Looking forward to the day and night and what new species we may all find! See you on Saturday!
A date for your diary…
Exciting news from Oakenshaw…
After seeing my blog about Tree Sparrows in nearby Birkenshaw, Chris who lives in Oakenshaw contacted me with some exciting news!
He wrote ” For at least the last three winters three Tree Sparrows have joined our resident house sparrows and visited my feeders daily here in Oakenshaw. ” Thank you Chris!
This is exciting news, Is the Tree Sparrow hanging on in small number somewhere in our area?
So if anyone sees a Tree Sparrow in the Low Moor/Oakenshaw area would you let me know with location and date please . Ok I’m dreaming but if they are hanging on we could put conservation methods in place for them to possibly bred.
If anyone is a bit unsure of the identification between the Tree Sparrow & House Sparrow this RSPB link may be useful
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/old-world-sparrows/
Exciting news from our neighbouring area
Yesterday I went for a new walk around the farmland at Birkenshaw which is about 3 miles east of Raw Nook NR. I had only been there a couple of minutes when I heard the call of an overhead Tree Sparrow!
I then found 3 in a Hawthorn bush. Now as we know the Tree Sparrow is now an uncommon/almost rare bird in some parts of the UK especially Bradford! I then spoke to a local farmer who told me ” I have a about 8 TS regularly feeding on my bird feeder….They have been here for years!!!! The last time I recorded a TS in Low Moor/Oakenshaw was about 10 years ago.
Southern Hawker Dragonflies have been emerging from my garden pond in good numbers so keep in look out in Raw Nook NR around the pond area.
On Tuesday I went to Low Moor Banks and found 17 Small Heath butterflies and 3 Common Whitethroats in song.
Also on Tuesday at RNook two new micro moths were added to the species list as well as a new Diptera (Fly) species. All are relatively common in the Yorkshire area.
Orchids are starting to appear at Low Moor Banks according to Peter Gurney so a walk around the site might produce some good specimens. Any records will be most welcome..
Whilst moths might not be everyone’s cup of tea!
Well…I wonder this moth which was at Caldene fields last night is called the Beautiful Golden Y – Autographa pulchrina
Late news: A male Brimstone butterfly was at Caldene fields on 10/6
A good day on the Patch!
Firstly against all the odds the Coots at Raw Nook pond have a family!
This morning I saw one small chick been fed deep in cover in the Bogbean. This is the first time the species has bred at the site.
There was more good news at TH Beck with a blast from the past, a Little Grebe appeared on the large pond.
I have not recorded the species for about 5 years which is sad as it was a regular breeder at the site. So fingers crossed!!
And the good news kept coming with an excellent count of 5 Southern Orchids at Toad Holes Beck at their normal area.
Also whilst looking in the area I found not one but two Ragged Robin plants which are a site first for our recording area. I suspect there have establish with the wet spring.
I have some research to do on a couple of hoverflies and a beetle, but all in all it was a good day on the patch..
A record count…
A record count of nine 14 Spot ladybirds were at Toad Holes beck yesterday.
Interestingly they were all on Nettles and basking with their backs to the sun.
New breeding record
Yesterday I managed to find three 2-spot Lady birds at Caldene fields. Two of them were… well…spring was in the air. But on a serious note, this is a confirmed breeding record which is valuable information for the ecology of the site and it’s protection.
Also some may remember the work we did on the meadow at Raw Nook Nr a few years ago. We cleared patches of vigorous grasses and putting down Yellow Rattle seeds.
Now Yellow Rattle is an annual and it lives a semi-parasitic life by feeding off the nutrients in the roots of nearby grasses which in turn helps to reduce it’s vigorous grasses.
Well our work is starting to pay dividends with the many clumps of Yellow Rattle now forming all over the meadow which is great news!
In the clumps of YR we can then plant wildflowers which will grow better as they which won’t have to complete with the vigorous grasses.
House Martin are now starting to arrive with 3 probable local birds today flying over Raw Nook NR.
Found a possible new moth larva at TH Beck today but need a bit more research before fully sure…
Old friend returns…
Yesterday at Toad Holes beck I was checking on whether the Coot eggs have hatched…and thankfully at least one pair are feeding chicks.
However, I had a surprise when I saw the Terrapin which I personally have not seen at the site for at least 10 years.
Anyway he or she seems to be doing very well and appears to be a lot bigger than I last remember.
However, there could be a bit of a mystery here as I’m sure many will remember the Terrapin at the pond at Raw Nook NR. It lived in that pond for many years but disappeared when the pond first dried out in 2018. Could this Terrapin at THB be the Raw Nook NR one?
Swifts are slowly starting to arrive now with 3 on the 9/5…2 on11/5 and a single today all observed from C fields and all moving N/W.
Wildlife gardening…
If anyone is interested in wildlife gardening and in particular establishing an urban wildflower meadow I brought out my latest Youtube video on How to maintain a wildflower meadow. Checkout my other wildlife gardening videos…Might be of interest…
How to Maintain a Wildflower meadow…The Spring Trim – YouTube
Two Swifts the first of the season flew N yesterday over Caldene fields. No sign of the Sedge Warbler at Toad Holes Beck.. Unfortunately.
Sedge Warbler
A Sedge Warbler was at Toad Holes Beck this morning. It was singing deep from within Dogwood and Bramble scrub.
A male appeared at the same area last year on the 4/5 and sang for a few days before moving on. Fingers crossed this male has more luck!
Whitethroats…
This morning at Low Moor Banks were 2 newly arrived Common Whitethroats in song. There was also some good new as well as another male Lesser Whitethroat has arrived. Thankfully one is singing near the Wyke end of the site and the other is near to the recycling centre.
Relating to the breeding Coots…Forgot to mention another obstacle the family has to cope with… X marks the spot!! A Grey Heron that is trying it’s best to get the eggs but the male Coot flew at the Heron and it moved away. THIS TIME!
