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).
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).
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, 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.
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).
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
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.
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.
Last nights moths in Chris Parkin's Cudworth garden.
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).
A European Quail heard very briefly this afternoon was confirmed this evening. However, it only sang intermittently from a field of Barley or an adjacent Bean field at the back of the Pinfold Hotel, and then later near the flashes on the Common. They are very good at throwing their voice a fair distance, so patience will be required to hear it (CG).
Carlton Marsh
Photographs sent in by Harold Heath & Simon Cox.
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2 Adult Mute Swans with 6 cygnets, Kestrel Heron, 5 Pied Wagtails.
Insects included 16 Painted Lady, 32 Small Heath, 10 Dingy Skipper, 112 Common Blue, 5 Brown Argus, 2 Large Skipper, 4 Small Copper, 4 Brimstone and 2 Orange-tip.
Also 1m Banded Agrion, 2 B.B. Chaser, 4 Four Spot Chaser and a Green Shield Bug (Chris Parkin).
14 species of butterfly included 1 Large Skipper, 7 Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral, 67 Small Heath, 89 Common Blue, 5 Holly Blue, 1 Brown Argus, and 6 Small Copper.
Also 1m Emperor dragonfly, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser, 18 Burnet Companion and 10 Mother Shipton Moths. And the Common Malachite Beetle (Malachius bipustulus)
Last night's moths in my Cudworth garden included 2 Buff Tip, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, 3 Lime Hawk, 1 Elephant Hawk, Sallow Kitten, Lesser Swallow Tailed and Clouded Border.
On the hottest May Day ever 32c most of our observers kept in doors, including me. However, Harold Heath and Clive Mitchell nipped down, saw the Red Fox and and photographed this lovely Damselfly.
A Barn Owl was hunting the field on Royston Road at 21.15hrs last seen heading towards the reserve.
Single Pipistrelle and Noctule Bats flew over the scrape at dusk and Tawny Owls called after dark during a moth session.
Using the M V lamp with Chris Parkin 15 species of macros caught up to midnight that included Green Silver Lines, May Highflyer, 6 Pale Tussock, Knot Grass, Rustic Shoulder Knot, White-pinion Spotted and Scalloped Hazel.
6 Micros were also identified.
A Barn Owl was hunting nearby at 08.00hrs (JP).
Other wildlife today included 2 Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock, 5 Speckled Wood, 3 Dingy Skipper, 1 Small Heath, 17 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, 8 Small Copper, 1m Brimstone, 5 Orange-tip, 6 Large White, 38 White species.
Also 1 Banded Agrion, 1 Emerald Damsel, 2 Broad - bodied Chaser, 40 Azure Damsel, 44 Burnet Companion, 2 Yellow Shell, 2 Mother Shipton and 6 Silver Y moths.
Fox and Rabbit was also seen (Chris Parkin).
It was a good night last night with temperatures not falling below 12c. The most colourful and interesting are featured below.
2 adult Mute Swans were on the scrape with Greylag and Canada geese.
Our wildlife group was busy mowing and strimming around the car park this morning.
Carlton Marsh
Not a great deal about today aside from the usual. Cetti's and buntings were flying back and forth across the hide pond many times. Male GS Woodpecker arrived at 08:20 to the right of the hide chirping away for 5 minutes. Managed to bag a shot of a Reed warbler below. Also found a Snakefly, first time we've ever seen one. We did hear Treecreepers behind the double bench by the meadow but couldn't get eyes on them (Phil Bulpin).
Just outside the recording area on Royston Road, a Barn Owl was hunting a st aside field at 09.15hrs (per JP).
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15 Greylags and young, 72 Canada Geese, 6 Gadwall, 10 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 Coot, 1 Mute Swan, Kingfisher, 3 Grey Heron.
Also recorded Greenfinch, Great Spot Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit family and Red-legged Partridge.
Despite the cool overcast weather a few insects were found. 1 Red Admiral, 3 Peacock, 3 Common Blue, 6 Small Copper, 7 Orange-tip (2f), 3 Burnet Companion and 1 Mother Shipton Moth.
Also 6 Smooth Newts (Chris Parkin)
Although it was cool again at least 6 species of butterfly were seen. 1 Wall Brown, 1 Painted Lady, 3 Small Heath, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper and 7 Orange-tips (3 females).
Early indications over the past week suggest that this year may be a Painted Lady year (Chris Parkin).
Earlier in the week a Red Kite drifted over The Grove in Cudworth on Tuesday 12th May (Bob Embleton).
Cuckoo photographed by Harold Heath & Clive Mitchell
LRP and 2 Red-legged Partridge and an adult LBB Gull wader scrape area.
Also 1 Swift over, a Cuckoo sang, a Canada Goose had 4 new very small young + 38 on adjacent fields and 3 Lapwings.
Insects included 9 Peacock, 6 Speckled Wood, 18 Orange-tip, 2 Large White, 20 White sp, 5 Dingy Skipper, and 5 Small Copper. Also 4 Burnet Companion on the western meadow. (K. Bannister/C. Parkin/CG)
A quiet day with just Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, Jay and Reed Bunting reported (Phil Bulpin).
A Common Sandpiper was on the wader scrape with broods of 7 & 2 Mallard (CG).
2 Oystercatchers flew north at 14.05hrs (Geoff Miller).
The overnight rain raised the water levels in the wader scrape reducing the potential for wading birds, However, a Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper were seen this morning (K. Bannister).
Later a Cuckoo sang briefly, a little Egret flew north and 6 Swallows were feeding. Also present Great Spot Woodpecker, a Red-legged Partridge sang along with 3 Sedge Warblers, 3 Reed Buntings and c12 Reed Warblers (C. Parkin/CG).
