Linacre Insects - 13th July 2025

 After the ringing session on Sunday, I stayed on at Linacre to enjoy the sunshine and go looking for some insects. I wasn't disappointed, and managed some very good numbers of butterflies (17 species, including a new one!), 3 new moths, 1 new ladybird species, 4 species of odanata and lots of hoverflies and bees.

First the butterflies. Species seen were: Purple Hairstreak (2, maybe up to 4 seen on oaks below the bottom reservoir on 12th), Meadow Brown ( a minimum of 32), Gatekeeper (9), Peacock (2), Large White (13), Small White (3), Green-veined White (6 feeding/drinking on mud on the top reservoir, Comma (7), Painted Lady (1 in the ringing site), Small Copper (2), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Speckled Wood (2) Ringlet (1), Red Admiral (1), Holly Blue (1 - my first Linacre record of the year), a single Brimstone (my first Linacre sighting this year), and the brand new species, Essex Skipper (seen feeding with a 6-spot Burnet moth).

Essex Skipper (black antennae) and 6-spot Burnet

Brimstone

The new moths seen were a single Ghost Moth (found in the ringing site) and a Dingy Footman (seen in vegetation by the middle reservoir. 

Ghost Moth

Dingy Footman

A couple of 6-spot Burnet moths were also seen in the field by the top reservoir (second record for Linacre) and a single Cinnabar Moth caterpillar was also spotted.

Odanata (dragonflies and damselflies) were represented by the first Brown Hawkers of the year (3), another hawker species (Migrant or Southern), a single male Blue-tailed Damselfly and 20+ (minimum) Common Blue Damselflies, including several pairs "in cop" (mating).

Common Blue Damselflies

The new species of ladybird seen was a 14-spot, found on one of the ringer's hats!! A single Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle was also found in the ringing site.

Last, but not least, a single Greylag Goose was seen on the top reservoir.

Greylag Goose

Buzzard Breeding Success!

 Over the years, I've heard of several reports of  Common Buzzards breeding at Linacre. Although I have seen small groups of birds in late summer, which are presumably family parties, I have never managed to see a nest.... until today!

News of a nest with 2 well grown juveniles was shared with me from the volunteers who look after Linacre, so I popped up this morning to have a look. I could hear one bird as we approached the area, and then Jayne spotted 1 perched about 60ft (20m) up in a tree - success!! I managed to get a photo and then left it in peace.

Common Buzzard

Last Monday (17th), I had a quick walk around Linacre and spotted a few butterflies and moths: Ringlet (1), Small Skipper (4), Large White (1), Comma (3), Speckled Wood (1), Gatekeeper (1), Silver Y (1) and Large Skipper (1). 

Ringlet

Small Skipper

Other insects seen were: Volucella pellucens (4), Eristalis sp, Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle, White-tailed/Red-tailed and Tree Bumblebee.

One Swallow, 2 House Martins and 2 adult Canada Geese were also seen.

Linacre - 24th June 2023

 This morning I had three hours walking around Linacre, checking the nestboxes, carrying out this month's WeBS count, and looking at the insects that were out and about in the 20 degree temperature. 

First up the nestboxes. I walked around and checked the last few remaining nests, and the great news is that they had all fledged successfully, including the three Pied Flycatchers- hurrah!! I'll write another blog post about the totals later in the year.

Next, the WeBS walk. Species (and numbers seen) were: Mallard (99; 83 adults and 16 ducklings), Tufted Duck (41 adults), Mandarin Duck (42; 32 adults and 10 ducklings), Coot (22; 12 adults and 10 juveniles), Moorhen (20; 11 adults and 9 juveniles), Great-crested Grebe (8; 5 adults and 3 juveniles), Little Grebe (2;1 heard on the middle reservoir and 1 seen on the top reservoir), Grey Heron (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 adult), and, best of all, a Common Sandpiper on the bottom reservoir - the first record of the year!). Other birds seen or heard were: Song Thrush (2 heard), Chiffchaff (3 heard), Blackcap (4 heard) and Garden Warbler (1 heard in the ringing site). 

Insects were the best I've had so far this year, with several first sightings. Meadow Brown (15 - an excellent count across the site, and the first Linacre record of the year), Ringlet (2 in the ringing site - first Linacre record of 2023), Speckled Wood (5), Red-tailed and Tree Bumblebees, Red and Black Froghopper, Common Blue and Azure Damselflies (the latter species, the first Linacre record of 2023), Swollen-thighed Flower Beetle, Volucella bombylans (white-tailed variety), Volucella pellucens (first 2023 record), Latticed Heath (2) and a Harlequin Ladybird larvae.

Volucella bombylans

Azure Damselfly

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle

Red and Black Froghopper

Linacre - 2nd July 2022

 This morning I had my first visit to Linacre for a few weeks. It was just 13 degrees, overcast, windy and drizzling on and off (!), but I still had a walk around all three reservoirs. 

Water bird numbers were average for the time of the year, with the following birds see: Mallard (98, with 80 adults and 18 ducklings), Tufted Duck (29 birds, including 27 adults and the first 2 ducklings of the year), Mandarin Duck (16 adult birds), Little Grebe (2 birds, 1 adult and 1 juvenile), Great-crested Grebe (2 birds, 1 adult and 1 juvenile), Grey Wagtail ( 4 birds,1 adult and 3 juveniles), Moorhen (16 birds, 10 adults and 6 young), Coot (18 birds, 8 adults and 10 juveniles) and Cormorant (2 young birds).

The woods were quite quiet, but Chiffchaff (1), Blackcap (1), Blackbird and Song Thrush were heard singing. In addition, House Martin was heard, but not seen, whilst I had my first Linacre Swift record of the year (!), when 10 were feeding over the middle reservoir.

A single Brown Hare was seen on the bank of the top reservoir, as was my first Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle of the year.

Shaded Broad-bar and Tawny Owl

 I popped down to Linacre this afternoon to fill the feeders for a ringing session. It was 24 degrees when I arrived at 3.45pm and very sunny. As I walked down to the feeders, I spotted my first Cinnabar moth caterpillars, along with two Shaded Broad-bar moths, Soldier beetles, Swollen-thighed beetles, a male Blue-tailed Damselfly, several Common Blue Damselflies and a single Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle.

Shaded Broad-bar

When I got to the feeding station I  spotted something perched low on one of the trees. I couldn't quite tell what it was, as it was preening and had its face down. Luckily, it hadn't seen me, so, as it looked up, I managed to get this photo and saw that it was a juvenile Tawny Owl - lovely and a great breeding record!

Tawny Owl

Linacre - 22nd July 2020

I had a couple of hours at Linacre this afternoon. When I arrived at 12.30pm it was grey, overcast and just 17 degrees. I started down at the bottom reservoir where I was very lucky to see a Kingfisher fly up from the river, over the wall and along the water. Also on the water were 20+ Mallards and a breeding plumaged Black-headed Gull. This gull was a very unexpected sighting, as the first ones don't usually return until September or October! One adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was also present on the top reservoir.

Black-headed Gull

About half way round, the sun came out, and so did the insects! 8 species of butterfly were seen: Large White (1), Small White (2), Green-veined White (1), Ringlet (2), Meadow Brown (c.10), Gatekeeper (2), Comma (2) and Peacock (1). A new species of day-flying moth, 6-spot Burnet Moth (3), was also seen, as were 2 species of damselfly: Common Blue Damselfly (c.3 pairs in cop and ovipositing) and Blue-tailed Damselfly (1 male and 1 female of the "rufescens" form).

Common Blue Damselflies in cop

Blue-tailed Damselfly (female)

Other insects seen included my first Volucella pellucens (Great Pied Hoverfly) of the year (2), 2 Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetles and several species of bumblebee and droneflies.

Great Pied Hoverfly

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle

Linacre WeBS - July 2019

Luke and I were down at Linacre this weekend to carry out July's WeBS count. As usual for this time of the year there were lots of young birds about, including our first Tufted Duck ducklings of 2019 (one brood of 3 birds).

Tufted Duck

Totals for the day were: Grey Wagtail (8; 2 adults and 6 juveniles), Moorhen (24; 8 adults and 16 juveniles), Coot (11; 4 adults and 7 juveniles), Mandarin Duck (32; 15 adults and 17 ducklings), Tufted Duck (17;14 adults and 3 ducklings), Great-crested Grebe (4; 3 adults and 1 juvenile), Mallard (48; all adults or well grown juveniles) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (4 adults). 6 House Martins were also seen, but there no records of Swift or Swallow.

As well as the birds, we also saw several insects, including 2 new moths and a new caddisfly species. The new moths were, Celypha lacunana and Chrysoteuchia culmella and the caddisfly was Mystacides longicornis. Other insects seen were, Yellow Shell (1), Volucella pellucens hoverfly (3), Meadow Brown (1), 1 Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle, male Common Blue Damselfly and a female Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Blue-tailed Damselfly (form rufescens)

New Moth for Linacre

A quick half an hour at Linacre this morning gained me an addition to the moth list when I found this beauty perched in a tree in the ringing area. Its a Common Carpet, which, as the name suggests, is a common moth found in a range of habitats, throughout England. More information here.

Common Carpet (nearly in focus!)

 

 Whilst on site, I also spotted at least 10 Ringlets, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 male Common Blue Damselfly, 1 Meadow Brown and this Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle.

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle

Linacre Insects

Every summer I spend some time looking at the insect life at Linacre. Today I spent  three hours walking around the bottom and middle reservoirs and recorded some lovely things. Here are some photos:

White-tailed Bumblebee

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle

Common Carder Bee

Great Pied Hoverfly

Green-veined White

Small Copper



Other species seen, but not photographed were: Small White, Large White, Peacock and a Southern Hawker dragonfly that chased, caught and ate a Speckled Wood butterfly.