Birds

26/04/26 Seen in Area 7A were a House Martin a singing male Whitethroat and a singing male Sedge Warbler which was singing from reeds in the pool to the east of Skinner Drive balancing pond. All sightings by Paul O'Neill.

25/04/26 At Lavell’s Lake in Area 10 a Cuckoo was heard on and off, a male Mandarin Duck was by the Green bridge then flew downstream. All seen by Fraser Cottington. At Black Swan Lake in Area 10 a Common Tern 2 Common Sandpiper , 4 Swallow and 2 Oystercatcher seen by Dave Rimes. A Garden Warbler was singing and seen by Paul O'Neill.at the Skinner Drive Balancing pond in Area 7A.

24/04/26 Seen in Area 7A were a Swift and earlier a Swallow over Clifton Road by Paul O'Neill.In Area 10 a Common Tern . 6+ Swallow and 3 very mobile Common Sandpiper were seen at Black Swan Lake by David Rimes.

24/04/26 Seen in Area 7A were a Swift and earlier a Swallow over Clifton Road by Paul O'Neill.In Area 10 a Common Tern . 6+ Swallow and 3 very mobile Common Sandpiper were seen at Black Swan Lake by David Rimes.

23/04/26 Feeding in the Emm Brook in Area 5 near Dragonfly Bridge was a Grey Heron succesfully catching fish. Meanwhile feeding in the grass was a Song Thrush . Blackcap were also singing from the hedgerows. In Area 10 at Black Swan Lake a Common Tern was seen near the Activity Centre by Philip Giles.

22/04/26 A Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling on Goat Island in Area 10 by David Rimes.Seen on the newly ploughed/planted area behind Skinner Drive balancing pond in Area 7A by Paul O'Neill was a White Wagtail .

21/04/26 Seen at Skinner Drive Balancing Pond in Area 7A were Grey Heron a pair of Egyptian Goose and a Moorhen . In Area 10, over Black Swan Lake, the first returning Swift of the year, along with 5 Swallow .A Grey Wagtail was seen by the overspill area.

20/04/26 Heard calling from Barkham Road near junction with Woosehill Lanein Area 4 at 03:00. was a Tawny Owl by Peter Burden.

19/04/26 A male Garden Warbler was seen and heard singing in the Area 10 Car Park field near the bridge over the Emm Brook by Fraser Cottington.

15/04/26 A male Mandarin Duck was seen flying north viewed from the Activity Centre in Area 10 by Philip Giles.

14/04/26 On the Old Golf Course in Area 10 a lingering Redwing , a winter migrant was seen by Tim James.

13/04/26 The first returning Common Tern of the year was seen flying high North over Black Swan Lake by Fraser Cottington.

12/04/26 On the beach in front of the Activity Centre was a Common Sandpiper seen by Fraser Cottington.

11/04/26 In front of the Activity centre in Area 10 seen feeding over the lake were 20 Swallow and 4 House Martin . Sighting by Tim James.

10/04/26 In trees over the eastern footpath in the Lavells Car Park field was a Willow Warbler seen by Adam Wigely .

09/04/26 At Ashridge Meadows in Area 7A seen by William Day were 3 Stonechat and a singing Linnet was also heard.

08/04/26 A pair of Mandarin were seen on the Emm Brook near the Car Park field in Area 10 by Colin Holmes.

07/04/26 Seen at the Skinner Drive balancing pond in Area 7A by Paul O'Neill were 2 singing male Blackcap a female Reed Bunting a Snipe flew from the reeds , a male Willow Warbler singing from trees next to Skinner Drive balancing pond and a Little Egret flew up from Ashridge Stream.

06/04/26 Amazingly a 2nd Osprey was seen flying north by David Rimes over Area 10.

05/04/26 Seen in Area 10 today were an Osprey heading north by Marek Walford and 30+ House Martin , 8 Sand Martin and 2 Swallow seen by Fraser Cottington.

04/04/26 2 new Willow Warbler were seen by Peter Lunn in Area 10.

03/04/26 A Green Sandpiper was on the bund at Bittern Hide in Area 10 seen by Paul Jeffery.

02/04/26 Singing from a tree in Area 10 was a Chiffchaff also heard was a calling Greed Woodpecker .

01/04/26 Seen and heard in Area 4 and 5 this morning were Chiffchaff , Blackcap and Willow Warbler all Spring migrants. Also heard were Nuthatch , Song Thrush , Robin and Wren .

Insects

27/04/26 After many overnight temperatures that remained in single figures,a night that was in double figurs was too tempting so the moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 26/04/26 and checked this morning . However the moths didnt know the rules.It produced a total of 3 moths of 3 species. With no new moths added the total remains at 50 species. However in the trap was a Picture Winged Cranefly Epiphragma ocellare a delicate, harmless insect recognized by its distinctively patterned wings, which often feature dark, spotted bands or a mottled appearance. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

24/04/26 Flying through my area garden were several Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus butterflies.

19/04/26 Butterflies seen on the wing in Area 10 today were Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria , Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni , Peacock Aglais Io. Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines , Comma Polygonia c-album , Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus , Small White Pieris rapae , Green - veined White Pieris napi and Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta . All seen by Michael Hubbard.

17/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 14/04/26 and checked this morning . It produced just a catch of 7 moth's of 6 species. Highlights were a Least Black Arches Nola confusalis . With 1 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 50 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

15/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 14/04/26 and checked this morning . It produced a catch of 18 moth's of 11 species. Highlights were , Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata, Seraphim Lobophora halterata and the micro Hemlock Moth Agonopterix alstroemeriana . With 3 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 49 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

14/04/26 During a walk around Area 10 my first Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria butterfly of the year was seen.

09/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 08/04/26 and checked this morning . The last of the warm nights for a while produced a catch of 31 moth's of 15 species. Highlights were , Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria , Tawny Pinion Lithophane semibrunnea , White spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria , and Yellow-barred Brindle Diaphora mendica . With 6 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 46 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

08/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 07/04/26 and checked this morning . Finally the warmer weather paid off with a catch of 14 moth's of 11 species. Highlights were , Nut tree Tussock Colocasia coryli , Frosted Green Drymonia ruficornis , Oak tree Pug Drymonia ruficornis and Clouded Drab Diaphora mendica . With 4 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 40 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

07/04/26 Seen in Area 10 in the sunshine was a Dark-edged bee-fly Bombylius major it has a long, needle-like, non-stinging proboscis for feeding on nectar, often hovering like a helicopter in sunny, sheltered spots. Butterflies were on the wing during my walk around Area 10, seen were Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni , Peacock Aglais Io. Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines , Comma Polygonia c-album , Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus and Green - veined White Pieris napi .

04/04/26 On Common Nettle under an Oak tree in Area 5 near Kingfisher Bridge was a Oak Weevil Curculio glandium .

03/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 02/04/26 and checked this morning . The catch was 8 moth's of 5 species. Highlights were a Streamer Anticlea derivata , Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis and White-shouldered House-moth Diaphora mendica a micro moth. With 3 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 35 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

02/04/26 Seen enjoying the afternoon sunshine in Area 10 at the car park field were Comma Polygonia c-album and a Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines butterfly.

01/04/26 The moth trap was out in my Area 4 garden overnight on 31/03/26 and checked this morning . The catch was 8 moth's of 7 species. Highlights were a Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis the English and scientific names of this moth are derived from the yellowish colour of the antennae, Great Prominent Orthosia incerta and Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica. The female of this species is white with slightly translucent wings, whereas the male is grey-brown or sooty-grey, although in Ireland it is creamy white or creamy brown. With 3 new moth species added ,the total for 2026 is now 32 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

24/04/26 In the central reservation of the spine Road in Area 5 are a couple of Ox eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare also Red Clover Trifolium pratense . . Amongst both of these are Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris. Meadow buttercup is a tall and stately buttercup, with buttery-yellow flowers .

23/04/26 Walking in Area 5 around the Wildflower Area a solitary Cowslip Primula veris was poking out of the grass, also seen was Cuckoo flower Cardamine pratensis it is also known as lady's smock, mayflower, or milkmaids.

20/04/26 All along the Emm Brook, are Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum . Cuckoo Pint is a common woodland plant of the Araceae family. The leaves have the shape of an arrow head and it is often speckled with black irregular spots. The upright poker or spadix is initially wrapped in a green hood or spathe. There is a ring of tiny male and female flowers which are positioned low on the spadix, often out of sight.These flowers do emit a very unpleasant smell which is attractive to the midges that pollinate them.

07/04/26 Seen during a quickwalk around Area 10 were Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata , Greater Stichwort Rabelera holostea and Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea .

01/04/26 Seen in Area 4 near Dragonfly Bridge , are Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa One of the first flowers of spring. As a species it’s surprisingly slow to spread (six feet in a hundred years!), relying on the growth of its root structure rather than the spread of its seed. As such, it is a good indicator of ancient woodland.

Fungi/ Lichen

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

Reptiles

Fish

Mammals/Amphibians

20/04/26 At 10:00 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen jumping garden fences to effect its escape from houses in Area 5.

19/04/26 In Area 10 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and a Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus .

13/04/26 An American Mink Neogale vison was seen swimming in the Emm Brook near Meadow Road Bridge in Area 3 by Jurgen Adam.

09/04/26 At 22: 50 a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes was seen walking along the pavement outside my house in Area 4.

02/04/26 Seen in Area 10 by Tim James was a Smooth Newt Anemone nemorosa .