On 17th June, I travelled to North Yorkshire in the hope of seeing Small White Orchid, an orchid I had not seen before. I knew I was leaving it a little late, as it only blooms for just two weeks in June. I travelled to Ingleborough National Nature Reserve, in the Yorkshire Dales, which is […]
A quite remarkable record of a Reddish Light Arches was trapped overnight (30th June/1st July 2023) in a garden moth trap in Sandiacre, just inside the Derbyshire boundary. It is the first modern day record, to my knowledge, since 1910, when the species disappeared from the southern lowland sites where it was classed as a
During June 2023, unusual numbers of Rannoch Looper (Macaria brunneata) moth were arriving in the UK, with Records being reported from a number of inland counties, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and even as far wide as Cambridgeshire, Northumberland and Hampshire. Most counties were recording their first records of this species, and I’m sure
10th June 2023 – The weather forecast predicted temperatures would reach 30 degrees in the local area, so an early start to look for a few orchids. I soon discovered Common Spotted and Southern Marsh at my local patch. A visit to a nearby Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve produced Common Twayblade and Common Spotted, with
This year we decide to re-visit a favoured Greek island, the island of Lesvos, which lies in the Aegean Sea, just off the Turkish coast. It was our third visit, and one that was long awaited. The hotel was great, the food and people were great , the weather was great and the birding was
On Monday 1st May 2023, a Grey-headed Lapwing was discovered on the wader scrape pools at Low-Newton-by-the-Sea, in Northumberland. Goodness knows what the birder must have thought, when he set eyes on this extremely attractive wader, that had decided to arrive on his local patch. If accepted by the BOU, it would be a new
Early May always produces a good selection of waders and yesterday, 2nd May, was no exception at Frampton. There has been an influx of Black-winged Stilts into Britain these past few weeks, and no doubt some will be settling down to breed. A pair were at Frampton but were just a little distant, nevertheless showed
The old oak woodlands of the Derbyshire Peak District hold a variety of special birds that are summer visitors to Britain. Sadly, they are becoming increasingly scarce, so these habitats are of vital importance. The Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart are two migrants that arrive in late April, followed by Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler and
