lapwings (K. Bannister).

Littleworth Park

Everything is parched and dying, but counts of three figures for Meadow Brown (284), 105 Ringlet, 135 Small Skipper and 32 Large Skipper (C. Parkin).  

Wintersett Sightings 25th .06.2025

Anglers CP: 

Little Egret 1.

Little Ringed Plover 1.

Oystercatcher 4.

Herring Gull 12. 

 Siskin 4 flew south,

Butterflies:

Gatekeeper 1.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 7.   

A Red Kite flew over east bank field.

A Little Egret flew south west.

Grey Wagtail 2.

A brood of fledged, young Cetti's Warblers were on the dam wall.

Carlton Marsh - Woolley & Little Don Valley

A drake Shelduck on the wader scrape at 0.6.20hrs was the first for this year (Neil Lunn).

Woolley

3 Small Blue were found at the usual site (Melvyn White/CG). 

 

Little Don Valley

A Cuckoo sang, along with Mistle Thrush and Curlew with plenty of Willow Warblers and Coal Tits. A Siskin called as it flew over. 

 

A Raven called as it flew over the hillside and c16 Crossbills were feeding in conifers. 

 

A Nuthatch was calling in Cliffe Wood and an Oystercatcher flew over the sewage works (M. White/CG).

 

Barrow

My first Small Skippers this year 38. Also single Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Peacock and 16 S. Tortoiseshell and 3 Comma. Meadow Brown had increased to 182, with 64 Ringlet, 48 Large Skipper, 20 Small Heath and 10 Common Blue. 

 

Day flying moths 5 Burnet Companion and a single Forrester moth and a Common Emerald was flushed. 

2 Emperor dragonflies were also of note (Chris Parkin). 

Ferrymoor Flash

Ferrymoor Flash

2 Great Crested Grebes, female on nest with 1 young. 60 Canada Geese (mostly nearly full-grown goslings), 17 Greylags, 2 Grey Herons, single Tufted Duck and 1 Oystercatcher over (CG).

 

Carlton Marsh 

A Cuckoo sang this morning (Neil Lunn). 

 

Newtown, Cudworth 

Some nice moths in the garden trap last night, 4 Elephant Hawk, 1 Small Elephant Hawk, 1 Poplar Hawk, The Coronet, Scarce Silver Lines and Figure of 80 (CG).

 

 

 The Coronet

                                   Small Elephant Hawk Moth

                                              Scarce Silver Lines

Wintersett Sightings - June 17th 2025

Anglers CP:

Herring Gull 7.   

Painted Lady 1 flew north.  

Wintersett Res:

Sand Martin 50.

Yellow Wagtail 1 male on boathouse slipway.

Painted Lady 1 on west bank. 

Carlton Marsh 14th June 2025

A Cuckoo sang at 07.25hrs and a Barn was hunting the field behind Farfield Cottages at 20.30hrs. It left NE with a vole (K. Bannister/CG).

Carlton Marsh & South Kirkby Friday 13/6/25

 Carlton Marsh

3 Avocets were on the wader scrape from at least 06.10hrs to 07.20hrs (N. Lunn/K. Bannister).

 

A Coal Tit near the school pond was the first since 8th of March! (JP).

 

3 Oystercatchers came in to the wader scrape  at 17.57hrs (J. Finch) and a Barn Owl was hunting at 19.57hrs (Bob Embleton).

 

12 birds ringed 2 Song Thrushes, 1 Chiffchaff, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 1 Sedge Warbler and a Kestrel that sunk its talons into my hand  as well as hammering away with its very sharp bill. This was the best photo I could get before the pain became so intense. The last one to be mist netted was back in September 1995, although 4 pulli have been ringed in the nest in the intervening years.

                                 The left hand Oystercatcher may be colour ringed?

                                                  Kestrel

South Kirkby Industrial Park

 8 juvenile Pied Wagtails.

15 species of butterfly included 2 pristine Painted Ladies, 4m Brimstone, 2m Orange-tip, 13 Common Blue, 13 Small Heath, 27 Marbled White, 41 Large Skipper, and 29 Meadow Brown (C. Parkin)

Wintersett Sightings - Anglers CP, June 14th 2025

Anglers CP:

Crossbill 2 flew south

Teal 2  males..  Oystercatcher 5. 

Little Ringed Plover 2

Ringlet 1.

Wintersett  Res:

Hobby 1 x 1st summer.

Painted Lady Butterfly 1 on north bank. 

Ringlet 1.  Common Tern 4. 

Great Crested Grebe 2 young in boathouse reeds.

Storrs Mill Wood to Ardsley Viaduct

Little Egret, 2 Grey Wagtail, Grey Partridge, 4 Lapwing, 2 Cormorant.

Insects included 46 S. Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock, 1 Comma (new brood), 23 Speckled Wood, 12 Meadow Brown, 2 Ringlet, 25 Large Skipper, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 2m Brimstone, 1m Orange-tip.

8 Chimney Sweeper moths and c200 Banded Damselflies (Chris Parkin). 

Wintersett Sightings - June 10th 2025

Anglers CP:

Black-necked Grebe 1.   Teal 1 male.

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

A Redshank flew north.

Hobby 1 x1st summer

Herring Gull 25 flew north.

Little Grebe 1.    Oystercatcher 4.

Common Tern 2.   

Wintersett Res;

Hobby 1 1st summer.

Common Tern 16.

Gadwall 5 young.  + 9 young on Botany.

Great crested Grebe 2 young in boathouse reeds.

Cetti's Warbler - 

a brood of newly fledged young in south east corner.

Yellow Wagtail 6 males in surrounding fields.

Butterfly:

A Painted Lady was on the north bank  Wintersett Res..

Carlton Marsh & Woolley

 Carlton Marsh Insects

1 Red Admiral, 3 Meadow Brown, 1 Common Blue, 1 Large Skipper, 12 Small Tortoiseshell. 

24 Burnet Companion, 1 Blackneck. 

1m 1f Broad-bodied Chaser, 1 female type Black-tailed Skimmer and 2 Thick-legged Beetles.

Flowers included Brooklime (CG).

                                             Brooklime

                                        Southern Marsh Orchid

Woolley

My first Marbled White of the year (4), 10 Ringlet, 52 Small Blue, 10 S. Tortoiseshell, 22 Meadow Brown, 19 Large Skipper, 1 Brown Argus and lots of Peacock larvae (C. Parkin).

Wintersett Sightings - June 10th 2025

Anglers CP:

Black-necked Grebe 1.

Teal 1 male.

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

Wintersett Res:

Hobby 1 x 1st summer.

Common Tern 16.

Great Crested Grebe - 2 young in the boathouse reeds.

Wintersett Sightings June 10th 2025.

 Anglers CP:

Black-necked Grebe 1.

Teal 1 male.

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

Wintersett Res:

Hobby 1 x 1st summer.

Common Tern 16.

Great Crested Grebe 2 young in boathouse reeds.

Carlton Marsh

The bird highlights of today were; a singing Cuckoo and a Goldcrest, Treecreeper, a Greenfinch fly-over, and a Little Ringed Plover on the wader scrape.

Also of note 2f Broad-bodied Chasers in front of the hide where 2m & 1f Black-tailed Skimmer were seen on Friday 6th (L & A Corrall) .

News came that 4 young have hatched in the local Peregrine nest! (per P. Rawson) 

Carlton Marsh

3 Oystercatchers and 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on the wader scrape this afternoon.

Also single Small Heath and Meadow Brown butterflies. 

                                            Bee Orchid

 

Wintersett sightings - Sunday 9th June 2025

Anglers CP: 

Black-necked Grebe - 2 in summer plumage.

Little Egret - 1 seen briefly.

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2

Lapwing  51.

Oystercatcher 4.

Gadwall 13.

Teal 3 males.

Wigeon 1 adult male.

Wintersett Res:

Wigeon 1 male and 1 female.

Gadwall 4.

Common Tern  10.

Grey Wagtail 4 juveniles near boathouse,

Dragonfly: Brown Hawker 1.

Botany Bay:

Gadwall 1 female and 9 young.

Wintersett Sightings June 7th 2025

Anglers CP: 

Ringed Plover 1.   Little Ringed Plover 2.

Oystercatcher 4.   Lapwing 38.

Lesser Whitethroat 1 male.

Cormorant 1.

A Group of 13 small goslings were seen 

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 12.

Sand Martin 24.

Butterfly:

Meadow Brown 1  Anglers CP.

Carlton Marsh & Barrow Reclamation

Carlton Marsh

The 2 Common Terns were feeding over the scrape at 07.00hrs and 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on the wader scrape (K. Bannister).

This evening the Terns returned at 19.30hrs the male presented 2 small fish the female waiting patiently on a post. They left south at 20.10hrs. The 2 LRP's were back on the wader scrape with a probable Caspian Tern and 2 broods of 8 Mallard (CG).

Mint moth (S. Cox) in his Shafton garden recently

Barrow Insects

1 Red Admiral, 14 S. Tortoiseshell + loads of larvae, 12 Meadow Brown, 46 Small Heath, 39 Large Skipper, 13 Common Blue, 1m Orange-tip. Also 24 Burnet Companion moths, 1 Blackneck, 2 Latticed Heath, 1 Snout and 1 Forester.  As well as 8 Broad-bodied Chasers (C. Parkin).

Forester Moth (Chris Parkin)

Wintersett June 6th 2025

Anglers CP: 

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

Oystercatcher 4.

Common Tern 2.

Cormorant 1.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 12.

Goldeneye 1 female.

Gadwall 10 young.

Sand Martin 20.

Anglers CP:

Butterfly - Large Skipper 1.

Wintersett Sightings June 5th 2025

Anglers CP:

Ringed Plover 1.   Little Ringed Plover 2.

Pochard 2.   Gadwall 14.   Common Tern 3,

Oystercatcher 5.   

A Mallard Duckling was taken by a pike!

Carlton Marsh

 2 Common Terns were feeding on the scrape at 06.45hrs (Keith Bannister).

Wintersett Sightings 04.06.2025

Anglers CP:

Crossbill 2 flew south west at 10.00hrs.

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 3.

Peregrine 1.

Swift 150.

Sand Martin 2.

Carlton Marsh

A Cuckoo sang this morning and a Little Ringed Plover was on the wader scrape (K. Bannister).

This afternoon 1 LRP, 4 Lapwings and a Little Egret on the wader scrape. A glimpse of a Buzzard carrying large prey disappeared behind the trees, could have been a young Pheasant?

Also of note a male Broad-bodied Chaser and a male Hairy Dragonfly, both seen from the hide (CG).

Wintersett Sightings Tues 3rd June 2025.

Anglers CP: 

Ringed Plover 1.   Little Ringed Plover 2.   Common Tern 1.

Wintersett Res:

Goldeneye 1 female.    Common Tern 4,

Haw Park:

Southern Hawker 1.

Cold Hiendley Res:

Mute Swan 5 young.   Grey Wagtail 1 adult.

Cetti's  Warbler 1 male.   Great Spotted Woodpecker 2.

Carlton Marsh & Cliffe Wood - Langsett

Carlton Marsh

2 Common Terns and 3 pairs of Tufted Duck this morning (K. Bannister).

 

Insects included an amazing count of 96, possibly more, Burnet Companion moths on the Western Meadow. A meteoric rise in number since it colonised in 2022. Other moths were a single Mother Shipton and 6 Yellow Shell.

Butterflies were well represented with single Peacock, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Brown Argus and Small Copper. There were also 9 Speckled Wood,  5 Large Skipper, 2 Common Blue, 1m Orange-tip, and 7 G.V. White (C. Parkin).

 

Cliffe Wood - Langsett

A Pair of Pied Flycatchers were feeding on the periphery of the wood and could be observed from the footpath. The male and female flew across to feed in a tree at the side of the path from the road with what looked like a fledged juvenile.

In the wood a female was seen multiple times feeding young in a nest box, without a male present. As the species is inclined to polygyny, this female could be a secondary female to the previously mentioned male as they were all in fairly close proximity to each other.

 

Male Pied Flycatcher (phone scoped by Les Corrall)

Also present, Treecreeper with a caterpillar, Song Thrush, Coal Tit and a Jay.

An Oystercatcher and a Red Kite flew low overhead, and a Wall Brown was flying in the sunshine (M. White/L & A Corrall/T. Mayne/CG).

Wintersett Sightings 2nd June 2025

Anglers CP:

Mediterranean Gull 1 adult.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

Common Tern  2.

Holly Blue 2  ACP.

Dragonfly:

4 Spotted Chaser 1 ACP.

Winterset Reservoir:

Ringed Plover 1 flew north.

Common Tern 6.

Goldeneye 1 female.

Hairy Dragonfly 1 male.  

Botany Bay Odonata:

Male Emperor 1.

Black-tailed Skimmer 1 male.

Red-eyed Damselfly  6 male + 1 female.

Wintersett June 1st 2025

Anglers CP:

Ringed Plover 1.

Little Ringed Plover 2.

Common Tern 3.

Cormorant 1.

Hobby 1.

Red Kite 1.

Wintersett Res:

Common Tern 6.