Ravensroost Wood      Annual Report 2024       by Robin Griffiths Voluntary Warden

Above: Purple Emperor, 2nd July (Colin Pinchen & Ed Smith)

                                                                                                                                             Below: Christmas do 18th December 

Above, from left: Jon Beresford, Maurice Chandler, Ken Saunders, Anna McTiernan, Jerry Ollis, Trevor Simmonds, John Durell, Kevan Wind, Steve Medcraft, Liz Bone, Robin Simpson, Robin Griffiths, Helen Strike, Graham Roberts, Steve Davies, Hugh Slater, David Karn, Geoff Whittle.

                                                         Above:  Liz, Helen, Steve Davies and Steve Lloyd clearing cut stuff in section A1, 7th Feb. (RG)

                                                                               Below: Trevor with his 10 year attendance certificate, 13th March 

THE WEDNESDAY TEAM

The 2023-4 season resumed on 10th January as the weather did not allow for a session on 3rd. The weather was a constant problem this half of the season! We coppiced an extra section taken from next year's coupe as this year's section had been so rapidly completed!  Geoff's team laid the hedge along the byway to the west of the wood and completed what may have been an all time record 40 metres of hedge. On 17th January we returned to scything the secondary rides, completing R37, R34 and R31 - sections 6 and 5 of the butterfly transect route. On 24th we turned to scything the western half of the bridleway and more hedgelaying along the byway edge was done. An emergency job was to tidy away from the rides some willows felled by one of the many storms.  On 31st the eastern half of the bridleway was scythed. The hedgelayers turned their attention to the hedge between Ravens Retreat and Curlew Field, the section between the gateway and the eastern edge of the wood. This job was completed the following week on 7th Feb., while the rest of the team spent that day clearing cut wood and brash that had been left by the contractors on  either side of the dead hedge along the NW edge of the wood  - department A1. No more work could be done until 28th Feb. as two complete sessions were cancelled due to wet weather. On 28th we cleared plants and scrub away from the front of the Island Pond in department J, and also cleared a scallop nearby, while the hedgelayers returned to the byway along the western edge. On 6th March another scallop was cleared of scrub and sedge north of the Newt Pond, then the team turned to hedge repairs on the western half of the bridleway. while hedgelaying continued along the byway.  The last two sessions of the season, 13th and 20th March saw the whole team working on hedge repairs along the bridleway, mainly in the western half. On 27th the end of season lunch was enjoyed by 13 team members - despite the rain an Otter and newly flowering Fritillaries were seen.

In all we did 9 full sessions in the Jan - March period with three missed sessions (see above). Attendance averaged 14.3 adult volunteers per session (plus a teenager accompanying his mother on 6 sessions, see below) with a maximum of 17 on 24th January and 13th March and minimum of 11 on 7th and 28th Feb. This compares with an average attendance in Jan - Mar 2023 of 12.4. Total volunteer hours was 606 compared to 632.75 in 2023. New volunteers welcomed to the team were Sarah and her son Charlie Wood on 24th January, and Tyron Holmes on 31st January. Staff members Hayley Sharp and Tanika Small joined us on 7th February.

The 2024-5 season began on 4th September with the usual scything of the main ride from the car park to the north-east end of the wood. Thanks go as always to Ken Saunders for providing the scythes and the expert training to accompany them - he always ensures every member of the team has undergone an annual training session before handling a scythe. We took just over four sessions to complete the task, interrupted by a couple of weeks - 25th Sept and 2nd Oct -  when we commenced the coppicing of section U2 because Ken was indisposed. The day we completed the scything, 16th Oct., we also cleared scrub around the NE side of the Newt Pond. This task was completed on 23rd October when we also cleared the elodea pondweed in the pond, cleared the scallop opposite the pond, and extended the halo around the "mother" Wild Service Tree in section F. We resumed coppicing  on 30th Oct. and continued with this task until completed on 11th December -  a total of eight and a bit weeks to do this. Geoff and Ken started hedgelaying between section U2 and the byway on 4th December, and this continued the following week, when another group went back to the scallop clearing task begun on 23rd Oct. along the north ride. We collected stakes and binders for Rosie, who collected them from the coupe with some of the team's help on 22nd Nov.

We did 15 sessions in the Sept - Dec period with no missed sessions -  a remarkable event considering some of the weather that occurred during the period! There were 14 sessions in the same period in 2023. Attendance averaged 14.2 adult volunteers per session with maxima of 17 on 23rd Oct., 6th Nov. and 11th Dec. and minima of 11 on 18th and 25th Sept., and 2nd and 9th Oct. This compares with an average attendance in Sept. to Dec. 2023 of 12.1 adult volunteers. Total volunteer hours was 1,015.75 compared to 753.75 in Sept - Dec '23. None of these figures include the session on 18th December, when we strolled round the wood before going to lunch at the Volunteer Inn at Great Somerford, organised by Kevan.

New volunteers welcomed to the team were Graham Roberts on 4th Sept., David Karn on 23rd Oct., Anna McTiernan on 30th Oct. and Christine and Andrew Snell on 20th Nov.

As always I am exceedingly grateful to the loyal, enthusiastic and skilful members of the team. Working this year were: joint team leaders Geoff Whittle, Ken Saunders and Helen Strike (who still has not been able to attend a leadership course), first aiders Ken, Stephen Davies (who is responsible for first aid overall), Jerry Ollis, Liz Bone and Jon Beresford. Trevor Simmond's certificate has lapsed and he is awaiting a refresher course. Other volunteers not so far mentioned  are : Jane Deacon, Maurice Chandler, John Durell, Steve Medcraft, Kevan Wind, Robin Simpson, Heather Berry, Rick Campbell, Steve Lloyd and Matt Bristow.  

Other events:  

All the usual surveys took place in 2024, the results of which can be seen in this report. I would be very grateful for results of any other surveys that have taken place, so they can be included here - because as far as I know this is the only source combining all wildlife recording in the Ravensroost reserve.

In addition to the regular surveys, on 29th June a joint event between the Trust, Wilts Butterfly Conservation and Wiltshire Ornithological society was held on a day of (rare) good weather. Thirteen people attended from all three organisations and a very good selection of butterflies - the main targets - was seen. These included good counts of White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreaks - in fact the best count of these all summer! In addition Reed Bunting and Marsh Tit were recorded, and some moths trapped the night before were shown. On 27th July just five of us met for a public mothing session which was very successful (some of the moths we trapped are shown later in this report) but my conclusion was that public mothing sessions seem less popular than in the past, maybe it is the late night that is the problem!

                                                                                                                         Below: Hard at work coppicing, 2nd October (RG)

                                                                                                     Above: Spotted Flycatcher at the Island Pond, 25th June (RG)

BIRDS

Another quiet year in the wood birdwise, and there were no new species sighted, though it started in spectacular fashion with a Woodcock circling over the team in our lunchbreak! A second ever Kingfisher was seen at the Newt Pond in mid summer, surprisingly, and there was a lovely group of 5 Teal at the meadow ponds in November, the first multiple record. Happily the elusive Spotted Flycatcher was seen four times in mid summer suggesting strongly that it bred again this year. Worryingly there was a hiatus in Marsh Tit reports for most of the breeding season, although happily they re-emerged in late June. A Lapwing in April was the first here in ten years!

Unnamed reports are by RG and team. A.= all records given    Underlined - considered to have bred, or held territory, in 2024 (see paragraph following the list) LWBS - Late winter bird survey, 18th Feb., EWBS - Early Winter Bird Survey, 5th Dec.

Classified list 

Mallard  Common visitor, has bred 2, LWBS by the ponds, pair with Teal, 29th Nov.

Teal  Rare winter visitor  5 (2 drakes, 3 ducks) with pair of Mallards on meadow Ponds, 29th Nov. The first since one on 4th Dec. 2021, and the first multiple record. A

Pheasant  Resident 2, LWBS

Stock Dove  Resident  1, LWBS

Wood Pigeon  Resident  4, LWBS, 3, EWBS

Lapwing   Former spring resident, last breeding attempt 2014, now rare visitor.  One flew over on 12th April, the first sighting in 10 years. A

Woodcock  Elusive winter visitor The only one recorded during the year was doubtless flushed by the Hunt on 10th January, and flew around the south edge of the wood, at one point actually flying over the team as we were eating lunch! This was the first record since December 2022 - which was one of no less than six recorded in that year. A

Goshawk Rare visitor  One sighting during the year A

Red Kite  Resident   Probably bred in or near the reserve this year - a few decades ago this would have seemed a pipedream!

Buzzard  Resident  1, EWBS

Barn Owl  Resident  Calling after dark 18th Feb. A

Kingfisher  Rare visitor    1 at the Newt Pond, 17th June, the first ever seen here, though one was at the meadow ponds on 14th Dec. 2019 A

Great-spotted Woodpecker Resident  3, LWBS, 1, EWBS. Increasing numbers at present.

Green Woodpecker Resident   1, LWBS, A noisy individual, 4th Dec.

Jay Resident  2, EWBS

Jackdaw  Resident 3, LWBS, 2, EWBS

Crow  Resident 2, LWBS, 2, EWBS

Raven  Now resident again 1, LWBS. Three together, 22nd July (JM) 1, EWBS. Probably breeding.

Coal Tit  Resident 3, LWBS, 1, EWBS. A good year with 4 pairs estimated.

Marsh Tit  Resident - Ravensroost's priority bird.  2, LWBS   A long gap between late April and late June when none were recorded,  so it was a great relief to hear one on 29th June during the joint BC/WOS visit! 2, 10th/21st  July. Probably bred, though numbers seem down this year.

Blue Tit  Resident 24, LWBS, 8, EWBS

Great Tit  Resident 8, LWBS, 3, EWBS

Long-tailed Tit  Resident  4, LWBS, 12, EWBS

Willow Warbler   Summer resident  Five heard, 21st April. Another good year here for this generally declining species - estimated 4 pairs in the survey area for the third year running..

Chiffchaff   Summer resident, and occasional in autumn/winter Already 8 birds noted on 7th April

Blackcap   Summer resident Four noted, 7th April. A good year with 8 estimated pairs in the survey area.

Garden Warbler  Summer resident First heard, 9th May. Only a single pair considered to be in the survey area this year - needs watching.

Lesser Whitethroat  Summer resident  First heard from meadows, 26th April, two heard 23rd May

Common Whitethroat  Summer resident First heard in meadows, 18th April

Goldcrest  Erratic resident -  presence dependent on mild winters  1, EWBS

Wren  Resident 9, LWBS, 4, EWBS

Nuthatch  Resident 5, LWBS, 4, EWBS

Treecreeper  Resident  Very rarely seen or heard - but present - not proven to hold territory this year however.

Starling  Now winter visitor 20, EWBS in the wood, plus  c40 in meadows, EWBS

Song Thrush  Resident 6, LWBS, Singing 21st July, imitating a Red Kite!

Mistle Thrush  Resident 1, singing, EWBS

Redwing  Winter resident c15, 29th Nov. Few this year.

Blackbird  Resident 9, LWBS, 3,EWBS

Fieldfare  Winter resident c15, 29th Nov. c10 flying SE, 4th Dec.,  21, EWBS, of which one was in the wood, the rest in the meadows.

Spotted Flycatcher  Scarce and elusive summer resident Reported on 21st June (Bob Philpott), 25th June, 4th July and one at the Island Pond, very wet after a bath, 21st July - probably bred. A

Robin Resident 13, LWBS, 4, EWBS  Ever more common, it seems.

Dunnock Resident 1, meadows, EWBS

Pied Wagtail Erratic visitor 1. EWBS (Over the wood) 

Meadow Pipit Winter visitor  16, in meadows, LWBS

Chaffinch  Resident 6, LWBS, 1, EWBS

Bullfinch Resident  1, LWBS, 2, EWBS

(Lesser) Redpoll  Winter visitor  From 22nd Nov., max c10, 25th/29th Nov. 2-3 still noted 4th Dec., but none noted on EWBS. All Redpolls are now considered to be the same species, after having been split into three species - Lesser, Mealy and Arctic for most of the last 50 years!

Goldfinch  Resident 5, LWBS, 1, EWBS, and 4 more in the meadows

Siskin  Winter visitor Winter visitors recorded at both ends of the year, max. c12, 29th Nov. 2-3 still around, 4th Dec., but none noted on EWBS.

Reed Bunting  Resident  From 19th May at the meadow ponds, singing on 29th June

BIRD TERRITORY SURVEY 2024 - 2022 & 2023 figures in brackets - (P = present but territory not established) Green = increased, Red = decreased.     Arranged in order of abundance.

Robin 15 (12,11), Blackbird 9 (9,9), Blue Tit 8 (8,10), Wren 8 (8,8), Blackcap 8 (7,6), Chiffchaff 7 (8,6), Great Tit 4 (3,4), Chaffinch 4 (3,4), Willow Warbler 4 (4,4), Coal Tit 4 (2,2), Nuthatch 3 (3,3), Wood Pigeon 3 (3,2), Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 (2,2), Song Thrush 3 (3,2), Crow 2 (2,2), Mistle Thrush 1 (2,1), Pheasant 1 (2,2), Dunnock 1 (1, P), Goldfinch 1 (1,1), Jackdaw 1 (-,2), Buzzard 1 (1,1), Jay 1 (1,2), Stock Dove 1 (1,1), Red Kite 1 (P,P), Garden Warbler 1 (2,2), Long-tailed Tit 1 (1,1), Bullfinch 1 (P,1), Goldcrest 1 (1,1). Present but not established on territory: Green Woodpecker P (P,P), Marsh Tit P (3,2), Treecreeper P (1,1), Raven P (-,1), Sparrowhawk P (P,1), Pied Wagtail P (-,-), Spotted Flycatcher P (P,P)

Also in meadows: Lapwing over on 12th April (the first for 10 years!), Common Whitethroat from 18th April, Lesser Whitethroat from 12th April, 2 on 23rd May, Reed Bunting from 19th May.

Ravensroost Ringing Report 2024 by Simon Tucker

Not our best year at Ravensroost. Since winter 22 / 23, with the Ash die-back mitigation and 25-year coppicing, we have rather restricted ourselves to the coppiced area and the pond / meadows complex.  Due to the Wildlife Trust’s restrictions, as a precautionary preventative measure against HPAI, we were also unable to set up a feeding station in the wood until February of this year, a couple of weeks before our ringing demonstration on the 24th February. 

The list of birds ringed and (retrapped) in the complex this year was: Blackbird 3(2); Blackcap 11(2); Blue Tit 55(21); Bullfinch 2; Chaffinch 2; Chiffchaff 21(1); Coal Tit 8(5); Dunnock 4; Garden Warbler 1; Goldcrest 9(3); Great Spotted Woodpecker 2; Great Tit 27(16); Lesser Redpoll 1; Long-tailed Tit 11(6); Marsh Tit 2(3); Nuthatch 6(5); Redwing 1; Robin 12(8); Treecreeper 1; Whitethroat 5; Willow Warbler 3(1); Wren 13(6). Totals: 203 ringed from 22 species and 78 birds retrapped from 13 species, making 281 birds processed from 22 species.

Disappointingly, Garden Warbler,  Redwing and Lesser Redpoll were all down to just single birds caught.  Treecreeper numbers continued to decline, also with just one this year.  Given that Ravensroost is one of our strongholds for the species, to ring just two Marsh Tits was hugely disappointing: the worst year to date in Ravensroost. I know that Robin shares the same concern.

It was also our worst year for Willow Warbler: with just four, compared to eight last year, and nine being our average catch.  In contrast, Chiffchaff numbers were very much in line with expectations over the last seven years, but significantly down on the period 2013 to 2018 inclusive.  Whitethroat numbers were also on a par with the catches across the whole of our time ringing at Ravensroost.

Butterfly Transect 2024

2024 would seem to have been a year to forget for most species everywhere, and this goes for Ravensroost Wood. Of the 21 species listed below, only five had a better year than recently, the Large & Green-veined Whites and the Orange Tip, and the Holly Blue and the Peacock. All the rest except the scarce Brown Hairstreak and out-of-habitat Marbled White declined from recent years, some of them catastrophically - eg. the Comma, Silver-washed Fritillary, Ringlet and worst of all the normally abundant Meadow Brown.

Work cutting small trees and shrubs in department G, just north of the bridleway in the centre of the wood, carried out by contractors in November, has created a large clearing either side of the ride. This may well influence the number, and species, of butterflies occurring in that part of the transect (section 3). I will report back on this in next year's report.

All dates relating to transect visits below are for the "week beginning" not the actual date. Casual records not on transect visits are accurately dated.

IoA = Index of Abundance (sum of all totals)

Comments are comparing totals with numbers in the previous 10 years, while plus and minus signs indicate short term trends.( = indicates no particular trend.)

Underlined species are species of conservation importance.

(Small Skipper    None on transect, and has declined gradually since the first transect visit in 2011  - some are present in the meadows.)

•  Large Skipper  From 24/6 - 22/7, max 7, 1/7. IoA 16 - a decline, hopefully temporary, after a slow increase in recent years

• Brimstone From 1/4 - 23/9, max 7, 8/4. IoA 36 - after two bumper years a drop back to the levels of the end of the teens - hopefully temporary

+     Large White  From 6/5 - 23/9, max 3 on 22/7 & 29/7. IoA 17 - a typical year - actually two up on last year and the same IoA as 2022.

• Small White  From 1/7 - 9/9, max 3 on 2/9, IoA 9 - the poorest year since 2017 when there were also 9

+    Green-veined White  From 15/4 - 23/9, max 11 on 22/7. IoA 70 - an average IoA, one more than in 2023.

+ Orange Tip  From 1/4 - 13/5, max 9 on 29/4. IoA 25 - one more than last year but both years were below average

=  Brown Hairstreak  A single on 5/8.  IoA 1 - the same as for the last two years. There have only ever been two years when more than one were seen on the transect - 2016 and 2020. However fewer seem to have been seen off transect at Ravensroost this year. There was one flying high around the ashes by the picnic table on 3rd August.  Despite this, last winter's egg search was a bumper one with a total for the reserve (wood plus meadows) of 300 - the highest ever at Ravensroost. Fewer in 2024-5 winter, but a fair result nevertheless - 126 eggs.

• Purple Hairstreak  From 24/6 - 19/8, max 2 on 24/6 & 1/7, IoA 5 - below average mainly perhaps because there were no sightings of low flying individuals as there are in some years

(White-letter Hairstreak  No sightings this year, off or on the transect. On average only every other year has a transect sighting, but off transect sightings have been regular especially in the last five years.)

(Common Blue  None on transect.  Seen in meadows from 31st May)

+  Holly Blue  From 1/4 - 29/7, max 2 on 8/4, IoA 9 - amazingly the highest ever IoA! The previous best was 8 in 2022, with 7 in 2021, so perhaps the species is slightly increasing??? There are certainly plenty of both foodplants.

( Purple Emperor   None on the transect but there have now been four sightings, two in July 2023, one on 7th, the other an unknown date, both sadly undocumented, but probably genuine, and now two undisputed sightings this year, by Colin Pinchen & Ed Smith on 2nd July and by Andrew Griffin on 18th July. This species seems to be on the move...!)

• White Admiral  From 24/6 - 22/7, max 11 on 24/6, IoA 20 - well down on recent years with only 2016 and 2019 having fewer. Probably more to do with the weather (and climate) than habitat problems. Also seen on 18th June (Anon.)

• Red Admiral  From 24/6 - 9/9, five singles, IoA 5 - poor, but 2015 and 2018 each had only 4

+   Peacock  From 1/4 - 5/8, max 15 on 22/7, IoA 23 - although on the decline from the high numbers of earlier years, there were actually more than each of the last two years, surprisingly.

• Comma  From 6/5 - 23/9, max 6 on 1/7, IoA 20 - the lowest ever IoA for the Comma here.

• Silver-washed Fritillary  From 24/6 - 19/8, max 14 on 24/6, IoA 52 - by far the lowest ever IoA, the previous lowest being 90 in 2016. Same comment as for the White Admiral.

• Speckled Wood  From 15/4 - 23/9, max 22 on 26/8, IoA 177 - below average, but two years had fewer, 2014 and 2015 [plus 2020 though that was Covid year so the first brood would have been missed.]

=   Marbled White  A single on 24/6, IoA 1 - same as the two previous years. Probable vagrants from the meadows.

• Gatekeeper  From 3/7 - 12/8, max 30 on 22/7, IoA 64 - although a big reduction from the high numbers of the last two years, this is actually the fourth highest IoA in the ten years.

• Meadow Brown  From 10/6 - 19/8, max 27 on 5/8, IoA 105 - by far the worst ever IoA, the previous lowest being 187 in 2021. Definitely on the decline here since that year.

• Ringlet  From 24/6 - 22/7, max 38 on 1/7, IoA 84 - only one year had fewer - 2016 with 72 - but the situation is not so extreme as with the previous species.

(Small Heath    None on transect but two seen in the meadows, 19th May. This is only the second sighting, two were seen there first on 17th May 2022.)

Nine other butterfly species have been recorded at Ravensroost since 2011 - none of them were reported this year to my knowledge.

Above: White Admiral,  25th June (RG),  Oak Eggar, 27th July (Robin Simpson), Black Arches, 27th July (RG)

Below: Gold Swift, 12th June,  Nemaphora degeerella, 19th May & Peach Blossom,  27th July (all RG)

Moths

Eight mothing sessions were held in the wood between February and November, cf. eight sessions between March and October in 2023. Just six new species  for the reserve were trapped during the year, compared to twelve last year. In addition to this a new micro was seen and photographed in daytime on 11th December  when scallop clearing was in progress - see below.  The poor weather this year, combined with the fact that there are bound to be "diminishing returns" as the list for the reserve grows ever more comprehensive, means that new species, especially "macros", are bound to be harder to find as time goes on. The reserve list is now 490 species, approximately one fifth of the total for the UK. 230 species have been added to the Ravensroost list since we started regular trapping in 2016 (46.8% of the all-time total). The full list of moths and butterflies can be seen at Ravensroost Wood 2024 - Lepidoptera 

The following list includes the seven new species (underlined) plus a selection of other interesting species. As always, this was only a small proportion of the total species trapped during the year.

3.004  Gold Swift  12th June  A local species normally feeding on bracken - of which there is none in the wood! Only the second record, nine years after the first, unsurprisingly. Both were seen in daytime.

5.001 Opostega salaciella (Sorrel Bent-wing) 27th July  A local species, all white with unique white eye caps. It feeds on Sheep Sorrel, although there may be other foodplants as it is known to occur where the plant is absent. Common Sorrel is on the Ravensroost plant list but not Sheep's Sorrel.

7.001  Nemophora degeerella (Yellow-barred Longhorn)  Approx 15 or more of this day-flying species seen on 19th May - an unusual number at Ravensroost.

12.021 Nemapogon clematella (Barred White Clothes Moth / Black-barred Fungus Moth) (2) 27th July  The preferred English name (many micros have more than one recently coined English name - it's a bit chaotic) is Fungus Moth as this species, though related to the dreaded Clothes Moths, only feeds on fungi! In this case the foodplants are Dyatrype disciformis and Hypoxylon fuscum.

28.019 Esperia sulphurella (Sulphur Tubic) 4th May. A day-flying species, quite common in gardens, that feeds on decaying wood and fungi. First seen in 2022.

35.018 Hypatima rhomboidella (Square-spot Crest) 29th Aug. A birch and hazel feeder that was first trapped here by Marc Taylor in 2014. I think this is our first sighting since then.

45.043 Hemp Agrimony Plume 27th July. First trapped in 2022.The smallest Plume moth.

49.016 Rose Tortrix Archips rosana (2) 28th June. First trapped in 2022. A declining species that has no association with roses, though it feeds on many woody plants.

49.075  Acleris umbrana (Dark-streaked Tortrix) seen while scallop clearing, 11th Dec. An increasing species, currently nationally scarce, but there have been regular Wiltshire records in the last couple of years. Winters as an adult and has a summer brood too. Blackthorn feeder.

49.357 Plum Fruit Moth (Grapholita funebrana) 27th July  Feeds on Blackthorn fruit and plums, including garden plums.

54.002   The Forester   One in meadows, 31st May. This was the, very gratifying, first sighting of this local day flying moth since 2022.

63.072 Eudonia delunella (Pied Grey) 28th June, 27th July A very local species associated with ancient woodland. First trapped here in 2023.

65.008 Peach Blossom 27th July, A fairly common, strikingly beautiful moth.

65.014 Oak Lutestring (c35) 29th Aug. Ravensroost's premier species, commoner here than anywhere else in Wilts I think. Loads poured in on our annual late August trap night, when this species was both the prime target - and the commonest moth! Elsewhere in the UK this is officially an Endangered species that has declined by 97% in abundance in 50 years and by 60% in its range.

66.002 Pale Eggar (12) 29th Aug. Like its late summer companion species the Oak Lutestring, the Pale Eggar is common at Ravensroost but elsewhere is declining by 89% in abundance and 57% in range, officially categorised as Vulnerable.

66.007 Oak Eggar 27th July  Accompanying the increasing number of Oak Eggar caterpillars we are now finding during Brown Hairstreak egg searches, this was the only adult we have trapped so far at Ravensroost, but together these facts suggest the species is in good numbers at the moment. The female flies at dusk, the male in bright sunshine! Naturally this was a female.

70.031 Mocha 28th June. A historically declining species but in recent years is showing signs of a recovery. Regularly seen in Braydon Forest.

70.077 Pine Carpet  7th Nov. This species is presumably at Ravensroost due to the handful of Scots Pines in the southern half of the wood.

70.104 Devon Carpet 4th May  It's great that this Wiltshire rarity is still showing at Ravensroost - this was the first in three years. First trapped here in 2017.

70.160 White-spotted Pug 27th July  A near-threatened species in the UK, its abundance having fallen by 71% in just 30 years

70.202 Early Tooth-striped 21st March  An increasing early spring species that needs to be separated from the similar looking (though earlier) Winter Moth.

70.244 Feathered Thorn (13) 7th Nov.  A record count of a common late autumn moth.

70.246 Small Brindled Beauty 18th Feb. A local early spring oak feeding species that has declined nationally by 78% in abundance and 54% in range in 50 years.

70.300 Blotched Emerald 28th June  Another local and declining oak feeder - declining by 69% in UK abundance in 50 years.

71.016 Great Prominent (7) 4th May  Another local oak feeder, declining nationally by 50% in its range in 50 years.

72.010 Black Arches Too many to count 27th July, 3, 29th Aug.  Another local oak feeder, but unlike the previous three species, this one is increasing - by 111% in abundance and 307% in range. Certainly we saw a lot during our July trapping session!

72.062 White-line Snout 27th July. A Nationally Scarce species whose foodplant has yet to be established. This was the second time we have trapped it at Ravensroost (first in 2022), and no other known sites for it occur locally. It is found otherwise in South Wilts mainly in the woodlands east of Salisbury.

72.078 Red Underwing 11th Sept. A daytime sighting, the striking species was seen perched on a car in the car park! Seems less common recently in the wood.

73.002 Dark Spectacle 29th Aug.  Although supposedly a declining species the Dark Spectacle seems more often seen, at least in this area, these days. It was therefore not unexpected that it turned up at Ravensroost this year - a nettle feeder like its common relative, the Spectacle.

73.144 Small Wainscot 29th Aug.  Being a sedge feeder found in damp woodland it is a surprise that we haven't had this one before!

73.193 The Brick 7th Nov. A formerly common Ravensroost moth that we haven't seen for a few autumns.

73.225 Brindled Green 1st Oct. A not uncommon autumn moth that is always good to see in the wood.

73.297 White-point 29th Aug. A recent colonist that is appearing more and more every year. First seen at Ravensroost in 2022.

74.004 Least Black Arches 4th May. A local species on the increase in the UK, by 23% in 20 years in range and by 97% in abundance in 50 years.

Above : Small Brindled Beauty, 18th Feb., Oak Beauty, 21st March & Devon Carpet, 4th May (all RG)

Above:  Esperia sulphurella, 4th May, Blotched Emerald, 28th June (both RG) & White-line Snout, 27th July (Robin Simpson)

Above: Dark Spectacle, 29th Aug., Brindled Green, 1st Oct. & The Brick, 7th Nov. (all RG)

                                                                                                           Below:  Southern Hawker, 11th Sept. (RG)

Odonata

Beautiful Demoiselle  2 of this recently arrived species were at the Newt Pond, 19th/31st May

Emerald Damselfly   One, 3rd Aug. (Heather England)

Common Blue Damselfly   Seen in meadows from 31st May

Large Red Damselfly   Seen in meadows from 31st May

Southern Hawker   From 17th June. 5 seen on 9th Aug. Seen regularly till mid October.

Brown Hawker   From 10th July, max 3 on 22nd Jul.

Migrant Hawker   Seen from 26th July

Emperor Dragonfly  Seemed less common this year. Noted by Heather England on 3rd Aug.

Hairy Dragonfly  2 of this recently arrived species were at the Newt Pond, 4th May

Downy Emerald    1, near Newt Pond, 23rd/31st May. A recent colonist in the wood.

Broad-bodied Chaser  At Newt Pond from 19th May - max 3 on 20th May.

Four-spotted Chaser  At Newt Pond from 13th May

Black-tailed Skimmer   1, 27th May only

Ruddy Darter   One, 3rd Aug. (Heather England)

Common Darter   From 4th July, max 7 on 5th Aug. Seen regularly till October.

OTHERS

Palmate Newt       Seen at Newt Pond from 18th April

Wild Service Trees   

 In addition to surveying the wood for Wild Service trees over the last few years, resulting in finding a remarkable total of  about 180 trees, Jacqui and Steve Davies also reared some for seed which have been planted in Ravens Retreat (below right) and also at The Firs reserve - all are doing well currently.

Below : Early Purple Orchids, 18th April    &   Steve Davies' and Jacqui's Wild Service Tree grown from seed and planted in Raven's Retreat, 18th Sept.     (Both RG)

Below : Jon and Anna with two of the stones from the stone stile erected at the halo by the "mother" Wild Service Tree, department F. 22nd Nov. (RG)