MAMMALS

Pygmy Shrew recorded by Linford Lakes Mammal Group on 11^th – plus field sign of 10 other species including badger, mink, otter and Muntjac deer.

Noctule bat over Tattenhoe – 8^th (Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

Female Scaup and Woodcock at Linford Lakes N.R. (11^th)

Red Kite over Shenley Church End – 11th (Peter Hassett)

Red Crested Pochard – pair still at South Willen Lake (9^th)

3 Stonechats on fence posts – Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (7^th)

FUNGI

Oyster mushrooms Pleurotus spp. on willow stump at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (7^th)

Tremella mesenterica (Yellow Brain Fungus) – plentiful at Linford Lakes NR (11^th)

(All sightings not otherwise attributed by Martin Kincaid)

BIRDS

Chiffchaff calling at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (27th)
Small group of Siskins near St.Giles Church, Tattenhoe (28th)

MAMMALS

Muntjac buck and doe in Howe Park Wood (28th)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Comma butterfly basking by Howe Park Wood (25th)
Red Admiral basking in Tattenhoe Linear Park (28th)

(All sightings by Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

2 Scaup, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Woodcock – Linford Lakes N.R. (20^th)
Red Crested Pochard – pair still present at South Willen (19^th)
15 Common Snipe outside bird hide – North Willen (19^th)
7 Goosander reported from Emberton Country Park (Bucks Bird Club – 17^th)
1 Goosander at Caldecotte Lake (18^th)
Red Kites circling over Tattenhoe, Emerson Valley and West Bletchley (HA)
Common Snipe, Tattenhoe Park (20th) (HA)

MAMMALS 

Daubenton’s bats still present at Pineham roost (18^th)
Brown Long-eared Bats roosting at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (18^th)
Dog Otter seen from near hide at Linford Lakes N.R. (Keith Gander – 20^th)
Fox & Scat of Mink LLNR (20th) (Peter Hassett)

LISSAMPHIBIA

20+ Great Crested Newts and 6 Smooth Newts found hibernating at Elfield Park (17^th)

INSECTS

Odonata
Female Common Darter near St.Giles Church, Tattenhoe (16th) (HA)

FUNGI

Purple Jelly Disc  Ascocoryne scarcoides found on dead wood in Howe Park Wood (18^th Nov, )

(All sightings by Martin Kincaid except as otherwiuse noted. HA = Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

11 Lapwings over Tattenhoe Park (11th)
3 Ravens over Tattenhoe Park (13th)

Ravens Corvus corax by Harry Appleyard Tattenhoe Park 13th November 2016

 
Blackbird singing near Howe Park Wood (13th)
Tawny Owl hooting in Howe Park Wood (14th)
3 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 5 Common Snipe and 1 Water Rail at North Willen Lake (11^th – MK)
2 juvenile VELVET SCOTERS still present at South Willen Lake (13^th) and Common Scoter female on 12^th.
2 Stonechat at Floodplain Forest NR (12^th – MK)
1 Ring-necked Parakeet over Walton Lake (11^th – MK)

MAMMALS

Brown Hares, Chinese Water Deer and 1 Muntjac at Magna Park (13^th – MK/Harry Appleyard)
Weasel at Linford Lakes NR (10^th – MK)
Roe Deer at Elfield Park (9^th – MK)

LISSAMPHIBIA

Common Toad, Tattenhoe Park (14th)

INSECTS

Odonata

Common Darters active around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park (11th and 13th)

Lepidoptera

Red Admiral basking in Kingsmead Wood (11th)

Hemiptera Heteroptera Pentatomidae 

1 Common Green Shield Bug Palomena prasina and 1 Spiked Shield Bug  Picromerus bidens , Tattenhoe (11th)

Common Green Shield Bug Palomena prasina by Harry Appleyard Tattenhoe 11th November 2016

(MK= Martin Kincaid, all other sightings by Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

Red Kites over Bletchley and the North Bucks Way
Marsh Tit, Howe Park Wood (8th)
Grey Heron eating common frog, Howe Park Wood (7th)
3 Pintail (2 m, 2 f) and  male Red Crested Pochard at North Willen Lake (6th). Also, Short-eared Owl reported from here by several people. (MK)
2 Common Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Red Kite and Sparrow-hawk at Floodplain Forest (7th)  (MK)
2 VELVET SCOTERS on Willen South Lake, in front of the Lakeside Hotel (7th November).(MK)

MAMMALS

Bank Vole, Howe Park Wood (7th)

INSECTS

Speckled Wood butterfly, Tattenhoe (3rd)
Male Common Darter, Tattenhoe (3rd)

(MK= Martin Kincaid, all other sightings by Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

Large groups of Fieldfares and Redwings around Tattenhoe
Large groups of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins over Rushmere Country Park (29th)
Jack Snipe reported from North Willen Lake (29^th)
Female Scaup at Floodplain Forest (27^th)
2 Bramblings among chaffinch flock at Bow Brickhill (29^th – MK)
Pintail – drake at Stony Stratford Reserve (31^st – MK)
Little grebe, kingfisher and Cetti’s warbler at Emberton Park last Monday 24th October  (Julie Lane)

MAMMALS

Harvest Mouse brought in dead by cat in Stony Stratford recently. Now at taxidermist!
Otter seen at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (25^th – MK)
Noctule Bat seen at 4pm over Howe Park Wood (31^st – Harry Appleyard)

LEPIDOSAURIA

Baby grass snake at Rushmere country park last Sunday 25th October (Julie Lane)

INSECTS

Hymenoptera
Buff-tailed and White-tailed bumblebee queens at LLNR (31^st – MK)

Lepidoptera
Brimstone butterfly – female flying at LLNR (31^st – MK)

Odonata
Male Southern Hawker, Rushmere Country Park (29th)
Common Darter dragonflies mating at Stony Stratford Reserve (30^th – MK)

FUNGI

Funeral Bell Galerina marginata, Black Bulgar Bulgaria inquinans and Clitocybe geotropa among species found at Linford Wood (30^th – Bucks Fungus Group – see separate News Item)
Common Parasol mushrooms Macrolepiota procera at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (31^st – MK)

(MK = Martin Kincaid, all other sightings by Harry appleyard unless indicated otherwise)

BIRDS

Short-eared Owl, Tattenhoe (19th)
Redwings and Fieldfares passing through Tattenhoe
Red Kites circling over Tattenhoe
Female Stonechat, Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (24th)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Red Admirals, Tattenhoe

Odonata

Female Migrant Hawker, Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (24th)

(All sightings by Harry Appleyard)

MAMMALS

1 Common Pipistrelle (male) found using bat box, Linford Lakes N.R. (17^th)

Pipistrelle Bat Linford Lakes NR 17th October 2016 Martin Kincaid

3 Bank Voles in woodpile outside Woodland Hide (17^th)

1 Muntjac deer seen from Woodland Hide (17^th)

BIRDS

Little Owls calling at Floodplain Forest (13^th) Also several Common Snipe

Great White Egret and 4 Stonechats reported from Linford Lakes (14^th)

Peregrine pair seen at Stadium:MK (13^th)

Small groups of Redwings, Tattenhoe

Lesser Redpolls and Siskins passing over Tattenhoe Park

Red Kites circling regularly over Tattenhoe
INSECTS
Lepidoptera

Red Admirals around Howe Park Wood
1 Small Copper, 1 Small White and 1 Comma in Tattenhoe Park (14th)

Small White Tattenhoe Park Harry Appleyard 14th October 2016

Odonata

Male Southern Hawker, Tattenhoe Park (14th)

Large numbers of Common Darters still present around Tattenhoe
At least 2 Willow Emerald Damselflies in Tattenhoe Valley Park (14th)

Willow Emerald Damselfly egg galls Tattenhoe 17th October 2016 Harry Appleyard

All sightings by Martin Kincaid and Harry Appleyard

BIRDS

Red Kites over Newton Longville, West Bletchley and Tattenhoe

Small groups of Redwings moving through Tattenhoe

Redwing Tattenhoe Harry Appleyard 7th October 2016

First Winter Continental Blackbirds, Tattenhoe linear park

Mistle Thrush feeding on common yew, St.Giles Churchyard, Tattenhoe (10th)

Lesser Redpolls calling in flight above Tattenhoe Park (10th)

Common Snipe, Tattenhoe Park

LEPIDOSAURIA 

1 Adder and 8 Common Lizards at Rammamere Heath (9^th – MK/Di Parsons/Carol Watts)

LISSAMPHIBIA

Common Toads in Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Brimstone butterfly, Tattenhoe Park (4th)

Large White, Tattenhoe Park (9th)

Speckled Woods and Red Admirals, Tattenhoe

Convuvulous Hawk Moth at garden trap – Newport Pagnell (4^th – Gordon Redford)

Orthoptera

Oak Bush Crickets coming to lights at Campbell Park Pavilion (7^th – MK)

Odonata

Female Southern Hawker, Howe Park Wood (8th)

Large numbers of Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters around Tattenhoe

Male Migrant Hawker Tattenhoe Park Harry Appleyard 9th Oct 2016

CRUSTACEA

Large Signal Crayfish in ponds at Howe Park Wood (7^th – MK)

FUNGI

Common Deceiver, Amethyst Deceiver, Common Earth-ball, Brown Roll Rim, Jelly Ear, Shaggy Parasol found on Parks Trust foray – Hazeley Wood (8^th Oct) MK

Fly Agaric, Amethyst Deceiver, Russula spp., Brown Birch Bolete – Rammamere Heath (9^th)  MK

All sightings not attributed to anyone else by Harry Appleyard, MK = Martin Kincaid

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly Tattenhoe Park Harry Appleyard 1st October

Female Willow Emerald Damselfly Tattenhoe Park Harry Appleyard 1st October 2016

Lepidoptera

Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Small Tortoisheshell butterflies still on the wing. (MK)

Holly Blues flying at Woughton-on-the-Green (2^nd) (MK)

Small Coppers and Comma at Rammamere Heath (2^nd) (MK)

Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and Commas around Tattenhoe (HA)

Small White by Howe Park Wood (2nd) (HA)

Orthoptera

Dark and Roesel’s Bush-crickets still at Pineham (29^th Sep) (MK)

BIRDS

Red Kite over Mill Lane, Stony Stratford (1^st) (MK)

Common and Green Sandpipers at Floodplain Forest.  (MK)

Chiffchaffs singing at Linford Lakes & Stony Stratford Nature Reserves (30^th Sep) (MK)

Redwings and Siskins passing over Tattenhoe (2nd and 3rd) (HA)

Small groups of Skylarks over Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Tawny Owls calling and hooting in Water Spinney and Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Red Kite circling over Tattenhoe Park (3rd) (HA)

LEPIDOSAURIA

Grass Snakes at Walton Lake (30^th Sep) (MK)

2 Adders and several Common Lizards at Rammamere Heath (2^nd) (MK)

FUNGI

Good variety of fungi at Rushmere Country Park/Rammamere Heath on 2^nd October including Fly Agaric, Common Earth-ball, Brown Birch Bolete, Amethyst Deceiver, Chicken-of-the-Woods. (MK)

(Recorders – HA=Harry Appleyard, MK=Martin Kincaid)

Click on any of the pictures for a larger image.

BIRDS

Meadow Pipits, Tattenhoe Park

Red Kites circling over Tattenhoe Park

2 Spotted Flycatchers, St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe (20th)

Peregrine gliding toward West Bletchley over Tattenhoe (25th)

Peregrine Tattenhoe Linear Park 25th Sept 2016 (Harry Appleyard)

LISSAMPHIBIA

Common Toads in Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Red Admirals and Commas feeding on blackberries around Tattenhoe

Small Copper feeding on ragwort, Tattenhoe Park (20th)

Comma by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 20th Sept ember 2016

Odonata

Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers in large numbers around Tattenhoe

1 Male Emerald Damselfly (21st)

Female Emperor Dragonfly, Tattenhoe Park (21st)

Female Emperor by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 21st September 2016

All sightings by Harry Appleyard

BIRDS

Grey Wagtails, Tattenhoe Linear Park

Small groups of Meadow Pipits in Tattenhoe Park

Tawny Owls calling regularly in Howe Park Wood at dusk

Hobby catching dragonflies over Tattenhoe Park (14^th)

Greenshank, Floodplain Forest NR aka Manor Farm, Sunday 18^th – Peter Hassett

Great White Egret, Floodplain Forest NR aka Manor Farm, Sunday 18^th – Peter Hassett

Great White Egret and Little Egret by Harry Appleyard, Floodplain Forest NR 23 August 2016

Snipe x 5, Floodplain Forest NR aka Manor Farm, Sunday 18^th – Peter Hassett

INSECTS

Lepidoptera
Small Coppers, Tattenhoe Park

Small Copper, Tattenhoe Park (18th Sept 2016) by Harry Appleyard

Clouded Yellow Butterfly, St.Giles Church orchard, Tattenhoe (13th)

Large numbers of Commas and Red Admirals around Tattenhoe Linear Park

Odonata

2 Female Emperor Dragonflies ovipositing in Tattenhoe Park (18th Sept)

Teneral Common Darter, Tattenhoe Park (15th)

Teneral Common Darter, Tattenhoe Park (15th Sept 2016)

Emerald, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

All sightings/photos by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated

BIRDS

Tawny Owls calling and hunting near footpaths at dusk in Howe Park Wood
Marsh Tit in Howe Park Wood (1st Sept)

Marsh Tit, Howe Park Wood (1st September 2016)

 
Hobby over Tattenhoe Park (2nd Sept)
Pair of Yellow Wagtails flying over Tattenhoe Park
1 Swift over Tattenhoe Linear Park (4th September)
3 snipe (Floodplain Forest NR – 31^st, Julie Lane)
Flock of at least thirty goldfinches (Floodplain Forest NR – 31^st, Julie Lane)

LEPIDOSAURIA
Young Grass Snake, Tattenhoe (1st Sept)

Grass Snake, Tattenhoe (1st September 2016)

LISSAMPHIBIA
Common Frogs and Common Newts around Howe Park Wood

INSECTS

Lepidoptera
Brimstone, Tattenhoe Park (1st Sept)

Brimstone, Tattenhoe Park (1st September 2016)

Small Whites, Small Tortoiseshells and Speckled Woods in large numbers around Tattenhoe Park
Painted Lady, Tattenhoe Linear Park (3rd Sept)

Odonata
Emperor dragonflies, Tattenhoe Park
Emerald and Common Blue damselflies in Tattenhoe Park
Migrant, Southern and Brown Hawkers present around most ponds in Tattenhoe

Mature Male Southern Hawker, Howe Park Wood (1st September 2016)

BIRDS

Tawny Owls calling in Howe Park Wood at dusk

Red Kites over Tattenhoe and Kingsmead

Spotted Flycatchers passing through Tattenhoe

Hobby over Howe Park Wood (24th)

Female Wheatear in Tattenhoe Park (26th)

Great White Egret at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve

Great White Egret and Little Egret by Harry Appleyard, Floodplain Forest NR 23 August 2016

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Small Heaths and Small Coppers in Tattenhoe Park

Large numbers of Small Tortoiseshells around Tattenhoe

Painted Lady in Tattenhoe Park (30th)

Odonata

Brown Hawkers ovipositing in Tattenhoe Park (30th)

Migrant Hawkers and Southern Hawkers around many Tattenhoe Park ponds

Male Migrant Hawker by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 29 August 2016

Emerald, Common Blue and Blue-tailed damselflies still in large numbers around Tattenhoe

LISSAMPHIBIA

Common Frogs and Common Toads in Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Common Toad, Howe Park Wood (30th August 2016)

(All sightings and photos Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS
Spotted Flycatcher, St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe (8th)

Spotted Flycatcher, St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe (8th August)

 
Willow Warbler singing in Tattenhoe Park (8th)
Red Kites around Tattenhoe

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
Small Copper, Brown Argus and Brimstones by Howe Park Wood (5th)
Silver-washed Fritillaries feeding on brambles by the North Bucks Way (5th)
Female Silver Washed Fritillary var Valezina seen in Shenley Wood (5th) – Possibly the first time this colour variant has been seen in Shenley Wood
White Letter Hairstreaks still on wing at Blue Lagoon (6th) and Oakhill Wood (7th)
Second generation of Holly Blue butterflies strong throughout Milton Keynes.
Red Admirals in and around Tattenhoe
Painted Ladies around Tattenhoe Park and Kingsmead Wood

Painted Lady, Tattenhoe Park (9th August)

 
Orthoptera
Male and female Speckled Bush Crickets around lights at Campbell Park Pavilion (8th)
Odonata
Large numbers of Migrant and Southern Hawkers around Howe Park Wood
Male Black-tailed Skimmer and Emerald Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park (9th)

Mature Male Emerald Damselfly, Tattenhoe Park (7th August)-1

 
Huge numbers of Common and Ruddy Darters at Blue Lagoon (6th)

FLOWERS
Goat’s-rue still in flower in fields outside Shenley Wood (4th)
Great Burnet in flower along North Bucks Way (4th)
Broad-Leaved Helleborine in flower in Linford Wood and Parsons Spinney, Great Linford (5th)

All photos by Harry Appleyard, all sightings by Harry Appleyard and Martin Kincaid

BIRDS
Pair of Ravens circling above Whaddon (23rd)

Ravens over Whaddon (23rd July)

Red Kites over Tattenhoe and Bletchley
House Sparrows with young, Tattenhoe

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
Silver-washed Fritillaries around the North Bucks Way
Small Copper in Tattenhoe Park (23rd)

Small Copper, Tattenhoe Park (23rd July)

Red Admirals around Tattenhoe and the North Bucks Way
Essex and Small Skippers in Tattenhoe Park

Odonata
2 immature male Migrant Hawkers in Tattenhoe (25th)
Southern Hawkers in Howe Park Wood and Kingsmead Wood

Mature male Southern Hawker, Kingsmead Wood (25th July)

Black-tailed Skimmers in Tattenhoe Park

All sightings and pics from Harry Appleyard

BIRDS
Green Woodpeckers with young, Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Linear Park
Tawny Owlet calling near Milton Keynes boundary walk (9th)
Little Grebes in Tattenhoe Park
Nuthatch in Kingsmead Wood (18th)
Marsh Tits by the North Bucks Way
Red Kites over Tattenhoe Park
Pair of Red-legged Partridge in Whaddon (18th)

MAMMALS
Noctule bats “squeaking” from roosting tree in Kingsmead Wood (18th)

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
At least 4 Purple Emperors over the North Bucks Way (16th)

Purple Emperors over North Bucks Way (16th July)

Silver-washed Fritillaries and White Admirals around the North Bucks Way and Howe Park Wood

Silver-Washed Fritillary, North Bucks Way (13th July)

Gatekeepers in and around Tattenhoe
Summer brood Holly Blue in Emerson Valley (17th)
Scarlet Tiger Moth by Howe Park Wood (16th)
Large, Small and Essex Skippers in Tattenhoe Park
Summer brood Commas in and around Tattenhoe
White Admirals and Silver-Washed Fritillarys around the North Bucks Way
Green-Veined Whites around Howe Park Wood

Odonata
Southern Hawkers and Brown Hawkers around the North Bucks Way and Howe Park Wood

Ruddy Darter, Tattenhoe Park (13th July)

Male Beautiful Demoiselle by the North Bucks Way

Male Beautiful Demoiselle, North Bucks Way (17th July)

Southern Hawkers around the North Bucks Way and Howe Park Wood
Broad-Bodied and Four-Spotted Chasers still present around many Tattenhoe ponds
Male Black-Tailed Skimmer, Tattenhoe Park (13th)

All sightings and pics by Harry Appleyard

BIRDS
2 Kingfisher, 3 Cetti’s Warbler and 1 juvenile Redstart among birds ringed at Linford Lakes (9th)
2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Little Owl at Manor Farm (12th)
1 Hobby – South Willen Lake (10th)

LEPIDOSAURIA
Grass Snake in garden pond, Woburn Sands (Viola Reed)
Slow Worms at Elfield Nature Park (7th)

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
White Admiral butterflies at Shenley Wood (7th) and Howe Park Wood (8th)
Silver Washed Fritillary at Shenley Wood (8th)
4 White Letter Hairstreaks seen on North Bucks Way (5th)
Six-belted Clearwing moths at Howe Park Wood (8th)
Wood Whites in Little Linford Wood (Mike Killeby, 11th)

Odonata
Brown Hawker dragonflies at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (9th)

Coleoptera
7 Glow worms found on Society Walk at Wicken Wood (5th)

FLOWERS
Goat’s-rue in fields outside Shenley Wood (8th)
Wood Vetch flowering in woodland at Campbell Park (7th)
Pyramidal Orchids in flower at Stonepit, Elfield Park, Lodge Lake and Howe Park Wood.
Broad-leaved Helleborine coming into flower at Linford Wood (10th)

Eyelash Fungus by Peter Garner. Wicken Wood, 5 July 2016

FUNGI
Eyelash Fungus Scutellinia scutellata found on Society Walk at Wicken Wood (5th)

All sightings Martin Kincaid unless otherwise stated.

BIRDS

3 Ravens over Tattenhoe Park (4th July)

Red Kites over Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Green Woodpeckers with young, Tattenhoe Linear Park

Linnets in Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites in large numbers around Tattenhoe

White Admirals by the North Bucks Way

4 White Letter Hairstreaks on elm by the North Bucks Way (First spotted by MK)

Summer brood Small Tortoiseshells in Tattenhoe Park

Small Tortoiseshell, Tattenhoe Park (28th June)

Odonata

Emerald Damselflies around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Red-Eyed, Azure and Common Blue Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

Black-Tailed Skimmers in Tattenhoe Park

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer, Tattenhoe Park (27th June)

Immature male Southern Hawker on the North Bucks Way (3rd July)

Immature Male Southern Hawker, North Bucks Way (3rd July)

All Sightings and photos by Harry Appleyard

BIRDS

Pair of Little Grebes in Tattenhoe Park

Red Kite above Howe Park Wood (19th)

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Large Skippers in Tattenhoe Park

Large Skipper, Tattenhoe Park (21st June)

Meadow Browns around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Small Heath in Tattenhoe Park (19th)

Small Heath, Tattenhoe Park (19th June)

Odonata

30+ Emerald Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park (19th)

Emerald Damselfly, Tattenhoe Park (21st June)

Large Red, Azure, Blue-Tailed, Common Blue and Red-Eyed Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

Mature male Black-Tailed Skimmer in Tattenhoe Park (20th)

Emperors and Common Darters around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

PLANTS

3 Pyramidal Orchids by Howe Park Wood

Pyramidal Orchids, Howe Park Wood (19th June)

All sightings and photos by Harry Appleyard

BIRDS

Yellowhammers singing in and around Whaddon

Yellow Wagtail, Whaddon

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

Little Owl at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve/Manor Farm (8th) and near main hide there (9^th) MK

Barn Owls hunting at Linford Lakes (11^th) MK

MAMMALS

Water Shrew found at Pineham (10^th) MK/Harry Appleyard

Otter at Hyde Lane Gravel Pits (private site – 12^th) MK

Brown Long Eared bats roosting in hide at Linford Lakes

TELEOSTEAN FISH

Bullhead (Miller’s Thumb) found in pond dipping session at Linford Lakes (8^th – James Walsh (Parks Trust))

INSECTS

Lepidoptera
Large Skipper, North Bucks Way (8th)

Female Common Blue Butterflies, Howe Park Wood (9th)

Female Common Blue, Howe Park Wood (9th June)

Small Heath, Tattenhoe Park (11th) Kingsmead Wood (9^th – MK)

Small Copper near Water Spinney, Tattenhoe (11th)

Painted ladies appearing throughout Milton Keynes.

Odonata

Broad-Bodied Chasers and Four-Spotted Chasers throughout Tattenhoe

Four-Spotted Chaser, Howe Park Wood (9th June)

Emperor Dragonflies in St.Giles Church meadow and Tattenhoe Park

Common Darters now emerging in Tattenhoe Park

Common Darter, Tattenhoe Park (9th June)

Red-Eyed Damselflies, Tattenhoe Park

Immature female White-Legged Damselfly near Water Spinney

Large colony of white legged damselflies found at Pineham (10^th – Harry Appleyard)

FLOWERS

Sainfoin in flower at Howe Park Wood (10^th – MK)

Wood Vetch in flower at Campbell Park (9^th – MK)

MK = Martin Kincaid., All other sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated

BIRDS

Pair of Cuckoos still very active at Linford Lakes

Lapwing chicks at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (31^st May)

Oystercatcher chicks at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (2^nd)

Red Kites, Tattenhoe (HA)

Great Tits, Blue Tits and House Sparrows with young around Tattenhoe (HA)

Coots with chicks, Tattenhoe Park (HA)

MAMMALS

Noctule bat roost found at Linford Wood (2^nd)

6 Badgers – Old Wolverton (5^th)

Mink reported from North Willen (1^st)

Muntjac, Tattenhoe Park (7th June HA)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Painted Ladies reported from New Bradwell (Tony Wood) and Howe Park Wood/Tattenhoe (Harry A) on 5^th June.

Painted Lady, Tattenhoe Park (5th June)

5 Small Blues – Stonepit Field (Julia Critchley, 5^th)

Common Blue Butterflies throughout Tattenhoe (HA)

Orange Tip Butterflies, Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Hymenoptera

Ruby Tailed Wasp Chysis ignita – Stonepit Field (3^rd)

Orthoptera

Hundreds of nymphs of Roesel’s Bush-cricket – Linford Lakes (2^nd)

Odonata (all HA)

Emperors, Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies in Tattenhoe Park

Azure, Common Blue, Blue-Tailed and Red-Eyed Damselflies, Tattenhoe Park

Immature Female White-Legged Damselfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th June)

White-Legged Damselfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th June)

FLOWERS

Pyramidal Orchids – Lodge Lake (3rd)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Howe Park Wood (John and Margaret Wickham)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Howe Park Wood (7th June)

Herb Paris, Twayblade, Greater Butterfly Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids – Linford Wood (2^nd)

Meadow Saxifrage – a fine display at Waterhall Park (3^rd)

(HA = Harry Appleyard. Sightings otherwise unattributed reported by Martin Kincaid)

BIRDS

Male Cuckoo singing at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (26^th)

Yellowhammers and Skylarks singing near the North Bucks Way

Peregrine over Hazeley Wood (29^th)

Peregrine over Hazeley Wood, 29th May

House Sparrows with fledglings, Tattenhoe

Little Egret, Tattenhoe Linear Park (23rd May)

Little Egret, Tattenhoe Linear Park (23rd May)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Red Admiral, Tattenhoe Park (29^th)

Common Blue butterflies around Tattenhoe Park and Howe Park Wood

Cinnabar Moth, North Bucks Way (29th)

Female Orange Tip, Tattenhoe Park (23rd May)

Female Orange Tip, Tattenhoe Park (23rd May)

Odonata

Large Red, Azure and Blue-Tailed Damselflies throughout Tattenhoe

Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies throughout Tattenhoe

MAMMALS

Female Roe Deer near the North Bucks Way (28^th)

Muntjac Buck near the North Bucks Way (29^th)

All sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard

As you may have heard, our swifts are struggling. It is believed that the UK population of swifts has declined by 35% since 1995. Whilst the reasons for many of our bird declines are still unclear, we can be fairly confident that the main cause in the decline in this species is the loss of nesting sites, as modern housing excludes swifts from roof spaces.

Happily, many organisations including Swift Conservation and the RSPB are working hard to address this issue and to make our urban landscape more swift friendly. There are a number of specially designed swift bricks and swift boxes that can be fitted into new buildings easily and cheaply.  Where these have been installed on a large scale they have been shown to be very successful in establishing new nesting colonies.

I recently met with Rebecca Pitman who is the RSPB’s new Swift Cities Project Officer.  Part of her remit is to develop a network of swift cities across the UK – places where all major development includes nesting opportunities for swifts (and other species). So far, Belfast and Exeter are registered as Swift Cities…wouldn’t it be great if we could add Milton Keynes to the list in time?

For now, the best way to help is to contribute to the RSPB’s database of nesting sites. Some of the older parts of Milton Keynes still support swift colonies. You can help by visiting the website at http://rspb.org.uk/swiftsurvey  and logging your sightings of nesting swifts. Just make a note of date and time of any swifts you see entering or leaving a nest and enter these details with a grid reference.  Remember that the hour before dusk is often the best time to look and listen for swifts, when they emerge from their nest sites and ‘swarm’. You can hardly miss them as they fly overhead in tight formation, screaming as they go!

If any members have a deeper interest in swifts and their conservation and might be interested in becoming involved in a local action group for the species, please let me know.

Martin Kincaid

BIRDS

Swifts, House Martins and Swallows over Tattenhoe Park

Peregrine hunting at dusk at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (22^nd)

Pair of Goosanders over Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (22^nd)

Pair of Kestrels in Tattenhoe Park (Possibly nesting)

OTHER CHORDATES

Tadpoles and Sticklebacks, Howe Park Wood (23rd May)

INSECTS

Odonata

Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies in and around Tattenhoe

Broad-Bodied Chaser and Large Red Damselfly, Tattenhoe

Large Red and Azure Damselflies around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

1 Blue-Tailed Damselfly by Howe Park Wood (23^rd)

Lepidoptera

2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Brown Argus and 1 Common Blue by Howe Park Wood (22^nd)

Brown Argus, Howe Park Wood (22nd May 2016)

Holly Blues in and around Tattenhoe

Burnet Companions and 1 Clouded Border in Tattenhoe Park (22^nd)

Hymenoptera

Tree bumblebee Bombus hypnorum – nest in bird box in last year’s blue tit nest in Secretary’s garden, Blakelands. This species, which has arrived in Britain over the last 15 years, is stated in the literature to have a strong preference for hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna, a large specimen of which grows outside the Secretary’s gate 10 metres from the nest.

Birdbox with Tree Bumblee nest inside (Steve Brady)

Tree bumblebee nest (Steve Brady)

(All sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated)

All sightings by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated

Birds
Cuckoo near Oakhill Wood (13th)

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

Yellowhammers singing in fields near Oakhill Wood

Coots with chicks in Tattenhoe Park

Juvenile Blackbirds, Robins and Starlings around Tattenhoe and North Bucks Way

Hobby perched on island opposite far hide, Linford Lakes (15th)

Reed Buntings (13th May Whaddon, 15th Linford Lakes)

Male Reed Bunting near Whaddon (13th May- Harry Appleyard)

Reed Warbler, Linford Lakes (15th May – Harry Appleyard)

Insects

Lepidoptera
Holly Blue butterflies in and around Tattenhoe

Holly Blue, Howe Park Wood (12th May – Harry Appleyard)

2 Dingy Skippers and 1 Small Copper by Howe Park Wood (16th)

Dingy Skipper by Howe Park Wood (16th May – Harry Appleyard)

1 Small Copper in Tattenhoe Linear Park (17th)

Drinker Moth Caterpillars around Tattenhoe Park

Odonata

Large Red, Azure and Blue-Tailed Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

Hairy Dragonflies in Tattenhoe Park (16th)

Four-Spotted Chaser by Howe Park Wood (17th)

Broad-Bodied Chaser by the North Bucks Way (17th)

Diptera

Female Xanthogramma citrofasciatum  Linford Lakes NR today (17^th, Peter Garner).  This hoverfly is listed in Britain’s Hoverflies (Ball and Morris) as being ‘scarce’, with its main distribution being in the South and South West of England.

Xanthogramma citrofasciatum by Peter Garner at Linford lakes NR, 17 May 2016

Start of recording: 18.55          End of recording: 20.52          Weather: Cloudy, light rain

Number of species recorded: 23

Total number of individuals recorded: 117

Mammals on same walk

• Noctule Bat x20
• Pipistrelle Bat x4
• 1 Fox
• 1 Rabbit
• Muntjac tracks

MAMMALS

Otter spraint  on the footings of Tyringham bridge (17^th – Julie Lane)

BIRDS

1 Cuckoo at Oakhill Wood (14^th) and 3 (2m, 1f) at Linford Lakes (15^th)

2 Black Terns at South Willen (11-12^th), 1 at Linford Lakes (11^th)

4 pairs of Common Tern and 1 Hobby at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (17^th – MK)

Buzzard on nest at Elfield Park (13^th – MK)

Little Owl calling at Woughton (15^th – MK/HA)

Skylark singing at Stanton Low (16^th – MK)

Pair of Red Kites circling over the river at Tyringham (17^th – Julie Lane)

Huge numbers of Swallows and House Martins twittering over Emberton Park sailing lake (13^th – Julie Lane)

Blue and Great Tits nesting in the dormouse boxes in Little Linford Wood are still sitting on eggs when in a normal year they would have hatched by now (Tony Wood)

INSECTS

 Orthoptera

Roesel’s bush-cricket nymph – North Bucks Way (14^th – MK)

Slender Groundhopper – Pineham (Simon Bunker)

Lepidoptera

Small Copper butterfly – Stonepit Field (16^th – MK)

Red Admirals arriving in number now.

Common Blue, Red Eyed and Large Red Damselflies at Linford Lakes (15^th)

Painted Lady in Olney (16^th – Julie Lane)

FLOWERS

 Meadow Saxifrage in flower at Stony Stratford Reserve (17^th)

Bee Orchids close to flowering at South Willen (17^th)

Common Crow-foot flowering in ponds at Woughton on the Green (15^th)

 N.B. MK = Martin Kincaid, HA = Harry Appleyard

MAMMALS

Bank Voles in Howe Park Wood (HA)

Roe deer by the North Bucks Way (7^th May – HA)

Roe Deer – Shenley Wood (6^th)

Badger seen at Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

BIRDS

Garden Warblers singing in Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Garden Warbler, Tattenhoe Park (5th May) (HA)

Reed Warblers around Furzton Lake, Tattenhoe Park and North Bucks Way (HA)

Swifts over Tattenhoe and Furzton (HA)

Pair of Spotted Flycatchers by brook in Furzton (4^th May – HA)

Hobby over Tattenhoe Park (5^th May – HA)

Cuckoo, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Hobbies – Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

8 Red Kites at Newton Longville (8^th – MK)

Goosander with 9 young at Olney Mill

Turnstone at Manor Farm (5^th)

Spotted Flycatchers at Shenley Wood and Linford Lakes

LEPIDOSAURIA (aka “REPTILES”) 

9 Grass Snakes found at Walton Lake (4^th – MK/Ella Cooke)

2 Grass Snakes basking outside Near Hide, Linford Lakes (7^th)

Adder skin found at Rammamere Heath (2^nd – Helen Wilson)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Holly Blue and Large White butterflies around Furzton and Tattenhoe (HA)

Holly Blue, Howe Park Wood (6th May) HA

Green-Veined Whites and Orange Tips in most parts of Tattenhoe (HA)

Red Admirals in and around Howe Park Wood (HA)

Dingy Skipper and Small heath butterflies at Blue Lagoon (8^th – MK)

4 Red Admirals on North Bucks Way (8^th – MK)

Pair of Orange-Tips in copula – Blakelands  (15^th May, Steve Brady)

Coleoptera

Great Diving Beetles in ponds at Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

Hymenoptera

Red Mason bee, Ashy mining bee, Hairy Footed Flower Bee all nesting in walls at Manor Farm Court, Old Wolverton (6^th – MK)

Odonata

Large Red and Azure Damselflies emerging around Howe Park Wood ponds and Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Hairy Dragonflies around Tattenhoe Linear Park and Howe Park Wood ponds (HA)

Female Hairy Dragonfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th May) HA

Four-Spotted Chaser in Tattenhoe Linear Park (6^th May) (HA)

Homoptera

Black and Red Froghoppers in Tattenhoe Park (HA)

FLOWERS

Water Crowfoot in ponds at Woughton on the Green.

Early Purple Orchids in most woodlands.

Herb Paris in flower in Linford Wood

Field Poppies out along grid roads

Sightings reported by HA = Harry Appleyard, MK = Martin Kincaid, or as named

*Sightings cover the past 10 days, unless indicated by individual dates*

BIRDS

(Apart from our pair of Black-winged Stilts – see separate News item!)

• PURPLE HERON photographed at Linford Lakes (21st – Neil Schofield)
• 2 White Wagtails at Manor Farm – with Yellow Wagtails
• Swifts seen at South Willen Lake (22nd – Martin Kincaid)
• Cuckoo at Linford Lakes (22nd – Martin Kincaid)
• Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warblers all singing now across MK.

Howe Park Wood

• Pair of Ravens being chased by Crows (Saturday 23rd)
• Small group of Linnets frequently visiting meadows by Howe Rock Place car park
• Tawny Owl hunting at dusk (Monday 25th)

Tattenhoe Park

• Pair of Coots with nest
• Red Kites hunting over fields
• Swallows passing through
• Common and Lesser Whitethroats singing

(Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park sightings by Harry Appleyard)

MAMMALS

• Hedgehog reported from back garden, Furzton (Jean Aslett, 22nd)
• 4 Badgers, 1 Hedgehog – Old Wolverton (Martin Kincaid, 24th)
• Large numbers of Noctule bats seen over Stantonbury Lake, Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid/Helen Wilson – 21st)
• Bank Vole, Tattenhoe Linear Park (Harry Appleyard)

• Muntjac in and around Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)

  LEPIDOSAURIA

  • Large female Grass Snake basking outside Near Hide, Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid – 24th)
  Grass snake by Martin Kincaid, Linford Lakes NR,24 April 2016

   

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

• Hummingbird Hawk-moth and Holly Blue butterfly – both in the Allen’s garden, Newport Pagnell (Carol Allen -23rd)
• Emperor Moth reported from Tattenhoe (20th)
• Holly Blue butterfly, Tattenhoe Park (Wednesday 20th – Harry Appleyard)
• Small White Butterflies around Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)
• Speckled Wood butterflies, Water Spinney (Harry Appleyard)

Odonata

• Large Red Damselfly, Tattenhoe Park (Wednesday 20th) – First record in Bucks for 2016 (Confirmed by Alan Nelson)

Large Red Damselfly by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 20 April 2016

ANGIOSPERMS

• Field Poppies in flower along H3 (Monks Way), Great Linford
• Early Purple Orchids in flower – Linford Wood (23rd)

Ramsons in flower at Bradwell Abbey and Stony Stratford Nature Reserve

A pair of Black-Winged Stilts, Himantopus himantopus, have been seen at Floodplain Forest NR at Manor Farm on Sunday morning, 24th April. This photo was taken of one:

Black-winged Stilt by Mark Appleton, Floodplain Forest NR 24 April 2016

The birds were seen to mate several times. If this leads to breeding here, and it is successful, it will be only the fourth recorded successful breeding of this essentially Mediterranean wader in Britain. The last two were in 2014 near Chichester in Sussex and in 1987 in Norfolk. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for another breeding success here this year.

Keep your eyes on this website for the latest news on these exciting rare birds in our area!

BIRDS

• Red Kites over Tattenhoe and Westcroft
• Swallows over Tattenhoe
• Willow Warblers singing in and around Tattenhoe
• Sand Martin and pair of Curlews over Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (Weds 6th)
• Wheatears, Tattenhoe Park (Mon 11th)
• Common Sandpiper, Tattenhoe Park (Mon 11th)
• Green Woodpeckers Howe Park Wood (Mon 11th) (Harry’s pic below appeared on the official BBC Springwatch Facebook page!)

Green Woodpeckers, Howe Park Wood (11th April)

Sightings by Harry Appleyard

Bucks Bird Club at Manor Farm/Floodplain Forest NR 10th

Cetti’s Warbler, Little Ringed Plover  (sightings from Peter Garner – full list below)

Manor Farm Friday 8th April am

Little Ringed Plover (x2);Oyster Catcher; Snipe; Redshank (several); Shoveller (x2); Green Woodpecker (x2); Goosander (x2); Cetti’s Warbler; Blackcap

Stony Stratford Reserve Friday 8th April pm

Oyster Catcher (x2); Snipe (3); Shoveller (x2); Bullfinch (x2)

Encouraging numbers of lapwing displaying at both sites.

Sightings by Joe Clinch

MAMMALS

• Bank Vole, Tattenhoe Linear Park (Mon 11th) (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

• Comma and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, Tattenhoe Linear Park
• Peacock butterflies, Blakelands, 12th

Full list of birds seen on Bucks Bird Club visit to Manor Farm/Floodplain Forest NR, Sunday 10th April, led by Peter Garner:

Great tit
Blue tit
Wren
Willow warbler
Blackbird
Robin
Tufted duck
Gadwall
Magpie
Canada goose
Crow
Wood pigeon
Little ringed plover
Pied wagtail
Mallard
Redshank
Coot
Lapwing
Pheasant
Sand Martin
Cormorant
Buzzard
Moorhen
Little egret
Reed bunting
Great crested grebe
Oystercatcher
Teal
Sparrowhawk
Cetti's warbler
Starling
Blackcap
Grey wagtail
Chiffchaff
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Mute swan
Chaffinch
Great spotted woodpecker 
Long tailed tit
Little grebe 
 

BIRDS

• Marsh Tits – Howe Park Wood and Oakhill Wood
• Large groups of Siskins in Howe Park Wood and on the North Bucks Way
• Chiffchaffs singing in Oakhill Wood (Mon 21st)
• Red Kites over Tattenhoe Park (Thurs 17th)
• Woodcocks (x1 Tattenhoe Linear Park, x1 North Bucks Way)
• Tawny Owls hooting in the early afternoon, North Bucks Way (Sat 26th)

All sightings by Harry Appleyard

LISSAMPHIBIA

• Common Toads, Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)
• Frog Spawn in Secretary’s pond for last 3 weeks

MAMMALS

• Fallow deer tracks and Roe buck, the North Bucks Way (Thurs 11th) (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

• Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, North Bucks Way and Tattenhoe Linear Park (Thurs 11th)
• Red-tailed bumblebee, North Bucks Way (Thurs 11th)
• Male Brimstone in Ellis’s garden in Blue Bridge, 21st

BIRDS

3 Pintail, 1 Black Swan, 2 Oystercatchers – Linford Lakes (27th Feb)

Goosanders, Lapwings, Snipe and 1 Oystercatcher – Stony Stratford N.R. (Michele Welborn – 29th)

Herons nesting at Willen Island, Furzton Lake and Linford Lakes.

Yellowhammers and Red Kites – Tattnehoe (Harry A – 28th)

Stonechat – Stanton Low (27th)

PLANTS

Colt’s Foot, Lesser Celandine, Danish Scurvygrass, Common Dog Violet, Primrose, Marsh Marigold in flower at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (26th Feb)

Bluebells in flower at Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
Red Admiral in Tony Wood’s back garden, New Bradwell (24th)

Hemiptera-Heteroptera
Water Scorpions and Lesser Waterboatmen found during pond dipping session – Linford Lakes (29th)

Firecrest at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve

Firecrest at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve

Firecrest spotted and snapped by Society Member Janice Robertson at Linford Lakes on Wednesday 9th December

BIRDS

Woodcock in Linford Wood (4th Dec)
Goldeneye (2 male, 2 female) at South Willen Lake (7th Dec)
Starlings still murmurating at Willen Lake North
Ring Necked Parakeet – seen at Walton Lake today (8th)
Sightings Martin Kincaid

Egyptian Goose over Tattenhoe Park (Friday 4th)
Siskins – Oakhill Wood
Lesser Redpolls – Oakhill Wood and Kingsmead Wood
Marsh Tits – Oakhill Wood and Oxley Park
Red Kites – Bletchley and Tattenhoe
Sightings Harry Appleyard

MAMMALS

Roe Deer tracks in Oakhill Wood (Harry Appleyard)
INSECTS – Lepidoptera
Red Admiral flying on Redway @ Tongwell (4th – Steve Brady)

Brimstone male in Bancroft Garden (8th – Brian & Val Ellis)

BIRDS

Starling murmuration still at Willen Lake North – attracting Sparrowhawks (Ann Strutton)

2 Ravens over Linford Lakes (26th)

Stonechat at Linford Lakes (26th)
Sightings Martin Kincaid

2 Mistle Thrushes by River Ouse (27th – Brian & Val Ellis)

Large groups of Fieldfares in and around Tattenhoe Park

Red Kites – Bletchley and Tattenhoe

Sightings Harry Appleyard

MAMMALS

Roe Deer reported from Linford Wood (27th)

Water Shrew found under wooden board at Linford Lakes N.R. (29th)

Sightings Martin Kincaid

BIRDS

Redwings – St.Giles Church meadow and Tattenhoe Park
Fieldfares – Tattenhoe Park
Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe Park
Siskins – St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe
Red Kite – Tattenhoe
Common Buzzard – Water Spinney, Tattenhoe
Tawny Owl calling – Howe Park Wood (Sunday 22nd)

Sightings Harry Appleyard

MAMMALS

Daubenton’s bats still roosting under M1 bridge at Pineham – probably now safe to say they are hibernating here
Roe Deer buck at Elfield Park (20th)
Otter seen from Far Hide at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve. Also a Weasel crossing road into reserve (24th)

Sightings Martin Kincaid

 BIRDS
5 Common Snipe outside bird hide at Willen Lake (7th – MK)
Barn Owls hunting over Stanton Low Fields (9th – MK)
Merlin reported from Leckhampstead (8th)
Black Redstart at Broughton (8th)
SNOW BUNTING reported over CMK this morning! (10th)
Mistle Thrush – St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe
Redwings and Fieldfares – Tattenhoe
Siskins – St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe
Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe
Yellowhammers – Tattenhoe Park
Red Kites – West Bletchley, Westcroft and Tattenhoe

Sightings Martin Kincaid & Harry Appleyard

INSECTS

HYMENOPTERA

Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen Bombus terrestris – Stanton Low fields (9th )

ORTHOPTERA

Oak Bush-cricket – 2 females at Campbell Park Pavilion (6th)

FUNGI

Beefsteak Fungus Fistulina hepatica on mature ash in Linford Wood (6th)

Insectile and Fungal sightings – Martin Kincaid

BIRDS

• Marsh Tits – Howe Park Wood and Oxley Park
• Redwings – Tattenhoe
• Fieldfares – Tattenhoe Park
• Siskins – Tattenhoe
• Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe
• Woodcock – Tattenhoe Park (Sunday 1st November)
• Mistle Thrush – St. Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe (Sunday 1st November)
• Great-Spotted Woodpecker drumming – Howe Park Wood (Monday 2nd November)
• Tawny Owl calling – Willen Lake South (Sunday 1st November)

(all Harry Appleyard)

• Red Crested Pochard drake at North Willen Lake (1st Nov, Martin Kincaid)
• Starling murmuration growing at North Willen (Ann Strutton)
• Yellowhammers in hedgerows outside Little Linford Wood (1st Nov, Martin Kincaid)
• During this month we have had the pleasure of almost daily visits by up to 20 Goldfinches, 2 Greenfinches, 2 Long Tailed Tits, 4 Chaffinches and a Wren (Val & Brian Ellis Bancroft)

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA

• Peacock Butterfly – St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe (Sunday 1st November)
• Commas – Tattenhoe (Sunday 1st November)
• Brimstones – Howe Park Wood (Sunday 1st November)
• Red Admiral – Howe Park Wood (Sunday 1st November)
• Larva of Grey Dagger moth found in bat box at LLNR (1st Nov, MK)

ODONATA

Common Darters – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

ORTHOPTERA

• Roesel’s Bush-crickets still at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (1st Nov, Simon Bunker)
• ¡Oak Bush-cricket at Campbell Park Pavilion (30th Oct, MK)

Sightings Martin Kincaid and Harry Appleyard

PLANTS – ANGIOSPERMS

Harebells still in flower at Stonepit, Great Linford

BIRDS

1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, 1 Red Kite and 2 Buzzards at Little Linford Wood (11th)

2 Green Sandpipers and 1 Dunlin at Manor Farm quarry (12th)

Redwings – Tattenhoe

Siskins – Tattenhoe

Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe and Oakhill Wood

Skylarks – Tattenhoe

Grey Wagtails – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

MAMMALS
2 Dormice, 1 Pygmy Shrew and numerous Woodmice found in boxes – Little Linford Wood (11th)

Roe Deer seen on edge of Little Linford Wood (Dormouse Group members).

Water Shrew at Linford Lakes N.R. (12th)

American Mink at North Willen Lake (Phil Marsh – 11th)

LEPIDOSAURIA
3 Slow Worms – Elfield Park (9th)

2 Grass Snakes – Walton Lake (11th)

AMPHIBIA
Common Toads – Tattenhoe Park
Common Newt – Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS
LEPIDOPTERA
Comma butterflies – Tattenhoe

HYMENOPTERA
Hornets – Howe Park Wood

ODONATA
Southern Hawker – Howe Park Wood
Migrant Hawkers – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

TREES
Fantastic autumn colours along grid roads now. H5 between Willen Lake and City Centre is particularly good.

Scarlet Oaks in Campbell Park.
Sightings Martin Kincaid and Harry Appleyard

BIRDS

Lesser Redpoll ringed at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (3rd)
2 Ravens, Marsh Tits at Stowe Gardens (4th – M Kincaid)
Tawny Owl calling at Hazeley Wood (7am on 4th Oct)

Goldcrests – 2 in Paul Lund’s Garden in Bancroft (2nd )

Long-tailed Tit – 5 in Paul Lund’s Garden in Bancroft (6th)

Remaining sightings Harry Appleyard:
Spotted Flycatcher – St.Giles Church meadow (30th Sept)
Stonechat – Tattenhoe Park (2nd October)
Swallows – Tattenhoe Park (3rd October)
Redwings – St.Giles Church meadow, Tattenhoe
Siskins – Tattenhoe Linear Park
Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe Linear Park
Ravens (x3) – Tattenhoe Park (1st October)
Tawny Owls calling – Howe Park Wood

MAMMALS
Daubenton’s bats still roosting in pipes under M1 at Pineham (5th Oct)
Hazeley Wood Mammal Survey – Sat 3rd/Sun 4th Oct:
Pipistrelle bats
Badger, Fox and Muntjac deer captured on trail cameras (Paul Lund/Tony Wood/M Kincaid)

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA
Red Admiral, Comma, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Small White still on the wing. (Sightings Martin Kincaid)

COLEOPTERA
7-spot, 22-spot, 24-spot, Orange and Harlequin ladybirds recorded at Hazeley Wood  (Martin Kincaid/Helen Wilson).

ODONATA (Sightings by Harry Appleyard)
Emerald Damselflies – Tattenhoe Park
Southern Hawkers – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

FUNGI

Giant Puffballs Calvatia gigantea at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (30th Sep) (Martin Kincaid)

BIRDS
Redwing – St.Giles Church orchard, Tattenhoe (29th Sept)
Lesser Redpolls – Tattenhoe
Siskins – Tattenhoe
Meadow Pipits – Tattenhoe Park
Red Kites – Tattenhoe
Tawny Owls calling – Howe Park Wood and St.Giles Church orchard

MAMMALS
Brown Hare – Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

ODONATA

Emerald Damselfly – Tattenhoe Park

Southern Hawkers – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Brown Hawkers – Tattenhoe Park

Red-eyed Damselfly – Tattenhoe Park

Blue-tailed Damselflies – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Common Blue Damselflies – Tattenhoe Park

Emerald Damselflies – Tattenhoe Park

LEPIDOPTERA
Brimstone – Tattenhoe
Peacock butterfly – Tattenhoe
Commas (Commae?) – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

(All above sightings by Harry Appleyard)

Hummingbird Hawkmoth in Paul Lund’s garden in Bancroft, 28th Sept. Paul took these photos of it:

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Front view

BIRDS

Swifts – Oakhill Wood

Common Snipe – Tattenhoe Park

Red Kites – Tattenhoe Park

Tawny Owls calling – Howe Park Wood

(Sightings from Harry Appleyard)

MAMMALS
Brown Rat – Tattenhoe Linear Park (this national rarity reported by Harry Appleyard!)

INSECTS
ODONATA
Emerald Damselfly – Tattenhoe Park
Blue-Tailed Damselfly – Tattenhoe Park
Common Blue Damselflies – Tattenhoe Park

ORTHOPTERA
Speckled Bush Cricket ovipositing by Giffard Park Footbridge

Speckled Bush Cricket Laying Eggs

(Orthoptera Steve Brady, identified by Paul Lund, Odonata Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS
Flock of 12 Siskins and Tawny Owl at Hazeley Wood (5th – MK/Carol Watts) and Siskins at Tattenhoe (Harry Appleyard)
Meadow Pipit – Oakhill Wood (HA)
Tawny Owl – Howe Park Wood (HA)
Greenshank at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (6th – Ashley Boleons)
Red Crested Pochard female at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (5th )
Late Swifts still being reported!

 
INSECTS
LEPIDOPTERA
Small Heaths – Kingsmead Wood and Tattenhoe Park
Red Admiral – St Giles Church orchard
Painted Lady – Tattenhoe Park

Hummingbird Hawkmoth in Paul Lund’s garden in Bancroft

 
ODONATA
Southern Hawkers – Howe Park Wood
Brown Hawkers – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park
Emperor Dragonflies – Tattenhoe Park
Common Blue Damselfies – Tattenhoe Park
Blue-tailed Damselfly – Tattenhoe Park
(All insect sightings Harry Appleyard except for Hummingbird Hawkmoth)

 
MAMMALS
Weasel at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (3rd, Martin Kincaid)
1 Short tailed vole and 1 Fox recorded on Hazeley Wood Mammal Survey (6th, Martin Kincaid/Carol Watts/Di Parsons)

 
LEPIDOSAURIA
50+ Common Lizards (adults and juveniles) at Stockgrove Country Park (MartinKincaid/Helen Wilson)
Grass Snakes at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve and Tattenhoe Park (Harry Appleyard).

 
FUNGI
Fly Agaric, Dung Roundhead and Common Earth-ball among the fungi at Rammamere Heath (5th)

BIRDS
Spotted Flycatchers – St Giles Church orchard (Tattenhoe) and Tattenhoe Park

Pair of redstarts – St Giles Church meadow (27th August)

Coal Tit – Howe Park Wood

MAMMALS

Badger – Howe Park Wood

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA

Brown Argus – Kingsmead Wood

Small Heaths – Tattenhoe Park

Red Admiral Tattenhoe Park

ODONATA

Southern Hawkers – Howe Park Wood ponds

Brown Hawkers – Howe Park Wood ponds

Emerald Damselfly – Howe Park Wood ponds

All information provided by Harry Appleyard

MAMMALS

 Badger reported in daylight at Stonepit Copse, Great Linford – 21^st Aug. Another seen by Harry Appleyard in Howe Park Wood

Noctule bats in bat boxes at Kingsmead Spinney – 21^st Aug.

Roe Deer – Elfield Park, 22^nd Aug.

BIRDS

 Green Sandpipers at Manor Farm Quarry, Stony Stratford N.R., Linford Lakes and Willen Lake.

Common Sandpipers at Linford Lakes and Willen Lake.

Greenshank at Manor Farm Quarry (20^th Aug)

Pair of Ravens at Tattenhoe Park – Harry Appleyard, 23^rd Aug.

possible Goshawk seen at Gayhurst Wood – Chris Coppock, 23^rd Aug.

 Red Kites x 2 Bletchley (Harry Appleyard)

Tawny Owl – Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS

ORTHOPTERA

Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common and Ruddy Darters on wing at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (22nd Aug)

LEPIDOPTERA

Silver Washed Fritillary still flying at Oakhill Wood (19^th Aug)

 (all data Martin Kincaid, Biodiversity Officer, Parks Trust unless otherwise stated)

All sightings by Peter Hassett

Houghton Regis Gravel Pits

Green veined white

Black-tailed skimmer

Chiltern Gentian

Chiltern gentian

Chalk hill Blue

Chalkhill Blue

Clouded Yellow

Marbled White

Aston Rowant Nature Reserve

Silver–spotted Skipper

Silver-spotted skipper

Silver spotted skippers in copula

Frog Orchid

All sightiong fromn Harry Appleyard unless stated otherwise

BIRDS

Red Kites – Tattenhoe
Siskins – Tattenhoe and Oakhill Wood
Green Sandpiper – Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA
White Admirals – Oakhill Wood and Shenley Wood
Silver Washed Fritillaries – Howe Park Wood and Oakhill Wood
Hummingbird hawk moth – Peter Hassett’s garden 16th
ODONATA
Southern Hawkers – Howe Park Wood
Ruddy Darters – Howe Park Wood
Black tailed skimmer female at Woburn woods on 21st July (Andy Walker)

All sightings by Harry Appleyard

INSECTS

LEPDOPTERAS

ANGIOSPERMS (FLOWERS)

Sainfoin flowering in meadow outside Howe Park Wood (HA)

Wood Vetch plentiful in woodland ridge, Campbell Park (MK)

Pyramidal Orchids at Howe Park Wood, Lodge Lake, Elfield Park, Blue Lagoon (HA/MK)

Bee Orchids everywhere! Especially plentiful at Stonepit, Great Linford.

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA

Small Skipper, Marbled White, Meadow Brown and Ringlet now on the wing throughout MK.

Purple Hairstreak, North Bucks Way (24^th June – MK. Earliest ever record)

White Letter Hairstreak – New Bradwell (25^th June – Adrian Cadman)

Chimney Sweeper moths at Shenley Wood (24^th – MK)

Six belted clearwing moths came to pheromone lures at Howe Park Wood (27^th June – Darren Seaman/MK)

HEMIPTERA- HETEROPTERA

Water Stick Insect Ranatra linearis in pond at Tattenhoe (25^th – HA, who took the pic below)

Water Stick Insect, Ranatra linearis

ODONATA (all these records HA)

Emperor Dragonfly – Oakhill Wood

Common Darters – Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Brown Hawker – Howe Park Wood

Black-tailed Skimmer – Hazeley Wood

Beautiful Demoiselle (?) – Hazeley Wood

BIRDS

Peregrine pair with one well grown chick at Stadium:MK (28^th June – Mike Wallen)

Goosander with 2 young – Olney (28^th – Mike Wallen)

Cuckoo still calling & 2 Hobbies – Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (24^th – MK)

Several pairs of Common Tern nesting on Willen Island (27^th – MK)

Siskin – Tattenhoe (HA)

Red Kite – Tattenhoe (HA)

MK = Martin Kincaid (HA)

HA = Harry Appleyard (HA)

Members met at Linford Lakes, formerly known as Hanson Environmental Study Centre and a former location for indoor Society meetings, on a warm and sunny evening.
A number of routes lead to the three hides. The Near Hide offers viewing of nesting Sand Martins at a site intended for Kingfishers. The Woodland Hide offers viewing of bird feeders and a log pile for small mammals. There is more bird activity at this hide earlier in the day.
People chose their own routes, stopping at the hides as long as they wanted and no-one got lost. Things of most interest to me were damselflies, my first Marbled White butterfly of the year, a nymph of Roesel’s bush cricket, a red and black froghopper Cercopis vulnerata and a stinging nettle, unusual in having three, rather than two, leaves at each node on the stem.
A Blood vein moth was seen and some members who walked back along the access road were rewarded with a sighting of a Barn Owl.

Paul Lund (who took the photos below)

Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata

Aberrant Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica

Nymph of Roesel’s Bush Cricket Metrioptera roeselii

Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella

Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens

Marbled White Melanargea galathea

BIRDS

Red Kite – Tattenhoe

Hobby – Tattenhoe Park

Peregrine – Granby (all Harry Appleyard)

Common Terns with 3 chicks at Stony Stratford N.R. (15h, MK)

2 Black Terns, 1 Mediterranean Gull at Summerleys Nature Reserve (14^th)

Barn Owl reported from Bury Field, Newport Pagnell (9^th June)

Kingfisher Broughton Brook 9^th June (Julian Lambley)

MAMMALS

Fox Broughton Brook 9^th June – Julian Lambley

INSECTS

ODONATA

Emperor Dragonflies – Tattenhoe – Harry Appleyard

LEPIDOPTERA

Large Skippers – Tattenhoe

Painted Lady – Tattenhoe

Dingy Skipper – Tattenhoe Park

Brown Argus – Tattenhoe Park

Small Coppers – Tattenhoe (all Harry Appleyard)

Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Wolverton Garden – 10^th June, Eddie Edwards

Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Small Heath and Dingy Skipper butterflies – Sandhouse Quarry – 10^th June, MK/Helen Wilson

Painted Lady – Stony Stratford Nature Reserve – 15^th June, MK.

Small Blues out at Stonepit, Great Linford – 11^th June, Janice Robertson

COLEOPTERA

Wasp Beetle Clytus arietus – in conservatory in Oldbrook – 11^th June, MK

PLANTS – ANGIOSPERMS

Bee Orchids out at Elfield Park, Stonepit and Linford Lakes Nature Reserve.

Wild Thyme coming into flower at Stonepit (15^th June)

ANGIOSPERMS

Horseshoe Vetch, Kidney Vetch, Common Broomrape, Globularia vulgaris in flower at Stonepit Field. Fine display of Ramsons in Stonepit Copse (24^th). (Martin Kincaid)

INSECTS

ODONATA

Broad-Bodied Chasers – Tattenhoe Park

Four-Spotted Chasers – Tattenhoe Park (both Harry Appleyard)

LEPIDOPTERA

Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton and Small White Wave at Stonepit Field (24^th).

Common Heath, Clouded Border at Sandhouse Lane Quarry (also 14 spot Ladybird) (25^th)

6 x Wood Whites at Salcey Forest 22^nd (Julie Lane)

Common Blue Butterflies – Tattenhoe Park (Harry Appleyard)

Small Heath – Kingsmead Wood (Harry Appleyard)

BIRDS

2 Tawny Owl fledglings at Howe Park Wood.

Pair of Garganey, pair of Little Ringed Plover, 3 Barn Owls, Cuckoo at Linford Lakes (24^th) Osprey through on 25^th.

Little Ringed Plovers observed mating and preparing nest scrapes at Manor Farm Quarry (23^rd)

Oystercatcher and Common Terns nesting at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve.

(above all Martin Kincaid)

Marsh Tit – Oakhill Wood (Harry Appleyard)

Cuckoo – Oakhill Wood (24th May) (Harry Appleyard)

Hobby – Oakhill Wood (24^th) (Harry Appleyard)

A great white egret at Summer Leys 21/5/2015 (Julie Lane)

21/5 : 2 Grey Partridge : Little Linford Wood (Rob Hill, Bucks Birders)

20/5 : 2 Garganey : Linford Reserve, Linford GPs.Long staying pair. (Rob Hill, Bucks Birders)

19/5 : Goosander : Manor Farm Quarry. Female over east. Presume one of the Olney birds.
(Rob Hill, Bucks Birders)

Found after the Society Walk on 19th May at Little Linford Wood

1 pair small black trainers. Please contact the Society at https://mknhs.org.uk/contact-us/ if you are, or know, the owner.

Goosander : Manor Farm Quarry. 19th May

BIRDS (any information about anything else most welcome!)

The Peregrine pair are sitting on eggs at Stadium:MK!
Curlew Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper among the many waders at Manor Farm Quarry.
Tawny Owl on eggs at Howe Park Wood (seen by several members on recent Society trip)
Nightingale still present at Blue Lagoon Nature Reserve as of 9th May. Singing well between car park and edge of lake.
Swifts now arriving in huge flocks. Well over 100 present at Willen Lake North on 9th May.
Arctic Terns on passage at Willen and Linford Lakes.
Spotted Flycatchers seen at Stony Stratford NR and Linford Lakes in past week.

Thanks to Martin Kincaid for this information.

BIRDS

(all data from Harry Appleyard)

Garden Warblers – Tattenhoe Park

Red Kites – Tattenhoe

Lesser Whitethroat – Howe Park Wood

Sedge Warbler – Howe Park Wood

Wheatear – Whaddon

Raven – Oakhill Wood

House Martins – Manor Farm

Common Terns – Manor Farm

Red Kite – Manor Farm

INSECTS

(data from Harry Appleyard, Brian Ellis and Paul Lund)

LEPIDOPTERA

Holly Blue – Oakhill Wood (Harry)

Red Admiral – Oakhill Wood (Harry)

Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae – Bancroft (27th – Paul)

Eggs of Brimstone butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni and Orange tip Anthocharis cardamines are on their food plants in Paul’s garden.

Speckled Wood, Male and Female Holly Blue (Brian)

ODONATA

Large Red Damselflies – Tattenhoe Park and Howe Park Wood – Large Reds have been out for a couple of weeks now (Harry).

BIRDS

1st Cuckoo heard by Di Parsons – Heath & Reach, 19th April

Peregrine x2 at Stadium:MK (just signed up for the Dons)

3 Lapwing nests at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve

Wader passage in full swing at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton. In the past week, Avocets, Curlew, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit, Ringed Plovers and 6 Redshank.

Most warblers now back including Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Willow Warblers.

INSECTS

LEPIDOPTERA

Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Orange Tip butterflies on wing.

COLEOPTERA

Great Diving beetles Dytiscus marginalis common in ponds at Linford Lakes.

HYMENOPTERA

Sawfly (Possibly Abia lonicerae)

ALL OTHER LIFE FORMS

MAMMALS

Roe Deer seen at Elfield Park and Shenley Wood (both 17th, Parks Trust staff)

Water Shrew found under tin – Linford Lakes (Martin K, 15th)

LEPIDOSAURIA

Grass Snakes – Tattenhoe

BIRDS

Sand Martins investigating nesting bank at Linford Lakes.

Up to 4 Barn Owls hunting over Stanton Low fields at dusk.

Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Swallows now throughout MK.

2 Redshank, nesting Oystercatcher – Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (13th)

INSECTS

COLEOPTERA

Water Ladybird Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata found while clearing pond at Atterbury (1st April)

HYMENOPTERA

Large numbers of queen bumblebees investigating ditches in Howe Park Wood (13th April – M Kincaid/M LeRoy)

LEPIDOPTERA

Orange Tips and Small Toprtoiseshells seen in Brian Ellis’ back garden, Blue Bridge (9-10th April)

Exactly 100 butterflies (mostly Peacocks) counted on transect at Little Linford Wood – Julian Lambley

Holly Blues out at Kew Gardens! (12th)

DIPTERA

Bee Fly Bombylius major abundant in sunshine in Blakelands

ALL OTHER FORMS OF LIFE

LEPIDOSAURIA 

3 Adders at Stockgrove Country Park (11th – Di Parsons)

WILD FLOWERS

Good displays of Wood Anemone out in local woods now. Bluebells emerging in Howe Park and Shenley Woods.

Cowslips out at Linford Lakes, North Willen, Blue Bridge etc.

Rosettes of Early Purple Orchid at Howe Park Wood (13th)

BIRDS

Peregrines mating at Stadium:MK

Blackbird chicks well developed in nest at Blakelands (Steve Brady)

Kestrels nesting in box at Passenham

Linnets – Tattenhoe Park

Yellowhammers – Kingsmead

First Swallow of the year at Linford Lakes (Harry Appleyard, 27^th)

Many waders at Manor Farm quarry including 1 Ruff, 2 Ringed Plovers, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Green Sandpipers. Also a Wheatear (29^th)

2 Female  Goosanders and 1 Male Goosander seen on Great Ouse, and flitting along the bank nearby a Grey Wagtail just 500 metres from Wolverton Mill.  Further up,  a Little Egret and happily a good number of Mallards. Brian & Val Ellis 24th

MAMMALS 

Water Shrew and American Mink at Linford Lakes (Harry/Martin 27^th)

Otter reported from Stony Stratford (26^th)

“REPTILES”

(technically Lepidosauria – “Reptilia” is no longer generally accepted by zoologists as a valid taxon)

Grass snakes seen at Tattenhoe, Walton Lake and Linford Lakes.

2 Adders at Rammamere Heath (Di Parsons)

WILD FLOWERS 

Common Dog Violet in flower throughout Milton Keynes

Wood Anemone in Linford Wood

First Bluebell in flower at Howe Park Wood! (Harry Appleyard, 26^th)

Lots of Celandine on the banks of the Great Ouse at Wolverton Mill and WhiteViolets alongside the canal. Brian & Val Ellis 24th

BIRDS
Stonechats – Tattenhoe Park (Since 7th)
Red Kites – Tattenhoe and Westcroft
Siskin – Howe Park Wood (8th)

AMPHIBIANS
Common Frogs – Howe Park Wood and Westcroft
Smooth Newt – on Railway Walk, Great Linford (19-15hrs, 11th)

INSECTS – LEPIDOPTERA
Brimstones, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and Commas – Tattenhoe (7th)
PLANTS
Common Whitlow grass, Germander speedwell,Hairy bittercress – all in flower, March 7th

INSECTS

Peacock butterfly – Tattenhoe Park (Friday)

AMPHIBIANS

First Smooth Newts and Great Crested Newts of the year found at Elfield Park (23^rd Jan) Martin Kincaid

BIRDS

Yellowhammer – Tattenhoe Park ( Harry Appleyard Friday 23rd)

Red Kite – Emerson Valley (HA – Saturday 24th)

Marsh Tit – Tattenhoe Park (HA -Sunday 25th)

Fieldfares – Tattenhoe Park

Bittern at HESC (Mike LeRoy – 25^th)

Pair of Stonechat still showing on fields approaching HESC (Michele Welborn)

9 Common Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (MK – 23^rd)

Up to 3 Great White Egrets reported from Summerleys Nature Reserve.

1 Shelduck and 7 Goosander – Manor Farm (23^rd)