Recently seen at Cromwell Bottom

The Butterfly's are: Small Copper, Male and female orange tip and Speckled Wood.  Red Damsel Flys. Alder Fly. Crane Fly. There are two types of Hover fly. (On willow catkin in pond and Dandelion) Helophilus pendulus and Syrphus ribesii. The flowers are Birdsfoot Trefoil and Yellow Rattle. 

The Bee could be a Tree Bumble Bee but I'm not sure if I took that on the reserve. I have put in the shot I took of the dipper flying along behind the weir. (taken on Bank holiday Monday. ) I think they are now feeding young as I saw both of them out feeding on Sat Morning and taking food in.  

Allan

 Alder Fly

Birdsfoot Trefoil 

Tree Bumble Bee ?

Tree Bumble Bee ?

Crane Fly

Dipper under the weir

 Helophilus pendulus

 Helophilus pendulus

Syrphus ribesii

Orange tip (F)

Orange tip (F)

Orange tip (M)

Red Damsel Fly

Red Damsel Fly

Small Copper

Speckled Wood

Yellow Rattle

Bird's nest results (or lack thereof )

Here are the results (so far) of the moths reared from the old birds' nest collected last December with the help of various members of the CB group.They say it's always worth recording negative records just as much as the positive ones so here they are - a measly handfull of White-shouldered House Moths (above)! A species many of us get in our homes from time to time. There's still an outside possibility of other species emerging but so far it's been a resounding damp squib.Maybe it's down to the nest boxes being a very recent addition to the area and the moths have yet to establish themselves?

Anyway, on a brighter note this Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (below) emerged this morning from a pupa reared from a larva found on one of the many Dog Rose bushes around Tag meadow. A common enough species no doubt but according to my records it's a new one for me so my camera got an unexpected workout this morning :-)

Saturday May 10th 2014 Work Party

Robin and Graham co-ordinated twenty volunteers from the Rotary Club and the CB Wildlife Group who planted about 200 saplings on Meadow 2. The day turned out a bit showery but remained quite warm.

We have another few hundred to plant later. The number planted so far on this meadow is close to 1,000

Water Crowfoot

Hi all

Information is required regarding any records of Water Crowfoot (possibly Ranunculus aquatilis) in the Calderdale area, both old and recent records will be most welcome. Please email me directly for now at (brucehoyle(at)gmail.com).

Many thanks

8 May Meeting - info please?

I am interested in the developments planned for Cromwell Bottom but was unable to attend this meeting. Perhaps others are in the same position? Will there be a report of the proceedings published on the website?

During May and June

The HPIC (Huddersfield Photo Imaging Club) will be coming down onto site on 4 dates in May and June

Full Details Here

Early dawn at Cromwell

We started quite early walking around the Reserve. The air was heavy with the scent of  Hawthorn. Dippers were clearly visible by the weir. Other birds were Willow warbler, Garden warbler, chiffchaff, robin, song thrush, blackcap, whitethroat, wren, blue tit, great tit, dunnock, canada goose, little grebe, coot, moorhen, grey heron, buzzard, sedge/reed warbler, crow, jackdaw, magpie, woodpigeon, jay, LT tit, GS woodpecker, mallard. With apologies to those species I may have missed. 

Bluebells are in profusion

Tag cut. The water is clearly red from the iron oxide deposits nearby

Further along the sunlight now penetrates to the water

There were 3 moorhen chick here but they escaped my camera

The pond dipping area is looking a little dry

A broader view of the pond

Bluebells near the pond

A bluebell close up

The East Meadow. A Buzzard called overhead

The top pond. A Mallard is still drowsy

The path along the riverside

Broom are in full flower now along the riverside

Sunlight catches a natural weir

The Canada's were very noisy

The pontoon was well used

The lagoon looking west

Apple blossom

One of the Apple trees

A sedge/reed warbler was singing here

The channel cut earlier is still open

Hawthorn are really starting to bloom well now

The canal attracts Bank Holiday narrow boats

From The Undergrowth

A few from yesterday, lots around now Sedge and Reed Warblers Whitethroats 3 male Goosander and  2 female one with 12 chicks , Brimstone, Speckled Wood , Orange tip , Butterflys starting to feel like summers starting . 

Goosander and chicks

,

Whitethroat

Male Bullfinch

Female Gooseander

Male Goosander

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

gwh

From the undergrowth

Last few from April

Greenfinch

Redpol

River weir almost covered with the heavy rain we had at the end of March

2 meters of water oer a meter higher than normal

Wren

Wren

Male Blackcap

LTT gathering nesting material

gwh