Category Archives: Uncategorized

Today I travelled on to Forge Valley, for the Beautiful Demoiselle, parking at the Old Man’s Mouth Car Park (MAP) (report.narrowest.apples). I walked to the nearby bridge, from the car park, walked over the bridge and turned right, up the valley. I found no Demoiselle’s Banded or Beautiful, I did find a Silver-washed Fritillary, as a bonus, it was hot today, about 80°. I walked back down to the car to get some more water and rest for ten minutes.

I then decided on walking down the river, navigating the broken boardwalk in places, lots of butterflies and hoverflies on the walk down. After much searching I found two male Beautiful Demoiselle’s, resting on the ferns on the riverside, the light was harsh now, which made photography difficult.

After Forge Valley, I decided on trying finding Ellerburn Bank Nature Reserve, Dalby Forest area, what a nightmare to find, see video. I eventually did find it, I saw Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Heath, Small Copper, Marbled White, Large White, Small White, Meadow Brown. Birds seen or heard Robin, Buzzard and Garden Warbler

Video of the day can be seen HERE

Forge Valley Birds : Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Stock Dove. Woodpigeon

Forge Valley Butterflies : Comma, Green-white White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White

Forge Valley Dragonflies : Beautiful Demoiselle (NFC), Southern Hawker

Ellerburn Bank Birds : Buzzard, Garden Warbler, House Sparrow, Robin

Ellerburn Bank Butterflies : Large White, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Skipper,

Beautiful Demoiselle

Silver-washed Fritillary

Small Copper

Back to Old Moor again for another Dragonfly/Insect day, turned out to be a great day for Butterflies

Odonata seen : Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Darter, Red-eyed Damselfly, Ruddy Darter, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, (7)

Butterflies seen : Brimstone, Comma, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Large Skipper, Large White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Speckled Wood (17)

Other Highlights : Four-banded Longhorn Beetle, Spotted Longhorn Beetle

Comma

Common Blue

Gatekeeper

Holly Blue

Large Skipper

Large White

Small Copper

Speckled Wood

Four-banded Longhorn

Ruddy Darter

A 6am start today for a journey up to Wykeham Forest and the Raptor viewpoint or very near to for our target bird today, the Ortolan Bunting, a female that has been here for a while and taken fancy to a male Yellowhammer. We arrived at 8am, but it was near to 12 noon before we caught a glimpse of the elusive Ortolan Bunting, enough of a view to “say” yes I’ve seen an Ortolan Bunting, because it was a LIFER “Yay”. Over the hours before the Ortolan showed we were entertained by a variety of birds, highlights being, Crossbill, Pied Wagtail, Honey Buzzard, Red legged Partridge, Yellowhammer and Lesser Whitethroat.

On the return journey we stopped at Hornsea Mere to see the Little Gulls, and then to North Cave Wetlands, highlight being a Bittern in flight

Today saw four species added to the year list, Italics, one of those being a lifer, Bold (188/200) 94%

Birds seen at Wykeham : Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Crossbill, Goldfinch, Honey-buzzard, Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Ortolan Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Red-legged Partridge, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer

Butterflies seen : Meadow Brown, Peacock

Another Dragonfly/Insect day at Old Moor, and finding a first for Old Moor, a Six belted Clearwing Moth

Odonata seen : Azure Damselfly, Black-tailed Skimmer, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser, Southern Hawker

Butterflies seen : Brimstone, Comma, Large Skipper, Large White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Skipper,

Moths seen : Five-spot Burnet, Six-belted Clearwing

Emperor Dragonfly

Six-belted Clearwing

Small Skipper

Hairy Shieldbug

Out on another Dragonfly/Insect day at RSPB Old Moor

Odonata see : Azure Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Black-tailed Skimmer, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Darter, Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser, Red-eyed Damselfly

Butterflies seen : Brimstone, Common Blue, Large Skipper

Banded Demoiselle

Common Darter

Four-spotted Chaser

Large Skipper

Solely a Dragonfly/Insect day today down at RSPB Old Moor,

Odonata seen : Azure Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Black-tailed Skimmer, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Darter, Emperor, Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly (11)

Black-tailed Skimmer

Broad-bodied Chaser

Common Darter

Four-spotted Chaser

Azure Damselfly

Ectemnius cephalotes

Large Skipper

Five spot Burnet Moth

Spotted Longhorn

Willow mason-wasp (Symmorphus bifasciatus)

Night time visit around the Langsett Res. area, I arrived at 7:30pm to see, Blackbird, Canada Goose flying thru, Curlew, Lapwings, Red Grouse, Snipe, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Willow Warbler, with a Cuckoo in the nearby tree, but I was here tonight for a special bird, the light was fading and as it was a Woodcock started ‘Roding’ it was now getting darker, I was about to give up, when I heard the ‘Churring’ right above my head and eventually two male Nightjars, started giving chase

Birds Seen : Blackbird, Canada Goose, Cuckoo, Curlew, Kestrel, Lapwing, Nightjar, Pheasant, Red Grouse, Snipe, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Willow Warbler, Woodcock (14) (176/200) 88%