Birds

28/05/24 Seen circling over Brookside in Area 5 this afternoon was a Common Buzzard . In Area 10 under leaden skies Swift , House Martin and Sand Martin were feeding over Black Swan Lake and a Grey Wagtail was in a ditch near the Dinton Activity Centre.

27/05/24 4 Swift were seen feeding very high, at least 1000m over Area 4 by Paul Bright-Thomas.

24/05/24 At Black Swan Lake in Area 10 seen by David Rimes were 30+ Swift , 10+ House Martin and a solitary Swallow swirling around low over the Dinton Activity Centre beach and Goat Island.

16/05/24 A Hobby was over the carpark field in Area 10 seen by David Rimes.

13/05/24 Seen perched in a tree in Area 10 was a Hobby . Photo courtesy of Alan Jackman.

12/05/24 Over Ashridge Meadows in Area 7A , 2 Swift , an adult Little Egret flying downstream along Ashridge Stream and 6 male, singing Whitethroat , 3 in Eastern boundary hedge, two beside the Ashridge Stream and 1 at Western boundary were seen . A calling male Reed Bunting was seen at the bullrushes at Copsewood balancing pond. All sightings by Paul O'Neill.

09/05/24 Paul O Neill was out and about in Areas 7A and 8 today and saw a Little Egret in a drainage ditch ,2 singing male Chiffchaff , 2 singing male Blackcap and 4 singing male Whitethroat in Old Forest Road Meadows. A further singing male Whitethroat was in Area 7A at the Skinner Drive Balancing pond.

08/05/24 3 Screaming Swift flew low over my Area 4 garden at 16: 00 today.

05/05/24 A male Whitethroat was heard singing at Skinner Drive balancing pond by Paul O'Neill.

04/05/24 A Common Tern was on the left hand jetty and 6 Swift were seen in Area 10 on Black Swan Lake by Fraser Cottington.

01/0524 In Area 10 a male Cuckoo was heard calling by Tim James.

Insects

31/05/24 The patio light was left on overnight on 30/05/24 in my Area 4 garden. on the house wall were 6 moths of 6 species. Highlight was the micro moth Chrysoteuchia culmella , new for the year. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 87 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

29/05/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 28/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. A good catch with 25 moths of 13 species. Highlight was a Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum a distinctive species and new for the year. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 86 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

26/05/24 I checked the overnight forcast and saw the rain approaching, so switched on the patio light (25/05/24) instead of the moth trap. Resting on the house wall this morning were 10 moths of 8 species. Highlights were Brown Silver-line Petrophora chlorosata and Common White wave Cabera pusaria . Both new for the year. With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 85 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

25/05/24 Seen visiting the flowers on the Chives in my Area 4 garden this afternoon was the day flying Mint Moth Pyrausta aurata . With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 83 species.

24/05/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 23/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.A better than expected catch with 23 moths of 15 species trapped. Highlights were a Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationi , Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata , Tawny Marbled Minor Oligia latruncula , Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha and the micro moths Eana incanana and Celypha lacunana all new for the year. With 6 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 82 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

21/05/24 Found on my kitchen wall this morning were a Small Magpie Anania hortulata and the micro moth Eudonia angustea both new for the year. With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 76 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

20/05/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 19/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.Another reasonable night with 15 moths of 10 species trapped. Highlight was a solitary Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis , new for the year. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 74 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. Seen during a walk in the sunshine in Area 5 was a Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria Butterfly and the Dock Bug Coreus marginatus

19/05/24 Coming to an outside light left on overnight in my Area 4 garden was a male Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda new for the year. With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 73 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

18/05/24 After a bit of a break the moth trap was out again at dusk on 17/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.Another reasonable night with 18 moths of 10 species trapped. Highlights were a Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria , Light Emerald Campaea margaritata and Seraphim Lobophora halterata all new for the year. With 3 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 72 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

13/05/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 12/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning.Another reasonable night with 13 moths of 8 species trapped. Highlights were a Poplar Hawk Moth Laothoe populi , Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica and the micro moths Tinea trinotella and Notocelia cynosbatella all new for the year. With 5 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 69 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

12/05/24 In Area 4 flying around my car was a European Hornet Vespa crabo .

11/05/24 Attracted to the outside light in my Area 4 garden was a Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata also seen was my first May Bug Melolontha melolontha of the year With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 64 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. Seen on a walk by the river in Area 4 was a Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria Butterfly. Another first for the year.

10/05/24 Attracted to an outside light in my Area 4 garden were 6 moths of 4 species . Highlights and new for the year were a Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata and a Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 63 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

09/05/24 I broke my rule of not trapping on consecutive nights and the moth trap was out again at dusk on 08/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning. It proved very fruitfull with 18 moths of 16 species trapped. There were lots of highlights with 14 new moths for the year a Chocolate Tip Clostera curtula , Least Black Arches Nola confusalis a bit of a tatty looking White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda and a Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac . With 14 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 61 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released. In Area 10 at the bridge over the Emm Brook from the car park field , Damselflies are putting on a good display . Seen were Male and female Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo , Lots of Male and female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens and Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella also seen was a nymph Dark Bush Cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera .

08/05/24 The moth trap was out again at dusk on 07/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning another dissapointing catch,following a warm day with only 3 moths of 3 species trapped. Highlights were a Grey Dagger Acronicta psi and a Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta both new for the year. The final moth was a Brimstone Opisthograptis luteolata . With 2 new moth's added ,the total for 2024 is now 47 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

05/05/24 The moth trap was out at dusk on 04/05/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning a very dissapointing catch with only 3 moths of 2 species.However it was quality over quantity with a Latticed Heath Colostygia pectinataria a moth that I have never seen before. It was rescued from a spiders web and was a bit the worse for wear. Also seen were 2 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria With 1 new moth added ,the total for 2024 is now 45 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

02/05/24 In Area 4 at lunchtime a Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus butterfly was in my garden.

01/05/24 Finally a mild night with no rain so the moth trap was out again at dusk on 30/04/24 in my Area 4 garden and emptied this morning a reasonable catch with 12 moths of 8 species. Highlights were a Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria and Sallow Kitten Drymonia ruficornis With 2 new moths added ,the total for 2024 is now 44 species. Following inspection and recording/photographing anything caught was released.

Plants/ Trees

15/05/24 Down by the pond in Area 5 Yellow Flag Iris Iris pseudacorus is in full bloom. Also by the pond is Ragged Robin Silene flos-cuculi with its pink, frayed flowers

Fungi

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

Fish

Amphibians and Reptiles

Mammals

28/05/24 In Area 10 this morning a male Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was seen grazing the old land fill site and a Muntjac Deer Capreolus capreolus was seen crossing the road between the A329M and Dinton Pastures .

05/05/24 In the fields around Ludgrove School in Area 1 at lunchtime today a female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Muntiacus reevesi was seen grazing .

04/05/24 Tried out the Bat detector in my Area 4 garden and at 21:30 a Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus was heard feeding over my garden .

Molluscs