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

Hardwick Ponds - 24th July 2021

 Jayne and I had a walk around the ponds at Hardwick Hall yesterday. It was 20 degrees, with a lot of cloud cover and a few sunny spells.

Whilst there we saw 6 species of odanata, the highlight being my first record of Small Red-eyed Damselfly for this site. Other species seen were: Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Emperor, Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Red-eyed Damselfly

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Butterfly species seen were: Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Large White. We also saw this caterpillar, which I think is a Large White. and a single Volucella pellucens (Great Pied Hoverfly).

Birdwise, it was pretty quiet, but there were Mallard and Tufted Duck ducklings as well as young Coots, Moorhens , Canada Geese and 2 adult Black-headed Gulls.

RSPB Old Moor

Jayne and I spent a few hours at RSPB Old Moor yesterday. The weather wasn't great, but we still managed to see some good insects (and a few birds too!).

The first insect of the day was a Dingy Skipper. 2 were seen including this individual.

Dingy Skipper

Other butterflies seen were: Common Blue and Green-veined White.

Common Blue Butterfly (female, above and male, below)

We also saw 3 damselfly species: Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Red-eyed and 2 dragonflies: Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor.

Black-tailed Skimmer (immature)

Birdwise, we saw Black-headed Gulls (many chicks), Black-tailed Godwit (10), Pochard, Mallard, Canada and Greylag Geese, Swifts, Great-crested and Little Grebes and Mute Swan, including this colour ringed individual with 4 cygnets.

UPDATE: The Mute San 087 was ringed as a young bird at Ulley, 15km away, in September 2013, making it 6 years old this year. It has spent its entire life within South Yorkshire, being reported in Aldwarke, Rotherham, Thrybergh and Wath, before being reported at Old Moor in 2017 for the first time. Has it been here ever since??

Ickworth House

We had a walk around the National Trust's Ickworth House yesterday. There was a lake called Canal Lake, where we saw a few birds, namely Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck and Moorhen. Also present here were a few damselflies; Red-eyed and Common Blue, both new for the year.

Red-eyed Damselfly

Common Blue Damselfly

Two other new species for the year were seen on Monday; Egyptian Goose ( a pair and 2 goslings on Thorpeness Meare, and Dartford Warbler (1 on Dunwich Heath).

Egyptian Goose and gosling

Year List update:
163 - Egyptian Goose
164 - Dartford Warbler