Birds

26/06/24 Enjoying the thermals over my Area 4 garden this morning were 2 Red Kite a Common Buzzard and 5 noisy Herring Gull . In Area 7A a singing Male Whitethroat was heard at Copsewood balancing pond by Paul O'Neill.

19/06/24 All day between 2 & 5 Swift were flying over and I assume feeding over my garden in Area 4.

16/06/24 For some unknown reason at 14:00 a minimum of 15 Red Kite were circling over Woosehill Spine Road in Area 5 by Morrisons, occasionaly coming down to the verge. Seen/ heard at Old Forest Road Meadows in Area 8 by Paul O'Neill were a singing male Blackcap , singing male Chiffchaff , 3 singing male Whitethroat and 3 singing Song Thrush . In Area 7A a singing male Whitethroat was heard at the Copsewood Balancing pond also by Paul O'Neill.

15/06/24 30+ Swift were trickling by East to West over Black Swan Lake in Area 10 seen at the Dinton Activity Centre end by Fraser Cottington.

14/06/24 In Area 7A a Little Egret landed in the Ashridge Stream at Copsewood balancing pond also at the balancing pond were a male and female Whitethroat the male was singing, the female making alarm/contact calls. Both sightings by Paul O'Neill.

13/06/24 Seen feeding in the flood relief channel at Toutley Road bridge in Area 7 was a Little Egret also seen was a Male and female Song Thrush the male was singing and another (female?) was carrying food into dense brambles.Both sightings by Paul O'Neill.

11/06/24 Heard in the Balancing pond in Area 4 were singing male Blackcap , Chiffchaff , Song Thrush and a calling male Great spotted Woodpecker .

09/06/24 In Area 10 seen from the Dinton Activity Centre by Fraser Cottington were 5 Swift , 3+ House Martin and a Kestrel .

07/06/24 Swooping down to the freshly mowed grass at Emmbrook Walk in Area 7 were 2 Red Kite looking for breakfast In Area 7A Paul O'Neill was out and about and saw 3 House Martin in the Copsewood area and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull with Herring Gull on the roof at Emmbrook School and a Black headed Gull waiting for the school lunch break to finish , presumably looking for food scraps. .

04/06/24 In the Car Park Field in Area 10 a Greenfinch was seen on the telegraph wires by Rupert Woodman.

02/06/24 Seen feeding over my Area 4 garden this morning were 2 Swift .

01/06/24 Seen during this mornings litter Pick in Area's 4 & 5 was a foraging Song Thrush a Dunnock , Great spotted Woodpecker and a calling male Chiffchaff . In Area 10 over Black Swan Lake were 6 Swift seen by Steve Clarke.

Insects

27/06/24 On what must have been the warmest night of the year the moth trap was out again at dusk on 2606/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. 42 moths of 23 species trapped . Highlights were The Miller Acronicta leporina and Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria all new for the year. With 6 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 140 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

26/06/24 Watering my Area 4 garden this morning I noticed that an Old Lady Mormo maura was resting in my porch. A large moth. Why is this moth, called Old Lady, you are probably asking? Well, the sombre answer is that the dark and funereal colours of this moth reminded those who named it of the penchant of elderly widows of Europe for wearing black. Another new one for the year. With 1 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 135 species.

24/06/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 23/06/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning with 18 moths of 14 species trapped . Highlights were Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis , Small fan foot Herminia grisealis and The Uncertain Hoplodrina octogenaria all new for the year. With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 134 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

22/06/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 21/06/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.Numbers were a lot better with 35 moths of 18 species trapped . Highlights were Barred Straw Gandaritis pyraliata This moth is easily identified due to its unique resting posture with the forewings held extended and completely covering the hindwings. Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria and the micro moth Oegoconia quadripuncta all new for the year. With 8 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 131 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

20/06/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 19/06/24 in myArea 4 garden and emptied this morning.Numbers were still low but variety was up 6 moths of 6 species trapped . Highlights were Lackey Malacosoma neustria my first for about 15 years, Common Footman Eilema lurideola and the micro moth all new for the year. With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 123 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

26/06/24 In Area 10 near the Dinton Activity Centre is Common mallow Malva sylvestris This is a handsome 'weed' of waste ground, roadside verges and gardens. Its deep pink, stripey flowers provide nectar for insects throughout the summer.

21/06/24 Still on an Orchid theme, in Area 10 a solitary Pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis and several Bee orchid Ophrys apifera can be seen. The bee orchid is a sneaky mimic - the flower’s velvety lip looks like a female bee. Males fly in to try to mate with it and end up pollinating the flower. Sadly, the right bee species doesn’t live here, so this orchid is self-pollinated in the UK.

11/06/24 Near the Balancing pond in Area 4 is a solitary Common spotted -Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii in the long grass where the Councils mowers dont go.

01/06/24 Down by the pond in Area 5 Yellow Flag Iris Iris pseudacorus is still putting on a good show along with Hedge Woundwort Stachys sylvatica Walking along the Woosehill Spine Road central reservation litter picking this morning, I noticed Ox-eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare , Corncokle Agrostemma githago , Poppy Papaver rhoeas and White Campion Silene latifolia in the wild flower areas. A pretty plant but White Campion's secret is that the blooms produce a heady scent at night , attracting many feeding moths.

Fungi

Do not eat any fungi that have not been properly identified , some are DEADLY when ingested .

Fish

04/06/24 The results have come through of a fish survey undertaken using electro fishing on 18th October 2023 in a 100m section of the Emm Brook through Area 10 near its confluence with The Loddon. The survey was undertaken by Wokingham Borough Councils Counyryside Services Team and the Loddon Fisheries Conservation Consultative. The main aim of the survey was to look for Brook Lamprey Lampetra planeri . Unfortunately none were found. However the survey produced 11 other species. 2 Chub Squalius cephalus , 1 Dace Leuciscus leuciscus , 13 Roach Rutilus rutilus , 2 Bream Abramis brama , 2 Tench Tinca tinca , 25 Gudgeon Gobio gobio , 10 Stone loach Nemacheilus barbatulus , 200 Minnows Phoxinus phoxinus , 10 Bullhead Cottus gobio , 19 Perch Perca fluviatilis , 2 Pike Esox lucius

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

24/06/24 Checking out the moth trap early morning and using my Bat detector Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus were heard feeding over my Area 4 Garden.

06/06/24 Flying and feeding over Kingfisher Bridge at 21:30 in Area 4 were 3 Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus .

04/06/24 In the fields around Ludgrove School in Area 1 this afternoon a female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was seen grazing .

Molluscs