Naturalists' News and Sightings

Sightings

Badger in garden

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This emaciated female badger photographed on a trail camera in my Peachcroft garden 02.45am Sunday, attacked a hedgehog 15 minutes later on next door's front lawn, the squeals of the hedgehog raising neighbours from sleep who frightened off the badger. Hedgehog put down by vet next day.

from Graham Bateman: 12 July 2022

Beautiful Demoiselle

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I saw this Beautiful Demoiselle in my garden in Henwood for the first time ever!

 

from Margaret Abel: 23 May 2022

Muslin Moth

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This Muslin Moth female was resting on our window today - first macro-moth I have seen in the garden this year!

 

from David Guyoncourt: 10 May 2022

Peat-free compost fungi

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The peat free compost I use is based on wood fibres.  It grows masses of tiny toadstools.  Can anyone suggest an ID? Photos show one Antirrhinum in a pot of 10cm diameter with more than a dozen toadstools. Underside view shows gills with black spores.

(email ID suggestions to news@abnats.org.uk)

from Gillian Taylor: 19 April 2022

Scarlet Elf Cups

Scarlet Elf Cup fungi amongst moss on fallen branch.

While clearing a path along the riverside wood in Barton Fields we found these Scarlet Elf Cups growing on a well-rotted branch.  We  have found these before in late winter/ early spring so are not usually found in autumn forays.

from David Guyoncourt: 6 March 2022

First butterfly sighting for 2022

Today I saw my first male brimstone butterfly of the year, it was at Lashford Lane nature reserve (BBOWT) in Wootton. In sunshine of course.

from Felicity Jenkins: 1 February 2022

Little Egret return to River Stert

A Little Egret has again been a regular visitor to River Stert in North Abingdon over the past few weeks, since the Environment Agency cleared a build-up of vegetation.

from Adrian Allsop: 15 December 2021

Winter thrushes and fallen apples

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This week my fallen apples have attracted 2 song thrushes, 7 redwings, 2 fieldfares and up to 13 blackbirds including this one with white on the head.

from Gillian Taylor: 2 December 2021

What's been eating our roses and tomatoes?

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My sharp-eyed grandson spotted this large green caterpillar with yellow ‘go faster’ stripe, eating our tomato plants. It turns out to be the larva of the Bright-line Brown-eye Moth (Lacanobia oleracea) also called the Tomato Moth.

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Today I noticed some shiny boldly-spotted caterpillars with erect stance, eating the leaves of our rose. They turn out to be Large Rose Sawfly larvae. I am happy to share my plants with both of these larvae.

from  David Guyoncourt: 11 September 2021