4 Red Underwings, 1 Old Lady and 10 Copper Underwings were taken on sugar bait last night (CG)
The Greenshank spent its third day on the wader scrape with 2 Snipe and a Lapwing. If it doesn't rain soon it's in danger of drying up (John Finch).
Also present Coal Tit and Kingfisher.
The first Willow Emerald of the year was on the dike near the hide with 1m &1f Small Red-eyed Damselfly (CG).
A Common Tern visited the scrape this morning and the Greenshank from yesterday was still on the wader scrape (N. Lunn/J. Finch).
c30 Swallows came in to roost, 3 Swift flew through before dusk, A juv. Tawny Owl called. Also Great Spot Woodpecker, Water Rail called.
Still present on the dike 2 female Small Red-eyed Damselflies, several Blue-tailed, Emerald, Emperor and Brown Hawker as well as male Ruddy Darters.
2 juvenile Buzzards and at least 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks were calling.
A Little Grebe, 12 Greylags and 20 Canada Geese were on the scrape with 20 + Gadwall and 2 Mute Swans.
Butterflies included a Clouded Yellow feeding on Devil's Bit Scabious (CG), 10 Painted Lady, 12 Red Admiral, 62 Meadow Brown, 16 Gatekeeper, 9 Speckled Wood, 5 Small Heath, 36 Common Blue, 7 Small Copper, and 1 Brown Argus.
1 male and a female Small Red-eyed Damselfly (the female ovipositing), c10m 1f Ruddy Darter, 2m Emperor and 1 Migrant Hawker (C. Parkin).
Our wildlife group was busy cutting back regenerating scrub this morning.
A pair of Little Grebes have at least 1 very very small young that was almost gobbled up by a Black Headed Gull, it just managed to dive to safety. 4 Teal and c40 Gadwall were amongst the wildfowl present.
Mixed flock of 50 Canad and Greylag on scrape, Kingfisher. A Snipe was on the wader scrape at 07.18hrs (Neil Lunn).
2m & 1f Small Red-eyed Damsel on the dike (CG).
A Green Sandpiper was on the wader scrape at 07.33hrs (K. Bannister).
Also 2 Goldcrest, 6 Red-legged Partridge (3 juvs), 2 Buzzard, Little Grebe.
4 Ruddy Darter, 6 Common Darter, 3 Common Blue and Nursery Web Spider (L & Corrall).
In the evening 2 Water Rail called, c75 Swallows roosted and 7 Swifts Flew west.
10 Purple Hairstreaks were flying around the tops of Oak (CG).
A snipe was on the wader scrape early this morning (K. Bannister)
Also present at least 3 juv. Sparrowhawks calling, Juv. Buzzard, 2 Greylags, 11 Canada Geese, and 3 Lapwing.
A butterfly survey produced 2 Comma, 13 Gatekeeper, 5 Green Veined White, 3 Red Admiral, 16 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Ringlet, 1 Painted Lady, c30 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Heath, 1 Brown Argus and 1 Small Copper.
3 Small Red-eyed Damselflies (1m 2f), and 2m Ruddy Darter (CG/C/ Parkin).
Butterflies encountered today were, Clouded Yellow, 6 Painted Lady, 231 Meadow Brown, 43 Small Heath, 102 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, 17 Brown Argus and 18 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).
Today's highlights were 2 Common Terns (1 juv being fed) from 07.10hrs until mid-day. They chased off a Herring Gull and a LBB Gull, but they were continually harassed by a Black Headed Gull all morning.
A Dunlin still in summer plumage was on the wader scrape at 07.30hrs but that was chased off by a Black Headed Gull (Keith Bannister/John Finch).
Also present 3 Lapwings, Kingfisher and a juv. Sparrowhawk was calling. (CG)
A common Sandpiper was on the wader scrape this evening (Dave Standish).
20 species of butterfly today included 3 male Silver Washed Fritillary, 5 Painted Lady, 1 Dingy Skipper, 102 Common Blue, 17 Brown Argus, 13 Small Heath, 1m Brimstone and 12 |Small Copper (Chris Parkin).
Coal Tit, Great Spot Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard.
Along with 2 Ruddy Darter, 3 southern Hawker, 8 Brown Hawker, 3 Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Les & Andrew Corrall).
Our wildlife group were busy again this morning strimming the path verges etc. We were joined by young Rueben, who is on school holiday at the moment.
A walk around with Gary Haywood produced a Grey Wagtail, Water Rail, and Buzzard.
Butterflies included 1 Holly Blue, 6 Common Blue, 4 Painted Lady and several Red Admirals.
Also 1 Small Heath, 4 Holly Blue, and 2 Migrant Hawkers (K. Bannister/L & A Corrall).
1m Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 2m 1f Ruddy Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser, 1m Banded Agrion and 2 Brown Hawker.
32 Mallard, the males in 'eclipse', and the family of Tufted Duck.
An additional 18 species of butterfly that included 12 Painted Lady, 34 Red Admiral, 28 Peacock, 15 Comma, 388 Meadow Brown, 206 Gatekeeper, 37 Common Blue, 6 Holly Blue, 8 Brown Argus, 12 Small Copper, 18 Large White and 108 unidentified White species.
Also 3 Ruddy Darter (Chris Parkin).
A male Silver Washed Fritillary was found on the embankment today by long time Carlton Martian - Peter Senior. This is only our 2nd record of it and the first since July 2021!
20 species of butterfly included a Silver Washed Fritillary on a Buddlea, 4 Purple Hairstreak, 10 Painted Lady, 63 Red Admiral, 42 Peacock, 88 Speckled Wood, 3 Brown Argus, and 8 Small Copper. Also Ruddy Darter male and 18 Banded Agrion (Chris Parkin).
Excellent counts of butterflies included 8 Painted Lady, 5 Red Admiral, 676 Meadow Brown, 455 Gatekeeper, 173 Common Blue, 32 Brown Argus and 3 Holly Blue. A total of 1,600 of 17 species.
Also of note here Emperor Dragonfly and the Hornet Mimic (Volucella zonaria) (Chris Parkin).
Butterflies included 15 Painted Lady, 9 Red Admiral, 26 Peacock, 465 Gatekeeper, 86 Common Blue, 22 Brown Argus and 10 Small Copper (Chris Parkin).
A Little Egret spent the day on the wader scrape and a Peregrine was seen there early morning (Neil Lunn).
Later a Goldcrest, 2 LBB Gulls, and a Yellow Wagtail with food.
Also 3m Black-tailed Skimmers, 1m Red-eyed Damselfly, 3 Painted Ladies, 3 Red Admirals and a report of a Grayling butterfly (Andrew Corrall/Melvyn White/CG).
Yellow Wagtail, Oystercatcher, 2 Lapwing, 1 LBB Gull, juv. Buzzard calling to adults.
Insects included 2m Small Red - eyed Damselfly, Emperor, Brown Hawker, 3m Ruddy Darter, 2m Broad-bodied Chaser, 2m black tailed Skimmer, 1m Common Darter, 1 Four Spot Chaser, 2 Red Admiral, 1 Comma, 6 Gatekeeper, 60 Ringlet, c60 Meadow Brown.
7 Little Egrets were on the wader scrape at 06.51hrs (Neil Lunn), but all had left by 07.30hrs (K. Bannister).
A Yellow Wagtail was still in the potato field and a Common Tern was feeding on the scrape (K. Bannister).
Our wonderful wildlife group were busy strimming part of the embankment path and the ringing rides this morning.
While doing that a Water Rail called and 2 Yellow Wagtails were seen in a nearby potato field.
Also of note 3m Small Red-eyed Damselflies and a male and female Ruddy Darter were amongst the many dragons and damsels on show. (CG/K. Bannister).
A Little Ringed Plover visited the wader scrape this afternoon and a maturing owlet was 'branching' not far from the hide (D. Standish).
Insects included 3 Painted Lady, 2 Holly Blue, 6 Gatekeeper, 1m 1f Ruddy Darter, 3 Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 2 Common Blue Damselfly, 2m 1f Broad-bodied Chaser, 1m Banded Agrion, 1m Black-tailed Skimmer and loads of Emperor and Emerald Damselflies (CG)..
A Goldcrest, Dabchick, a family of Tufted Ducks, 2 Mute Swans and a Kingfisher were on show today.
Also present 1 Holly Blue, 4 Red Admiral, and a male Ruddy Darter. (L & A Corrall).
Today was perfect weather for judging day for the Yorkshire in Bloom competition. Russ Boland, Joe Birch and Cliff gave Beatrice Myers a tour around part of the reserve including the wildflower meadow. We will have to wait until September to find out what award the reserve will be awarded. Yo can never be sure of the outcome, but Beatrice did say she loved the wild flower meadow.
The following photos were supplied by Simon Cox & Claire Griffiths
Our wildlife group were busy mowing, strimming and painting this morning
Today's sightings included Kingfisher, 2f Tufted Duck with 9 very small young, Coal Tit and Great Spot Woodpecker (L A Corrall).
A survey of all 3 meadows and the embankment produced 2 Painted Lady, 8 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock (new brood), 8 Small Tort., 18 Comma, 410 Meadow Brown, 136 Ringlet, 15 Gatekeeper, 24 Large Skipper, 104 Small Skipper, 2 Small Heath, 2 Holly Blue, 4 Large White and 59 unidentified White species.
On the scrape 10 Emperor, 4 Black-tailed Skimmer (C. Parkin).
In addition Oystercatcher, 1m Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 2 Brown Hawker, c20 Emerald, Damselfly, 1f Broad-bodied Chaser.
Not forgetting a cracking Scarlet Tiger moth that alighted on a Hogweed leaf right in front of us. The latter being a new species for the reserve! (CG/Helen Todd).
Photos supplied by Helen Todd
On the scrapes today 3 Lapwing, Kingfisher, Moorhen with 3 very small young, Little Grebe, 2 LBB Gull and 2 female Tufted Ducks with 9 young.
Also present Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, 2 juvenile Great Spot Woodpeckers, at least 3m Cetti's Warblers.
Insects included 2 Painted Lady, 1 Red admiral, 4m Small Red -eyed Damselfly, on the dike (near hide), 1m Ruddy Darter, 1 Brown Hawker, 1m Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 Four Spot Chaser, lots of Emperor and Emerald Damselfy (L & A Corrall/CG).
A ringing session provided a a surprise newly fledged juvenile Goldcrest, and a re-trapped male Reed Warbler from July 2018 was the second oldest ever ringed here. As it was an adult when ringed in 2018 that means that it is at least 9 years old having made at least 9 journeys to south of the Sahara and back to the same ringing ride (CG).
On a slightly fresher less oppressive sunny morning, the British Naturalist Group visited the reserve. A walk around the western meadow saw lots of Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and the odd Large Skipper and Common Blue.
The highlight of the morning though was the discovery of the highly migratory Red-veined Darter (male) (Sympetrum fonscolombii) on the largest pond.. This was only our 2nd record of it. The first, also a male, was way back in early July of 2002 found by Peter Senior. This one showed no sign of moving on and showed very well.
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) photos by Kevin from British Naturalist Society
In addition a Small Heath butterfly was found later on the northern meadow (Chris Parkin)
On yet another record breaking very hot June day, the temperature peaked at 34c in my Cudworth garden, 34.2c at Weston Park, Sheffield, and 37.3c at Santon in Suffolk was the highest ever recorded June temperature.
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