Date: 23rd May 2025
Time: from 10:45 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 14°C to 16°C
I had a later start this morning in order to wait for a better opportunity of seeing butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies in the increasing temperature.
That was a good decision and I recorded 8 new species for the site for 2025: Common Blue (1 plus 3 other “blue” butterflies which may have been this species and/or Holly Blue), Small White (1), Emperor Dragonfly (1), Broad-bodied Chaser (at least 2 males and 2 females), Four-spotted Chaser (1), Large Red Damselfly (at least 2 mating pairs but probably more), Azure Damselfly (at least 20), Blue-tailed Damselfly (1)
All records were in the northern section of the site with all the dragonflies and damselflies seen around the pond.
In addition, and before I had even seen any of the above, I heard a singing male Common Whitethroat in the northern section of the site. It was evidently very mobile and I eventually saw it distantly in the northern paddock. This was my first record of this species for the site for 2025 and much later than when I first see it in mid or late April.
Other highlights during my visit were as follows:
Lesser Whitethroat: singing male heard and seen again in the usual area in the northern section of the site
Chiffchaff: at least 5 singing males (none seen)
Blackcap: at least 5 singing males (1 seen)
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard "drumming" in the northern section of the site and another heard calling in the woodland in the southern section of the site
Mallard: a pair seen on the pond in the northern section of the site seemingly oblivious to my extended time spent there watching the dragonflies and damselflies.
Butterflies: Small Heath (2),
Speckled Wood (3)
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Common Whitethroat
Common Blue
Emperor Dragonfly
Here are some photos from my visit ….
Photo: male Broad-bodied Chaser
Photo: male Broad-bodied Chaser
Photo: male Broad-bodied Chaser
Photo: male Broad-bodied Chaser
Photo: Four-spotted Chaser
Photo: Large Red Damselfly
Photo: Large Red Damselfly
Photo: Large Red Damselfly
Photo: Large Red Damselfly
Photo: Large Red Damselflies
Photo: Large Red Damselflies
Photo: Azure Damselfly
Photo: Azure Damselflies
Photo: Azure Damselfly
Photo: Azure Damselflies
Photo: Dock Bug
Photo: male and female Mallard
Site totals for 2025 to date (2024 totals in brackets):
Birds = 42
(49)
Total
species list for the site
Birds = 69
Love nature .... act now
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