Ravensroost Wood Annual Report 2017

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2017 Report

Clifden Non-pareil or Blue Underwing - first for the reserve - 19th Sept 2017

The Wednesday Team

Jacqui hedgelaying under the watchful eye of Geoff...and Robin..and Maurice.. and John..and Steve - March 1st (TS)

Management: The first winter period - Coppicing continued in section U2 at the same time as a scallop was created in section G which opened up a small pond. Chainsaws were in operation for a total of five sessions in this period, for the above operations and also for completing the scallops in section Q started in the autumn. At the end of January the next section of hedge adjacent to the car park was laid. On 15th Feb the coppicing was completed in U2 and uncut honeysuckle-bearing trees in the coupe were taped to prevent anyone else cutting them! The following week another hedge was laid this time adjacent to the site where the proposed new pond in section P was to be dug. Trevor scythed the bridleway, and in March further scallops in section G were cut. At the end of March extra jobs were a session of coppicing in section A3, in the 25-year rotation area, and finally, on the last session, the morning was spent clearing blackthorn and bramble beside the meadow pond before adjourning to the Red Lion Cricklade for the end of season lunch. During the first winter period there were 13 sessions with attendance varying between 8 and 15 people, the average attendance being 11.1 people per session.

On 10th August Ellie Jones organised volunteers in cutting rideside vegetation along the northern ride.

The second "winter" period commenced a month earlier than usual with rideside vegetation being cut - mainly scythed - on each Wednesday in September. For the first time, all the ridesides were cut along the entire length of the main ride on both sides. The team are very grateful to Ken Saunders for providing scythes and other tools as he has joined the team permanently. In October a third of the vegetation around the Newt Pond was cut and the Elodea was removed from the pond (as much as possible!). Also repairs to the bridleway hedge were done. A gap was opened to allow access to the JCB so the new pond at the eastern end of the bridleway could be dug, and the bridleway kissing gate was mended. The year's coppicing was begun in section U1. The Christmas lunch was enjoyed by 15 of us on 6th December, weather prevented any work on 13th but a final bit of coppicing was done on 20th - about two thirds of the coppice has been cut, not counting the section still to be cut by Chris Pearce. 15 sessions were held in the second period with attendance varying between nine and sixteen people, the average attendance being 12.5 people per session.

I must thank all the following who attended sessions during the year:

Extra special thanks to Geoff Whittle the de-facto leader of the management team - he was indisposed for the last couple of sessions though I am very glad he was able to attend the Christmas lunch. We all look forward to his coming back as soon as he can. Also to Maurice Chandler, Jacqui Cockram, Stephen Davies, Jane Deacon, John Durell, Sally Hansford, Richard Haracz, Ken Kimber, Val McAuley, Steve Medcraft, Ken Saunders, Karen Shaw,Trevor Simmonds, Hugh Slater, John Smith, Helen Strike, Maurice Watkin.

Also to Caroline Andrew, George Clark, Michelle Cole, Caroline Glaser,Colin & Steve Munden, Richard Murphy, Jack Watkins, Simon Wicks - who attend or have attended occasionally. Initials used in the following sections refer to these volunteers.

Future plans 2018: Scallops to be created along the northern ride between the Newt Pond and the NE edge of the wood. Another scallop to be cut in the SW corner of compartment Q to open up a small pond there. Another length of hedge to be laid east of the car park.

Congratulations to the team for winning third place in the Conservation Section of the Wiltshire Life awards last March! The above shows Robin & Geoff at the Wiltshire Life Awards ceremony, Devizes 24th March

Other Activities

- Simon Tucker's bird ringing sessions were held on 16/02; 13/03; 12/04; 29/04; 28/05; 24/06; 26/06; 29/07; 31/07; 26/08; 02/09; 16/09; 27/10; 25/11 and 16/12

- The late winter bird survey was done on 26th Feb.

- The weekly butterfly transect and breeding bird surveys started on 5th April, the latter finishing on 14th June, the former on 20th September - both ending one week earlier than usual. As usual I thank Jane Deacon for leading sessions in my absence.

- Ten Mothing sessions started on 15th April and finished on 6th Nov., six more than last year.

- On 22nd April Simon carried out a public bird ringing event for the Swindon Supporter's Group of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Adults and children alike enjoyed the chance to see some normally elusive birds in close up.

- On 10th June Jane Deacon carried out a public pond dipping session for the Swindon Supporter's Group of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. This was particularly aimed at children and Jane showed her expertise working with them.

- The Brown Hairstreak egg search was done on 4th Nov. with amazing results.

- On 11th November Lee Hayward of the Cotswold Fungus Group carried out a public fungus foray for the Swindon Supporter's Group of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - very well attended by 25 enthusiastic members from all over the county, 6 more had to be put on a waiting list for a future event.

- The early winter bird survey was done on 2nd Dec., with the star being a Hawfinch, seen all too briefly, though it was seen again a week later.

- More information on all the above can be found below.

- I thank all members of the team who have helped with the above activities.

Future plans

- The late winter bird survey planned for Saturday 3rd March

- Another series of mothing sessions to be held from March - November following on from this year's successful ones.

- Weekly Butterfly Transect and breeding bird survey to start week beginning Sunday 1st April, finish wb 18th June (birds) wb 23rd Sept (butterflies).

- The wood is to be surveyed to assess suitability for a possible reintroduction of the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly - interested parties from WWT, Butterfly Conservation and Forestry Commission to meet in the wood and in neighbouring sites during the spring, when measures to facilitate the return of the scarce Marsh Fritillary will also be considered.

2. BIRDS

Young Tawny Owls 10th May (RG)

A) Simon Tucker's ringing sessions:

Monthly Species Totals Report - Birds Retrapped

B) Late winter bird survey 6: 26th February: 13 Blue Tit (28,22,22,17,16), 12 Robin (3,8,20,15,12), 7 Blackbird ( 10,7,12,6,12), 6 Coal Tit (4,6,6,4,2), 4 Nuthatch ( 7,4,2,1,2) , Wren (4,6,7,9,4), 3 Great Tit (6,11,4,7,6), Great Spotted Woodpecker (3,7,4,1,3) , 2 Goldcrest ( 1,3,0,0,2) Song Thrush (2,2,2,2,3), 1 Chaffinch (12,7,8,4,3), Goldfinch, Buzzard (3,1,2,0,2), Marsh Tit (8,5,0,1,4), Long-tailed Tit (18,8,4,0,1). Individuals: 10 Jackdaws, 3 Redpolls, Jays (2,8,11,0,5), Crows (1,12,4,11,3), also a Muntjac. In the meadows: displaying Raven, pair Mallards, 20 Meadow Pipits (31st Jan 2012, 4th February 2013, 22nd Feb 2014, 28th Feb 2015 & 28th Feb 2016 figures in brackets) (RG,HS,SH,JaneD,JC)

C) Early Winter bird survey 7 : 2nd December: A Hawfinch flew in to oak in copse beside the meadow ponds then flew on c11.30 - not seen again despite search. Also:Teal 1 (Newt Pond) (0,0,0,0,1,4 - also there), c75 Wood Pigeons (55,20,c500,3,33,1), Collared Dove 1 (First for the wood!), 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (2,3,2,1,4,2),5 Robins (10,9,9,10,5,10), Redwing 10 (32,2,5,10,c5), Mistle Thrush 1(1,1,1. c20 meadow,1, 1), Fieldfare 1 (3,14,4,1,3,0), 13 Blackbirds (14,13,13,12,15,9), Wren 4 (5,5,7,6,7,4), Dunnock 1 (0,0,0,1,1,0), 4 Goldcrests (3,3,6,5,8,c5), 5 Great Tits (8,5,6,4,1,5), 4 Coal Tits (4,7,6,2,3,7), 7 Blue Tits (5,5,5,6,7,5), 2 Marsh Tits (6,3,3,2,3,2),11 Long-tailed Tits (11+,9,1,15,10,7+), 4 Nuthatches(5,1,4,4,9,5), 3+ Treecreepers (0,1,0,1,1,1), Magpie 1 (2,4,1,1,1,4), 2 Jays (8,3,6,8,12,5), 2 Jackdaws (c7, nc, 2+,4,2,4), Raven 2 (0,2,0,0,1,1), 5 Crows (6,nc,4,2,2,3), 2 Chaffinches (10,4,5,3,3,2), 3 Bullfinches (3,5,3,8,2,7), plus Snipe and 4 Goldfinches at the ponds. Total winter thrushes in the area: c25 Fieldfares and c40 Redwings.(2011,12,13,14,15 & 16 figures in brackets) (RG,JaneD,JC)

Treecreeper, 19th April (TS)

D) Breeding Bird Survey

Each of the full bird counts involved mapping all contacts with birds in the vicinity of the butterfly transect from April to June, then estimating the number of territories from each visit and making an overall estimate from the set at the end of the season (Not enough birdsong after late June for worthwhile counting). For Simon Tucker's results see his summary above.

It appears that short distance migrants are doing the best these days with both Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps being never more obvious in the wood than this year. They either winter locally (no one seems to know where our wintering Chiffchaffs come from) or no further away than the Mediterranean basin.

Figures = number of estimated territories in the vicinity of the butterfly transect - not the whole wood

0 = no records

P = reported but not during breeding bird surveys

Green type = possibly increasing - bold = increasing

Red type = possibly decreasing - bold = decreasing

Black type = no change

Ravensroost Breeding Bird Survey 2011-2017

E) Details and other records:

(A)= all records for the year are listed

Star birds this year include a migrating Short-eared Owl and an irrupting Hawfinch, while both declining Cuckoos and Spotted Flycatchers put in a welcome appearance.

Teal a male flushed from the Newt Pond, 2nd Dec (see above) (A)

Red Kite 1, 26th March (MW), 21st May (A)

Sparrowhawk Two displaying 19th Apr., juv., 4th Aug

Hobby 1 over meadows, 21st June, 16th & 23rd Aug. (A)

Common Snipe Flushed from meadow pond, 12th Apr., 25th Nov., 2nd Dec. (A)

Collared Dove 1, 2nd Dec., the first noted on the reserve (A)

Short-eared Owl 1, 25th Oct seen flying near the wood in daytime by MC and Bob Philpott independently - the first for the reserve (A)

Tawny Owl Pair with two fledgelings from 10th May-2nd Jun, at least

Cuckoo A male present all spring from 26th April, mainly in the south of the wood, last seen 7th June

Green Woodpecker Heard on 8th Feb. (A)

Great Spotted Woodpecker Drumming from 8th Feb.

Skylark Singing north of the wood as in previous seasons, 12th April

Meadow Pipit c8 in meadows, 11th Jan. (A)

Fieldfare c25 on 2nd Dec.

Mistle Thrush Singing early in the season but not noted during the breeding season

Redwing Not noted in first winter period. In the autumn seen from 8th Nov. C40 on 2nd Dec.

Common Whitethroat Arrival in meadow noted 19th Apr. One retrapped on 22nd April was ringed the previous August also in the wood!

Lesser Whitethroat Arrival in meadow noted 19th Apr., probably visiting nest, 7th June

Garden Warbler Arrival noted 26th April

Blackcap Arrival noted from 5th April. Best ever numbers in the wood this year. Juv seen 31st May

Reed Warbler at the meadow ponds 2nd June (JaneD) (A)

Chiffchaff 2-3 already singing 15th March - gets ever more common with a record 12 territories estimated this year

Willow Warbler Arrival noted from 5th April. Slight improvement this year with two pairs in wood and also present (1 - 2 pairs) in the meadows. One retrapped on 22nd April was ringed in the wood almost exactly a year previously! In the meantime it and the Whitethroat noted above had both been to sub-Saharan Africa and back!

Spotted Flycatcher 1 Seen 11th, pair,14th June, 23rd Aug.(SM), 18th Sept. (Simon Tucker) (A)

RG

Marsh Tit Seemed to be much more obvious this year than usual, though disappointingly this isn't indicated by the surveys. Simon is of the opinion that all the available territories in the wood may be occupied. Birds were heard calling on most management and monitoring sessions, throughout the wood. Singing on 8th March, with two singing against each other on 22nd March; with young, 7th June, c5 on 6th Sept.& 20th Dec. One with colour rings on 25th Nov may have been five years old according to Simon.

Long-tailed Tit Carrying food for young, 12th Apr.

Nuthatch 2 juveniles trapped and ringed, 24th June

Raven Very obvious in late winter but no breeding evidence later

Goldfinch Only occasional in the wood - first trapped there by Simon on 16th Feb. and one in the survey on 26th Feb.

Hawfinch Two sightings, possibly of the same bird. One seen briefly in flight during the survey on 2nd Dec (see above), then one seen in the current coppicing section U1 on 8th Dec by Roger Gillespie. These are the first ever records in the wood as far as I know, part of the large influx into NW Europe this autumn/winter (A)

Bullfinch Despite negative results from the breeding survey, a juv. was in the wood on 16th Aug.

Siskin Heard over, 11th Jan., 27th Sept. (A)

Lesser Redpoll 1, 1st Feb., 15th March, 3-4, 4th Nov. (A)

Linnet One over the wood, 5th April (A)

Reed Bunting Pair trapped and ringed meadow pond 22nd April, feeding young, 2nd June (JaneD)

3. BUTTERFLIES

White-letter Hairstreak, 21st June (TS)

Butterfly transect results

IoA = Index of abundance, figures in brackets are for 2014, 2015 & 2016

Green type: increased from 2016

Red type: decreased from 2016

Black type: no noticeable change

NB. Dates are for the transect week beginning, not the actual date seen, apart from casual records.

Increases in most species were to be anticipated this year after last year's dreadful weather, but there were still some concerning species - rather surprisingly Peacock is giving cause for concern. Naturally the White Admiral was the most hoped for this year for an increase after the last few years' decline - it was up 50%, but is still very scarce and most visitors to the wood saw very few or none. There isn't an apparent explanation for its decline - certainly there's no shortage of Honeysuckle. While the browns were never more obvious, the star species seems to be the White-letter Hairstreak with about half a dozen sightings - probably the best ever.

Small Skipper: None on the transect this year (17,11,1)

Essex Skipper: None again this year (0,1,0)

Large Skipper: 3rd June-8th July, max. 4, 17th June IoA: 11 (7,12,12)

Brimstone: 8th April - 26th August, max. 23, 22nd July IoA: 57 (65,69,100)

(Clouded Yellow No transect records. 1, meadows, 4th Aug)

RG

Large White: 22nd April - 22nd July, max. 4, 8th July IoA: 14 (7,29,29)

Small White: 22nd April - 16th September, max. 3, 22nd April IoA: 10 (0,0,25)

Green-veined White: 8th April-2nd Sept. max. 11, 29th July IoA: 69 (164,75,58)

Orange Tip: 1st Apr.-20th May, max 11, 15th April IoA: 39 (19,24,33) - nice to see the gradual increase continues of this harbinger of spring - egg found on Ladies' Smock, 10th May

Brown Hairstreak: None on transect but: 2, 29th July (Simon Tucker), 1, 10th Aug. (Darcia Gingell) (0,1,2) The egg survey on 4th November was amazing - a record number of 191 eggs were found (this total includes 18 found on other dates) roughly half of them being on newly planted blackthorn in Ravens Retreat - but even the 100 or so found away from the plantation dwarfed the mere 15 found last winter.

Purple Hairstreak: 24th June - 5th Aug., max 8, 8th July IoA: 26 (1,7,2) - rather surprisingly it became much more obvious this summer. A late one was seen on 31st Aug.

White-letter Hairstreak: None on transect but one seen adjacent to the wood on 21st June, now three consecutive years with records. About half a dozen individuals were seen this year by various observers incl. 26th June, (Andrew Cornick), 5th July (Lucinda Lanscombe), 17th July (Graham Goodfellow), 18th July (Bob Philpott) Seems to be increasing. (0,1,0)

(Small Copper None on the transect nor in Spring, but up to 4 seen in the meadows in late summer, a welcome increase over the last few years)

Common Blue: 22nd July-19th Aug., max 3, 29th July IoA:8 (4,2,0) Also common in the meadows in late summer.

Holly Blue: 8th April-5th Aug., all singles IoA: 6 (2,6,4)

White Admiral: 17th June-22nd July, max 6, 24th June & 1st July IoA: 22 (54,32,15) - at last an increase, albeit only modest. Needs watching.

Red Admiral: 6th May - 9th Sept., max 3, 22nd July & 26th Aug. IoA: 26 (8,5,8) - much more obvious this year

Painted Lady: None this year on transect (0,0,1)

Small Tortoiseshell: Single on 1st April IoA:1 (2,5,0)

Peacock: 18th Apr-19th Aug. max 6, 22nd July IoA:15 (129,76,28) - very poor this year and apparently declining rather rapidly

Comma: 1st April-16th Sept., max. 12, 24th June IoA:40 (27,32,29)

Silver-washed Fritillary: 10th June-12th Aug., max 40 on 1st July IoA: 127 (153,126,91) 40 is a record for the last 4 years, but again no Valesina females were seen

Speckled Wood: 1st April - 16th Sept. max 28 on 19th Aug. IoA: 242 (159,146,229) - despite last year's record count of 64 on 2nd Sept., this was the best year of the four

Marbled White: 3 on 1st July was the only transect record IoA: 3 (0,3,0) Commonly seen in the meadows

Gatekeeper: 1st July - 5th Aug., max 13 on 8th July IoA:32 (41,43,20)

Meadow Brown: 3rd June-19th Aug., max, 281 on 17th June IoA:1,055 (342,363,239) - extraordinary!

Ringlet: 17th June-22nd July, max, 162 on 24th June IoA:253 (86,89,72) - as above

White Admiral, 21st June (TS)

4) MOTHS

Devon Carpet, 24th May (RG)

10 moth trappings were carried out in the wood this year on 15th April, 2nd & 24th May, 10th June, 4th July, 1st & 29th Aug, 19th Sept.,25th Oct. & 6th Nov. Many species were recorded (both during the trappings and also during the butterfly transects) including 46 new species for Ravensroost - 24 micros and 22 macros. Outstanding was the Devon Carpet (pictured above) which is not only new for the reserve but is the first record for vice-county 7 (roughly Wilts north of the Kennet & Avon Canal.) One was found on 24th May, then another two second brood individuals on 1st Aug., a very strong indication that they breed in the wood (Marsh Bedstraw, their foodplant, is found here.) Also the first Clifden Non-pareil, an Aspen feeder so perhaps it's breeding in the wood. On the other hand many of the "new" species, especially micros, are abundant species that have perhaps been overlooked or even ignored before. All these new species are listed below (underlined), together with some other significant species - the list looks long, but is by no means a comprehensive record of all the species seen this year. The reserve moth list at the end of the year stands at 324 species, 89 being "micros" and 235 being "macros", though those names mean very little nowadays. There are still many species yet to be recorded at Ravensroost.

Selected 2017 moths. Underlined, new for the reserve. (The date in brackets is the date of the first sighting at Ravensroost, where known)

1.005 Micropterix calthella (10/05/17) - the adults are abundant tiny pollen eaters (they have jaws) - they can be confused with pollen-eating beetles

3.002 Common Swift Korschelltellus lupulina (23/05/17)

3.004 Gold Swift Phymatopus hecta (10/6/15)

3.005 Ghost Moth hepialus humuli (4/7/17)

7.015 Nematopogon swammerdamella (19/4/17)

8.003 Incurvaria oehlmanniella

8.004 Incurvaria praelatella (23/05/17)

16.001 Bird Cherry Ermine Yponomeuta evonymella (4/7/17)

17.012 Ypsolopha sequella (29/08/17) - looks like the Playboy logo!

RG

31.001 Carcina quercana (4/7/17)

32.018 Agonopterix heracliana (15/2/17)

32.031 Agonopterix alstromeriana (2013)

35.031 Helcystogramma rufescens (1/8/17)

41.002 Blastoblasis adustella (1/8/17)

49.004 Red Barred Tortrix Ditula angustiorana (1/8/17)

49.128 Aethes rubigana (4/7/17)

49.155 Hedya salicella (4/7/17) - adult looks amazingly like a broken-off birch twig

49.157 Plum Tortrix Hedya pruniana (10/6/17)

49.214 Ancylis badiana (2017)

49.254 Epinotia bilunana (23/05/17)

49.269 Eucosma campoliliana (4/7/17)

49.298 Notocelia trimaculana (23/05/17)

49.354 Grapholita jungiella (19/4/17)

54.002 Forester Adscita statices (2011, 2014) - a sun-loving day flier only seen in the meadows

62.001 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella (2017)

62.035 Acrobasis advenella (1/8/17)

63.017 Anania lancealis (2016)

63.064 Scoparia ambigualis (4/7/17)

63.067 Eudonia lacustrata (4/7/17)

63.075 Eudonia pallida (29/8/17)

63.092 Agriphila selasella (1/8/17)

65.001 Scalloped Hook-tip Falcaria lacertinaria

65.014 Oak Lutestring Cymatophorima diluta (14/09/13) - apparently scarce in Wilts apart from Ravensroost ( 25+ at the trap on 29th Aug!)

66.002 Pale Eggar Trichiura crataegi (2014)

66.003 Lackey Malacosoma neustria (caterpillars and ad)

66.005 Small Eggar Eriogaster lanestris (Larval web, Avis meadows, 30/05/12) - larval web in the wood this year

70.011 Single-dotted Wave Idaea dimidiata (1/8/17)

70.027 Cream Wave Scopula floslactata (2012)

70.036 Maiden's Blush Cyclophora punctaria (2015)

70.038 Vestal Rhodometra sacraria (25/10/17) - migrant from the south so this one may not have had anything to do with the wood, perhaps just flying over and attracted to the trap

(70.084 Blue-bordered Carpet Plemyria rubiginata (Eggs found on Blackthorn in meadows) - negative report - no eggs found this year during the Brown Hairstreak search)

70.104 Devon Carpet Lampropteryx otregiata (23/05/17) - the first for VC7 - see above

70.107 November Moth Epirrita dilitata agg.

70.112 Dingy Shell Euchoeca nebulata (23/05/17)

70.160 White-spotted Pug Eupithecia tripunctaria (2017)

70.179 Wormwood Pug Eupithecia absinthiata (4/7/17)

70.203 Orange Underwing Archiearis parthenias - A probable on 15th March, and one on 9th & 12th April (a sun-loving day flying species of early spring.) A remote possibility that a much rarer Light Orange Underwing was seen by a visitor on 9th, but essential ID features were not noted.

70.230 Orange Moth Angerona prunaria - perhaps a good year? - 3 on 10th June including 2 of the variant form corylaria

Orange Moth f. corylaria 10th June (RG)

70.231 Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria (4/7/17)

70.244 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria

70.270 Engrailed Ectropis bistortata

70.272 Square Spot Paradarisa consonaria (2017)

70.273 Brindled White-spot Parectropis similaria (2016)

70.305 Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria (4/7/17)

71.016 Great Prominent Peridea anceps

71.018 Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma

71.021 Coxcomb Prominent Ptilidon capucina

72.010 Black Arches Lymantria monacha - 6 on 1st Aug. included a beautiful fresh female, fairly scarce to see

72.019 Buff Ermine Spilosoma lutea (10/6/17)

72.024 Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa (2017)

72.029 Scarlet Tiger Callimorpha dominula - during butterfly transects, adults seen on 17th, 24th June and 1st July, with 2 on 24th June

72.035 Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata - 4 on 4th July

72.049 Orange Footman Eilema sororcula (2015)

72.076 Clifden Nonpareil Catocala fraxini (19/09/17) - See above

73.017 Plain Golden Y Autographa jota (5/7/17)

73.033 Figure of Eight Diloba caeruleocephala (2011) - good to see 3 individuals of this declining species on 24th Oct.

73.062 Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea (2013)

73.063 Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera (8/09/17) - a strange way to find a new species - it was found dead with 5 pyramideas inside the new notice board!

73.065 Sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx (11/11/17) - found on tree trunk during fungus foray

73.068 Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae - egg found during Brown Hairstreak egg search on 4th Nov.

73.181 Pink-barred Sallow Xanthia togata (19/09/17) - the only moth found beside the Badger pond - we moved the trap to the "delta" and caught just 3 more including the Clifden NP

73.192 Brick Agrochola circellaris

73.194 Chestnut Conistra vaccinii - 10 caught on 24th Oct

73.195 Dark Chestnut Conistra ligula (2012) - one identified out of 11 chestnuts found on 24th Oct

73.210 Satellite Eupsilia transversa - one on 24th Oct.

73.216 Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina

73.261 Grey Arches Polia nebulosa (10/6/17)

73.332 Purple Clay Diarsia brunnea (10/6/17)

73.334 Small Square Spot Diarsia rubi (7/6/17)

73.358 Six-striped Rustic Xestia sexstrigata (29/8/17) - extraordinary that this and the previous species had never been recorded here before

74.008 Green Silver Lines Pseudoips prasinana (Caterpillar, 2013, ad., 2014) - another ad. on 23rd May

Oak Lutestring, one of many on 29th August (RG)

5) DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES

An amazing year with two new species for the reserve in the space of three days, one of which was a county first - see below

Banded Demoiselle a probable female 26th June - just possibly could have been Beautiful

Emerald Damselfly from 21st June

Emerald Damselfly, 21st June (TS)

Large Red Damselfly from 19th April

(Large Red-eyed Damselfly None seen this year)

Small Red-eyed Damselfly One, 7th Aug., the first for Ravensroost (Steve Covey)

Steve Covey

Azure Damselfly from 21st June

Blue-tailed Damselfly from 21st June

Common Blue Damselfly from 31st May

Emperor from 21st June

Brown Hawker from 26th June

Southern Hawker from late June to 25th Oct

Migrant Hawker from 4th Aug - 20th Sept

Southern Migrant Hawker - one on 5th Aug was not only the first for Ravensroost but the first for Wilts - it was a blue female never before recorded in the UK! - a photo of it appeared in British Wildlife Oct 2017, p.50 (Ellis Warbler)

Broad Bodied Chaser 31st May, ovipositing 21st June

Four-spotted Chasers from 21st June

Black-tailed Skimmer from 21st June

Common Darter from 4th Aug - 25th Oct

Ruddy Darter 4th Aug

Ruddy Darter, 4th Aug. (RG)

6) PLANTS

Twayblade from 5th Apr

Violet Helleborine from 7th June - in two widely separated areas, one with c10 plants

Early Purple Orchid from 12th Apr

Bird's Nest Orchid from 7th June

Adderstongue from 19th April

7) OTHERS

More information to follow

Other insects:

Orange Ladybird 22nd Feb

Fungi (List from Cotswold Fungus group to follow)

King Alfred's Cake Daldinia concentrica 8th Feb (JC)

Yellow Jelly 15th Feb

Others

Water Scorpion Found at the meadow pond during pond dipping - 10th June (JaneD)

Frog 1, 31st May

Toad spawn 29th March

Smooth Newt Found at the meadow pond during pond dipping - 10th June (JaneD)

Palmate Newt From 5th Apr

Harvest Mouse Two nests were found by JaneD, JC and JohnD on 4th Oct - verified by Richard Murphy