Saturday 31st August 2024

0730-0930 fairly sunny, NE breeze 11-15c:  Teal 2, Shoveler, Cormorant 17, Little Egret, Little Grebe 4, Kestrel, Ring-necked Parakeet over, Swift 5, H Martin 8, Blackcap 2, Bullfinch, etc.   Southern Hawker, Common Darter 2.   (GR)

Kestrel & Cormo's today (GR)

Wednesday 28th August 2024

1000-1220 cloudy but warm 22c:  Red Kite, Buzzard 6 circling, Sparrowhawk m, Raven, Green Woodpecker, Swallow 8, House Martin, Swift 4, Reed Warbler, Lapwing 71, Cormo. 10, Dabchick 5, Greylag 2.

Migrant, Southern & Brown Hawkers, Common Darter 3, Vapourer, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood 4, Gv White 2, Holly Blue.   (RP / GR)

Red Kite today (RP)

Sunday 25th August 2024

0950-1200 becoming cloudy, SW wind 16c:  Canada Geese 360, Greylag, Mute Swan 12, Shoveler 3, Dabchick, Lapwing 54, Kestrel, Buzzard 2, Raven, Green Woodpecker juv. m (photo's), Swift 12, H Martin 8, Blackcap, Chiffchaff 2, Greenfinch, etc.   (GR / RP)

Thursday 22nd August 2024

1030-1215 cloudy, westerlies 16-20c:  Hobby, Greylag, Cormo 13, Stock Dove 4, Swift 4, Swallow 3, H Martin 2, etc.

Young Bh Gulls today (GR)

Tuesday 20th August 2024

0945-1145 heavy rain then cloudy/sunny 14c:  LBb & Herring Gulls 425 (around 80% of which juvenile birds), Bh Gull 2 juv., M Swan 12, Cormorant 10, Lapwing c30, L Grebe 4 + 2 juv., Swift c25, Swallow 4, H Martin 2, Jay, Col Dove, Chiffchaff 8, Blackcap 3f, etc.   (GR) (RP)

Sunday 18th August 2024

0950-1145 mainly cloudy 17c:  Cormorant 11, Teal, L Egret, L Grebe 4, GC Grebe juv, Buzzard 3, Swift 12, House Martin 7, Swallow 4, Reed Warbler (pair on 13/08), Blackcap 3, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, (Reed Bunting on 13/08).  Also Red Admiral 2, Vapourer 2, etc.   (GR) (RP)

Fox & L Grebe chick (GR)

Friday 16th August 2024

0830-1000 clear skies 15c:  Green Sandpiper 2, Lapwing 31, L Grebe 6 + 4 chicks, Cormorant 8, M Swan 11, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted 8, Swift 20, H Martin 5, S Martin 2, Swallow 3, Stock Dove 2, Blackcap 5 incl juv., Chiffchaff 8, Whitethroat, etc.   (GR)

Green Sands today (GR)

Wednesday 14th August 2024

0950-1150 drizzle 16c:  L Grebe 7, Teal 3, Lapwing 19, Buzzard 2, Sparrowhawk 2 + juv, Swift, H Martin, Swallow 12, Collared Dove 2, Jay 3, Raven, GS Woodpecker, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff 9, Blackcap 2m, Bullfinch 3, Greenfinch, Goldfinch c50.   (GR)

Reed Warbler with Harvestman
prey for nestlings (GR)

Sunday 11th August 2024

1000-1215 20-23c;  Hobby mobbed by Swallows, Buzzard 2, Raven, GS Woodpecker, Swift 2, Swallow 20, Whitethroat, Kingfisher, Lapwing 20+, Little Grebe 5, Gadwall 2, Tufted 12+, Greylag 10, Mute Swan 11.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly 3, Common Damselfly 4, Brown Hawker 2, Southern Hawker, Common Darter, Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blue 2, Common Blue m, Ringlet 1 worn, Meadow & Hedge Browns c25, Spckled Wood 3, Small Skipper, Yellow Shell, Straw Dot, Vapourer.    (RP, GR)

Red-eyed (top) & Small 
Red-eyed Damsels today (RP)

Thursday 8th August 2024

0930-1130 cloudy/showery 17c:  Swallow 25, Swift 9, House Martin 2, Sand Martin 8, Kestrel m, GS Woodpecker, Chiffchaff 8, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Herring & LBb Gull c250, Little Grebe 3, Little Egret, Heron 2, Cormorant 5, Lapwing 6+.   (GR)

Black Arches moth at
Rushall today (GR)

Monday 5th August 2024

1015-1130 overcast, breezy 20c:  GC Grebe 3, L Grebe 2, LBb Gull 150, Lapwing c20, Jay 2, Swift 10, Swallow 4, Collared Dove 3, Greenfinch 2, etc.  (GR)

Large parasitic wasp
Achaius oratorius

Hoverfly Helophilus trivittatus

27/07 (both RP)

Saturday 3rd August 2024

1130-1245, sunny 19c, little change:  GC Grebe 3, Tufted 7 juvs, Dabchick 2, Green Woodpecker, Red-eyed Damselflies, etc.   (RP)

Dabchicks on 01/08 (GR)

Thursday 1st August 2024

1015-1130 light sun after earlier thunderstorm 22c:  Dabchick 7 + 3 juv + 3 chicks, Tufted 20 incl 6 juvs, Buzzard, GS Woodpecker, Jay 2 + 2 juvs, etc.   (GR)

Box-tree moths continue
their spread thru the Midlands 
(Rushall 30/07)

Tuesday 30th July 2024

1000-1140 hazy sun 22c:  Cormorant 5, Little Egret, Dabchick 4 + 2 juvs, Bh Gull 50 + 1 juv, LBb Gull 64, Swallow 2, Buzzard, Blackcap & Chiffchaff mixed flock of 12, Whitethroat 2, Linnet 2, etc.  Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker 5, Com Darter 2, Black-tailed Skimmer 2, Blue & Red-eyed Damselflies c10.   (GR / RP)

Small Copper 2nd brood @ Rushall.

Roesel's Bush Cricket 27/07
winged form (RP)

Banded Agrion 28/07 (GR)

Sunday 28th July 2024

1015-1215 sunny 21c:  M Swan 11, GC Grebe juv, L Grebe 4 + 3 chicks, Lapwing 30+, Raven 2, Rook, Buzzard, Wood Pigeon 232 to n., Swift 2, Swallow 3, Whitethroat 1 + 2 juvs, Blackcap 2 in song, Chiffchaff 7, Song Thrush 2 juvs, Linnet 4, etc.

Peacock new brood, Red Admiral 4, Comma, Sml Tort. 2, Ringlet 2, Large & Gv Whites 10+, Meadow & Hedge Browns 50+, Brown Hawker 6, Black-tailed Skimmer 2, Banded Demoiselle 2, Com. Darter f.   (GR)

Also Purple Hairstreak 2, Holly Blue, Comma, Speckled Wood 20+, Mother-of-Pearl 2, Emperor Dragonfly, Red-eyed Damsels 2.   (RP)

Dabchick & young today

Great Grebe juv today (GR)

Thursday 25th July 2024

1115-1200 cloudy 20c:  Tufted 4 juvs, L Grebe 2, Lapwing 40, 2 each of Swift Swallow & House Martin, Blackcaps & Chiffchaffs, Wood Pigeon 169 to north in small flocks.   (GR)

Little Owl @ Aldridge canal (RP)

Tuesday 23rd July 2024

14:15 sunny 22c, continuing quiet: Lapwing 52, M Swan 11, Tufted 6 ducklings, Swift 2, Swallow 4, GS Woodpecker, Blackcaps & Chiffchaffs.   (GR)

Buzzard on 25/07 (GR)

Sunday 21st July 2024

1000 on, becoming cloudy 17c:  Kingfisher, Lapwing c20, Mute Swan 11, L Grebe 2, Reed Warbler, Bullfinch pair, Linnet 3, Swift 4, Sand Martin 6, Swallow.

Red Admiral 2, Comma, usual browns & skippers, etc.

Red Admiral today (GR)

Thursday 18th July 2024

1000-1200 sunny 22c:  Tufted c20 + 8 ducklings, Shoveler f, Little Grebe 2, Lapwing 49, Heron 2, Bh Gull juv, Sparrowhawk, a few Swift & Swallows, Reed Warbler, Bullfinch pair, Linnet pair.

Essex Slipper 2, Red Admiral, Shaded Broad Bar, Clay moth, Udea lutealis 2, Broad-bodied Chaser m, etc.

Essex Skipper 11/07 (RP)

Wednesday 17th July 2024

1000-1215 sunny 20c:  Marbled White 17, Meadow Brown 100+, Ringlet 15, Small Heath 6, Hedge Brown 10, Speckled Wood, Comma, L White 3, S White 10, Small Skipper 100+, Large Skipper 4, Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet, Shaded Broadbar 25, Silver Y 5, Burnet Companion (late record), Common Plume, Brown Hawker, Emperor, Common Darter 20+, Com Blue Damsel 100+, Scorpion Fly.

Coal Tit, Raven, Shoveler, Tufted 20 + 3 ducklings, Lapwing 30+, Stock Dove 2, Green Woodpecker, a few Swifts, Reed Warbler.   (GR / RP)

Gatekeeper/Hedge Brown 15/07 
(RP)