Totally amazed to see a Clouded Yellow butterfly at the reservoirs today (mid-morning). It was feeding at every yellow flower it could find, so didn't stay still for long, but was in the general area for over 20 minutes. Totally out of the blue, it was only my second ever for the county, and more than 25 years since the last!! Also 1 red admiral and 1-2 small whites.
Andy Bissitt said
Thu Jun 30 9:21 PM, 2022
Today's butterflies were as follows:- c12 Meadow Brown, 3 ringlet, 3 large skipper and 2 small tortoiseshell. Also a couple of 5-spot burnet, which I would expect to be broad-bordered. Most interesting was the presence of a number of common blue damselflies. I cannot remember seeing one here before, and in the absence of another body of water close by, I would think in all probability that they emerged from the reservoir. There is a very high chance that these are the first odonata to ever successfully breed on site, at least in modern times (unless anyone knows differently). Low water levels in the last 12 months, and the total lack of freezing weather will have been all that was needed for them to breed. I expect others to follow.
P.S. I have just seen a post from 2020 regarding a single teneral damselfly on site. On its own, it is easier to dismiss as a wanderer, but could still have been the first.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Thursday 30th of June 2022 09:24:13 PM
simon ghilks said
Mon Jun 27 3:40 PM, 2022
27/6/22
A Painted Lady was on the outside of North Bank of no1 reser. There were quite a few around South West Cornwall last week so perhaps a mini influx under way.
simon ghilks said
Fri Jul 23 11:45 AM, 2021
23/7/21 Some recent sightings
On Wednesday before 7:30am there were 4 Black-tailed Skimmers (1 fem, 3 male) along the east side No1. Also 2 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and an unidentified Skipper.
This morning before 9:00am 1 Black-tailed Skimmer 3 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Red Admiral 2 Meadow Brown 1 Small White and what I thought was a Comma until it landed briefly next to a Small Tortoiseshell, I didn't get the ragged look of a Comma so could only assume it was a fritillary, on probability likely to have been a Dark Green. One that got away. Also a smart looking Hoverfly landed on my tripod, turned out to be Chrysotoxum bicinctum.
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Sat Aug 29 2:33 PM, 2020
Fox again this morning, again on the West side of No 1.
I counted at least 15 White butterflies, most of which appeared to be Large White 2 Small Tortoiseshell At least 5 Soldier Beetles along the slope of the north bank of number 1 A teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly - this is the first Odonata species I recall seeing at Audenshaw!
Mike Chorley said
Sun Mar 22 10:42 PM, 2020
Queen White-tailed Bumblebee prospecting along the walkway between No's 1 and 3
2 Bumblebees collecting pollen from the willows on the east side of No 1. Couldn't quite see enough in the scope to pin them down to White- or Buff-tailed.
Weasel this am, East side of No 3, in & out of the cobbles.
Andy Bissitt said
Wed Oct 16 9:32 PM, 2019
Close, out-in-the-open views of a weasel on the inside stone bank of No. 1 reservoir this morning. Brilliant to see it slipping in and out of the gaps in the stone blocks.
A few year ticks to go with a Manchester birding tick today
Male Orange Tip near the power station Small tortoiseshell and a couple of fighting whites on the eastern side of Number One Seven Spot Ladybird on the path there Forget-me-not in bloom along the path behind the bus shelter.
simon ghilks said
Thu Feb 21 7:39 PM, 2019
21/2/19
Amazing numbers of bats this evening, (probably pipistrelle), at least 30 as a conservative estimate along just 2 banks of No1. Possibility of treble figures across the whole site if those numbers were replicated along the other banks.
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Thu Jan 3 7:26 PM, 2019
Not to clever with fungus, nearest I can find is Birch polypore. Each were about 10 to 12 inches across, it was the size that drew my attention to them.
Remarkable record of a wall brown this morning (in dull conditions at 15 degrees) along the east wall of No. 2. Surely the first here for many a long year?
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jul 28 9:49 AM, 2018
A single Painted Lady present this morning.
Rob Creek said
Thu Apr 12 3:44 PM, 2018
Peter Nolan Woolley wrote:
Myself and the two other site regulars were surprised to see as we left the site , a bat flying around the Northern perimeter of the site in broad daylight.
Hi Peter, I live less than half a mile away from the Res's, some of which is in Denton and Bats are a regular sighting near us for as long as I can remember. I suppose you get the odd one up there but a good sighting nonetheless. I had a Pipistrelle (not sure which of the 2?) a couple years back flying right next to me near the central well, I posted it at the time. It was struggling against the ferocious winds but if it had only flown a little bit lower than the embankment it would've met hardly any wind resistance at all, such is the meteorological phenomenon at Audenshaw Res!
Peter Nolan Woolley said
Mon Mar 26 12:56 PM, 2018
Myself and the two other site regulars were surprised to see as we left the site , a bat flying around the Northern perimeter of the site in broad daylight.
A bumblebee sp. was seen in flight this morning!
Totally amazed to see a Clouded Yellow butterfly at the reservoirs today (mid-morning). It was feeding at every yellow flower it could find, so didn't stay still for long, but was in the general area for over 20 minutes. Totally out of the blue, it was only my second ever for the county, and more than 25 years since the last!! Also 1 red admiral and 1-2 small whites.
Today's butterflies were as follows:- c12 Meadow Brown, 3 ringlet, 3 large skipper and 2 small tortoiseshell. Also a couple of 5-spot burnet, which I would expect to be broad-bordered. Most interesting was the presence of a number of common blue damselflies. I cannot remember seeing one here before, and in the absence of another body of water close by, I would think in all probability that they emerged from the reservoir. There is a very high chance that these are the first odonata to ever successfully breed on site, at least in modern times (unless anyone knows differently). Low water levels in the last 12 months, and the total lack of freezing weather will have been all that was needed for them to breed. I expect others to follow.
P.S. I have just seen a post from 2020 regarding a single teneral damselfly on site. On its own, it is easier to dismiss as a wanderer, but could still have been the first.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Thursday 30th of June 2022 09:24:13 PM
A Painted Lady was on the outside of North Bank of no1 reser.
There were quite a few around South West Cornwall last week so perhaps a mini influx under way.
On Wednesday before 7:30am there were 4 Black-tailed Skimmers (1 fem, 3 male) along the east side No1.
Also 2 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and an unidentified Skipper.
This morning before 9:00am
1 Black-tailed Skimmer
3 Small Tortoiseshell
1 Red Admiral
2 Meadow Brown
1 Small White and what I thought was a Comma until it landed briefly next to a Small Tortoiseshell, I didn't get the ragged look of a Comma so could only assume it was a fritillary, on probability likely to have been a Dark Green. One that got away.
Also a smart looking Hoverfly landed on my tripod, turned out to be Chrysotoxum bicinctum.
Fox again this morning, again on the West side of No 1.
This am,Fox on the West side of No 1.
This am.
Fox in the North East corner of No 1.
A Small Copper Butterfly.
2 Small Tortoiseshell
At least 5 Soldier Beetles along the slope of the north bank of number 1
A teneral Blue-tailed Damselfly - this is the first Odonata species I recall seeing at Audenshaw!
2 Bumblebees collecting pollen from the willows on the east side of No 1. Couldn't quite see enough in the scope to pin them down to White- or Buff-tailed.
Fox in the Northeast corner well.
Weasel this am, East side of No 3, in & out of the cobbles.
Close, out-in-the-open views of a weasel on the inside stone bank of No. 1 reservoir this morning. Brilliant to see it slipping in and out of the gaps in the stone blocks.
highlights from this am.
Painted Lady x 300++.
Peacock x 150+.
Red Admiral x 2.
Comma x 3.
Male Orange Tip near the power station
Small tortoiseshell and a couple of fighting whites on the eastern side of Number One
Seven Spot Ladybird on the path there
Forget-me-not in bloom along the path behind the bus shelter.
Amazing numbers of bats this evening, (probably pipistrelle),
at least 30 as a conservative estimate along just 2 banks of No1.
Possibility of treble figures across the whole site if those numbers were replicated along the other banks.
Not to clever with fungus, nearest I can find is Birch polypore. Each were about 10 to 12 inches across, it was the size that drew my attention to them.
Remarkable record of a wall brown this morning (in dull conditions at 15 degrees) along the east wall of No. 2. Surely the first here for many a long year?
A single Painted Lady present this morning.
Hi Peter,
I live less than half a mile away from the Res's, some of which is in Denton and Bats are a regular sighting near us for as long as I can remember. I suppose you get the odd one up there but a good sighting nonetheless.
I had a Pipistrelle (not sure which of the 2?) a couple years back flying right next to me near the central well, I posted it at the time. It was struggling against the ferocious winds but if it had only flown a little bit lower than the embankment it would've met hardly any wind resistance at all, such is the meteorological phenomenon at Audenshaw Res!
Myself and the two other site regulars were surprised to see as we left the site , a bat flying around the Northern perimeter of the site in broad daylight.
Painted Lady on No. 1 (not literally) this morning. Also 5 red admirals dotted about.
Common toad young.
On a recent visit for the Great Skua I noticed some Golden Waxcap on tye edge of the embankment to No 3 Res.
Access by permit only.
A Peacock butterfly was near the church this morning
One was that they would curse whoever they were pointing at ....... hope you were peeping over somebodies shoulder Karen.
Roger.
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 10th of March 2012 08:14:21 PM