Birds

31/08/25 At the bottom of the Lavell,s Car Park field seen by Fraser Cottington in Area 10 were 2 Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler .

29/08/25 In Area 10 another female Redstart was at the bottom of the Lavell,s Car Park field seen by Jim Reid

28/08/25 Seen during Balsam pulling in Area 4 this morning were Grey Wagtail both in the river and flying over calling. A Little Egret flew from the river near Meadow Road Bridge to the trees. In the Hedge at the bottom of the Lavell,s Car Park field in Area 10 seen by Fraser Cottington were a mobile Tit flock inclucing 15 Blackcap , Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat , Nuthatch and Garden Warbler .

25/08/25 4 Grey Wagtail were by the jetty at the Dinton Activity Centre in Area 10 and a Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were in the big Hawthorn at the bottom of Lavell,s Car Park field seen by Fraser Cottington.A Common Buzzard was high in the thermals in Area 5.

24/08/25 A Willow Warbler was in the central copse in Area 10 at the Lavells Lake Car Park seen by Paul Bright-Thomas.

19/08/25 A female Redstart was still in Area 10 at the Lavells Lake Car Park field, in the hedge at the bottom along with a male and female Blackcap and a Chiffchaff seen by Mark Shaw . A Kestrel was also in the vicinity seen by Peter Lunn.Around Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows a Skylark , Whitethroat and a male Stonechat were seen by Paul O'Neill.

18/08/25 A female Redstart was still in Area 10 at the Lavells Lake Car Park field, in the hedge at the bottom along with a male and female Blackcap a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff . 3 Swift were seen to drift over heading south.

17/08/25 In Area 10 at the Lavells Lake Car Park field there were 2 female Redstart and 3 Lesser Whitethroat seen by Brian Bennet in the hedge at the bottom of the field and a Willow Warbler was in the central copse seen by Paul Bright-Thomas.

16/08/25 In Area 7A a female Kestrel was seen hunting over Ashridge Meadows by Paul O'Neill.

15/08/25 A Willow Warbler was seen and heard by Paul Bright- Thomas from his Area 4 garden.In Area 7A a Kingfisher was seen fishing from a branch in the reedbed at Skinner Drive balancing pond by Paul O'Neill.

14/08/25 In Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows a male Stonechat was seen perching on the tall grass. A Willow Warbler was in the central copse of the Lavells Lake Car Park field in Area 10 seen by Fraser Cottingham.

13/08/25 A Buzzard was circling high over Area 5 this morning.In Area 7A at Ashridge Meadows a male Stonechat was seen by Paul O'Neill.

11/08/25 A walk around Area 10 today produced a Kingfisher flying down the Emm Brook near the Visitors Centre, a Spotted Flycatcher was at the bottom of car park field along with a Whitethroat , Common Buzzard and Blackcap . Meanwhle on the Skinner Drive Balancing pond in Area 7A were a Little Egret , Grey Heron , Coot , Moorhen , Black headed Gull and a Mallard .

10/08/25 In Area 10 a Spotted Flycatcher was at the bottom of car park field found by Paul-Bright Thomas and photographed by Don Broadbridge.

09/08/25 In Area 10 a Bullfinch was at the bottom of car park field along with a Whitethroat .A Swift was flying over the Dinton Activity Centre heading SE. All sightings by Fraser Cottington.

06/08/25 Michael Hubbard was out in Area 7A, around the Skinner Drive Balancing Pond and saw and heard a Blackcap giving an alarm callfrom trees beyond western reeds. 2 Goldfinch , a Green Sandpiper heard calling from east end reeds. 4 Swallow and 2 House Martin along with 2 Linnet flew overhead. On the water were 4 Coot , 6 Moorhen and a juvenile Grey Heron .

04/08/25 10 House Martin were feeding high over the Loddon by the Green bridge in Area 10 seen by Kevin Shea.

03/08/25 A small group of Swallow stopped for a drink then continued south in Area 10 seen by Peter Scuadamore.

02/08/25 Seen during the Litter pick in Area 5 were 2 Common Buzzard a calling Great spotted Woodpecker and a Grey Wagtail . flying along the Brook near Dragonfly Bridge.

Insects

29/08/25 The moth-trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 28/08/25 and emptied this morning at 04:15 due to the rain , the catch was 42 moth's of 23 species. Highlight's were Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa and a Hedge Rustic Tholera cespitis . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is 275 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

27/08/25 The moth-trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 26/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 45 moth's of 20 species. Highlight's were Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis In Britain this moth is mainly a migrant species, but can occur at almost any time of the year, sometimes in large influxes with other migrants. and a September Thorn Ennomos erosaria . With no new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is still 273 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

26/08/25 Flying back and forwards on the Emm in Area 6 was a Emperor Anax imperator dragonfly.

25/08/25 The moth-trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 24/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 27 moth's of 18 species. Highlight's were Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata and a worn looking Bright-line Brown-eyes Lacanobia oleracea . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 273 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

23/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 22/08/25 and emptied this morning , another good catch with 62 moth's of 32 species. Highlight's were Common Wave Cabera exanthemata and Willow Ermine Yponomeuta rorrella . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 271 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

21/08/25 The moth-trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 20/08/25 and emptied this morning , a good catch with 42 moth's of 29 species. Highlight's were Lesser Swallow Prominent Atethmia centrago , Small Blood-vein Scopula imitaria Small Blood-vein is relatively easy to identify with buff-coloured wings with a distinctive pink or brownish-red line across the fore and hind wings. When at rest the wings are held flat so that these markings form a virtually straight line between the forewing tips. Small Ranunculus Hecatera dysodea and Blood-veinTimandra comae Small Ranunculus became extinct in Britain in the early part of 20th century but re-appeared in Kent in 2002 and is now re-colonising and becoming more common at least as far north as the Midlands. With 9 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 269 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

19/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 18/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 17 moth's of 12 species. Highlight were Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago ,Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana and Flounced RusticLuperina testacea With 3 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 260 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

17/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 16/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was a meagre 14 moth's of 10 species. Highlight was a micro moth Agriphila selasella With 1 new moth species added ,the total for 2025 is now 257 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

16/08/25 On a walk around Area 8 this morning, the Hornet mimic Hoverfly Volucella inanis was seen feeding on the necter from a Water Mint Mentha aquatica .

15/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 14/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 27 moth's of 16 species. Highlights were Orange Swift Triodia sylvina the males are more brightly coloured and smaller than the females, with a distinctive bright orange-brown forewing and two dark-edged white lines forming an open V. The females are a duller brown. Marbled Beauty Bryophila domestica and European Corn-borer Ostrinia nubilalis . With 3 new moth species added ,the total for 2025 is now 256 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

13/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 12/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 27 moth's of 21 species. Highlights were Straw Underwing Thalpophila matura and . With 1 new moth species added ,the total for 2025 is now 253 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

12/08/25 Reports from WBC Countryside Services team of 3 sightings of Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae butterflies in Area 8, Old Forest Road Meadows recently.

11/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 10/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 20 moth's of 15 species. Highlights were Red-barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana and Clay triple-lines Cyclophora linearia . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 252 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

09/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 08/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was just 11 moth's of 8 species. Highlights were Yellow-barred Brindle Acasis viretata and White-shouldered House- Moth Endrosis sarcitrella . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 250 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

07/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 06/08/25 and emptied this morning , the catch was 28 moth's of 16 species. Highlights were the micro moths Cochylimorpha straminea and Acrobasis advenella . With 2 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 248 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. 2 Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria were seen and photographed by Carol Woodman in her Area 7 garden.

05/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 04/08/25 and emptied this morning, the catch was 14 moth's of 12 species. Highlights were Dark-bordered Pearl Evergestis limbata , Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis and Pyrausta purpuralis With 3 new moth's species added ,the total for 2025 is now 246 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

03/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 02/08/25 and emptied this morning. the catch was 23 moth's of 15 species. Highlights were Garden Pebble Evergestis forficallis and Poplar Hawk Moth Laothoe populi With 1 new moth species added ,the total for 2025 is now 243 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. A Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus butterfly was briefly in my Area 4 garden this afternoon.

01/08/25 The moth -trap, was out again in my Area 4 garden overnight on 31/07/25 and emptied this morning.As a result of the previous days rain and lower temperatures, the catch was just 5 moth's of 5 species. No real highlights but Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata and Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata were in the catch. With no new moth species added ,the total for 2025 is still 242 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

Every year the leaves on the trees and hedgerows change colour from green to a yellow/gold before falling , find out why at Why do leaves change colour .

20/08/25 In Area 4 on a retaining wall adjacent to the Emm Brook in Tanhouse Lane is Harts-tounge fern Asplenium scolopendrium .

16/08/25 Seen in the dried up balancing ponds in Area 8 were Flowering-Rush Butomus umbellatus . On the banks were SneezewortAchillea ptarmica A relative of the Yarrow it has loose clusters of showy white, flower heads . Also seen was Fennel Foeniculum vulgare . Fennel is a versatile plant from the carrot family, known for its edible bulb, feathery fronds, and seeds, all of which have a distinct anise-like flavor.

02/08/25 In Area 5 near Dragonfly Bridge is a HornbeamCarpinus betulus . Hornbeam is monoecious, meaning male and female catkins are found on the same tree.After pollination by wind, female catkins develop into papery, green winged fruits, known as samaras.

Fungi/ Lichen

02/08/25 In Area 5 on Smiths Walk an old Penny bun Boletus edulis fungus is on the verge. A chunky-looking mushroom with a cap that really looks like a well-baked bread roll.

Reptiles

15/08/25 In Area 10 another Grass Snake Natrix natrix was seen swimming in front of Bittern Hide with a Damselfly hitching a ride on its head by Nigel.

12/08/25 In Area 10 a Grass Snake Natrix natrix was seen swimming in front of Bittern Hide by Richard Sajdak.

Fish

Mammals

09/08/25 Seen and photographed in Area 4 by David Welling was this very young looking American Mink Neogale vision .

03/08/25 Seen outside the front of my Area 4 house at 05:00 this morning was a young Red Fox Vulpes vulpes .

01/08/25 A young Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus , was seen running through the long grass in a field in Area 7A this morning.

Molluscs