From Doug. I spent a couple of days last week visiting “Boylins” which had been a good site for butterflies before the new reed beds were built. The site has started to recover and is yet again good for butterflies. I recorded Orange Tip, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Small Copper, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood.
Alwyn reports Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip female and Speckled Wood butterflies in his Penistone garden.
Kent reports his best night moth trapping so far this year in Ardsley on May 10 with 14 species: Garden Carpet 1, Common Pug 2, Muslin 3, Flame Shoulder 1, Bright line Brown Eye 1, Spectacle 3, Bee Moth 1, Coxcomb Prominent 2, Oak Hook Tip 1, Toadflax Pug 1, Red green Carpet 1, Epiphyas postvittana 2, Sycamore 1, Cabbage Moth 1.
From Catherine and Mark. We’ve had some lovely insect sightings in the Dearne valley this weekend, including a Golden Bloomed Long-horned Beetle, a Wasp Beetle and a couple of day flying moths: Silver-Ground and Green Carpet.
Mark also acquired a new hoverfly for his life list. He’s been looking every year and finally found it on his doorstep – the Ramsons Hoverfly. It comes out with the flowers needless to say… A shorter walk on the local Common gave loads of Small Copper butterflies and a couple of Dingy Skippers.
And I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but it seems to be a bumper year for Green Long-Horned Moths. We’ve seen clouds of them around the trees and bushes for a couple of weeks now.
From Stuart. This past week we have seen large swarms of Hawthorn Flies (also called St Mark’s Flies) whenever the sun has come out to lift the temperature so allowing the black gangly legged males to display.
This has not gone unnoticed by the local Starlings many of which now have young to feed. They have been filling up on those insects still on the ground and in the grass. Some were holding them in their beaks like a puffin with sand eels before flying off to feed to the greedy noisy chicks!
On the morning of Tuesday the 5th of May, I was taking the bins out after my porridge and looked up to see the fantastic sight of six Swifts racing across the sky; I now look forward to seeing them more and more over the coming weeks. From Peter and Annefie. Swifts also came back again to around Locke Park Tower last week, just like the Barnsley Bird Atlas cover.
The usual bird suspects in our garden were joined this week for the first time by a Nuthatch. We could hear it tapping away at a decaying branch of our willow tree. Fun to watch its antics as it went up and down.
Over 15 years ago, Colin and Linda were given a Barn Owl box which has been used over the years by Stock Doves, Kestrels and Tawny Owls but never a Barn Owl.
Then in late April this year, while bat detecting, they noticed a Barn Owl flying from the box and then the following night a Barn Owl showing well next to it.
They continue to have regular sightings of the male Barn Owl hunting and returning to the nest box with food for the female which must be brooding eggs.
From Alwyn. ‘This hoverfly (Eupeodes luniger) is doing what they do best – hover!’ Alwyn is spending his time at home and in his small garden and is thankful that we have been having an exceptionally sunny springtime. He has been busy recording any wildlife and mini-beasts found there at this time. “I’ve counted about 16 different species of Hoverfly in the last few days in my garden, including the Heineken Hoverfly, with its long beak – so called because ‘it reaches parts other ones can’t reach’; some are as small as 4-5mm.”
Heineken Hoverfly – Rhingia campestris
From Doug. Hello All. Hope you are all keeping safe and well after the fifth weekend of the lockdown. It has been very quiet on the moth front in Silkstone Common this week and quite quiet for Kent as well with his moth trap at Ardsley. We both think that it is due to the cold nights.
On Friday I had my daily exercise with a walk in Hall Royd Wood which had a good display of spring flowers which include Wood Anemone, Common Dog Violet, Lesser Celandine, Greater Stitchwort, Bluebell and my favourite Yellow Archangel. There were chiffchaffs singing as I approached the TPT. On Saturday repeating the same walk I heard Curlew calling. The highlight of the week was a large Red Damselfly in the backyard. Cheers, Doug.
From Kent. A couple of nights ago I trapped a Lime Hawke Moth in my garden here in Ardsley.
From Ron and Joyce: We have managed to tick most of the summer migrants off on our daily lockdown walk. From our garden in Doncaster Rd we have had three displaying Buzzards, one Sparrowhawk and one ‘fly-over’ Osprey.
From Geoff. All three of us at home watch out for birds and butterflies in the garden. I have been out and about and I’ve recorded lots of spring plants and several butterflies not seen in the garden. Migrant birds have not been numerous at Worsbrough Reservoir. I’ve only seen Swallows over the water on one date. A single Common Sandpiper was present on the spillway a week ago but my most entertaining sight was a female Mallard with a family of 11 ducklings swimming around the spillway pond.
From Michele and Phillip. Not much different to report in this urban area. Three honesty plants in flower, sparrows plentiful, one oxeyed daisy. And the trees on Shaw Lane are starting to show leaf. In the garden we’ve had two Blue Tits (visit every day and come very close to the window), a Robin, a very vocal Blackbird, hoverflies, and bees white tailed and red tailed. Phil’s seen four newts at Cortonwood.
From Arthur and Pat. We had an interesting time this afternoon (St George’s Day!) sitting in the sun in our front garden and watching a female Red Masonry Bee (Osmia rufa) prospecting along our sunny wall, presumably looking for somewhere to lay her eggs. She kept returning to one spot, and we shall watch later to see if it fills with mud – though where she would find that I don’t know!
[‘It’s surveying for a suitable place to dig a nest. It will just be a narrow shaft in which it will lay its eggs, provision the nest with food (pollen) for the next generation and then seal it off with mud. They’ve been doing this every year as long as bricks and mortar have existed and before that in something else. They are solitary and don’t occur in large numbers so a few small holes will be of no consequence to your home, and they are important pollinators so best to let them get on with the vital work.’]
Today Pat also found a chrysalis case – intact – under some leaves in a cool shady spot. That has been provisionally identified as a hawkmoth pupa: we put it back again, as we know nothing about keeping or handling such items. Does anybody? We found a nearby spot yesterday lunchtime which was like a butterfly frenzy, and recorded seven different species within the hour or so that we watched. Orange Tips a-plenty: beautiful! Hope everybody is keeping well and active. Cheers Arthur and Pat.
From Monica. I enjoy sitting and watching the flowers, bees, butterflies and birds in my garden, and now lambs in the field behind my house. On Saturday April 25th I had a Red Admiral. At the moment the Marsh Marigolds are glorious. My tadpoles are very active in this warm weather. A couple of days ago I was sitting by my pond digging out a few unwanted plants nearby when one of the frogs appeared just in front of me and stared up at me as if he/she was very concerned I might be up to no good! Take care and stay well, Monica
From Annefie. Last Sunday, the day after St Mark’s Day, we saw the first flies named after this Saint. They hovered in the sun near an old hedgerow with their long legs dangling beneath them. Apparently they spent most of their life as larva in the soil, feeding on rotting vegetation. Their purpose in their short adult life is to mate and lay eggs and they have an important role as pollinators. Seen any on your walks perhaps?
From Stuart. The first sighting I want to report is a complete odd-ball. And, I want to say now (just to be very clear!), that I was not under the influence of alcohol or prescription medication when this observation was made!
It is Thursday morning, April 23rd, at 10:20am – I am sitting in our summer house and looking out into the sky. High in the sky I could see a bird wheeling, I just assumed it was a buzzard but people may remember that a couple of weeks ago I reported seeing a red kite catching a thermal over Tesco`s in Penistone. So this bird needed to be checked carefully just to be sure. I picked up the binoculars to get a closer look, immediately I could see it had a long neck so my first thought of a buzzard (or red kite) was quashed. It must be a lone goose, but no… it was white! So, it`s a swan…but no its neck is not long enough and its legs are sticking out beyond its tail. I supported myself on the garden fence and fine-tuned the focus wheel – it was a spoonbill! Plain as the nose on your face, a spoonbill over Penistone!
[One or two Spoonbills have now been seen in the Dearne Valley; so Stuart’s (the first sighting) was probably en route!]
During the week Lynn and I have continued with our daily exercise walk around Penistone and kept our eyes and ears open for the delights each day brings. So to continue….. The number of Willow Warblers we have heard singing has continued to rise and so has the number of Swallows we are seeing both on the wing and sat on telephone lines. Whilst sat on the wires you can hear them chatting to each other and we can only imagine what they are saying.
A bird that I do not see as often as I did 30 years ago around Penistone is the Yellowhammer but at last we saw one after hearing its distinctive call; “a little bit of bread but no cheese”. This was in the Hartcliffe area above Penistone, it was a stunning sight on top of a fence post in full sun against a clear blue sky.
We have also, just this last week, seen out first Orange Tip butterflies – a lovely sight in the spring sunshine. Back in the garden our Hedgehog is now out and about in the early hours of darkness, the first time we have seen it this year. Of course I say “our Hedgehog” but clearly have no way of proving it is the one we had all last summer. But it is nice to think it is. Best wishes to you all, Stuart & Lynn.
From Catherine and Mark: We had an unexpectedly wonderful walk on Monday. You may remember the forecast was not great but the sun came out late morning. We saw all sorts of lovely critters by the river. A Cardinal and Tortoise Beetle and a Green Nettle Weevil were among the highlights, and dozens of Green Long Horned Moths – so pretty to see and so hard to photograph their dance round the bushes… We saw 8 species of bee, 9 species of butterfly and 12 species of hoverfly. Here are images of the Green Nettle Weevil and the Hoverfly Dasysyrphus albostriatus.
We have also continued to enjoy the birds on the riverside. Lots of Blackcap but also Garden Warbler too. And a Lesser Whitethroat as well as plenty of Common Whitethroat. But the highlight was an evening walk when we saw a Great White Egret around the ponds! I guess it went for a bit of a detour one evening from Carlton Marsh! Catherine and Mark.
And here’s another photo from Alwyn of a species of Fly (Helina reversio) busy blowing bubbles, sitting on a leaf of his Apple Tree, ugly little creature, about 7- 8mm big. I hope it doesn’t put you off your food. Keep safe, fit and healthy. Alwyn.
This Wednesday evening would have been a Barnsley Nats meeting so it seems timely to post. And first of all an image from Alwyn of a Goldfinch on the cherry blossom trees in his Penistone garden. More from Alwyn later.
From Doug. This is the end of our fourth week and I hope that you are all keeping well. Not very much to report this week what with the moth trap numbers low and species static. However new bees seen this week are Oranged Tailed Mining Bee and Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena species) but no Nomad bees have been seen as yet.
A friend who lives at Darton has been watching a pair of Tree Sparrows using a nest box in his neighbour’s garden. Dennis Giggal has told us that he has a resident hedgehog in his garden off Park Road. Jill has been recording butterflies with Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock seen.
From Catherine. Thanks to all of you who are compiling and sending out the sighting updates. It is really interesting and heartening to read it all. All well here. Especially seeing all the wildlife in the garden and on our exercise walk. It’s so extraordinary, especially in the evening, to sit out and all you can hear is the birds… The Dearne delivered again Easter weekend with sightings of two grass snakes! One was swimming in the river and the other much further upstream was in the riverside brash… I doubt we’d have ever seen them if we hadn’t been forced to stay close to home.
We’ve now had Tawny Mining Bee; and Red Mason Bees – the ones that love the bee hotels – are quite numerous now as well. And finally the hoverflies are out. You’ve probably seen all the drone flies that are about. Invariably hovering in sunny spots… we’ve never seen as many… but slowly other species are joining them too. I think four species in the garden now. Plus a bee fly and the Honeysuckle Sawfly have put in an appearance. And it’s a grand year for butterflies isn’t it? We’ve had an Orange Tip in the garden every day for a while now.
From Gill R. In our garden on Easter Saturdaythere was a Brimstone butterfly; only the second time I have seen one. And then when we were sitting having a spot of lunch on Easter Sunday – wham! – a female Sparrowhawk had hit the window. She rested catching her breath in the now dead hawthorn tree across the breadth of the back garden and was empty taloned! and it looks like the cock pheasant is exceeding the government’s guidelines for exercising because it is still shadowing the females. It is easily identifiable because much of its tail feathers have disappeared and last week one was sticking up like a rudder, but no longer! It was a very amusing sight and much needed in these grim times.
From Stuart: With the end of this first three weeks of the UK lockdown, we are now starting another three weeks and the daily routine is now starting to become ominously normal. More of my observations from our single daily exercise walks around Penistone: one really nice sight of this past week was a pair of Golden Plover (in a field near Hartcliff tower for those who know the area). Also my first record of the year of a Willow Warbler which are now increasing in numbers by the day.
Back at home, in my garden, I was moving some plant pots around and came across some woodlice. Yes, I know that is not at all unusual. But some of them were different so I took one to my microscope to have a closer look. It turned out to be Porcellio spinicornis (I don’t think it has a common name).
And, it should not be in Penistone at all but somewhere in limestone country. But, I suppose as far as it is concerned the lime mortar in and around our old house is near enough and I am only a stone’s throw from the old Woodhead railway line which would have had tons of limestone ballast around. Nature always seems to find a way.
Another ‘mini-beast’ from Alwyn. Alwyn also tells us that, when having a beer in his garden hoping to see an Orange-Tip butterfly, he spotted instead a very large (hungry?) caterpillar on garlic-mustard.
Following research, he identified it as an Angle Shades moth caterpillar. The Angle Shades moth is an unusual moth that rests with the wings folded longitudinally, looking very much like a withered autumn leaf. So we look forward to a photograph later in the year.
A comment from Stuart. I am sure many reading this will have numerous wildlife and associated books and this time has given us all the perfect excuse to look at the bookshelf and find the books you have long since forgotten about. I found such a book lurking in a dark corner; it was given to me many years ago by an old uncle when I was just a lad. It is called Birdlife Throughout The Year, it was written by John H Salter before the first world war. It is fascinating to read his observations at a time when industrial pollutions were still increasing but before the impact of more modern mechanised farming. Here is one quote which makes you think: …..The brook is transformed into an inky drain, foul with the smell of bleach-works, but the Whitethroat and Sedge-Warbler still nest amongst the briars and brambles which overhang it. The field pond in the hollow becomes the rubbish tip to neighbouring back yards, but, as long as it has its fringe of willow and a few tufts of sedge and rushes the Reed Bunting still makes its home. Upon the first occasion when we listened to the note of the Quail, its voice came from a patch of rye grass not two miles distant from Manchester City Hall. No farther from the same centre, but in the other direction, the Cuckoo paid visits, to suburban villadom and, sitting with open window on quiet nights, one might even hear a distant Corncrake…
A question from Alwyn: Here are sparrows feeding on the cherry blossom petals in his garden. How common is this?
It is good to know that many of you are finding lots to see in your gardens and nearby on your walks, with Redwing and Fieldfare on the move back and the first Sand Martin, Swallow and other summer visitors arriving. Of course in addition there have been different bees and butterflies in our gardens, moths identified by our moth trappers, and a number of nesting birds. Thanks everyone for your emails and online news. Here are some of these contributions …
From Doug: This last week’s bird highlight has been a Raven flying from the Worsbrough area over Silkstone Common. The two Buzzard have been seen on a daily basis. The moth numbers have been varied with two different species recorded from last week, Brindled Beauty and Twin Spot Quaker. There does seem to be more activity on the bee-front this week which include Common Carder, Early, Buff Tailed and Red Tailed (all Bombus – bumblebees). Jill has had a female Orange Tipped butterfly – the first for us this season. Doug.
Arthur and Pat saw a Brimstone fluttering over the River Deane near Old Mill Bridge and their first violet of the year (V riviniana). They have had a fair crop of stout brown and white fungi sprouting from their lawn in urban Barnsley; they have been identified as Saint George’s Mushroom albeit two weeks before St George’s Day, so rather early.
From Alan: I have been painting the garden shed today and the only company I’ve had has been a hoverfly that seemed to be guarding a clump of daffodils. It came over to see what I was doing occasionally, no doubt saying ‘you’ve missed a bit there mate’ before flying back to his patch. Strangely no butterflies for such a fine warm day. I had a quick look at the tortoiseshell that I had put in an egg box in the shed; it had fallen on its side so I fear the worst for it.
From: Annefie: Good to spot the Little Owl in the hawthorn tree on our local walk.
From Catherine and Mark: Seeing much more of the wildlife in the garden and on our local patch is a wonderful silver lining of the lockdown. We went for a walk near Stairfoot in the sun last weekend. We were amazed at the size of the seasonal pond in the nature reserve area which we visited about this time last year.
It filled most of the old quarry floor and there were a lot of water birds enjoying it including Gadwall, Little Grebe and two pairs of Tufted Duck! It was a glorious spring walk in the sunshine and we saw our first bee fly of the season as well as a glorious view of a male Yellowhammer in full breeding plumage. Exercise walks down the Dearne have been our greatest joy, watching the Kingfishers, Sand Martins and lots of raptors. We think a pair of buzzards seems to be roosting in the nearby woods and wondering if they might nest….. An evening visit delivered four species of bat – the two Pipistrelles, Daubentons, and a Noctule. The Hairy Footed Flower Bees are still active in the garden. The males patrol the flower borders and have proved to be very aggressive, chasing off any other insects they encounter including bumble bees several times larger! I have posted a photo on the website. [See comment on Shared Observations II post]
From Stuart – locked down in Penistone … Lynn and I are continuing with our new routine and during our daily “exercise walks” continue to see beautiful things. On one walk we were laughing at the new lambs playing and chasing each other in some spring sunshine and in the same field Lapwings seeing off a Carrion Crow. We often see Brown Hare in one field too and the Curlew with their haunting calls which we simply love to hear (this is all within 20 mins walk of the town centre). Some new things this week too on Wednesday spotted my first Brimstone butterfly of 2020 near the river Don, this was seen while I was watching both Brown Trout and Grayling feeding at the surface of the river. They were feeding on new emerged midges. On Thursday (9th April) I saw my first Swallow of the summer, always a very welcome sight. Then, on the same day, when back at home in the garden we heard a crow high in the sky mobbing something. You may remember from my last note that our garden (postage stamp size!) is just across the road from the Tesco supermarket in Penistone and quite a few birds use the warm air rising off the large park and huge roof space for natural lift. It was a pair of buzzard last week; this time an even greater sight – the wonderful Red Kite. I have seen odd ones around Penistone in previous years but this was the first over the town centre for me.
Several people have sent in contributions at the end of week two of the ‘lock-down.
From Doug: Whilst wending my way to recover my moth traps from the allotments near our house, I heard a Greater Spotted Woodpecker drumming, which started a train of thought about other woodpeckers that have been seen in Silkstone Common.
I have not heard a Green Woodpecker’s yaffling call for a while and wondered if any others have seen or heard one in their area. All this underlines the importance of recording not just rare species but more common ones that may decline.
This weeks insect sightings have been low due to the colder weather and I have recorded the following moths: Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and Hebrew Character. Highlight of the week my first record of a Red Mining Bee for 2020. Stay safe and well, Doug
From Gill’s garden in Dodworth: Here the Chiffchaff has been silent today and I feel that it is the herald for Summer for me. It is calling from Ratten Row, Dodworth and all the scrubby and so far undeveloped land (thank goodness) on Strafford Walk. It was a bit closer on Saturday but I still claimed it for my weekly BTO listing this last week – the first quarter!
From my greenhouse this afternoon a Song Thrush popped up from the scrub and then went into the thicket/ back hedge and that is another favourite bird of mine. Is it nesting?‑ I shall be watching!
We too have had up to a dozen or more Blue Tits this winter and now there is a threesome and bound to be some disappointment there. Also we often get pheasants and on Saturday the shorter-tailed cock pheasant had two ladies in tow and another that hadn’t had its tail damaged was a Johnny no mate!
Stuart’s account of Lock-Down in Penistone: We have also got into a bit of routine this past week which includes morning coffee in the garden summer house. Now, this is nothing very grand and is smack bang in the centre of Penistone, but we do have bird feeders which I top up while my wife makes the tea and coffee. We have a good head of House Sparrows which are always entertaining as well as visits from Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird. What you might call the staple urban species.
We also have a good many Jackdaws (we had eight all at the same time today) one of which is “pied” with a mix of black and pure white feathers. We also get a regular pair of Wood Pigeons which after clearing out the seed tray soon start kissing and canoodling which today got even more serious and x-rated; they certainly know it is Spring! As well as the garden entertainment we also get the “fly-pasts” with regular Canada Geese and even a pair of Buzzards that maybe are using the thermals of Tesco`s roof to their advantage.
After our morning coffee we go out for our “one-exercise-a-day-walk” this takes us up past the Penistone Show Ground fields and for a nice circular walk. When the weather has been warm we have had good sightings of butterflies (Peacock and Tortoiseshell) as well bumblebees. The birds have also been interesting with Curlew, Lapwings and Skylark all within 15 to 20 minutes walk of the Tesco store in Penistone town centre. I am sure there will even more to see in the coming weeks (months!). Stuart
More on bees another time. And let’s have your observations of butterflies and moths (Jill spotted a Brimstone on 22 March), frog and toad spawn (Monica reported 7 frogs with spawn on 31 March), hedgehogs appearing, and birds nesting. Or anything else of note!
“Sitting in my summer house in the garden, I’m overjoyed to see butterflies fluttering about. I’ve seen a tortoise shell and a peacock. I’m watching a pair of great tits sussing out a nesting box on my neighbour’s silver birch. A big bee has been bumbling around too. I’m so lucky to have my own little out door haven. I had a new pond put in last year and have high hopes for lots of fun observing that too.” Judy.
“We saw a Red Admiral in the Dearne valley in February, plus a Comma on Monday and a Peacock on Tuesday this week. Also had a micromoth (Garden Cosmet) in our bathroom over the weekend and a Nursery-Web Spider in back garden today. Flowers include Lesser Celandine, Wood Anemone and Primrose. Yes Spring has finally arrived! We plan to take our daily quota of exercise around Monk Bretton, Burton Bank or the Dearne Valley whilst this good weather remains, and hope for further sightings in the days ahead.” Arthur + Pat.
“The wildlife has been smashing in the lovely weather. Like you noticing all sorts of mating and nesting birds, a few peacock butterflies and so far seven species of bee in the garden. Wow! We heard the dawn chorus at around 5am today… just happened to wake up and it was fabulous. So clear without the usual traffic hum in the background. And then we went (much) later for our exercise walk down the Dearne. Really quiet again, just the birds, the bees and the odd tortoiseshell butterfly; and including two sightings of kingfisher. Magic! Mark and Catherine
“I too have been noticing a lot more in my garden and tweeting some of it. It’s really nice to be able to take in some distracting positive messages. I have long tailed tits nesting in my back garden. First time or just the first time I’ve noticed?” Pete
“With living in the town centre I always thought I missed out, a little, on nature. But now I know this is not true: I get to hear the dawn chorus every morning on my way into work.
Here are my sightings over the last week: 1 comma butterfly on a dandelion on my way home from work. While sat in the back garden (which is matchbox size); two peacock butterflies and a white tailed bumble bee. One heron in flight, heading from Morrisons towards the hospital. This I have spotted on two occasions.
Phil spotted a wren on the garden wall; its a long long time since I’ve had wrens in the garden. Out and about on short walks with the dog. Herb Robert, this grows readily where pavements join walls and this is in flower even some seed heads. Harts tongue ferns growing in the crevices of the old Holgate school wall. There is no sign of the trees on Shaw Lane showing new growth after the cut back.
Then there are the daily sighting of pigeons, magpies, crows, hedge sparrows, blue tits.” Michele and Phil
Doug Brown, Barnsley Nats President, has sent this message to everyone:
This is the end of the first week of the lock-down, but I can still record the local bird and wildlife.
Last week when life was fairly free, I noticed fair numbers of Long Tailed Tits and Wrens on the TPT at Thurgoland pairing up. I think that the mild winter has boosted numbers of both at home; speaking of which we have had up to six Blue Tits, two Great Tit, two Nuthatch and up to thirty Goldfinch on the feeders at home. On the down side we have not had any Siskin or Redpoll and only the odd Greenfinch this winter.
The warmer weather this last week has encouraged butterflies to emerge out, such as Comma, Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell in Silkstone Common.
Sunshine brought out the ‘aging moth trapper’ on a few nights this last week which resulted in the following species being recorded, Small Quaker, Common Quaker Hebrew Character and Early Moth.
Please take care, best wishes, Doug.
PS. If you would like to get in touch, we are looking forward to hearing about the wildlife you have seen and what you have observed.
