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Horse Chestnut tree found again

Away from the local parks the Horse Chestnut tree Aesculus hippocastanum is not common in our recording area.

Last year I found a sapling growing in a very shaded and crowded area at TH Beck.

Sadly the tree did not survive and died.

However this morning in a better location at the site I found not one but two young saplings growing.

This is great news for the additional bio-diversity these trees will bring to the area and fingers crossed they will develop in their light and open environment.

Other sighting include my first Swallow moving N/E on 17/4 at Caldene fields.

There is now at least 4 singing male Blackcap + at least 1 female at TH Beck.

A pair of Coots have taken up residency at Raw Nook NR pond which thankfully is still holding water. However, the local Moorhens may well be forced off the pond by the bigger Coots.

A pair of Great Tits are nest building in one of the nesting boxes at Raw Nook NR.

And I believe Blue tits are now nesting in at least 2 of the other boxes.

Saw the first male Orange tip butterfly yesterday was at Caldene fields.

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A stranger appears at TH Beck

I had a bit of a surprise the other morning at Toad Holes Beck when I came across this rather handsome semi albino male Blackbird.

I have never seen him before in the local area although there is an almost fully albino Blackbird that can be seen in and around Woodrow Drive in Low Moor.

In Raw Nook NR I glimpsed something white climbing up a Silver Birch tree by the pond.

I waited and out came a lovely Tree Creeper. Now I am not sure if this an off spring of the birds that bred at TH Beck last year or a new bird to the area.

There is however, plenty of suitable habitat on site for the species to breed so lets hope they find a mate.

I have also noted a stunning male Linnet in full song at the top end of TH Beck and now he has attracted a female so they should breed in our recording area again this year.

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Moving in!

You may recall that Peter Gurney from YWT put some nesting boxes up in both Raw Nook NR & Toad Holes Beck in the autumn of last year.

This morning as well as looking for spring migrants I checked the boxes to see if any were occupied.

Well the box on the Silver Birch tree just to the left off the main path, after the kissing gate ( opposite ) has a pair of Blue tits.

I stood back on the path and they didn’t mind although the male chased off a Great Tit that came a bit too close!

In TH Beck I think…I saw a Blue tit coming out of one of the bat boxes…

Relating to spring migrants. There were 3 Chiffchaffs in Raw Nook NR and 5 + 2 Blackcaps in TH Beck.

A pair of Moorhen are at the pond at RN which is still holding water and the pair of Canada Geese that were there yesterday have moved to TH Beck.

A pair of Goldcrest, the male in song were at their old nesting site the large conifers which have sadly been cut down, ( The council have been informed) Hopefully they will nest somewhere else on the reserve but those trees was an ideal habitat for them.

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Toad Holes Beck gets a spring clean

Following on from our successful spring clean at Raw Nook NR in was the turn of nearby Toad Holes Beck.

So we (The Low Moor/Oakenshaw conservation group ) met at 10.00 on Saturday with the sun shining and for company were 2 newly arrived Chiffchaffs that were doing their best to attract passing females.

Sadly like at Raw Nook NR we had the unpleasant task of picking dog poo bags that had been thrown into nearby trees and shrubs by irresponsible dog owner…..WHY!

A total of 9 bags of rubbish and 2 tyres were collected and placed by the entrance ready for collection.

It’s confession time for me….. as whilst litter picking my ears were on patrol! and as well as the Chiffchaffs a newly arrived male Blackcap was heard calling from a Bramble thicket.

A number of spring butterflies were also on the wing with this lovely Comma (left) and at least 2 Small tortoiseshell butterfly.

Perhaps the highlight for the group though was a low flying Common Buzzard that came in calling and circled just above us before drifting off north.

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An early sign of spring…

Today I went looking for spring migrants at Raw Nook NR & TH Beck. I was a bit optimistic as it is usually around the 17th of March that the first migrant appears in our area…given a few days either way.

So it was no surprise that nothing as found. However, there were signs of spring as I witnessed a Mallard dispute.

A pair were at TH Beck when another male…well took a fancy to the female Mallard. He was chased off by the other male but I suspect he may try again!

Then at Caldene fields a returning Skylark briefly sang as it carried on it’s journey as it flew N.

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Clean up day at Raw Nook NR

Yesterday members of the Low Moor/Oakenshaw conservation group had a litter picking morning at Raw Nook NR.

We picked up about 6 bags of rubbish mainly discarded cans crisp packets and bottles.

Clare brought down her lovely new German Sheppard dog…to help.

Now Clare is ‘ An excellent ‘ dog owner picking up her dogs poo, bagging it and putting in a bin!

However, one thing sadden all the group!

Irresponsible dog owners!!!! we found and picked up black poo bags that had simply just been thrown into nearby trees.

Also Clare sent a lot of her time picking up other dogs poo left by Irresponsible dog owners!!!!

PLEASE THINK ABOUT YOUR ENVIROMENT!

On a better note…Scarlet Elf cups (fungi) appear to be everywhere at the moment even growing near the entrance to the reserve, something I have not seen before.

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Siskin…

There is a flock of at least 31 Siskin feeding in Alder trees around the small pond at Toad Holes Beck. Their numbers are increasing as I counted just 16 on the 21/1. Given the mild weather and a bit of sunshine this morning a number of males were in full song.

There must be a good crop of Alder seeds this year and this bounty may attract some Lesser Redpolls in the coming days and weeks.

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Records in…

This week I have been busy collating my 2021 wildlife records.

Yellow Bird’s-nest – Hypopitys monotropa

I have submitted a respectable 1,121 records for 2021 to the Yorkshire county recorders and West Yorkshire Ecology Service (WYES).

It is in my opinion imperative that bodies like West Yorkshire Ecology Service are kept fully up dated with accurate wildlife records for our wonderful urban wildlife haven. Should anything happen in the future.

The key feature of the (WYES) is to provide informed and authoritative advice and information to the planning authorities in West Yorkshire to help conserve the most significant biodiversity habitats and species.

What has been nice this year is the amount of records I have received for the reserve and local areas.

So I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have sent me records this year.

Leah Poppy who found the Yellow Bird’s nest at Raw Nook described by some as nationally scare.

Geoff and Sue Dunn for their plant records. The Bradford Botany Group for their excellent plant survey at Low Moor Banks.

Julie, at B.B.E for their records . Kat Woolly from YWT for all her fungi records and to all at the YWT for their help and support and anyone else I have missed.

In amongst those records are some pleasing additions to my species lists as well as new breeding records. Those include establishing that the Tree Creeper is now breeding at Toad holes Beck and the finding of two uncommon Lunar Hornet moths at Raw Nook Nr with the possibility that the species may be breeding there.

However, for me the highlight came on the 14/6/21 when I found this beetle opposite in the moth trap at Caldene fields.

Given the beetle has many cousins! it was finally ID by Mr M Geiser of the Nation History museum!

Then followed a debate about the finer ID points of the beetle with other knowledge entomologist in northern Europe!

So a bit of fame for our urban oasis!

So what will be found this year? Well if you do find an interesting wildlife in our recording area please let me know…Thank you.

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