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Highlights

  • Jack Snipe, Durham, December 2021
  • Red Grouse, Durham, April 2021
  • Garden Tiger, Durham, July 2020
  • Long-eared Owl, Durham, June 2020
  • Golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetle, Durham, June 2019
  • Jack snipe, Durham, October 2017
  • Razorbill, Durham, May 2017
  • Waxwing, Durham, March 2017
  • Fulmar, Northumberland, June 2015
  • Emerald Damselfly, Durham, September 2019
  • Barn Owl, Oxfordshire, March 2020
  • Purple Thorn, Durham, April 2020
  • Elephant Hawk-moth, Durham, May 2020
  • Yellowhammer, Durham, April 2021
  • Pied Flycatcher, Northumberland, May 2021
  • Peach Blossom, Durham, June 2021
  • Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Durham, June 2021
  • Puffin, Mid Ebudes, July 2021
  • Garden Tiger, West Inverness-shire, July 2021
  • Razorbill, Mid Ebudes, July 2021
  • Sanderling, Pembrokeshire, August 2021
  • Fly Agaric, Durham, October 2021

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I saw this rather impressive Ground Beetle (Carabus problematicus) on a mothtrap trip over the summer. It stopped for a while on a nearby birch log allowing me to enjoy its shining, violet-metallic colours for a bit! This year seems to have been a good one for Hummingbird Hawk-moth. I’ve seen them across the UK in various counties, but I had my best views in the garden whilst visiting family in Sussex. I see Black Grouse quite often in the Durham Dales, but this was a first for me. A few weeks ago we happened across this young bird in an upland meadow; it happily sat still despite me not spotting it until nearly stepping over it! An amazing view of a special species. Bilberry Pug is one of the more subtle-looking moths, but I rather like its delicate pattern and colour. I’ve had the pleasure of trapping this moth a few times recently: it's a very uncommon moth in Durham. Before my records this year it had only ever been seen once in the county! Kittiwake and chick on the Durham coast. The cliffs on the north coast of County Durham provide good habitat for these elegant gulls. This nest was only just above head height, so I was able to achieve a good view without getting too close. Sadly Kittiwakes have declined significantly over the last few decades, and are now on the red list of birds facing extinction worldwide. This Wren chick was part of a recently-fledged party of 5 or so in a small stretch of dry-stone wall in the Durham Dales. I love the downy fluff that gives these characterful little chicks their rather extravagant eyebrows! According to a BTO report in 2020, the Wren is the most common British breeding bird with 11 million pairs. We went trapping in a wooded dene in the east of County Durham a few weeks ago. One of the 80+ species we trapped was the aptly named Beautiful Carpet, a first for me! I caught two Lilac Beauty in my remote trap the other week, and what beauties they are! They have a very unusual and distinctive way of 'folding' the front of their wings at rest, which only adds to their resemblance of a crumpled leaf! I was in St. Andrews very briefly last week. Fortunately, it was just the right time to see young Eider families in the bay! Eiders chicks form crèches from a young age; several broods team up, with older, more experienced mothers often helping to raise the chicks of younger ducks. The rather impressive Wasp Beetle not only mimics its more dangerous namesake with its striped pattern it also imitates the jerky movement and even emits a buzzing sound when attacked! I found this in a hedgerow near me a few weeks ago. I haven’t caught many Buff-tips in my traps in Durham, so it was great to see one yesterday! The trap site is surrounded by Silver Birch trees, and Buff-tips are famous for their perfect camouflage on birch twigs. I went up to one of my favourite spots on the edge of the Durham dales for an early morning walk a few days ago. Curlew, Lapwing, Snipe, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover and Woodcock all breed here, but it was the Common Redshank that caught my eye this time. There were at least three breeding pairs of these amber-listed waders in the surrounding area. Here’s a Pebble Hook-tip from a recent trip to a local nature reserve. This rather gothic-looking thing is the largest Hook-tip moth in the UK. The adults fly at night in May and June. A rather splendid Green Silver-lines from my trap the other day. There aren’t many completely green moths in the UK, but most of them are real lookers! Goosanders breed on the rivers throughout County Durham. I always love finding young families in May– this mother and her chicks swam by whilst I had stopped for lunch on a recent walk! I’ve been fortunate enough to see 4 Scarce Prominents in two recent traps at a local nature reserve. These are only the 3rd and 4th records for County Durham in the last decade! Whilst crossing the river Wharfe a few weeks ago, I noticed that there were dozens of toads congregated in the calm water around the bridge. Every so often they rose to the surface- I only had to wait! Here’s one of my favourite common woodland birds– the Treecreeper. I found this one building a nest in an oak trunk a few weeks ago, and happily watched it as it foraged for moss and twigs.