This morning the temperature before dawn was 4.5 c. This drop saw 634 Wood Pigeons moving S and 102 Jackdaws moving S/W. It was a good day also for finch movements with 89 Goldfinches, 34 Chaffinches, 5 Redpolls, 1 Brambling , 5 Siskin and 4 Linnets recorded.
Yes this morning at 09.12 a calling Grey Plover came in low from the east and went straight over the watch point at Caldene Fields. This is my first sighting of the species on visible migration and the first sighting for our recording area.
This bring the total number of different species observed passing through our area on migration to 94 and the total species for the 3 sites to 132
Today our group had a work day at Raw Nook nr. The main challenge at the site is to carry on removing the Silver Birch saplings that have encroached into the heather. The day began at 10 am with 12 members armed with matlocks and plenty of spirit…An estimated count of around 200 saplings and tree stumps were removed.
The fruits of all our had work is now starting to show with a very large area cleared of Silver birches revealing large sways of heather.
Our group has had just had some excellent news…Myself along with Claire (our chairperson) and Richard attended a meeting with Sarah Goldsmith from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust who is working in the Low Moor and Oakenshaw areas of Bradford on an Urban Engagement Project.
The project aims to get people outside more, using the green and wild spaces that are in cities.
Low Moor and Oakenshaw Conservation Group have teamed up with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to support the habitat development work we are doing at Raw Nook Nature Reserve and Toad Holes Beck.
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has received £19,990 from People’s Postcode Lottery and £5,000 from Bradford Council for a brand new Leeds and Bradford Urban Engagement project. This year-long project aims to consult with individuals and groups to establish how to improve access to natural green spaces and educate communities about the benefits of the natural world, engage with local schools, to reach young people and encourage them to discover, explore and protect their natural environment. This will ensure long-term, sustainable, community support for this fantastic pocket of urban wildlife, and will help the next generation make positive choices to look after their planet.
Sarah is going to be running free events in the community, so look out for them and show your support.
As a spin off from our involvement with YWT they will be helping us with management issues for both sites which in turn will benefit our wildlife.
Another good day at the watchpoint today with excellent numbers of House Martins and Swallow moving mainly to the N/W through Caldene Fields.
The final counts were House Martins = 282 N/W + 67 S/W & Swallows 55 S/W and 302 N/W.
Two Red Admirals were also observed gradually moving to the S/W.
I have had two good days of visible migration. Yesterday 251 Swallow moved through Caldene Fields with a further 131 today. The birds were moving to the south and northwest. However, I did have a welcome surprise this morning as I braved the cool westerly wind a party of 24 Sand Martin (passage birds that aren’t that common here) which flew N/W.
Claire the chairperson for our group told me this morning that she had seen a strange caterpillar on the road at the Greenway at Oakenshaw last week and after she did some research the beautiful caterpillar turned out to be a Sycamore moth acronicta-aceris
The status of this moth that I have not recorded before is described by Yorkshire Moths as: Rare and local resident and in fact there are no known records in the Bradford area.
My heart sunk as I asked Claire again where she had found it…Oh! no it’s just outside of our recording area…So cannot be include it in our records…But on the positive side I now know the species is in the local area…So if you see me walking with my head down I’m looking for the darn caterpillar…
I have recently been conducting survey work at Raw Nook nr concentrating mainly on insects i.e. moths, hoverflies and other general insect orders. I am trying to build up a more comprehensive species lists for the insects that breed and frequent the site. Please see my results on the insect page of this website.
I was really pleased to have found recently the Aristotelia ericinella moth which has not been recorded before in the Bradford district and my view that the species could well be established was proven when on the 20/8/17 I found a further two moths in the same heather patch.
In addition I have added a Hoverflies to the list a Volucella inanis below.
The other exciting find is ‘ Conops quadrifasciatus ‘ a species of fly from the genus Conops. Their larvae are endoparasites of bumble bees of the genus Bombus. The species is not common. However, I have found one in Raw Nook and on the 20/8/2018 I found a pair mating at Caldene Fields which is excellent news.
We as a group have exposed swaths of heather following the work to matlock the encroaching Silver Birches and it is starting to be dividends with two Southern Hawkers now patrolling the heather. All in all very good news!
I observed a migrant Tree pipit today at Caldene fields…not seen this species for a good number of years on passage in our recording area.
On the 10th of August at Caldene fields there was a Southern hawker dragonfly patrolling the fields. Later in the day I visited Raw Nook nr and found another Southern Hawker (or possibly the same one as CFs) however, this male looked to have newly emerged and approachable.
At Caldene fields the following day I found a pair of Small Copper butterfly which had been mating and then another single at Raw Nook nr.
Probable male Small Copper just after leaving female.
Also at the fields were a party of 14 Linnets( which is a good count) including at least 6 juvs following local breeding. And importantly were 3 juv Goldcrests which suggests that the pair that I believe bred at Toad Holes Beck has had a second brood which is excellent news…
