Low Moor and Oakenshaw Wildlife

On the 12/7 I found in the moth trap what I first thought was a Gold Spot moth.  However, on closer inspection I thought the moth might be a Lepke’s Gold Spot Plusia putnami gracilis an uncommon moth in this part of Yorkshire .  The species are difficult to separate as they are very similar however, I sent a photo to a Moths blog site for their opinion and their reply was,It was not a typical Lepke’s Gold Spot but it could well be one……… So I have submitted my sighting to Yorkshire Moths for consideration so fingers crossed……….

Yorkshire Moth’s definition of a Lepke’s Gold Spot is that it is a Grade 3 Moths which may be much harder to identify or which may be very local in the county. Rare moths
which may be confused with commoner species. Many pugs fall into this category. Records from inexperienced recorders will be queried. A photograph or a voucher specimen is useful.

Did some survey work at Toad Holes Beck this morning mainly to count Ringlet butterflies which are doing extremely well at the moment.

Ringlet

For the first time ever I had a 3 figure count record count of 127…. and I believe the count would have been more if it wasn’t for the very tall thick grass which is very difficult to walk in…..    A single Comma was counted and 3 Gatekeepers were at Raw Nook Nr.

A beautiful male Emperor Dragonfly was patrolling the pond at Raw Nook Nr along with 2 Brown Hawkers and 4 Common Darters, 1 pair was egg laying ( Sorry for poor quality of photo!)

Common Darter egg laying in pond

What an excellent sight and sound I have now of the juvenile Swallows been feed by their parents at Caldene Fields. The first time for a good number of years the species have bred on site.

Which brings me onto the beautiful Swallow-tailed moth which was caught again at Caldene Fields

Also caught recently was a Rustic a site first…..

Rustic

And a Poplar Hawkmoth the second record this year……

I have always been aware that we have 2 species of Hawkmoths in our recording area. The Poplar has been recorded 4 times at Caldene Fields.  A good number of years ago I found a caterpillar of the Elephant Hawkmoth at Raw Nook NR and thought the species must be breeding here.  Well this morning for the first time at Caldene Fields I found this stunning beauty…….

Elephant Hawkmoth at Caldene Fields

What a day I had yesterday! At 11.00 I was surveying butterflies at Raw Nook Nr when I heard a brief song of a Arco warbler coming from deep inside a thicket of Rosebay Willowherb and bramble.  I knew there are no Sedge or Reed on site in fact I have never recorded the latter.  The bird sang briefly again and I quickly ruled out Sedge.  I had a half second view as it climbed through the vegetation and glimpsed an unstreaked greyish brown upperparts.  I waited a further 2 frustrating hours wishing it would sing just a bit longer to get a positive ID but the bird must have been disturbed as I never heard or saw it again. The bird was probably a Reed but I find it interesting why would a non-breeding Reed be passing through so late in the season?  I had a similar experience about 20 years ago with a Reed/Marsh in late June and within it’s song was alot of mimicry but because the bird was not seen and Reed also use mimicry the bird just like this one was put into the ‘ One that got away drawer…..)

Anyway back to the butterflies….The Ringlet is doing really well at the moment and a record count of 94 were at Raw Nook Nr.  Also at the site was a female Common Darter enjoying the sunshine, female Blackcap busy feeding young and at least one mating pair of Narrow-bordered Five -spot Burnet moth.

Narrow-bordered Five -spot Burnet moth

Found a new moth last night at Caldene Fields a Dark Spectacle.

Because of the low light and early morning drizzle I didn’t take my camera…big mistake! because I was lucky enough to witness at Toad Hole Beck a female Blackcap feeding 3 newly fledged chicks all huddled together on a branch…  She even fed them equally as they sat begging for food!

Other breeding successes are the Swallows at Caldene Fields who are now busy feeding chicks.  A family party of Bullfinches was observed at Raw Nook NR as were 5 Ringlet butterflies that were observed sheltering from the drizzle.

I found another Northern Marsh Orchid at a new location at Toad Holes Beck which is good news.

An excellent counts of 67 Jackdaws were at Caldene Fields yesterday included in this total were adults and juvs.  This illustrates how well this species is doing as on the 23/2/1981 I recorded a single Jackdaws in the fields and described the sightings as ” An excellent sighting!”

Mr Kisby told me that he had seen a Red kite flying over Oakenshaw on the 23/6/14 which is an excellent sighting. ( lucky devil…)

The Heart and Dart moth is doing very well at the moment. I caught 25 my second highest total to date at Caldene Fields last night.

Herring Gulls again were flying and calling over Caldene Fields this morning but due to the strong sunlight and how high up the birds were flying I couldn’t get a count…..  A singing male Common Whitethroat was again at Toad Holes Beck but no sign of breeding activity.  A pair of Meadow Browns were at Raw Nook NR and I caught a Map-winged Swift moth last night which could have come from nearby Raw Nook NR.

Meadow Brown

Had my first sighting of a male Common Blue butterfly at Raw Nook NR this morning.  Incidentally this is my earliest  record for the species.

Common Blue

Found what I thought was a new Ladybird today also at Raw Nook NR…….but it turn out to be a Harlequin Ladybird just about to have dinner……

Harlequin Ladybird well established now in our area

What was pleasing to see is the return of the Northern Marsh Orchid at Toad Holes Beck with 2 been found.  They were not there last year and probably flourished due to the wet weather.

One of the two Northern Marsh Orchids at Toad Holes Beck