A pm visit to Newchurch Common produced a few sightings.

Butterflies seen were Small Copper, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White, Green-veined White, Large White and Brimstone.

Odonata seen were Emperor, Downy Emerald, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Large Red-eyed Damselfly.

Moths recorded in Big Pool meadows were 2 Straw Dots, a Yellow Shell, a Scoparia ambigualis and a Sandy Carpet which were all new for the year, as well as 4 Cinnabars.

A Volucella bombylans and a Xanthogramma pedissequum were new hoverflies for the year. A Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen was watched constructing a nest and lots of Early Bumblebees, Red-tailed Bumblebees, Common Carder Bees and Honey Bees were still about.

30-05-2023 - Lancs. Martin Mere WTO Met up with mates from school for a wander around part of our old haunts. 53 Species of bird recorded (on other thread)

Butterflies:
Brimstone -concentrations round the Buckthorn clumps around the reserve - at least a dozen counted
Peacock - at least 2
Small Tortoiseshell
Common Blue male and female
Holly Blue male
Speckled Wood - 4 minimum
several distant whites as well.

Common Blue Darters lots inc some tenerals
Emperor 1 male
Four-spot Chaser 1/2
Banded Demoiselles 4/5 males and 2 females on a stretch of stream near the Rees Hide

from the moth trap
Buff Ermine 2 males and 1 female
Treble Lines
Heart & Dart
Cinnabar Moth - plus several around the reserve
Peppered Moth -
plus a black 'brocade' type moth the volunteers couldn't remember (and neither could I!) possibly Knotgrass.

Among other things Brown Rat, Lesser Spearwort (plant tick for me) an unusual Bramble -(forgot the scientific name-small flowers and little bud-like growths) and, to quote my botanist mate - "enough Hemlock Water Dropwort to eliminate the entire country"

8.5hrs on Newchurch Common with a couple of guests. Hot sun again.

Highlights included:

A Common Lizard was on Shemmy Moss.

A total of 5 Downy Emeralds, 4 on Gull Pool including a female ovipositing and 1 by Shemmy Moss. A Hairy Dragonfly at Shemmy Moss.

Two Holly Blues were near the main track at the easternmost end of Big Pool.  A hatch of 12 Grass Waves on Shemmy Moss, a scarce Cheshire moth. Also on here a Clouded Drab Caterpillar and an Oak Eggar Caterpillar.

Bumblebees included Tree Bumblebee, Early Bumblebee, White-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bee.

Garden Chafer was again seen as well as Green Tiger Beetles. The sawfly Tenthreda livida was seen. Fine Streaked Bugkin (Miris striatus, a mirid bug) was new for the year as well. On Shemmy Moss Common Ground Hoppers were again seen.

The spider Selimus vittatus was on Shemmy Moss and was also new for the year and possibly a patch lifer.

Fox and Cubs, an attractive flower was out by Shemmy Moss.

Neumanns Flash Cheshire:

Butterflies : 1 Dinghy Skipper, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, 1 Brimstone and numerous Common Blues.

Damselflies : 1 Banded Demoiselle (By the path leading to Pods Hide).

Had an afternoon walk in the sun on Newchurch Common, Cheshire. Stayed around Big Pool.

Just 7sp of butterfly : Red Admiral, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White.

A cracking 9sp of odonata : 2 Hairy Dragonflies (1st for 2023), a Broad-bodied Chaser (1st for 2023), 1 Downy Emerald, 3 Four-spotted Chasers, 2000+ Common Blue Damselflies, 1 Large Red-eyed Damselfly, 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 5 Large Red Damselflies and 6 Azure Damselflies.

Also seen, and all new for the year, were the hoverfly Parhelophilus versicolor, Early Bumblebees, 14-Spot Ladybird, Swollen-thighed Beetles (Oedema nobilis), Malachite Beetle (Malachius bipustulatus) and Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea).

Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB 11.00-14.30

The only butterfly I could find today around the reserve, apart from several cabbage whites (The area is a brassica eaters heaven),

was a single female Common Blue.

Another walk on my Newchurch Common Patch.

Several butterflies but none new, a male Brimstone east of Big Pool was nice.

At least 3 Downy Emeralds were seen, they are well and truly out now. Also 2 Four-spotted Chasers were on Shemmy Moss. A Blue-tailed Damselfly was on Newchurch Common and at least 100 Common Blue Damselflies were still by the main track between the pools.

A couple of new moth species were added to my patch list. A Mother Shipton moth was on Shemmy Moss and a Satellite moth caterpillar was on the track between Big and Small Pools. A mating pair of Cream Waves was found near the main track too.

The soldier beetles previously seen on Shemmy Moss were photographed more clearly and a positive ID of Cantharis rustica was made. Red-and-Black Froghopper was again seen. There are still good numbers of Green Tiger Beetles on Shemmy Moss.

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.