Local Wildlife Sightings, October 2026

 The warm, dry, settled weather from September extended into the first week of October, with daytime temperatures reaching 24C on a couple of occasions. The latest 'drought' of over three weeks was finally broken on the 7th, when a day of rain at least allowed me time to update my blog! By the start of the month Small and Large Whites appeared to be the only butterfly species left on the wing. A few faded Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies were seen during my occasional local forays. Ivy, still flowering in shady areas, continued to attract Ivy Bees together with Honey Bees and a few hoverflies. I was interested to see both a Hornet Hoverfly, and then a genuine Hornet, flying around the same bushes near the house.

Ivy Bee on Ivy, Royston, 5 October

With nearly all the summer visitors having departed (except for a few Chiffchaffs) and autumn visitors yet to arrive, all was quiet locally on the bird watching front. A few Little Grebes and a single Tufted Duck were on Phillup's Lake when I visited on the 1st.

Female Tufted Duck, Phillup's Lake, Reed End, 1 October

I usually see Garganey in the spring, soon after they have arrived from their African wintering grounds. However, I missed out this year so reports of a young male bird at Wilstone Reservoir (Tring) encouraged me to make another visit on the 6th. Having earlier reminded myself of the differences between Garganey and the very similar (and similarly sized) Teal in 'eclipse' plumage, I was able to identify the bird (a juvenile male) fairly quickly as it swam around, showing well. The two images below (deliberately high key) illustrate the key features that distinguish Garganey from Teal, namely the longer, straighter bill, pale loral patch at the base of the bill, emerging stripe above the eye, pale, whitish chin and throat patch and the lack of a pale patch at the side of the tail. Some emerging feathers on the back (not clear in these images) were suggestive of this being a male bird. For comparison, I've included an image of a female Teal below, taken at the same time.

Juvenile Male Garganey, Wilstone Reservoir, 6 October

Juvenile Male Garganey, Wilstone Reservoir, 6 October

Female Teal, Wilstone Reservoir, 6 October

Also seen at Wilstone were an unusually pale Common Pochard, at least four Pintails and two Roe Deer (image of one below). An interesting observation was that a couple of Teal were seen diving in shallower water, even though this is known as a dabbling duck. The Ferruginous Duck that I had seen on my last trip to Wilstone was reported again, but I didn't see it on this visit.

Roe Deer (Seen from the Hide), Wilstone Reservoir, 6 October

Local Wildlife Sightings September 2026

 Following the long, hot, dry summer, September brought more familiar weather with westerly winds and low pressure systems that fringed our area, producing small amounts of rain. High pressure to the south kept pushing up into the south east, producing some very warm, but not hot, days. There were reasonable amounts of sunshine, but nothing like the hours that we had had during the summer.

Wader migration through the country continued into early September. Reports of a rare Ferruginous Duck at Wilstone Reservoir prompted me to visit for a third time in a few weeks on the 2nd, giving me the chance to add more wader species to my Hertfordshire year list. Ruff, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper were seen at the jetty end. Five Ringed or Little Ringed Plovers were on the spit that points out from the island towards the jetty. At distance, I couldn't decide on which species they were, but when I walked round to the other end of the reservoir (near the hide) more (or the same) plovers were roosting on the mud and at least two of these were Ringed Plovers, probably on the way south from Scandinavia. These were much darker than the Ringed Plovers that I saw on the beach at Titchwell (see my September UK blog) , but nevertheless they were definitely Ringed Plovers!

Ruff, Wilstone Reservoir, 2 September

Two Barnacle Geese (feral birds, of course) were on the spit at Wilstone. People were looking for the Ferruginous Duck in that area and eventually it appeared, swam about for a bit and then clambered back on to the spit. A poor record shot of the bird, showing the characteristic white patch near the tail, is included below.

Ferruginous Duck (Bird on the Left) with Mallard, Wilstone Reservoir, 2 September

Barnacle Geese (with Pochard and Cormorants), Wilstone Reservoir, 2 September

The first half of September is often a good time to catch up with migrating warblers and Common Redstarts passing through the area. However, although a few were recorded elsewhere in Hertfordshire, I couldn't find any locally. A warbler subsong, heard from deep within a bush near The Heath, reminded me of Reed Warbler, but I eventually decided that it was just a Blackcap tuning up. I made an unsuccessful attempt to see a Red-backed Shrike in Bedford (Priory Park) on the 10th, but generally bird watching was pretty quiet. My monthly trip to Scales Park (Meesden)  on the 9th produced nothing better than a couple of noisy Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Little Grebes (seven counted) were much in evidence at Phillup's Lake, also on the 9th, with at least four juveniles, probably from two different broods, seen. All bar one were fully grown and would soon be unrecognisable from the adults. Moorhen, Coot and Mallard were the only other species seen.

Juvenile Little Grebe (fully grown), Phillup's Lake, 9 September

Unusually, more dragonflies (particularly Common Darters) were seen locally in September than had been seen earlier in the summer. A mating pair was seen at Phillup's Lake on the 9th, where a few Common Blue Damselflies were still on the wing.

Common Blue Damselfly, Phillup's Lake, 9 September

Butterfly numbers were lower than usual at this time of year, probably because they had burnt themselves out in a few days of hot weather after emerging during the summer months. A few Adonis Blues were still on the wing in September, most being on Lankester Hill, when I visited The Heath on 10th. Church Hill, at the other end of The Heath, was much quieter. Brown Argus butterflies (which only live for a few days, but seem to emerge over a much longer period than most butterflies), Common Blue, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Small / Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Peacock butterflies were all seen in the first half of the month but in small numbers. A single Clouded Yellow was seen not far from the house on the 7th.

Male Brown Argus Butterfly (Wings open) with a Female (Wings Closed), Royston, 7 September

Ivy Bees were, as usual, very active in September, feeding on flowering Ivy. Before flying off they seem to clean themselves (?) whilst resting on nearby leaves, as was the case for the individual in the image below.

Ivy Bee on Ivy Leaf, Royston, 10 September

Other invertebrates were in limited supply, although I did come across a sawfly with red legs, Tenthredo atra, close to the house (image below). Although this is, apparently, a common and widespread species, I don't remember seeing it locally before.

Sawfly, Tenthredo atra, Royston, 10 September

The second half of the month was even quieter. The only summer visitors that I recorded were Chiffchaffs, which usually stay on in the area into October, provided the weather is fine and there are no cold 'snaps'. A few Adonis and Common Blues were still on The Heath (Old Rifle Range) when I visited on the 17th (images below), but I failed to find any when I made a return visit, following my holiday, on the 30th. However, Ivy Bees were still very active and Hornet Hoverflies were seen on both dates.

Female Adonis Blue, Therfield Heath, 17 September

Female Common Blue, Therfield Heath, 17 September

Male Common Blue, Therfield Heath, 17 September

Hornet Hoverfly, Royston, 17 September

Local Wildlife Sightings, August 2026

 Drought conditions continued into August, with daytime temperatures varying a few degrees either side of 28C and no sign of rain. Locally, many crops had already been harvested by the end of July - ripe, but with lower than average yields. The Heath was slowly turning from brown to yellow, with hardly any flowers and, consequently, very few insects other than the ubiquitous but declining Chalkhill Blue butterflies, most of which were looking decidedly tatty, and second generation Meadow Brown, Common Blue and Small Heath butterflies. I say 'second generation' Meadow Brown advisedly, because there is really only one generation, but I have noted more than once that there seem to be two emergences, one in June and one in late July, with a gap in between. Also, more of the larger form (females?) are seen in the second emergence. With the exception of the ubiquitous Jersey Tiger Moths, which regularly popped out of nearby vegetation when I was gardening, and a host of smallish grasshoppers, very few other insects were seen on or near The Heath. Hoverflies, in particular, seemed to be doing very badly in the drought, although the largest species, the Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria) was seen regularly.

Hornet Hoverfly, Volucella zonaria, Royston, 1 August

Local dragonfly numbers were well down on recent years, probably at least partly due to ponds drying up and a shortage of insect prey. A few Migrant Hawkers were seen on and around The Heath and a beautiful male Emperor Dragonfly posed briefly for me when I visited Phillup's Lake on the 6th.

Male Emperor Dragonfly, Phillup's Lake, Reed End, 6 August

Little Grebes (adults and juveniles) were still present on Phillup's Lake, as were a host of moulting Mallard ducks and a single moulting Tufted Duck. An adult and juvenile duck, which I had assumed were Mallards and did not bother to photograph, turned up very blurred on one of my photographs of the Tufted Duck and may have actually been Gadwall - I will have to return to check this out, as breeding Gadwall on the lake would be a local 'first'. I assumed that another photo, of another small bird that was seen to dive at the far side of the lake, would be of a Little Grebe. However, the bill of this bird was far too broad. Having ruled out the possibility of an extreme rarity (juvenile Pied-billed Grebe, an American species) on common sense grounds, I came to the far more logical conclusion that this was in fact a juvenile Coot (Coot do dive and, as readers of this blog know, they do breed on Phillup's Lake). Anyway, the image is below.

Juvenile Coot (I assume), Phillup's Lake, 6 August

Having seen a report (Rupert Evershed) of Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits, I visited on the evening of the 5th. Water levels were very low, but I managed a few shots of large gulls both on the exposed mud and on the lake itself. One of the paler mantled gulls (not Lesser Black-backed) on the mud had yellow legs (so, I assume Yellow-legged Gull) whilst a number of juveniles on the water appeared to be Yellow-legged or Caspian Gulls. The image below shows some of the gulls - what a motley selection!

Some of the Gulls on the main Lake at Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits, 5 August

I took a photograph of a Small Heath butterfly whilst visiting the Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green (near Bishops Stortford) with my partner on the 9th. Although it is a small, brown butterfly on a brownish background, I quite like the photo and may get a print of it in the future.

Small Heath Butterfly on Grass Stem, Perry Green, 9 August

I had been waiting for a couple of weeks for the emergence of the second generation of Adonis Blues on The Heath and finally, on the afternoon of the 10th, they appeared - and in good numbers - on the Eastern Heath (between Lankester Hill and the Sporting Clubhouse). I saw perhaps 30 - 40 males and one or two pristine females (although these could have been late emerging Chalkhill Blue females - the females of these two species are hard to separate). Also seen were good numbers of Meadow Brown, Small White and Small Heath butterflies, a few Common Blues and Brown Argus and a single Clouded Yellow, which refused to settle and allow me to take its photograph (this has been the best year for migrant Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady butterflies since 2009).

Male Adonis Blue Butterfly, Therfield Heath, 10 August

Male Adonis Blue Butterfly, Therfield Heath, 10 August

On the way home, I passed a field that was being ploughed and saw my first big local gathering of gulls (the vast majority Lesser Black-backed, with a few Common and Black-headed Gulls) of the autumn. Also present were seven Red Kites and a large number of corvids, making the most of a rare opportunity to look for large invertebrates beneath the parched ground. I was hoping to see my first local Caspian Gull (there had been a big influx into the country in the previous few days). One possibly interesting gull did turn up, an immature bird with long wings and tail that made it look like a small vulture, but my photos, looking in to the sun, did not pick up enough detail for me to try to identify it. It's in the images below.

Gulls 'following the Plough', Royston, 10 August, with mystery gull on the right. The remaining gulls are all Lesser Black-backed: the gull second from the left looks paler due to a trick of the light.

Gulls (and a Jackdaw) with mystery bird second from the right, Royston, 10 August

From the 11th we braced ourselves for another heatwave (the 5th of the year), and the 13th turned out to be the hottest of many hot days this summer, with the temperature in Kew Gardens reaching 38.2C. For once, I heeded instructions to keep indoors, but on the following day (much cooler) I walked up to Hatchpen Farm. A Fallow Deer stag was an unusual sighting (I normally just see groups of females and young) as it ran across the track behind me. A dead badger was nearby, close to one of the known setts. Badgers have, like many other mammals, suffered badly in the drought due to their inability to access worms and other invertebrates in the hard ground. Several Swallows and a few House Martins were at Hatchpen Farm, perching on wires and rooves, presumably getting ready for their long migration. Meanwhile the garden ponds had, apparently, become the 'go to' place in the area for drinking water. Woodpigeons were the dominant species, with the occasional Jackdaw seen. Magpies were also regular visitors and, as well as drinking, these intelligent birds appeared to be finding food (pond snails?) in and around the ponds.

Fallow Deer Stag in full flight, Royston, 14 August

Magpie with an unknown Food Item, my Garden, 14 August

Following a week's holiday I spent the following few days (23-25th) covering the various wildlife locations on my local patch. Three late Swifts and one or two House Martins were seen near the house on the morning of the 23rd. In somewhat cooler, but still dry weather, up to 50 Adonis Blue butterflies were still flying over the eastern side of The Heath (mainly on Lankester Hill), but very few were seen on Church Hill, where all was quiet. Lots of Small Heath butterflies were on the wing, with smaller numbers of Meadow Brown, (mainly Small) Whites, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Peacock and Clouded Yellow butterflies. Single Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies were also seen. Increasing numbers of dragonflies (the vast majority Common Darter and Migrant Hawker) were also seen.

Male Adonis Blue Butterfly, Therfield Heath, 25 August

Immature Ruddy or Common Darter Dragonfly, Therfield Heath, 25 August

I visited Phillup's Lake on the 25th. Unlike many of the lakes and farm ponds in the area, this held plenty of water. I counted 51 Mallards there, but there was no sign of any Gadwall. A single Teal (in eclipse plumage, probably a male) accompanied the Mallards. At least two fully grown young Coot were present. Little Grebes were still much in evidence, including a youngster that was diving on its own before being shepherded by an adult to the safety of the side of the pond.

Juvenile Little Grebe, Phillup's Lake, 25 August

Teal (right-hand Bird) with Mallards, Phillup's Lake, 25 August

Return wader migration begins in July and, in August, several interesting birds passed through our region. I visited Amwell on the 23rd to see a Little Stint which, along with Temminck's Stint, is Europe's smallest wader (and so very difficult to photograph at distance!). Coincidentally, a few days later, two Temminck's Stints turned up at Dernford Farm Reservoir (Stapleford). A telescope was necessary on both occasions to see the birds properly. Record shots of both species are shown below. Differences between the two include leg colour (black for Little Stints, yellow for Temminck's Stints) and back pattern, but I'm afraid that my photos are of no help in this regard.

Record Shot of a Little Stint, Amwell, 23 August

One of two Temminck's Stints at Dernford Farm Reservoir (Stapleford, Cambs.), 28 August

Whilst the stints were the rarest waders to pass through my region, the greatest variety was to be had at Wilstone Resrvoir, where no fewer than eight species of wader (Lapwings, Green and Common Sandpipers, Ruff, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit) were present towards the end of the month. I visited again on the 27th, thankfully avoiding a two hour sit on the M25 this time. Whilst all but the Lapwings and the two sandpipers proved to be very distant, and I didn't have my telescope handy, I did identify the presence of all but the Spotted Redshank from photos of distant waders taken and later 'blown up'. I apologise once again for the poor quality of the Greenshank photo (below). Two Hobbies were also seen - one in a tree and the other sitting on the mud (there was a lot of mud and very little water present on the reservoir).

Greenshank (centre) with Teal, Wilstone Reservoir, 27 August

Hobby at Wilstone Reservoir, 27 August

A visit to Dernford Farm Reservoir (still almost devoid of water) on the 29th allowed me to see my second stint species of the week, as two tiny Temminck's Stints were present there. As usual with tiny waders, I only managed some distant record shots of the birds. If you do get better views of these birds the patterns on their backs are different and Temminck's Stints have yellow legs, whilst Little Stints have black legs.

Record Shot of Temminck's Stint, Dernford Farm Reservoir, 29 August

Although the second half of August had been somewhat cooler than the first half, there had been very little rain until the 27th, when the weather finally broke and almost an inch of thundery rain was recorded in the garden. Low pressure took over and, with further heavy rain at the end of the month, the long, hot summer of drought was finally ended.

Local Wildlife Sightings, July 2026

 Early in July, we received the very sad news that a developers' appeal had successfully overturned the council blocking of a 280 home development on fields adjoining my estate. Along with the inevitable major traffic disruption that the building work will entail and the further dilution of local services, this will mean the loss of a lovely wild flower meadow near the house - very bad news indeed, and another kick in the teeth for conservation and green field sites.

Back from holiday, I visited Therfield Heath (east side) on the morning of the 5th. Initially everything was quiet, but as soon as the sun came out clouds of butterflies emerged from the grasses. Foremost amongst them were Chalkhill Blues - I reckon that I must have seen at least 200. I also saw my first Gatekeeper butterflies of the year: these tend to congregate around the bushes on The Heath. A few Dark Green Fritillaries were still flying and I actually managed to get a few photographs of one - quite a challenge, as this fast flying butterfly never seems to stay still for more than a couple of seconds.

Male Chalkhill Blue, Therfield Heath, 5 July

Male Chalkhill Blue Variant (Smaller or Incomplete Spots, c.f. the Butterfly above), Therfield Heath, 5 July

Gatekeeper Butterfly, Therfield Heath, 5 July

Dark Green Fritillary, Therfield Heath, 5 July

Closer to home, a new (for my local patch) micro-moth, Pyrausta purpuralis, was recorded.

Pyrausta Purpuralis, Royston, 5 July

The hot, dry summer continued with another heatwave, starting around the 5th and lasting for at least 10 days with temperatures reaching 34C (so not as hot as in June!). After that the weather cooled somewhat, with an easterly wind bringing in early morning cloud, but not a drop of rain was to be had until the morning of the 26th, when 2.5mm fell - hooray! After that it was back to heatwave conditions, with the temperature reaching 34C on the 29th. July became the second hottest month ever in England and also one of the driest. Plants withered and crops were harvested early. By the middle of the month thousands of Chalkhill Blues had spread all over The Heath and a few males were seen a mile or two away from the nearest colony, although they would have been frustrated at being unable to find any of the far more sedentary females. I spent a lot of time in the evenings photographing roosting 'blues' (second generation Common Blue and Brown Argus butterflies were on the wing from the middle of the month), because they were too active in the hot, daytime temperatures. However, the females emerge from their chrysalises in the morning and immediately mate with whichever passing male is lucky enough to find them. I was therefore lucky to find a mating pair on a rare morning visit to The Heath (just east of the Therfield Road) on the 11th (image below). On a later morning visit to the Old Rifle Range (24th) I counted eight mating pairs in quite a small area.

Mating Chalkhill Blue Butterflies, Therfield Heath, 11 July

Following the emergence of Chalkhill Blues and Gatekeepers, I had only one 'regular' butterfly species left to see on The Heath - Silver-washed Fritillary. This butterfly was seen for the first time in the Fox Covert / Jubilee Wood area six or seven years ago and has since colonised this woodland, albeit in very small numbers. I now know their favourite areas, and saw my first butterfly on the 9th. I returned on the 11th, when I saw at least three, including both a male and a female, and on the 14th when, perhaps getting tired of being pursued by me, I was able to photograph two different males and a female, whilst a fourth butterfly (another male) was seen. Hopefully more females were around, and this colony will (continue to?) grow. Silver-washed Fritillary was the 28th butterfly species to be seen this year on my Local Patch and six days later the 29th, a Clouded Yellow, was seen on The Heath (Old Rifle Range). This was no big surprise, as several were reported elsewhere in Hertfordshire in July. Of the 29, only Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady are not resident, although in good summers the latter goes through a full breeding cycle here, but neither species can survive our winters - yet! There were no further sightings of Silver-washed Fritillaries on subsequent visits to The Heath, although another Clouded Yellow was seen on Church Hill on the 27th.

Female Silver-washed Fritillary, Therfield Heath, 14 July

Male Silver-washed Fritillary, Therfield Heath, 14 July

Silver-washed Fritillaries were also seen on two visits to Scales Park in the first half of the month, whilst three second generation Small Blues were seen when I visited Clothall Common (Baldock) on the 15th. The colony of Chalkhill Blues at Clothall must have numbered well over 100.

Small Blue, Clothall Common, 15 July

Local dragonflies were rather thin on the ground. It was surprising not to see Common Darters by the middle of July: have all the local ponds dried up? I visited Panshanger Park (between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City) on the 17th, hoping to see a reported Southern Migrant Hawker (still a rare dragonfly, although expanding in numbers and area - another beneficiary of climate change). I missed this, although there were plenty of the commoner dragonflies about, with Black-tailed Skimmer being the commonest. I saw lots of Ruddy Darters there, but no Common Darters. As the month wore on, Migrant Hawkers (first seen on the 14th) started to appear locally. This smallish hawker dragonfly tends to become very common here in August.

Black-tailed Skimmer, Panshanger Park, 17 July

Record Shot of a Migrant Hawker, Therfield Heath, 14 July

Hereabouts, bird activity dies back to practically nothing in July, as nesting finishes for most and I take a break from the delights of failed gull identification (there aren't any gulls to identify). However, after a Herts. Bird Club report (Paula Moore) of Spotted Flycatchers in Fox Covert on the 13th I realised that I had been neglecting this species. An investigation on the 14th revealed at least five birds in two areas of the woodland that were separated by a few hundred metres. One adult bird was feeding at the edge of woodland. I managed to photograph it (after putting my arm on to barbed wire and losing a fair bit of blood) and noted it feeding a juvenile at one point. Whether the birds were from one family or from two separate ones, it was good to know that they have successfully bred again in the woods. Other bird sightings of interest were of a family of seven Grey Partridges (two adults and five tiny chicks which were, nevertheless, able to fly for cover when they saw me approaching) on the Old Rifle Range on the 24th and a family of at least five Chiffchaffs with recently fledged young, near Royston Hospital on the 27th.

Adult Spotted Flycatcher, Therfield Heath, 14 July

'Record Shot' of an Adult Grey Partridge (one of a family of seven), Therfield Heath, 24 July

The path that loops round Phillup's Lake from the road between Therfield village and the A10 had become impassable, being blocked by brambles, nettles, thistles and various other stinging and cutting plants. I don't know who is responsible for maintaining it, but they are not doing a very good job! I decided to cut a swathe through this jungle on the 14th. It took 25 minutes and I ended up covered in cuts and scratches (I was wearing shorts). My reward was to see at least six Little Grebes on the lake - at least three adults and three tiny young - suggestive of two pairs having bred on the lake. It is so difficult to count the grebes, because as soon as they sense my presence they dive under the water and head for cover at the side of the lake. However, the baby grebes apparently can't dive at an early stage and don't swim very fast, which makes it easier to count them!

I finally saw my first local Common Darter in Fox Covert on the 27th. Its photo is below, together with a few other images taken locally during an intense period of butterfly photography.

Female Common Darter, Therfield Heath, 27 July

Female Common Blue, 'mariscolore' Variant, Therfield Heath, 24 July

Roosting Chalkhill (Upper Butterfly) and Common Blues, Therfield Heath, 20 July

Painted Lady Wing Detail, Royston, 27 July

On my way to a garden centre I popped in to Dernford Farm Reservoir (Stapleford, Cambs.) on the 30th to look for birds and dragonflies. It was no surprise to see that the lake had almost dried up. A single Redshank was probing the mud here and a group of Lapwings were present, but no other waders could be seen. However, a pale yellow dragonfly on the perimeter path caught my eye and turned out to be a Red-veined Darter. This dragonfly is another continental immigrant, which is becoming more common as a result of climate change. However, numbers vary greatly from year to year. The species is unusual in that if adults mate and drop eggs in the spring, dragonflies can emerge in the same year. Also seen here were several other species, including a mating pair of Common Blue Damselflies, where the head of the female is, unusually, coloured yellow.

Red-veined Darter Dragonfly, Dernford Farm Reservoir, 30 July

Mating Common Blue Damselflies, Dernford Farm Reservoir, 30 July