Langsett Reservoir (Inc. Moorland & Woodland) South Yorkshire.

Butterflies : 2 Green Hairstreaks, 1 Peacock and 3m Orange Tips.

Moths : Numerous Common Heaths.

Wednesday May 10 Bempton cliffs RSPCA Along with the millions of seabirds I was lucky to see two Bottle nosed dolphins very close in heading north closely followed by six more heading South. While I was watching the six go out of view another eight more heading south appeared including three which kept jumping out of the water. A great couple of hours.

In the past week at Newchurch Common, my Cheshire local patch I have had a bumper week for non-bird sightings.

Today I found a large female Grass Snake basking on dead bracken on Shemmy Moss and watched her for a while before she gently slithered off.

A few new butterflies for the year were added, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Large White, with others seen being Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Peacock and Comma.

A first for the year today was a Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly, with 2  teneral Common Blue Damselflies being new on 4th May and Large Red Damselflies flying throughout.

A new moth was added for the year today, namely at least 6 Brown Silver-lines, Common Heath moths were still present. A new micromoth for the year was the longhorn Adela reaumurella (May 4th).

For beetles a 2-spot Ladybird was new as were Brassy Willow Beetle, Byturus ochraceus, Nalassus laevioctostriatus and Poecilus cupreus. Hairy Shieldbug was also seen and was an addition to my yearlist as was the Strawberry Root Weevil Otiorhynchus ovatus and Nettle Weevil. Common Groundhopper was on Shemmy Moss again as were hordes of Green Tiger Beetles including mating pairs.

Other new species were Orange-tailed Mining Bee, Common Bee Wasp and Gooden's Nomad Bee. The hoverfly Syrphus vitripennis was seen. Dark-edged Bee-fly was again photographed. An Alder Fly was seen as well as a non-biting midge (Stenochironomus sp.) and Yellow Dung Fly.

New spiders were Pardosa amentata, Cucumber Green Orb Spider and a Metellina segmentata.

A totally new fungus for me was Sphagnum Greyling on Shemmy Moss. The rust fungus Melampsora caprearum was seen too.

Lots of new plants were added in this period; Bulbous Buttercup, Field Buttercup, Germander Speedwell, Field Forget-me-Not, Wood Forget-me-Not, Red Campion, Green Alkanet, Field Pansy, Common Stork's-bill, Comfrey, Dog Violet and Wood Sage.

 

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 8th of May 2023 03:33:37 PM

My first May walk of the year on my Newchurch Common patch was pretty productive.

Butterflies seen were Green-veined White, Orange-tip and Green Hairstreak. At least 10 Common Heath moths were seen on Shemmy Moss today.

A Leucozona lucorum hoverfly was new for the year. Lots of St.Mark's Flies were on the wing.

Common Pond Skaters were on the mossland pools and a Pirata piraticus wolf spider was on Shemmy Moss too.

Lots of Green Tiger Beetles were again seen on Shemmy Moss.

The moss specialist fungus Mountain Brownie (Entoloma sericeum) was growing from the sphagnum on Shemmy Moss.

Dove's-foot Cranes-bill was in flower.

Moore Nature Reserve 09.00-13.00

(The track along the North bank of the ship canal from the swing bridge to Halfway House plus Moss Side area).

In contrast to my visit on 7th April when butterflies were seen in profusion, today all could find was a solitary Speckled Wood.

Mammals were represented by a single Bank Vole that crossed the path at Halfway House.

A walk on Newchurch Common in drizzle this morning.

A Harvestman, Rilaena triangularis, was recorded, this species is often called the Spring Harvestman as it is the only adult Harvestman active at this time of year.

The first Bluebells were in flower by the main track, and even though they are in a very early stage they look like Spanish Bluebells rather than native or hybrid ones.

 

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Sunday 16th of April 2023 10:18:00 PM

A late afternoon walk on my Newchurch Common Patch. Dull and cool.

A three amphibian species day with the best being a Palmate Newt on Shemmy Moss, a Common Toad and 5 Smooth Newts were at Gull Pool.

The ground beetles Nebria brevicollis and Pterostichus nigrita were in Gull Pool Wood where 2 carabid larvae were photographed but can't be IDed down to species. A Seven-Spot Ladybird was on Sandy Lane.

White Dead-Nettle is out on Sandy Lane.

Moore Nature Reserve 11.00-15.00

(The track along the North bank of the ship canal from the swing bridge to Halfway House plus Moss Side area).

The sun brought out butterflies galore, lots of Brimstones, male Orange Tips and Small Tortoiseshells plus 3 Commas,

2 Peacocks, 3 Speckled Woods and 2 Large Whites. A Devils Coach-horse was seen by the track at one point, and a

Stoat crossed the path at Moss Side.

A whole day was spent on my Newchurch Common local patch today and it paid dividends with some cracking species.

Butterflies were a highlight with 12 Green Hairstreaks seen on Shemmy Moss as well as a male Brimstone butterfly, both firsts for the year here. A Comma was also seen on Shemmy Moss. An Orange Underwing moth was seen and photographed by Shemmy Moss, a pretty scarce Cheshire species.

A Dark-edged Bee-Fly was on Shemmy Moss as was a White-footed Hoverfly (Platycheirus albimanus). A Honey Bee was also seen.

At least 10 Green Tiger Beetles were on Shemmy Moss, great to see. A brand new species was added too, the diminutive Common Ground Hopper (Tetrix undulata), seen on Shemmy Moss.

Coral Spot fungus was on a dead twig in the Pine Belt.

Lesser Celandine, Red Dead Nettle, Goat Willow and Narcissus were all recorded for the first time this year.

A morning walk on Newchurch Common:

As well as the birds the sunny spells gave me the excuse to look for invertebrates and as before Buff-tailed Bumblebees were on the wing but a new Bumble was a queen Early Bumblebee with its bright rufous tail band. Also seen at the traditional nesting bank were male and female Clarkes Mining Bees, a colourful and welcome addition to the invert fauna of my patch. Two species of hoverflies were seen, the closely related Common Dronefly and Tapered Dronefly, told apart by abdomen shape but also tarsus colour, I had to be a leg man today!! The big common Blow Fly, Calliphora vicina, was also seen and photographed. Amongst a big stand of Yellow Archangel plants just one was found in flower, and so was duly photographed!

 

On Newchurch Common on a sunny morning I recorded my first butterfly, a Comma near Big Pool. Also on the wing were double figure numbers of Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax).

At Newchurch Common today, bright and sunny.

Under a log were a Great Crested Newt and 6 Smooth Newts.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee N.of Big Pool was my first bumblebee of the year.

Fungi seen were Turkeytail, Birch Polypore, Blushing Bracket, Hoof Fungus and Witches Broom.

Went to Newchurch Common yesterday (21st Feb 2023) as it was warm and sunny so I was looking for inverts. The only record was a lone Honey Bee feeding on the gorse N.of Big Pool.

Moore NR

A single Bank Vole seen at the entrance to the hide on Lapwing Lane.

The little creature gave the impression that it been attracted there by seed left for the resident Robin.

[Originally posted in the Cheshire Moore thread]

Anyone any idea what this skeleton is?

My foot bottom left by the way is the front 4" of twelve in size 12 wellies for scale!

The white feathers were adjacent.....but I must be being thick I think I just can't either i.d. the skeleton (I think it is a giant Rat) or disassociat the adjacent feather as being two seperate corpses....but surely they are?

Anyone put me out my misery?

Ta,

Andy

 

 

 

My New Years Day Local Patch walk on Newchurch Common produced a few bits of extra wildlife even though I was especially concentarting on birds.

Grey Squirrels were abundant and a 'nice' Fox poo was found on Shemmy Moss indicating this species' presence.

Fungi photographed were Sulphur Disco, Birch Polypore and Hoof Fungus all in Gull Pool Wood, Common Puffballs on Shemmy Moss and Hairy Curtain Crust all over the place. Candlesnuff fungus was also seen as well as the Skeletocutis amorpha from the other day.

Originally posted today by Dave Thacker:

Leighton Moss, 8.00 - 14.00hrs today

Sunshine, -6*c and 99% of the water iced over made for great conditions to look for Otters this morning. 

The sluice channel next to the causeway was not iced over and I watched the adult female Otter and two young fishing for about 25 minutes about 30m  down the channel. 

 

Another morning mainly concentrated on fungi and again a few new ones.

Newly found were Bitter Oysterling (Panellus stipticus) near Small Pool, Sulphur Disco (Bisporella sulfurina) in Gull Pool Wood, and Yellow Stagshorn Fungus (Calocera viscosa) on Shemmy Moss.

Re-photographed were Angel's Bonnet, Powdery Brittlegill, Hairy Curtain Crust, Turkeytail, and Collared Earthstar.

A Red Campion plant was freshly in flower in December.

Lapwing Hall Pool Chelford

The lunchtime sunshine tempted a single male Common Darter dragonfly into flight.

A visit this morning to Newchurch Common produced a very late Common Darter dragonfly, flying near the entrance blocks.

Moore NR

A single Red Admiral butterfly seen on bushes alongside Pumphouse Flash at lunchtime.

Another sunny morning walk on Newchurch Common.

A new insect was added in the shape of a tiny 1mm Springtail, most likely Dicyrtoma fusca, with several seen feeding on fungi on Shemmy Moss and by Big Pool. Also seen were 3 Common Darter dragonflies still, all by Shemmy Moss.

My fungi hunting produced another 5 new species. The best was Frosty Webcap (Cortinarius hemitrichus) on Shemmy Moss, an occasional UK species according to the web. All the other new species were also on Shemmy Moss : Common Rustgill (Gymnophilus penetrans), Conifer Tuft (Hypholoma caproides), Mountain Brownie (Deconica montana) and Jelly Rot Fungus (Phlebia tremellosa).

Fungi photographed but seen previously were Ribbed Bell on the wet area of Shemmy Moss, Blushing Bracket of the non-red form by Small Pool, and by Big Pool very mature Common Puffballs by Big Pool and Witches Butter.

Early stage Common Spangle Gall Wasp galls were photographed on dead oak leaves by Small Pool.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 9th of November 2022 09:50:43 PM

Another morning at Newchurch Common, again mainly for fungi.

A long-wanted find was a beautiful Parrot Waxcap (Hygrocybe psittacina), east of Big Pool in my 'waxcap corner' which has produced 4 species of waxcaps this year - amazing!! Also new in the same area was Earthy Powdercap (Cystoderma amianthinum). Very close by a regular find was photographed again, Blushing Bracket with Angels Bonnet re-photographed just a few metres away from the bracket fungi.

A walk on my patch Newchurch Common this am., amazing sunshine, warm too.

A total of 8 Common Darters were seen, all around Shemmy Moss.

A Common Drone Fly hoverfly was on ragwort on Shemmy Moss. Two more invertebrates were in Gull Pool Wood, namely Common Shiny Woodlouse and Black Millipede.

The usual fungus walk added four species to my list of photographed fungi over the last 3 weeks. These were Witches Broom (Taphrina betulina), an ever present common site all over the patch, Dwarf Bell (Galerina pumila) near Big Pool, Dark Honey Fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) near Big Pool and Common Stump Brittlestem (Psathyrella pililiformis) in Gull Pool Wood.

Other species photographed but recorded previously were Candlesnuff, Birch Polypore, Purple Jellydisc and Hairy Curtain Crust.