Wednesday 30th lunch hour - Linford Lakes

Not much to report on the bird or mammal front, with just 6 Little Egret, 3 Buzzards, pair of Teal. The Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Cettis Warblers still singing and Rabbits noted.
Better luck with butterflies with 15+ Large Skippers, 2 Comma's, 1 Marbled White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods.

Tuesday 29th lunch hour - Linford Lakes

A large Toad had taken up residence in on old Coots nest within one of the reedbeds.
2 Cettis Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap all in song.
3 Little Egrets, 3 Juvenile Black Headed Gulls and a pair of Teal on the bund. A few Common Terns overhead.
Skippers, Speckled Woods, 2 Marbled Whites, Ringlets and a few Brown Hawker Dragonflies along the paths.
3 Rabbits, the only mammals seen.

Monday 28th June - Moth trap results from this morning

These are some of the moths caught overnight in the Skinner Trap.

Not had a chance to look through the books yet to see what they are.

Sunday evening 27th June - Milton Keynes

A night at home for once, so I thought I'd survey the local Brown Long-eared roost and keep an eye on the Noctule one also.
From 21:35 - 21:40, from my position, I counted a minimum of 17 Noctules leaving and heading north. No more by 21:46. I would imagine more had left the roost but were just undetectable from my position.
By now the Brown Long-ears would have been starting to come out. But none? I did notice 4 bats fly low over my position and off into the wood? Then at 21:50 another 2 did the same. I'm guessing they were Common Pips but not totally sure or where they were coming from? Anyway, no Brown Long-ears appeared from the usual roost? Then a Common Pip started feeding above me.
Then at 22:08 a bat flew towards the usual roost entrance, touched the front and dropped away again? Then another and another (or the same bat?). By 22:16 no bats had emerged from the roost - have they moved on? too hot in the roost? disturbed?
By 22:22 two Common Pips were feeding above my position.
I then started to set up my Skinner moth trap.

Saturday evening 26th June - Rushbeds Wood nr Bicester

Another evening surveying with the NBBG as part of the Bechsteins Project.
The two harp traps were erected and finally turned on an hour after civil twilight at 23:15.
Beforehand, I was praying for some mammal activity on the roads, as the journey down took nearly an hour through some fine Bucks countryside but alas nothing was seen.
Having added a Whiskered and Natterers bat to my mammal list at the last Bechsteins survey the possibility of finding a Leislers (previously recorded here) was always in the back of my mind.
We only caught 4 bats in the 1 1/2 hours of surveying, these included a male Soprano Pip, a female and male Brown Long-eared and a male Natterers. Will load some pics soon.
After packing up and getting back on the road after 01:00 the prospect of connecting with mammals on the road home was helping me keep awake. Alas an adult Badger had been killed earlier in the evening and was led across one of my returning roads. I didn't see another mammal until I got back into Milton Keynes - just 2 small Rabbits.
Natterers Bat


Brown Long-eared
Brown Long-eared

Saturday afternoon 26th June - School Fete

A very busy, but enjoyable afternoon at the girls school helping out with the fete. Whilst helping pack away I found a male Lime Hawk moth on the playground. Took some record shots from my mobile phone. This was the best shot in a rushed job. A first for me and a cracking moth it was too, although I think it was dying as made little fuss when I picked it up to move it off the floor.

Saturday morning 26th June - Dancers End Nature Reserve

I took the girls on a trip to mid bucks and Dancers End Nature Reserve in the Chilterns. The aim was to help Hilary and Miles check the 20 bat boxes. Alas, the boxes were devoid of any bats or even droppings. But one held a couple of Edible Dormice or Glis Glis, a few record shots attached. A new mammal for me and one happily added to my 2010 mammal total which now stands at 32 for England and 24 for Bucks. A very pleasant morning and a cracking site for insects and plants - just a shame about the bats.

Friday 25th June - Rushmere Park

A very busy weekend started on Friday evening with some bat surveys a Rushmere Park on the Beds/Bucks border. A joint effort of the NBBG and the Beds Group. Thanks to Bob Cornes for organising.

A record 54 Brown Long-eared Bats were recorded from the roost. Species heard on detectors were Soprano Pips, Common Pips, Myotis sp., Noctules, Brown Long-eared, Daubenton's and most interesting passes by Barbastelles. Alas I can't add Barbastelle to my Bucks list as I'm not fully sure I heard one in Bucks. But will certainly return to this site as this species is rare in Bucks and offers a good chance to hear one.

I also found 3 Glow worms in the Beds section - which was nice.

Milton Keynes Noctule Roost

Surveyed the local roost tonight. From 21:33 - 21:46 a total of 27 bats emerged. I left at 21:55 and could still hear the odd noise from the roost.

Milton Keynes Noctule roost 19/06/2010

On Saturday evening I counted the Noctule roost . From 21:41 to 21:51 only 12 bats appeared, but there was still noise coming from the roost – so guessing if they’ve had pups an adult is babysitting the crèche while the others go out to feed? Still hear noises when I left at 22:08. This was my lowest ever number emerging.

On Friday evening I attended an emergence survey in Bletchley and counted over 268+ Soprano Pipistrelles out of a roost in 38 minutes.

Blue-winged Teal at Berry Fen 20/06/2010

Some record shots of this smart bird from Cambs yesterday evening.

These were the best two from over 70 shots, most of it's backside as it's head was under water! Also a moulting drake Garganey on site, over 40 Redshank, nearly filling every fence post. Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Barn Owl, a brief flyby male Marsh Harrier.
Plus a million midgies - where were all the Spotted Flycatchers??


Only mammals recorded on the trip, 1 Grey Squirrel, loads of Rabbits, 1 Hare, 1 probable Fox on the roadside, just it's eyes caught in the headlights. Still no Badger tick for Nik.

Milton Keynes Noctule roost

Tonight from 21:30 to 21:44 a total of 23 Noctules emerged. Mainly all earlier on with two late bats right at the end.
Also one bat half way through did one lap and then flew back into the roost, so perhaps only 22? The roost was silent when I left at 21:50.

Milton Keynes Noctule

Milton Keynes Noctule roost

I did a full emergence survey of the Noctule roost yesterday evening.
From 21:34 - 21:41 only 18 emerged. Then after a wait of 8 minutes a 19th bat flew out 21:49.

Anaglyptus mysticus (Rufous-shouldered Longhorn Beetle)

Many thanks to Martin Harvey from the BMERC Yahoo Group for correctly identifying these Longhorn beetles.

Stenocorus meridianus (Variable Longhorn Beetle)

No Milton Keynes Survey tonight - but bats remain

I'd heard the Noctules earlier today as I took my youngest on a mini beast hunt for her school homework project. I'd planned to survey tonight to beat my record 57, but the rain started around 2000 hours and continued past dusk so I didn't survey the roost. But at least I didn't have to water the plants this evening. The rain continues down at 2240.

Milton Keynes Noctule roost tonight

From 21:31 - 21:38 a total of 52 Noctule bats emerged from the roost tonight. Then the usual single Common Pipistrelle started feeding along the ride.