Linacre Ringing - 13th July 2025

Yesterday, we had a fantastic ringing session down at Linacre, where we ringed 54 birds of 11 species, including 4 summer migrants.

Birds ringed were (new/retrap): Blackcap 15/0, 9 of which were juveniles, Chiffchaff 7/0, including 6 juveniles, Willow Warbler 1/0 (adult), Garden Warbler 1/1 ( 1 juvenile and a retrap adult, first caught at Linacre in May 2023), Blue Tit 12/1 (all juveniles, the retrap having been ringed in Box 1a on 18th May), Great Tit 9/2 ( 9 juveniles, including 1 from Box G2, ringed on 11th May), Treecreeper 1/0 (juvenile), Nuthatch 1/0 (adult), Bullfinch 1/0 (adult), Wren 1/0 (juvenile) and Robin 1/0 (juvenile).

Hardwick Hall - 12th July 2025

 It's been in the high 20s, low 30s this week, so Jayne and I made an early(ish) start for our walk around Hardwick Park and Hall. We walked around the ponds, and then up through the park to the hall and gardens.

Walking around the ponds, we soon spotted the first damsels and dragons of the day, with Common Blue and Red-eyed Damselflies seen. Several Emperors were also seen (minimum of 3) and a couple of Black-tailed Skimmers. 

Black-tailed Skimmer

Butterflies were numerous (which was a nice change!) with Gatekeepers being the most numerous (30+), along with Small Copper (1), Meadow Brown (20+), Large Whites, Small Whites and Red Admiral.

There were also lots of hoverflies, including a single Volucella inanis. A single Hummingbird Hawkmoth was also seen in the gardens.

Volucella inanis

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Linacre 5th July 2025- A new Hoverfly!

 I had 2 hours down at Linacre yesterday morning. It was 18 degrees and overcast, but a few sunny spells enticed some butterflies out. I also had a new species of hoverfly and a bird species not recorded here since 2018!

The butterflies seen were: Ringlet (2), Meadow Brown (3), Gatekeeper (3, my first Linacre record of 2025), Comma (1) and, best of all, a single, pristine Painted Lady (my first of the year). 2 Common Blue Damselflies were also seen.

Painted Lady

The new hoverfly was a very distinctive one, called Chrysotoxum bicinctum. See here for details. There were at least 2 on the vegetation by the overflow of the top reservoir. This is the second species of Chrysotoxum hoverfly I've seen at Linacre, the first being Chrysotoxum festivum, seen back in August 2016.

Chrysotoxum bicinctum

Chrysotoxum festivum

Birds seen were: Mallard (58), Tufted Duck (13), Mandarin (21; 20 adults and 1 duckling), Coot (18; 5 adults and 13 juveniles), Moorhen (0!!), Grey Heron (1), Grey Wagtail (3; 2 juveniles), Great-crested Grebe (12; 6 adults and 6 juveniles), Herring Gull (1 adult) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (3; 2 adults and a sub adult). 1 of the Lesser Black-backs was actively hunting the Mandarin duckling. 3 Chiffchaffs and 1 Blackcap were heard singing.

The most exciting species of bird was Crossbill, which, as I said, were the first record since 2018. Initially 3 birds were heard, and then seen briefly, landing in the Larch trees by the top reservoir. A further 8 (or most likely the some birds, plus 5 more) were seen flying over the ringing site. A great record, and hopefully the first of an "irruption year".

212F Returns!

 After yesterday's visit to look at butterflies, Jayne and I had a quick drive over to Rufford to see if there were any Black-headed Gulls back. There were just 7 gulls present, but the first one I saw was wearing a green darvic ring!!! I grabbed a quick photo, and saw that the bird in question was 212F, a new bird for me. 

212F

212F was ringed, as a 1st year bird, in October 2024. It was seen twice over last winter, both times in Derby, but this was the first record at Rufford. The above photo shows a few retained juvenile feathers.

Below is a photo of the same bird, from Derby, in December 2024.

212F

Whilst there, we also spotted a couple of Swallows and a single Holly Blue butterfly.

Butterfly Update

 Over the last week or two I've been out and about looking for a few new summer butterflies.

The first were seen at Barbrook Pools (formerly Barbrook Reservoir) last Sunday, when the 2 Small Coppers, Large Skippers and Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet moths were present. Whilst there, I was also able to confirm breeding for Tufted Duck (female and 8 ducklings) and Lapwing (1 adult and 3 chicks).

Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet

Tufted Duck 

The next butterflies seen were at Lindrick Dale, yesterday. Overall, numbers were well down on previous years (possibly due to the very warm spring?), with just 4 Dark Green Fritillaries, 6 Marbled Whites, 4 Gatekeepers, 1 Ringlet and about half a dozen Small Skippers seen. 1 other species, Silver-washed Fritillary, was also seen flying around the woods, on the walk through.

Linacre WeBS and Insects

 This month's WeBS count took place yesterday, and whilst there, a few butterflies, 1 species of moth and two damselfly species were also recorded.

Birds seen were: Mallard (38; 36 adults and 2 ducklings), Mandarin Duck (11 adults and 2 ducklings), Tufted Duck (25 adults), Coot (21 birds; 11 adults and 10 young), Moorhen (4 adults), Great-crested Grebe (7 adults and 8 young), Grey Heron (1 young bird), Grey Wagtail (2), Chiffchaff (4 singing), Blackcap (2 singing), Garden Warbler (1 singing), Willow Warbler (1 singing), Swallow (4 juveniles feeding over the top reservoir), Swift (1 - the first Linacre record of 2025!), Skylark (1 singing), Stock Dove (heard), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2 adults) and 3 Racing/Feral Pigeons (complete with rings), drinking in the bottom reservoir.

Racing Pigeon

The butterflies seen were: Ringlet (12 - the highest ever count?), Speckled Wood (3), Comma (2), Meadow Brown (7), a white butterfly, possibly Small White, and a Small Skipper (1st record since 2023).

Small Skipper

The two damselfly species seen were: Common Blue (c.6), and, the best by far, a female Banded Demoiselle - my first female at this site.

Banded Demoiselle (female)

Other species seen were 1 Myathropa florea (hoverfly), Harlequin Ladybirds, 1 Latticed Heath (moth) and a single Brown Hare.

Large Blue - Lifer!

 At the weekend, Jayne and I were down in Bristol, so, on the way back, we decided to pop into the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's Daneway Banks nature reserve, to see some butterflies.

We arrived at about 11am, to  a mixture of clouds and sunshine. Our first species were Ringlet and Meadow Brown that were both present in good numbers. We carried on, adding Marbled White and Large Skipper 6-spot Burnet moth, Small Heath and Small Blue to the list. 

Our target species, Large Blue, was however, a little harder to find! Eventually, after about an hour on site, Jayne spotted a "blue" butterfly, which I managed to get onto as well. I grabbed a few photos, and was able to confirm a female Large Blue!! Unfortunately, in my rush to get a photo, I didn't pay attention to the settings, and the few shots I got weren't very well focused! 

Large Blue