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Sightings Update…

Yesterday I had I received some interesting news from someone who regularly visit Low Moor Banks. They told me that they had a conversation with someone at the site who stated he had seen a Barn Owl sitting on a fence post in the Low Moor Banks area. Now this site with it’s open grasslands must hold a good population of mice/voles which would provide a feeding area. Also about 5 years ago I saw a Barn owl early evening at Tong. So it could be feasible that a pair maybe somewhere in the south Bradford area.

If anyone has any sightings of Barn owl in south Bradford please could you please let me know. Thank you

Goldfinches must have had an excellent breeding year as I am recording some excellent counts of the species as they pass through our area. To date I have recorded 1,647 birds whereas last year 949 were recorded up to the 20/9.

A Common Whitethroat passed through Caldene fields 13/9 and two early Brambling moved S with a Song Thrush on the 19/9.

A female Common Darter and 5 Speckled Wood butterflies were at Raw Nook NR 19/9

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Goldfinch heaven…

Iv’e noticed for a number of years now that our area is a bit of a magnet for Goldfinches. There are many open fields with seeds for the species to take advantage of like the Thistle species.

In Britain, the Goldfinch is a partial migrant, with some birds, mainly males, staying here in winter but others migrate in September and October and some pass through our area to winter in Belgium, France and Spain.

This year, so far has been good for goldfinch. From the 1/9 to 9/9 I have recorded a total of 542 moving to the S/W and N/W. In addition good number of Goldfinches have been observed feeding in and around Caldene fields with the highest count of 70+ on the 8/9/20.

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Early signs of autumn…

Today I thought I would look for any other early signs of autumn as I am now starting to record autumn species of moths.

From the vis-mig point I noted the first returning (2) Meadow Pipits moving S following breeding at higher elevations. Goldfinch as normal here were on the move with a respectable 89S + 29N with 7 present. Two early Lesser Redpoll S was a surprise and 12 Swallows were on there way S.

A Red Admiral was feeding at Caldene fields.

However, the heather patch at the top of Raw Nook NR which is still full of feeding Bees and Hoverflies is still reminding me of summer!

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A sad report…

About 2 weeks ago a local resident was walking his dog at 06.30 at Raw Nook NR when he saw a man shooting birds with a very ” High powered air rifle with a large telescopic sight”!. The man was challenged and told it was a public place and a nature reserve but sadly this seemed to have little effect on his activities. Interestingly around that time I found 2 dead rabbits in the fields but assumed that they had died of natural causes

The resident called the police and a log was created.

Further to that incident 2 youths on push bikes were seen shooting air rifles a few days later but rode off when they were seen also at Raw Nook.

Then yesterday my wife and I walked down Cleckheaton Road and found 4 dead wood pigeon 3 on the pavement one actually on the road.  Later in the evening whilst driving up Cliff Hollins Lane we counted a further 12 dead Wood Pigeons on the road.

In the morning I contacted the Police and suggested it maybe related it to the male/s with the air rifle. 

I have also received some information from David Rhodes at Oakenshaw relating to the death of more WP and a Canada goose at Woodlands country park.

The police have taken the matter very seriously but need more information like a further description of the male/s, a car reg number, an address or any further information. If you have some information please call the police and quote Log 956 of the 13/8/20.

However, DO NOT CHALLENGE OR CONFRONT the male/s but call the police straight away.

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Two new moth species for Raw Nook NR…

Yesterday I managed to add two new moth species to our Raw Nook list of species. Both were found by gently tapping shrubs whilst holding my net underneath which if lucky a moth may fall into the net, ID and released.


Firstly there was the unmistakable Acleris emargana which was found low down in a Hazel bush.

This moth appears not to be common in our area but common in the the UK.

The last record was at Caldene fields 1/9/2015.

The second moth was Lathronympha strigana.

Interestingly this COULD be the same moth I caught at Caldene fields earlier in the year on the 22/7/2020.

As that moth was a site first for our area.

Changing the subject to birds….I have noticed a steady movement of Lesser Black Backed gulls through our area in recent days. And I was surprised to notice that on the nearby cricket fields there must have been around 60 mainly juvenile birds feeding which is unusual so early in August. There was ago a juvenile male Blackcap moving through Caldene fields…Sorry but all signs that autumn is not far away..

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Three welcome surprises…

Today whilst checking the moth trap today there was a rather large strange visitor lurking in one of the egg boxes.

It was a Nicrophorus investigator beetle which is a SITE FIRST. They are scavengers, living off and breeding in rotten carcasses. They have a very good sense of smell and are reputed to be able to smell a carcass up to two miles away.

So in other words helping to keep us humans safe from diseases by cleaning up!

Then on top of the trap I found 3 small Ladybirds. Two 10 Spot Ladybirds – Adalia decempunctata which I have only recorded once at Low M Banks.

The third Ladybird was a 2 Spot – Adalia bipunctata which is a new species for our area…which is great news!

The last surprise was a Brown Hawker dragonfly seen at LM Banks yesterday which was also a site first!

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Lots of Southern’s in Low Moor…

So far it has been an excellent year for the Southern Hawker dragonfly in our area.

In the last few days I have recorded 9 freshly emerged insects, with 5 noted today at Caldene Fields.

They seem to love garden ponds so keep at eye out for them as the larva crawls out of the water usually on to a plant stem.

The larva gradually breaks open in the middle of the case and the beautiful dragonfly emerges.

It then pumps blood into it’s wing and once the wings are fully open the insect will flies off to find a mate.

As normal around the first week in August young migrant birds start to move away form their breeding grounds as they prepare for autumn migration. So it was interesting to note a wandering juvenile Willow warbler at Caldene fields today.

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