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Chasing the beauty…

Yesterday turned out to be rather special…I first walked into Toad holes Beck mainly to check for any new arrived warblers but there were none…However something caught my eye at distance near the small pond.  It was a smallish dragonfly but the good news was it landed on some nettles.  A brilliant newly emerged Broad-bodied Chaser..

Given that is was new emerged suggested that it has bred at the site possibly in the last 2 years as the nymph develops in the water for at least a year.  Whilst I have a number of records for the insect in our area this is the first time at TH beck.

Later in the day my granddaughter caught a beetle at Raw Nook nr.  It was photographed and further research revealed it to be a Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn – Agapanthia villosoviridescens which I have not recorded before.

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The Old Lady is doing well…

I have recorded the Old Lady moth since around 2009 at both Caldene fields and Raw nook nr but whilst I strongly believed the moth bred in our area I have never been able to prove this…well that is until today when I found an Old Lady caterpillar fast asleep in the moth trap at Caldene fields which is excellent news…

The Local Status of the moth described by Yorkshire Moths is: : Fairly common and thinly distributed or restricted resident.

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Dealburn road Woodland site…

Whilst this nearby site is not in our groups conservation area, we still have a real interest in the site and for my part I keep records and observations for the area.

So it was a welcome sight this morning to see 3 Small Heath butterflies enjoying the sunshine.  I have consistently recorded the species at Dealburn Road which has not been recorded anywhere else locally ( to my knowledge).  Also there was a calling Lesser Whitethroat and with the area having idea nesting habitat…well fingers crossed.

Out of focus…Small Heath at Dealburn Road

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Stepping out on work day and sightings update…

Saturday saw our group the Low Moor & Oakenshaw conservation group tackling the broken steps that lead down to Toad Holes Beck.  It was a lovely hot sunny morning but thankfully the area was in the shade and in all fairness we had the work completed within an hour…

Recent sightings:

At Caldene fields a Holly blue butterfly 18/5 and 3 Common Buzzards moving N,  2 Swifts W and 4 Cinnabar moths on 20/5

TH Beck: 2 Eupeodes luniger ( Hoverflies), 1 Tenthredo livida (Sawfly) 7 singing male Blackcaps and 2 Orange tip butterflies

Eupeodes luniger

Tenthredo livida (Sawfly)

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A new moth species discovered but more importantly…

Today in the warm sunshine it was an idea day to do some moth survey work at the large patch of heather at Caldene fields where last year I found Aristotelia-ericinella a heathland species.  This heather is spreading and is almost becoming an extension of the adjacent lowland heath habitat at Raw Nook Nr which is excellent news.

Anyway whilst ( looking a bit daft on my hands and knees ) searching the heather I disturbed a number of micro moths but struggled to get a proper look to ID them however, I did find a Narrow-winged Pug which I have not recorded before.  But apart from it been a new species for our list it is a moth that like the Aristotelia ericenella is a heathland and moorland species.

Narrow-winged Pug ( sorry for poor photo )

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Sightings update…

The hot sunny weather has brought out a welcome array of butterflies.  At Caldene fields at least 2 Green-veined whites on the 5/5, 3 male Orange tips and 2 Speckled Woods on the 7/5 and a single Small Tortoiseshell was at Toad Holes Beck on the 7/5.

Speckled Wood enjoying the sunshine

A single Swift and a Common Buzzard flew W over the field on the 4/5.  A Tawny Owl was calling from Raw Nook Nr on the 6/5 and an interesting observation of a pair of Lapwing or which the male has been displaying was recorded on the 7/5

Male Lapwing

 

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Bullfinches…

This morning in our area I had excellent views of a pair of bullfinches nest building and with another 3 adults seen nearby the species is doing really well here.  There were no new migrants in apart from a House Martin on nearby Common Road.  A pair of Linnets were observed at the top end of Toad Holes Beck showing signs of courtship..

Male Linnet

Herring Gulls are still in the area with 4 at Caldene fields and I think the female Ring-necked Parakeet which spent the winter in our area may have found a mate as she has not been seen now for over 2 weeks.  A Common Green Shieldbug was at Caldene field first spring record this year.

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Goldcrests have one thing on their minds…

Great news today I observed a pair of Goldcrest at last years nest site at Toad Hole Beck.  The male was in full song and chasing the female around…fingers crossed.

Female Goldcrest

However, I didn’t hear or see yesterdays Lesser Whitethroat so I will have to wait and see…Good news however, from the Coots a pair has bred, 4 chicks observed

No news migrants were recorded.

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Lesser Whitethroat and updates…

A male Lesser Whitethroat was in song at Toad Holes Beck this morning.  Interestingly a male can usually be found at the site in song on this date…The species use to breed but not any more but each year I hope a passage male will attract a female and well you know the rest…

A migrant count included:

Blackcap: 1 Caldene Fields, 2 Raw Nook Nr, 5 Toad Holes Beck.

Willow Warbler: 2 Raw Nook Nr.  No birds in at TH Beck as yet

Chiffchaff: 2 Raw Nook nr, 6 TH Beck

Swallow: 2 Caldene fields on 24/4/18

Following on from my sighting of a male Brimstone butterfly at TH Beck,  Clare of the Low Moor & Oakenshaw conservation group saw a further 2 around TH Beck on the 18/4…

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