Tried Coombes Valley RSPB reserve yesterday for Argent & Sable moth, but not successful unfortunately. Had to make do with a probable first for me, small yellow underwing, as well as brown silver-lines and common carpet. Would like to visit here more often, however the journey home was horrendous (90 minutes), so perhaps not.

Today on my Newchurch Common Patch in Cheshire my first Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly, only other odonata being Red-eyed Damselflies, Common Blue Damselflies and Azure Damselflies. Several Garden Chafers now out, they reached swarm proportions last year so I expect the same again. Green Tiger Beetles still showing well. In patchy sunshine the only butterfly was an Orange-tip. Yesterday we saw Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue still on the wing. We also saw Silver-ground Carpet and Brown Silver-line moths.

Another good walk at Newchurch Common. At the moment the 'other wildlife' interest is greater than the avian interest!

At Gull Pool there were two male Downy Emerald Dragonflies on the wing. On Sandiway Small Pool there were now 5 Red-eyed Damselflies. Across the rest of the site lots of Large Red, Common Blue and Azure Damselflies still. Another three Red Admiral butterflies as well as just one Green Hairstreak, a male Brimstone and a few Peacock butterflies.

Late news for Cheshire again (11th May, Thursday):

am - 12-18 Dingy Skippers on the bund between Ashton's and Neumann's Flashes, including a mating pair. Mianly showing on the Ashton's side of the path.

late am/early pm -

Shemmy Moss male Downy Emerald Dragonfly, very early record for this species. Brown Silver-line Moth Shemmy Moss.

4 (inc 2 mating) Large Red-eyed Damselflies Sandiway Small Pool, again a very early record. Silver-ground Carpet Moth Newchurch Common.

Across Newchurch Common Patch site lots of Large Red Damselflies, Common Blue Damselflies and Azure Damselflies.

Another warm day at Newchurch Common today and this time 8 butterfly species were on the wing - Green Hairstreaks (still 30+ flying), Hollly Blue, Brimstone, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Green-veined White. At least 50 Large Red Damselflies were flying and a small emergence of Common Blue Damselfies had occurred with several teneral ones on the wing around Sandiway Big Pool, an early appearance for this species. Again over 30 Green Tiger Beetles on the mosses.

After the sun came up today at Newchucrch Common a few butterflies were seen, the species in question being Orange-tip, Peacock, Brimstone, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood.

With the weather a bit changeable I have summarised the last week on Newchurch Common, Cheshire in one post:

22nd April: A good day for lepidoptera with over 100 Green Hairstreaks, my first Speckled Wood of the year here, Green-veined White and several early Latticed Heath Moths. Over 10 Green Tiger Beetles (picture) were seen on the mosses as well as a few Red-tailed Bumblebee workers. My first Large Red Damselflies were three sunning themselves on a bramble bush. Lots of St Mark's Flies were out, bird food for new arrivals. A Bank Vole was seen.

23rd April: Over 10 Holly Blues were seen, my first on patch this year. Lots of Orange-tips too. Small tadpoles in large numbers in Sandiway Big Pool.

Lancs trip, including Leighton and Foulshaw Mosses

Grey Squirrel
Rabbit
Bank Vole

Common Lizard

Orange Tip
Small White
Green-veined White
Peacock
Green Hairstreak

Large Red Damselfly.

Nice sunny day back on patch at Newchurch Common, Cheshire produced a few nice sightings.

A large Common Lizard was seen on the mosslands as well at Green Hairstreaks still at two widespread locations. A Speckled Wood near Big Pool was the first of that species on patch this year. A few Green Tiger Beetles were again on the mosslands as well as a Carabus problematicus (one of the 'Violet' Ground Beetles). A queen Red-tailed Bumblebee was also on the mosslands and nearby a new site for Tawny Mining Bee. An Alder Fly hatch had occurred on Sandiway Big Pool.

As it was sunny and warm this afternoon I decided on a walk on Newchurch Common to see if any butterflies were flying, or any other inverts for that matter.

I had a huge surprise when I found three Green Hairstreaks (one pictured) flying on the mosslands. This is my earliest date ever for this species and one I never saw on patch last year. Cheshire Wildlife Trust have been doing lots of management work with one priority species being Green Hairstreak, so hats off to them, it seems to be working I also recorded my first Orange-tips of the year, seeing two males on wet areas a fair distance apart. Comma and Small Tortoiseshells were flying too. The mosslands also were teeming with Green Tiger Beetles, a great species to see too.

Not an invert but seentoday was a basking Red-eared Terrapin on Sandiway Small Pool, not a welcome site, but they are here to stay it seems

1 Holly Blue in garden whilst gardening.

Walking the horse today at Newchurch Coomon (Cheshire) we recorded our first patch butterflies in the shape of 2 Small Tortoiseshells and a Brimstone. Overdue given the sunshine & the fact I was out on patch yesterday! I did record my first hoverfly (IDed one that is) yesterday with an Eristalis tenax present. Also yesterday I had prospecting queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees searching for nest sites.

Very little to report now that the weather has turned very cold, but the Water Shrew was still present at Newchurch Common today.

A real quickie to say that I had one very lethargic Hornet on ivy on a dull, cold morning at Newchurch Common, unexpected given the weather but my aim of recording them into November has been met

At Newchurch Common today some noteworthy sightings. Firstly in the fog, with the temperature hardly breaking 5 degrees a Red Admiral butterfly flew across a field near the entrance gate, I was amazed!! Later on as the sun got up I had a basking Grass Snake, great to see one this late in the year, but it has been a fantastic year for these on my patch. Finally the Hornets were still active and I have every hope of recording them into November now!

I am looking to see what the last 'Hornet Date' will be at Newchurch Common, still one today so that goes on! A family of 5 Bank Voles was found under a board and the Water Shrew was still about, albeit in a new location.

As mentioned in the bird sightings I had a trip onto Newchurch Common with 3 others today & spectacular was the word!

The patch delivered with fabulous views of a Water Shrew, which was photographed and brilliant photographic opportunities with over 100 Hornets seen in the sunshine. Two male Black Darters were still on the wing as well as 6+ Common Darters including two 'in cop'. The butterfly highlight was a Painted Lady, other species included two Small Coppers, a Meadow Brown, a Speckled Wood and two Red Admirals. A new fungus was added to my list with several Fly Agarics seen. Plants included Field Pansy and Round-leaved Cranesbill. Lots of Common Carder Bees and several hoverfly species still on the wing.

A new species for my Newchurch Common recording area in the shape of a juvenile Wood Mouse! Over 40 Hornets (low res pic attached) in the area in which the nest must be, but this still remains unfound! The usual Comma, Red Admiral and Speckled Woods on the wing. Also Black Darter and Common Darter Dragonflies,

A great late afternoon find in our Moulton, near Northwich, garden today. A Pine Ladybird (Exochomus quadripustulatus), the first record for our particular area of Cheshire as recorded in the NBN Gateway dataset