26th December 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - A walk with the good lady, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, a flock of Redwing, a Goosander on the river, several Coal Tits and the usual noisy Ring Necked Parakeets amongst a few other feathered delights.

Greater Periwinkle was in good flower.

25th December 2018 - Poynton Pool, Stockport, Cheshire - Up late and a pootle with the lasses feeding the birds. 29 species were noted. these were:- Herring Gull; Black Headed Gull; Jay; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow; Magpie; Moorhen; Coot; Mallard; Wood Pigeon; Robin; Canada Goose; Grey Heron; Shoveler (1*M/2*F); Mute Swan; Great Crested Grebe; Goosander (1*M/3*F); Long Tailed Tit; Blue Tit; Dunnock; Blackbird; Wigeon (2*M/2*F); Collared Dove; Wren; House Sparrow and Starling + Bullfinch; Nuthatch and Goldfinch on call and a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming.

Winter Heliotrope was in flower and the Ash Key Gall (Aceria fraxinivorus) was noted.

16th December 2018 - High Rid Reservoir, Bolton, G. Manchester - A walk to see a special bird which we duly encountered down to a few feet. It had been a while since we last saw a Velvet Scoter - this one was greatly enjoyed. Other birds seen were:- Black Headed Gull; Nuthatch; Chaffinch; Long Tailed Tit; Jackdaw; Feral Pigeon; Starling; Cormorant; Common Gull; Little Grebe; Mallard; Coot; Tufted Duck; Goldeneye; Robin; Magpie; Goldfinch; Carrion Crow; Blackbird and Wood Pigeon.

Winter Heliotrope was in good flower.

2nd December 2018 - Bretton Country Park, W. Yorkshire - A nice wander after a good breakfast and some shopping. 34 birds were noted:- Rook; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Jackdaw; Redwing; Fieldfare; Black Headed Gull; Mallard; Cormorant; Great Crested Grebe; Grey Heron; Teal; Canada Goose; Greylag Goose; Tufted Duck; Goosander; Coot; Great Tit; Pochard; Mute Swan; Nuthatch; Blackbird; Robin; Treecreeper; Moorhen; Shoveler; Great White Egret; Kestrel; Carrion Crow; Goldcrest; Collared Dove; Wren and Blue Tit with Bullfinch and Long Tailed Tit on call.

An Orange Ladybird (Halyzia sedecimguttata) was seen on the trunk of a Beech Tree and the Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) was noted feeding on a Dandelion flower. Other flowers in bloom were:- Yarrow; Red Campion; Hedge Mustard; Groundsel; Creeping Buttercup; Common Field Speedwell and Chickweed.

30th November 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A quite hectic month that has flitted by and left me standing. A final day walk was had, I set off from home and walked down the River Mersey to Didsbury and counted every bird I saw, the result was:- Blue Tit (*11); House Sparrow (*3); Starling (*3); Wood Pigeon (*27); Carrion Crow (*7); Magpie (*17); Redwing (*6); Blackbird (*4); Great Tit (*6); Robin (*5 + 1 on call); Goldcrest (*2); Long Tailed Tit (*11); Bullfinch (*1); Wren (*1 + 6 on call); Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 on call); Grey Heron (*3); Chaffinch (*4); Pied Wagtail (*7); Mallard (*25); Song Thrush (*1); Canada Goose (*12); Moorhen (*3); Goldfinch (1 on call); Goosander (*5); Common Gull (*3); Black Headed Gull (approx 100) and Dunnock (*3). That makes 279 birds (9 of which were on call) of 27 species.

3 Harlequin Ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) were noted as well as 3 Common Green Shield Bugs (Palomena prasina) - one of which was still in summer colour. A Marmalade Fly (Episyrphus balteatus) was an unexpected extra.

19th November 2018 - Chorlton WP, G. Manchester - A 4 and a half hour cycle ride with a break at this area to do a bit of birding. 32 species were seen, these were:- Grey Wagtail; Carrion Crow; Great Tit; Wood Pigeon; Jay; Magpie; Dunnock; Ring Necked Parakeet; Chaffinch; Canada Goose; Common Gull; Starling; Goldfinch; Collared Dove; Blue Tit; Black Headed Gull; Coot; Moorhen; Siskin; Gadwall; Grey Heron; Feral Pigeon; Cormorant; Tufted Duck; Blackbird; Pink Footed Goose; Long Tailed Tit; House Sparrow; Sparrowhawk; Wren; Goosander and Goldcrest.

Greater Periwinkle was in fine flower.

19th November 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - Whilst out on the bike a Kingfisher was noted, 2 female and one male Goosander, a couple of rasping Mistle Thrushes and a flitting Pied Wagtail.

White Dead Nettle was still sporting many blooms.

28th October 2018 - Conwy RSPB, Conwy - An early morn birding wander, 40 species were seen:- Carrion Crow; Magpie; Jackdaw; Curlew; Little Egret; Mallard; Great Black Backed Gull; Oystercatcher; Black Headed Gull; Herring Gull; Mute Swan; Red Breasted Merganser; Redshank; Blackbird; Great Tit; Goldfinch; Robin; House Sparrow; Blue Tit; Wren; Coot; Gadwall; Moorhen; Magpie; Black Tailed Godwit; Lapwing; Herring Gull; Common Gull; Little Grebe; Teal; Tufted Duck; Stonechat; Wigeon; Cormorant; Dunlin; Greenshank; Starling; Dunnock; Meadow Pipit and Common Snipe.

A few Yellow Dung Flies (Scathophaga stercoraria); Common Wasps (Vespa vulgaris) were braving the chill as well as a Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) and flowers in bloom included:- Fennel; Bush Vetch; Red Clover; Common Mallow; Meadow Buttercup; Ox-Eye Daisy; White Campion; Common Ragwort; Ladies Mantle agg; Field Scabious; Yarrow; Self-Heal; Common Centaury; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Ribwort Plantain; Dandelion agg; Common Toadflax; Daisy; White Clover; Creeping Cinquefoil; Mint agg and Red Valerian.

Eriophyes inangulis and Acalitus brevitarsus were 2 galls noted.

26th October 2018 - Burton Mere RSPB, The Wirral - An early start and a brisk wander around this decent area. The wind was chilled and there was less around than I thought there would be but the 38 bird species were all enjoyed as per. The list comprised of:- Blackbird; Coot; Teal; Tufted Duck; Wigeon; Shoveler; Common Gull; Black Headed Gull; Black Tailed Godwit; Lapwing; Canada Goose; Cattle Egret (*2); Black Swan; Ruff; Moorhen; Greylag Goose; Dunlin; Common Snipe; Mallard; Goldfinch; Magpie; Jackdaw; Pheasant; Blue Tit; Greenfinch; Reed Bunting; Carrion Crow; Chaffinch; Pintail; Pink Footed Goose; Long Tailed Tit; Robin; Wren; Grey Heron; Wood Pigeon; Shelduck; Mute Swan and Little Egret.

Meadowsweet; Red Campion; Red Clover; Spear Thistle; Meadow Buttercup and Herb Robert were adding a splash of colour.

Eriophyes laevis and Dasineura ulmaria were the only galls noted.

24th October 2018 - Countess of Chester Nature Park, Chester, Cheshire - After looking at fungi earlier in the day we decided to move to this location and just have a wander. I noted a few flowers still in bloom:- Field Pansy; Shepherd's Purse; Common Field Speedwell; Red Dead Nettle; Dandelion agg; Yarrow; Common Ragwort; Large Bindweed; Hogweed; Meadow Buttercup; Musk Mallow; Common Knapweed; Pineappleweed; Nipplewort; Red Campion and Chickweed,

A Harlequin Ladybird looked fed up in the chilly wind.

20th October 2018 - Mere Sands Wood, Lancashire - Whilst leading a fungi walk I noted 6 Smooth Newts; 7 Frogs; a Pale Tussock Caterpillar; an Alder Leaf Beetle and a Violet Ground Beetle (Carabus problematicus).

When driving from the reserve 7 Red Legged Partridge frequented a well-cropped field.

1st October 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A wander in town, flowers in bloom were:- Common Knapweed; Yarrow; Mugwort; White Clover; Greater Willowherb; Red Bartsia; Pineappleweed; Wood Sage; Greater Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Dandelion agg; Wavy Bittercress; Large Bindweed; Self-Heal; Canadian Fleabane; Chickweed; Pellitory of the Wall; White Valerian; Ivy Leaved Toadflax; Ivy Leaved Toadflax; Nipplewort; Large Flowered Evening Primrose agg; Meadow Buttercup; Ox-Eye Daisy; Common Nettle; Daisy; Black Medick; Tufted Vetch; American Winter Cress; Red Clover; Sea Aster; Shepherd's Purse; Groundsel; Creeping Thistle; Herb Robert; Purple Toadflax and Redshank.

A Common Green Shieldbug was sunning itself on some Ash leaves.

15th September 2018 - Marbury CP, Cheshire - Whilst leading 2 fungi walks we also managed to see a Great Crested Newt; Common Toad; Garden Snail; Garlic Snail and Foxglove and Red Campion in flower.

The galls Taxomyia taxi and Agathomyia wankowiczii were also seen.

6th September 2018 - Heaton Moor, Stockport, Cheshire - A dinner time wander, a check of a Silver Birch tree, the result 54 Parent Bug nymphs, 9 on one leaf, 31 on another and 14 on a catkin. The question is, did each brood have different parents or were they all by the same pair. I think these bugs are quite wonderful.

Also seen in the rainy weather were a few Harlequin Ladybirds and the galls Andricus quercuscalicis and Eriophyes exilis.

The Four Spot Ord Weaver (Araneus quadratus); a Common Green Shield Bug nymph (Palomena prasina)and the butterflies:- Small Heath (*1); Speckled Wood (*5); Small Tortoiseshell (*1); Painted Lady (*1) and Green Veined White (*2) were other things of note.

31st August 2018 - GreenAcres, Rainford, Lancashire - A bio-blitz day, whilst we had the main peepers on the fungi we also saw a couple of Garden Snails, Garlic Snail; Variegated Centipede (Lithobius variegatus); Southern Hawker and the butterflies:- Speckled Wood (*3); Brimstone (*2) and Painted Lady (*1). The Hoverfly (Baccha elongata) was also noted.

A Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were the best of the birds and the Money Spider (Hypomma bituberculatum) was shown to us by an ever friendly face and the Bristle Club Rush (Isolepis setacea) by a very charming gent with a repertoire of bad jokes.

2 Toads were seen as well as the galls:- Andricys aries; Neuroterus anthracinus; Neuroterus quercusbaccarum and Andricus quercuscalicis.

27th August 2018 - Wythenshawe CP, G. Manchester - A few fungi and a few galls, the galls seen were:- Neuroterus saliens; Phyllocoptes goniothorax; Pontania proxima; Andricus curvator and Andricus quercuscalicis.

Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata) was in good flower.

20th August 2018 - Sugar Brook Farm, Altrincham, G. Manchester - A trip out with some Young Carers and a few wild things noted. A Red Admiral; Green Veined White; Speckled Wood and Common Blue were on the wing along with a Large Yellow Underwing Moth. Loads of Common Green Grasshoppers (Omocestus viridulus) and Common Green Leafhoppers (Cicadella viridis) were about as well as a few Alder Leaf Beetles (Agelastica alni). The find of the day was by a young lady who saw 2 ladybirds in a field. I looked and had suspicions aroused and later confirmed that they were Adonis Ladybirds (Hippodamia variegata) - excellent. A few 3-Spined Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculaeatus) were also noted.

The gall (Hayhurstia atriplicis) was on many Fat-Hen plants.

19th August 2018 - Knott Hill NR, G Manchester - A walk to find some fungi but along the way we clocked up a few galls:- Neuroterus anthracinus; Neuroterus quercusbaccarum; Andricus quercusalicis; Andricus curvator; Eriophyes inangulis; Aceria pseudoplatani; Taphrina alni; Eriophyes laevis; Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Blennocampa phyllocolpa; Eupontania pendunculi; Phyllocoptes goniothorax; Psyllopsis fraxini; Chirosia betuleti; Andricus kollari; Dasineura urticae; Phytomyza ilicis; Andricus foecundatrix; Eriosoma ulmi and Dasineura kiefferianna.

Green Veined White (*1); Speckled Wood (*3) and a bonus White Letter Hairstreak (*1) were on the wing. A Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) with a horde of nymphs and a Blue Tailed Damselfly were also seen.

18th August 2018 - Marbury CP, Cheshire - A gall walk was attended today to try and reinforce our growing knowledge. We did the first part of the day before pootling off to football, galls seen by us were:- Andricus gemmeus; Andricus aries; Andricus kollari; Andricus quercuscalicis; Neuroterus numismalis; Neuroterus anthracinus; Neuroterus quercusbaccarum; Acalitus brevitarsus; Eriophyes inangulis; Eriophyes laevis; Taphrina alni; Psyllopsis fraxini; Aceria nervisequa; Hartigiola annulipes; Phyllocoptes goniothorax; Eriophyes leiosoma; Aceria pseudoplatani; Myzus cerasi; Iteomyia major; Iteomyia capreae; Pontania proxima; Eupontania pendunculi; Aceria cephalonea; Taxomyia taxi; Dasineura pteridis; Dasineura urticae; Obolodiplosis robiniae; Phytomyza ilicis and Dasineura kiefferianna.

We had a look in the moth trap before the walk started, the ranger was a grand chap indeed. Lesser Swallow Prominent; Feathered Gothic; Straw Dot; Large Yellow Underwing; Flame Shoulder; Setaceous Hebrew Character; Sallow; Rosy Rustic; Dun-Bar and Brimstone were the moths noted with 3 Hornets; a Forest Shieldbug and a Birch Shieldbug. The warden also pointed out some Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) larvae. Outside the visitor centre we saw a Rosemary Beetle and whilst walking around picked up a Common Green Shiedlbug.

The leafmines Lyonetia clerkella and Phyllonorycter maestingella by a man on the mining ball.

12th August 2018 - Bramhall Park, Stockport, Cheshire - A slow walk by two fagged out 'erberts. A Common Green Shield Bug; Leopard Slug and the hoverflies:- Volucella pellucens (*1); Episyrphus balteatus (*1) and Syritta pipiens (*2) were all that was noted.

Small Balsam and Gypsywort were in good flower and a Tulip Tree was later identified.

7th August 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - Another cycle ride and a pootle in overcast and clammy conditions at a different part of the park. Butterflies seen were:- Green Veined White (*2); Meadow Brown (*1) and Speckled Wood (*2) with moths noted:- Flame Shoulder (*1); Silver Y (*1) and an abundance of Horse Chestnut Leaf Miners.

Hoverflies continued to struggle, the few seen were:- Helophilus pendulus (*1); Episyrphus balteatus (*2); Melanostoma scalare (*1) and Syritta pipiens (*1).

Other bugs observed were:- 7 Spot Ladybird; 14 Spot Ladybird; Harlequin Ladybird; Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemoralis); Alder Spittle Bug (Aphrophora alni); Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Common Green Leafhopper (Cicadella viridis); the Fly (Anthomyia imbrida); Marsh Damsel Bug (Nabis limbatus); Black Kneed Capsid (Blepharidopterus angulatus); Mirid Bug (Notostira elongata) and a Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea).

An American Red Oak (Quercus rubra) was pondered and one of the sizeable acorns collected.

Robin's Pincushion (Diplolepis rosae) was the best gall seen.

6th August 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - A cycle, a bit of jogging, some stretching and some bug catching. Tis very dry and bugs are sparse, hoverflies seen were few, these being:- Episyrphus balteatus (*1); Eristalis horticola (*1); Volucella inanis (*1); Syritta pipiens (*2); Eristalis pertinax (*1) and Melanostoma scalare (*1). The only butterflies seen were:- Green Veined White (*1) and Speckled Wood (*1) with moths noted:- Udea lutealis (*3) and Argyresthia goedartella (*1).

Other bugs observed were:- Pea Weevil (Sitona sp); Snail Killing Fly (Coremacera marginata); Alder Spittle Bug (Aphrophora alni); Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius); Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina); Thistle Tortoise Beetle (Cassida rubiginosa); Nettle Leafhopper (Eupteryx urticae); Rhopalid Bug (Rhopalus subrufus); Mirid Bug (Dicyphus epilobii); Marsh Damsel Bug (Nabis limbatus); Mirid Bug (Notostira elongata); Mirid Bug (Apolygus spinolae); the Fly (Anthomyia imbrida) and the Common Green Leafhopper (Cicadella viridis).

28th July 2018 - Ainsdale Sands, Lancashire - A pootle and a few nice things observed. Marsh Helleborine; Round Leaved Wintergreen; Sea Holly; Sea Rocket; Broad Leaved Everlasting Pea; Knotted Pearlwort; Gypsywort; Wild Asparagus; Grass of Parnassus and Lesser Centaury were a few of the flowers noted with the tiny blooms of Marsh Pennywort spied at close quarters.

6 Spot Burnet Moths were around, a Gatekeeper, a Painted Lady and 8 Common Blues flew around and several Mottled and Common Field Grasshoppers were seen. A couple of Common Groundhoppers evaded capture and the galls Taphrina alni; Acalitus brevitarsus; Wachtliella persicariae; Eriophyes inangulis; Eupontania viminalis and Cystophora sonchi added to the varied list of species. One extra was later identified, a first for England and found by my good lady, namely Euura weiffenbachii.

A Common Frog and a flock of Dunlin completed the day's dabblings.

28th July 2018 - Marshside RSPB, Lancashire - A call off to show a few folk some Short Winged Coneheads. Despite the whipping wind we found 5 plus several Common Field Grasshoppers and a Common Green Grasshopper. 4 Common Blues were on the wing and 1 Gatekeeper and 1 Meadow Brown.

The hoverfly (Helophilus trivittatus) was seen but was too quick to photograph.

Wild Mignonette; Hare's Foot Clover; Prickly Poppy; Lesser Swine Cress and Soapwort were a few flowers noted.

Hayhurstia atriplicis was the only gall seen.

24th July 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Another dabble with the moths:- Large Yellow Underwing (*1); Brown House Moth (*3); Riband Wave f. remutata (*2); Pyrausta aurata (*2); Lime Speck Pug (*1); Apple Leaf Miner (*1); Dun-Bar (*1); Double Striped Pug (*1); Tachystola acroxantha (*2); Agriphila straminella (*1); Trachycera advenella (*1); Common Rustic agg (*1); Common Carpet (*1); Blood-Vein (*1); Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing (*1); Straw Dot (*3); Brimstone (*1); Mother of Pearl (*2); Blastobasis adustella (*2); Silver Y (*2); Flame Carpet (*2); Light Brown Apple Moth (*5); Marbled Beauty (*6) and Riband Wave (*2).

3 Harlequin Ladybirds were also in the trap.

22nd July 2018 - Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire - A bit icky of late with stress symptoms pecking my head and body. We forced the issue and went out, a nice walk was had. Butterflies seen were:- Speckled Wood (*1); Peacock (*1); Meadow Brown (*2); Comma (*3); Gatekeeper (*6); Small White (*2) and Green Veined White (*40).

Hoverflies seen were:- Cheilosia impressa (*2); Syritta pipiens (*6); Eristalis arbustorum (*1); Eristalis pertinax (*2) and Episyrphus balteatus (*6).

Other bugs seen were:- Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina polita); Black Tipped Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) and Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus).

Plant galls seen were:- Blennocampa phyllocolpa; Eriophyes similis; Aceria fraxinivorus; Phyllocoptes goniothorax; Dasineura ulmariae; Aceria pseudoplatani; Dasineura crataegi and Dasineura urticae.

A flower list was kept, this was made up of:- Small Balsam; Hedge Woundwort; Enchanter's Nightshade; Clustered Bellflower; White Clover; Greater Willowherb; Rosebay Willowherb; Spear Thistle; Wood Sage; Ploughman's Spikenard; Meadow Crane's-Bill; Knotgrass; Shepherd's Purse; Red Campion; Harebell; Common Ragwort; Upright Hedge Parsley; Lesser Burdock; Pellitory of the Wall; Hogweed; Pineappleweed; Herb Robert; Creeping Thistle; Common Nettle; Nipplewort; Wood Avens; Hemp Agrimony; Angelica; Common Knapweed; Marsh Thistle; Daisy; Pink Water Speedwell; River Water Crow-Foot; Meadowsweet; Monkey Flower; Water Mint agg; Greater Plantain and Square Stalked St John's-Wort.

14th July 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - A day tidying and doing some gardening in between a bit of reading and watching the tennis. Butterflies noted were:- Small White (*3); Comma (*1) and Holly Blue (*1) plus the moth Mother of Pearl (*1). A Brown Hawker flitted about and several Red Tailed Bumble Bees (Bombus lapidarius); a Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) and the hoverflies:- Episyrphus balteatus (*1) and Syritta pipiens (*2) were noted.

Carrion Crow; Goldfinch; Wood Pigeon and House Martin were a few of the birds seen and the gall (Trioza alacris) was frequent.

Greater Willowherb; Welsh Poppy; Common Poppy and Red Campion were in bloom.

12th July 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A Holly Blue and a Comma flitted about, 2 Figwort Weevils and 2 larvae were seen on the host plant and the bugs Plagiognathus arbustorum and Liocoris tripustulatus were picked out.

The galls Dasineura urtica; Dasineura pteridis and Neuroterus anthracinus were also added to the sightings.

10th July 2018 - Warkworth/Amble Bay, Northumberland - A leisurely stroll around a sweet area, birds listed were:- Swallow; Sandwich Tern; Goldfinch; Shelduck; Common Tern; Red Breasted Merganser; House Sparrow; Carrion Crow; Redshank; Pied Wagtail; Feral Pigeon; Canada Goose; Great Black Backed Gull; Common Sandpiper; Curlew; Mallard; Oystercatcher; Herring Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Cormorant; Eider; Mute Swan; Jackdaw; Wood Pigeon; Black Headed Gull; Grey Heron and Kestrel.

A Small Tortoiseshell was on the wing and White and Wild Mignonette were both observed.

10th July 2018 - High Hauxley, Northumberland - A real fine reserve this with helpful staff and a mix of habitats. Birds listed were:- Pied Wagtail; Oystercatcher; Tree Sparrow; Wood Pigeon; Greylag Goose; Canada Goose; Tufted Duck; Magpie; Moorhen; Mute Swan; Jackdaw; Lapwing; Mallard; Grey Heron; Black Headed Gull; Common Snipe; Shelduck; Chiffchaff; Sand Martin; Redshank; Swallow; Starling; Blackbird; Grey Heron; Wren; Curlew; Cormorant; Common Tern; Dunlin; Turnstone; Sandwich Tern; Eider; Pheasant and Chaffinch on call.

Eristalis pertinax; Scaeva pyrastri; Helophilus pendulus and Episyrphus balteatus were the only hoverflies seen on another scorching day.

Small Tortoiseshell (*1); Common Blue (*7); Ringlet (*8); Speckled Wood (*16); Meadow Brown (*8) and Small Skipper (*4) were the butterflies counted with a few 6 Spot Burnets flitting about and feeding.

Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus); Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus); Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius) and Blue Shield Bug (Zicrona caerulea) were the other critters added.

Flowers in bloom were plentiful and a few slipped beneath the ID radar. The ones fully sussed were as follows:- Ox-Eye daisy; Betony; Field Scabious; Common Spotted Orchid; Broad Leaved Willowherb; Yellow Flag Iris; Thyme Leaved Speedwell; Common Sorrel; Common Orache; Cut Leaved Teasel; Ragged Robin; Meadow Crane's-Bill; Japanese Rose; Kidney Vetch; Restharrow; Tormentil; Common Toadflax; Long Headed Poppy; Marsh Woundwort; Yellow-Wort; Scarlet Pimpernel; Common Valerian; Purple Loosestrife; Creeping Cinquefoil; Common Centaury; Greater Willowherb; Foxglove; Hedge Mustard; White Campion; Germander Speedwell; Hemlock; Greater Plantain; Bird'-Foot Trefoil; Rosebay Willowherb; Herb Robert; Upright Hedge Parsley; Creeping Buttercup; Curled Leaved Dock; Spear Thistle; Dyer's Greenweed; Red Campion; Hedge Woundwort; Common Nettle; Goosegrass; White Clover; Yellow Rattle; Hogweed; Common Fleabane; Musk Mallow; Bush Vetch; Lady's Mantle; Creeping Thistle; Wild Carrot; Tufted Vetch; Wild Basil; Marjoram; Meadow Vetchling; Black Medick; Common Mouse Ear; Teasel; Daisy; Lady's Bedstraw; Ribwort Plantain; Silverweed; Self-Heal; Red Clover; Weld; Yarrow; Hop Trefoil; Great Burnet; Common Knapweed and Bloody Crane's-Bill.

Galls seen were:- Hayhurstia atriplicis; Cystophora sonchi; Taphrina alni and Blennocampa phyllocolpa.

9th July 2018 - Seaton Sluice, Northumberland - Only a few birds were noted at this charming place:- Rook; Grey Heron; Dunnock; Blackbird; Goldfinch; Feral Pigeon; Starling; House Sparrow; Meadow Pipit; Jackdaw; Black Headed Gull and Pheasant.

Honeysuckle; Garlic Mustard; Hoary Cress; Thrift; Slender Thistle; Creeping Thistle; Spear Thistle; Marsh Thistle and Sea Rocket were the few flowers noted.

13 Puss Moth larvae were counted; the 2 butterfly species noted were:- Meadow Brown (*1) and Ringlet (*10); a Forest Shield Bug (Pentatoma rufipes) was found as well as the Marmalade Fly (Episyrphus balteatus); the Beetle (Lagria hirta) and a Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus).

Galls noted were:- Eriophyes similis; Eriophyes laevis; Eriophyes inangulis and Phyllocoptes goniothorax.

9th July 2018 - Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear - An early morning wander to this lovely part of the coast, with the weather kind and keeping us enthused. Birds listed were:- Swallow; Goldfinch; Starling; Wood Pigeon; Black Headed Gull; Redshank; Oystercatcher; Sandwich Tern; Cormorant; Curlew; Bar Tailed Godwit; Herring Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Great Black Backed Gull; Lapwing; Turnstone; Grey Heron; Golden Plover; Pied Wagtail; Common Scoter; Fulmar; Reed Bunting; Magpie; Canada Goose; Mallard; Moorhen; Song Thrush and House Martin.

Several Grey Seals were lounging on the rocks and a Marmalade Fly (Episyrphus balteatus); Meadow Brown Butterfly and Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth added extra interest.

8th July 2018 - Crimdon to Blackhall Rocks, County Durham - A walk and an ice-cream finish, what a good way to end the day. Birds seen were:- Common Scoter (250+); Common Whitethroat; Fulmar; Great Black Backed Gull; Meadow Pipit; Common Tern; Sandwich Tern; Reed Bunting; Jackdaw; Pheasant; Skylark; Curlew; Linnet; Bullfinch; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Herring Gull; Starling; Black Headed Gull; House Sparrow; Swallow and Sand Martin.

A few butterflies were noted:- Small Skipper (*6); Ringlet (*29); Meadow Brown (*7); Small Tortoiseshell (*1); Painted Lady (*1) and Small White (*1) were joined by the moths:- Silver Y (*87); Shaded Broad Bar (*1) and many 6 Spot Burnets.

Other insects identified were the hoverflies:- Eristalis tenax and Episyrphus balteatus as well as a Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius) and the Dance Fly (Empis opaca).

The botanical list consisted pf the following flowers in bloom:- English Stonecrop; Nodding Thistle; Hogweed; Yarrow; Common Ragwort; Shepherd's Purse; Self-Heal; Silverweed; Common Mallow; Agrimony; Bittersweet; Hemp Agrimony; Nipplewort; Herb Robert; Groundsel; Rosebay Willowherb; Meadow Vetchling; Wild Mignonette; Pineappleweed; Greater Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Wild Carrot; Daisy; Hedge Woundwort; Pyramidal Orchid; Tufted Vetch; Meadowsweet; Marsh Thistle; Harebell; Greater Plantain; Sea Plantain; Ribwort Plantain; Hoary Plantain; Greater Knapweed; Common Toadflax; Restharrow; White Clover; Spear Thistle; Lady's Bedstraw; Hedge Mustard; Common Nettle; Creeping Cinquefoil; Creeping Thistle; Common Mouse-Ear; Yellow Loosestrife (garden escapee); Kidney Vetch; Common Centaury; Betony; Red Clover; Creeping Buttercup; Bloody Crane's-Bill; Lesser Trefoil; Black Medick; Curled Leaved Dock; White Dead Nettle and Zig-Zag Clover.

4th July 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A check of some weary and thirsty Nettles, a brace of Nettle Bugs (Liocoris tripustulatus); a few examples of the Mirid Bug (Plagiognathus arbustorum); A Red Admiral; 2 Common Froghoppers (Philaenus spumarius) and the Nettle Pollen Beetles (Brachypterus glaber) were all in residence. Dasineura urticae was also seen.

Another Red Admiral was on Buddleia; a Comma, Meadow Brown and 3 Small Skippers flitted about and Quaking Grass was looking a trifle fagged out.

1st July 2018 - New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebbington, The Wirral, Cheshire - A walk before a trip to a farm shop and some strawberries and ice cream in a quiet field. This place is a small gem, the pond was getting drier by the day but held a Broad Bodied Chaser; a good swam of Semaphore flies (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) and many Smooth Newts. Upright Hedge Parsley; Chicory; Wild Carrot; Agrimony; Betony; English Stonecrop; Deptford Pink and Lady's Bedstraw were a few of the flowers admired. Mistletoe was growing low down and sported some good berries.

Butterflies seen were:- Meadow Brown (*9); Gatekeeper (*1); Comma (*1); Small Skipper (*5); Large White (*2); Green Veined White (*1); Speckled Wood (*1) and Common Blue (*1). A Common Marble Moth and 7 Narrow Bordered Five Spot Burnet Moths were also seen.

A Blue Tailed Damselfly; the Mirid Bug (Grypocoris stysi); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Varied Carpet Beetle; Hairy Shield Bug; Mirid Bug (Plagiognathus arbustorum) and the Birch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) were added as well as the hoverflies:- Volucella pellucens and Episyrphus balteatus;

26th June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Another moth trap to pootle through, this time it contained:- Swallow-Tailed Moth (*4); Riband Wave f. remutata (*3); Straw Dot (*1); Scalloped Oak (*2); Anania coronata (*4); Clepsis consimilana (*1); Ancylis achatana (*1); Green Oak Tortrix (*1); Clouded Border (*1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (*4); Eudonia lacustrata (*3); Willow Beauty (*1); Heart and Dart (*2); Small Magpie (*2); Bee Moth (*4); Tachystola acroxantha (*8); Bright Line, Brown Eye (*1); Riband Wave (*2); Garden Carpet (*1); Single Dotted Wave (*1); Brimstone (*1); Miller (*1); Crambus pascuella (*1); Brown House Moth (*3); Double Striped Pug (*2); Dark Arches (*1); Elephant Hawk-Moth (*1); Light Brown Apple Moth (*1); Fan-Foot (*1); Argyresthia pruniella (*1); Argyresthia brockeella (*1); Common White Wave (*1) and Limnaecia phragmitella (*1).

A Small Tortoiseshell was in the garden later in the day.

25th June 2018 - Abney Hall , Stockport, Cheshire - A cycle down to this local area and a spot of bug-hunting. Despite it being the morning the temperatures were soaring and keeping many things hidden. Butterflies noted were:- Speckled Wood (*4); Meadow Brown (*18); Large Skipper (*8); Small Tortoiseshell (*1); Ringlet (*1) and Small Skipper (*1). Moths seen were Slender 5 Spot Burnet (*2); Timothy Tortrix (*1); Smoky Wainscot (*1); Epinotia tenerana (*1) and Brown China Mark (*1). Cinnabar Moth larvae were frequent on a few Common Ragwort heads.

Odanates seen were:- Azure Damselfly; Large Red Damselfly; Brown Hawker; Broad Bodied Chaser and 4 Spotted Chaser.

Other insects seen were:- Red Tailed Bee (Bombus lapidarius); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); Potato Capsid (Closterotomus norvegicus); Golden Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villosoviridescens); Welsh Chafer (Hoplia philanthus); Nettle Pollen Beetle (Brachypterus urticae); Mirid Bug (Plagiognathus arbustorum); Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); Black Tipped Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva); Turnip Sawfly (Athalia rosae); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus); Mirid Bug (Harpocera thoracica); Common Green Leafhopper (Cicadella viridis); 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Mirid Bug (Pithanus maerkelii); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Mirid Bug (Capsus ater); Hairy Shield Bug Nymph (Dolycoris baccarum); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius); Mirid Bug (Deraeocoris ruber); Broad Damsel Bug (Nabis flavomarginatus); Spear Thistle Lacebug (Tingis cardui); Mirid Bug (Leptopterna dolabrata); Mirid Bug (Stenotus binotatus); Mirid Bug (Notostira elongata); Ground Bug (Cymus  melanocephalus) and Alder Spittle Bug (Aphrophora alni).

A Cucumber Spider was seen; the Spider (Larinioides cornutus) and Monkey Flower was in fine bloom.

24th June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Only a few moths:- Uncertain (*2); Riband Wave f. remutata (*2); Willow Beauty (*1); Heart and Dart (*1); Garden Carpet (*1); Bright Line, Brown Eye (*1); Eudonia lacustrata (*1) and Swallow-Tailed Moth (*3).

Episyrphus balteatus was enjoying the sunshine.

23rd June 2018 - Lunt Meadows, Lancashire - After a tea and cake break and a wander around the woods at Lydiate Hall we headed here and finished the day. Odanata species seen were:- Emperor Dragonfly (*1); Black Tailed Skimmer (*5); Emerald Damselfly (*1); Blue Tailed Damselfly (*1) and Broad Bodied Chaser (*1).

Butterflies noted were:- Meadow Brown (*10); Small Tortoiseshell (*5); Gatekeeper (*1) and Small White (*1). The only moths seen were Celypha lacunana (*1) and Cinnabar Moth (*2).

Hoverflies listed were few:- Xylota segnis (*2); Tropida scita (*1); Helophilus pendulus (*1) and Leucozona lucorum (*1).

Other bugs listed were:- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); Dance Fly (Empis opaca); Common Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemorum); 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); Black Tipped Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva); Broad Centurion Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Crane Fly (Tipula vernalis); Scorpion Fly (Panorpa germanica) and the Mirid Bug (Plagiognathus arbustorum).

Flowers in bloom were:- Greater Willowherb; Common Nettle; Lesser Trefoil; Creeping Thistle; White Clover; Common Ragwort; Hogweed; Large Bindweed; Black Horehound; Ribwort Plantain; Goosegrass; Creeping Buttercup; Hedge Woundwort; Ground Elder; Hop Trefoil; Silverweed; Broad Leaved Dock; Hemlock Water Dropwort; Bittersweet; Red Clover; Hedge Mustard; Cow Parsley; Pineappleweed; Himalayan Balsam; Shepherd's Purse; Field Pansy; Redshank; Celery Leaved Buttercup; Spear Thistle; Red Campion; Smooth Tare and Blue Tansy.

Linnets and Swifts flitted about and the plant galls Taprhina alni; Eriophyes laevis; Acalitus brevitarsus and Wachtliella persicariae were observed.

20th June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - A few more moths:- Green Oak Tortrix (*1); Common Wave (*1); Peach Blossom (*1); Marbled Minor sp (*1); Heart and Dart (*1); Chrysoteuchia culmella (*4); Brown China Mark (*1); Argyresthia cupressella (*1); Anania coronata (*1) and Hedya nubiferana (*1) were the culprits caught.

The Fruit Fly (Anomoia purmunda) was a bonus capture.

18th June 2018 - Woolston Eyes, Warrington, Cheshire - A good yomp around this private area as a guest produced 5 species of butterfly, these being:- Ringlet (*1); Comma (*2); Meadow Brown (*2); Speckled Wood (*3) and Large Skipper (*2). Moths were represented by:- Celypha lacunana (*4); Nemophora degeerella (*5); Clouded Border (*2); Snout (*1); Common Carpet (*1); Pammene aurana (*2) and Silver Ground Carpet (*1). A Painted Lady Larva was a nice find.

Hoverflies were enjoying the sunny interludes and were represented by the following species:- Episyrphus balteatus (*3); Volucella bombylans (*1); Tropida scita (*23); Syrphus ribesii (*1); Helophilus pendulus (*1); Xylota segnis (*1); Eristalis pertinax (*3); Volucella pellucens (*2); Eristalis arbustorum (*1); Helophilus trivittatus (*1); Cheilosia illustrata (*2); Anasimyia lineata (*1); Myathropa florea (*1); Eristalinus sepulchralis (*5); Eristalis intricarius (*1); and Leucozona lucorum (*1).

Other insects seen were:- Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella); Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans); 4 Black Tailed Skimmers (Orthetrum cancellatum) and 1 Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum); Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); a pair of mating Common Green Shield Bugs (Palomena prasina); Mirid Bug (Grypocoris stysi); Bracken Planthopper (Ditropis pteridis); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Small Fleck-Winged Snipe Fly (Rhagio lineola); Downlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Welsh Chafer (Hoplia philanthus); the Ground Beetle (Cychrus caraboides) chomping on a small snail; Golden-Bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villosoviridescens); Spotted Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata); Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci); Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus); Broad Centurion Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa); Common Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus); Scorpion Fly (Panorpa cognata); Gorse Shield Bug (Piezodorus lituratus); Potato Capsid (Closterotomus norwegicus); Mirid Bug (Leptopterna ferrugata); Sawfly (Tenthredo mesomela); Soldier Beetle (Cantharis livida); Clarke's Mining Bee (Andrena clarkella); Birch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) and 3 Parent Bugs (Elasmucha grisea) with 4 clutches of young.

A Cucumber Spider (Araniella sp) was also seen.

A few birds were picked up along the way, although my eyes were on the bugs. The small list comprised of:- Song Thrush; Magpie; Carrion Crow; Little Grebe; 3 Black Necked Grebes with 3 chicks; Black Headed Gull; Jay; Gadwall; Tufted Duck; Great Crested Grebe; Little Grebe; Teal; Goldfinch; Shelduck; Common Whitethroat; Blue Tit; Coot; Reed Bunting; Canada Goose; Moorhen; Greylag Goose; Mute Swan; Dunnock; Lesser Black Backed Gull + Great Spotted Woodpecker; Long Tailed Tit; Wren; Greenfinch; Chaffinch; Blackcap and Pheasant on call.

Flowers seen in bloom were:- Meadow Buttercup; Greater Willowherb; Rosebay Willowherb; Musk Mallow; Giant Hogweed; Large Bindweed; Knot-Grass; Creeping Cinquefoil; Hogweed; Common Ragwort; Himalayan Balsam; Red Campion; Tufted Vetch; Common Nettle; White Campion; Yellow Flag Iris; Creeping Thistle; Brooklime; Hedge Woundwort; White Clover; Common Mouse Ear; Yellow Rattle; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Red Clover; Ribwort Plantain; Ox-Eye Daisy; Lady's Bedstraw; Lesser Stitchwort; Dandelion agg; White Dead Nettle; Wild Radish; Hemlock Water Dropwort; Cow Parsley; Meadow Crane's-Bill; Curled Leaved Dock and Angelica.

An extra flower was identified later on as Blue Tansy (Phacelia tanacetifolia) - sometimes these Facebook groups are a blessing.

Common Reed and Common Reedmace were looking good and plant galls recorded were:- Eriophyes sorbi; Eriophyes inangulis; Eriophyes laevis; Cecidophyes rouhollahi; Psyllopsis fraxini; Aceria pseudoplatani; Dasineura pteridis; Phyllocoptes goniothorax; Aceria cephalonea and Dasineura urtica.

One species that I didn't record was the Hoverfly (Parhelophilus sp) pictured below - one day I will find that pesky blighter with the clump of bristles under the hind femore - until then...

15th June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - A poxy night mothing:- Willow Beauty (*1); Heart and Dart (*1); Riband Wave f. remutata (*1); Swallow-Tailed Moth (*1); Brown House Moth (*1) and Uncertain (*2) were all that was in the trap.

The Nettle patch held 4 specimens of Harocera thoracica; a lone Liocoris tripustulatus and a single Harlequin Ladybird. A Small Magpie Moth flittered away as I browsed the greenery.

All Large White Larva were parasitised again, the suspect being Cotesia glomerata.

14th June 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - The wind was whipping, 4 Meadow Browns and 2 Large Skippers were in the grass whilst an Azure Damselfly and a Broad Bodied Chaser scooted around a pond.

Volucella pellucens; Cheilosia illustrata and 4 specimens of Myathropa florea were trying to settle and feed and Perennial Rye Grass and Tufted Hair Grass were keyed out at home.

13th June 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - I hopped off the bike and had a stroll via a different rouite on the way home, several galls were noted:- Eriophyes tiliae; Eriophyes leiosoma; Psyllopsis fraxini; Taphrina pruni; Acalitus brevitarsus; Eriophyes inangulis; Aceria pseudoplatani; Contarinia pulchripes; Iteomyia capraea; Pontania gallarum and Pontania proxima.

White Melilot; Tall Melilot and 3 cracking specimens of Giant Hogweed were in fine flower.

Chrysogaster solstitialis; Volucella pellucens and Myathropa florea were on the wing as well as 5 specimens of Banded Demoiselle.

A Green Veined White flitted by, an Orange Ladybird pootled and 13 examples of the Mirid Bug (Grypocoris stysi) were noted.

The Lime Tree Aphid (Eucallipterus tiliae) was a bonus find, quite a smart little critter.

9th June 2018 - Eastbrookend CP, Essex - A walk in blazing heat (again) and a few decent things seen. Flowers noted were:- Turkish Iris; Lamb's-Ears; Pale Yellow Eyed Grass; Horse Radish; White Bryony; Sheep's Sorrel; Greater Knapweed; Lucerne; Celery Leaved Buttercup and Water Figwort. Lesser Reedmace and Branched Bur Weed were in fine fettle.

Speckled Wood (*4); Common Blue (*5); Holly Blue (*9); Painted Lady (*1); Small Heath (*1) and a Cinnabar Moth were the lepidopteran delights.

Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) were a joy to watch; the Black Striped Longhorn (Stenurella melanura) nice to catch up with again with other bugs noted including:- Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle; Brassica Shield Bug; Dock Shield Bug; Figwort Weevil (*17); Lesser Stag Beetle; Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Mirid Bug (Capsus ater); Dark Bush Cricket; Emperor Dragonfly; Blue Tailed Damselfly; Black Tailed Skimmer (*2); Broad Centurion Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa); Mirid Bug (Leptopterna dolabrata); Lucerne Bug (Adelphocoris lineolatus) and the Sun Fly (Helophilus pendulus).

Aceria ulmi; Tetraneura ulmi; Eriosoma lanuginosum; Phyllocoptes goniothorax and Cryptosiphum artemisiae were the galls seen and a Ring Necked Parakeet; a Leopard Slug and a tucked away Smooth Newt completed the list.

9th June 2018 - Hornchurch CP, Essex - Up early and a good wander at a quite interesting reserve. Birds noted were:- Magpie; Goldfinch; Ring Necked Parakeet; Lapwing; Moorhen; Long Tailed Tit; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Wood Pigeon; Mallard; Swallow; Carrion Crow; Blackcap; Pheasant; Chiffchaff; Canada Goose; Greylag Goose; Coot; Shoveler; Mute Swan; Great Crested Grebe; Grey Heron; Great Spotted Woodpecker + Cuckoo; Cetti's Warbler and Green Woodpecker on call.

A flower list was kept, species in bloom were:- White Clover; Hedge Mustard; Common Mallow; Black Horehound; Hemlock; Ribwort Plantain; Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill; Scented Mayweed; Large Bindweed; Red Campion; Corncockle; Common Poppy; Pineappleweed; Shepherd's Purse; Common Field Speedwell; Weld; Hogweed; White Dead Nettle; Goosegrass; White Campion; Cow Parsley; Cut Leaved Crane's-Bill; Cornflower; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Lesser Trefoil; Hairy Tare; Ox-Eye Daisy; Goat's-Beard; Lesser Swine Cress; Hare's-Foot Clover; Sulphur Cinquefoil; Common Vetch; Field Bindweed; Biting Stonecrop; Meadow Vetchling; Tufted Vetch; Meadow Buttercup; Creeping Buttercup; Curl Leaved Dock; Spotted Medick; Creeping Cinquefoil; Ragged Robin; Wood Avens; Herb Robert; Greater Periwinkle and Field Scabious.

Lepidoptera seen were:- Painted Lady (*1); Small Heath (*4); Meadow Brown (*3); Common Blue (*1); Brown Argus (*1); Speckled Wood (*1); Peacock Larvae and Yellow Shell Moth (*1).

Dark Bush Cricket; Harlequin Ladybird; Lesser Stag Beetle (*9); Black and Red Froghopper; Azure Damselfly; Banded Demoiselle; 4 Spotted Chaser; Club Tailed Dragonfly; Black Tailed Skimmer (*3); Blue Tailed Damselfly; Broad Centurion Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa) were the other insects seen with Episyrphus balteatus (*7); Volucella bombylans (*1); Xylota segnis (*1) and Anasimyia lineata (*2) the hoverflies noted.

2 stonking Adders were watched at close quarters, a Common Lizard pootled about, Large Yellow Slug and Leopard Slugs were spotted and numerous Marsh Frogs of all sizes soaked up the sun.

Aceria macrochela was the only gall identified.

8th June 2018 - Thurrock Thameside Nature Park, Essex - A very open area with a good variety of habitat. It was getting late in the day and after tea and cake we had a slow stroll. Birds were few:- Shelduck; Skylark; Black Headed Gull; Oystercatcher; Greenfinch; Magpie; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Herring Gull; Wood Pigeon; Carrion Crow; Common Whitethroat; Goldfinch; Cuckoo; House Sparrow; Reed Bunting and Red Legged Partridge.

A few flowers were noted:- Opium Poppy; Scented Mayweed; Grass Vetch and Pink Oxalis were particularly noteworthy.

Wall Brown (*1); Large Skipper (*4); Small Heath (*2) and Painted Lady (*2) were the butterflies on the wing with moths represented by Cinnabar Moth (*1); Aethes tesserana (*1) and Silver Y (*1).

Other bugs noted were a Emperor Dragonfly eating a Large Skipper; Dock Shield Bug; Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); 7 Spot Ladybird and the hoverflies (Helophilus trivittatus) and (Sphaerophoria scripta).

A Common Lizard and Slow Worm were also noted.

7th June 2018 - Swift Valley NR, Warwickshire - A stroll around a favoured reserve. Lepidoptera were represented by:- Speckled Wood (*2); Red Admiral (*1); Silver Ground Carpet (*2); Nemophora degeerella (*38); Straw Dot (*3); Nettle Tap Moth (*2); Timothy Tortrix (*2); Blood-Vein (*4); Chimney Sweeper (*10); Yellow-Shell Moth (*1) and Small China Mark (*2).

Hoverflies one the wing were:- Eristalis pertinax (*1); Melanostoma scalare (*2); Leucozona lucorum (*1); Episyrphus balteatus (*1); Cheilosia illustrata (*2); Volucella bombylans (*2); Vollucella pellucens (*1); Myathropa florea (*3) and Helophilus pendulus (*1).

Odonata specimens included:- Plenty of Azure Damselflies; Large Red Damselflies and 4-Spotted Chaser were seen plus Broad Bodied Chaser (*4) and Banded Demoiselle (*3).

Other bugs and beasties observed were:- Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus); Downlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina polita); Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria); White Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lucorum); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius); Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica); Red Headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Potato Leaf Hopper (Eupteryx aurata); Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula); Broad Centurion Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa); Turnip Sawfly (Athalia rosae); Mirid Bug (Rhabdomiris striatellus); Dance Fly (Empis opaca) and Parasitic Wasp (Amblyteles armatorius).

A Cucumber Spider (Araniella sp) was also added.

Flowers in bloom were:- Marsh Thistle; Meadow Buttercup; Broad Leaved Dock; Hogweed; Rape; Common Nettle; Wood Avens; White Clover; Goosegrass; Curl Leaved Dock; Red Campion; Cut Leaved Crane's-Bill; Bittersweet; Hemlock; Germander Speedwell; Ox-Eye Daisy; Red Clover; Ragged Robin; Bush Vetch; Hairy Tare; Ground Ivy; Herb Robert; Yellow Rattle; Common Sorrel; Common Mouse Ear; Pignut; Brooklime; Yellow Water Lily; Goatsbeard; Lesser Stitchwort; Celery Leaved Buttercup; Daisy; Water Dock and Small Flowered Crane's-Bill.

A Green Woodpecker flew by and Hairy Sedge and Crested Dog's-Tail were in fine fettle.

Galls listed were:- Cecidophyes rouhollahi; Eriophyes laevis; Eriophyes inangulis; Andricus kollari; Taprhina pruni; Dasineura urticae; Pontania prima and Andricus foecundatrix.

6th June 18 - Roman Lakes, Stockport, Cheshire - A wander with some kids from work, we went to the farm and had an ice cream and along the way spotted a little bit of wildlife.  A Rhinoceros Beetle (Sinodendron cylindricum) was a good sighting with Giant Cranefly (Tipula maxima) a cracking creature.  2 Spot, Cream Spot and Harlequin Ladybirds were frequenting a low growing Alder Tree with Alder Leaf Beetles (Agelastica alni) in residence too.  Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula); Black Tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum); Caddis Fly (Mystacides longicornis) and the hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus); (Rhingia campestris); (Eristalis horticola) and (Platycheirus albimanus) were also noted.

Ragged Robin was still in flower.

5th June 2018 - Heaton Moor, Stockport, G. Manchester - A walk in my dinner break, 5 galls were seen:- Aceria nervisequa; Psyllopsis fraxini; Aceria erinea; Aceria psuedoplatani and Aceria macrorhynchus.

Several Red Tailed Bumble bees (Bombus lapidarius) frequented a garden version of Orange Hawkweed and a flowering Hebe was a magnet for many Tree Bees (Bombus hypnorum).  A Turnip Sawfly was flitting about and a Comommon Green Shield Bug and Hawthorn Shield Bug were enjoying the solar rays.  Syritta pipiens and Dasysyrphus albostriatus were the hoverflies noted, the Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa); a 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata) and 2 mating Nettle Bugs (Heterogaster urticae) were added to the sightings.

Small Balsam was in good flower.

4th June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - A few moths to keep the wildside of my head ticking over:- Green Oak Tortrix (*1); Willow Beauty (*1); Brimstone (*1); Figure of Eighty (*1); Riband wave f. remutata (*1); Notocelia cynosbatella (*1); Silver Y (*1); Riband Wave (*1); Diamond Back Moth (*1); Dark Arches (*1); Freyer's Pug (*1); Light Brown Apple Moth (*5); Tachystola acroxantha (*4); Bright Line, Brown Eye (*3); Common Marbled Carpet (*2); Heart and Dart (*2); Brown House Moth (*1); Marbled Minor agg (*1); Elephant Hawk-Moth (*1); Anania coronata (*2); Poplar Hawk-Moth (*1); Straw Dot (*1); Small Fan-Foot (*1) and Blastodacna hellerella (*1).

Also in the mix was another Orange Ladybird.

In the garden through the day was a Varied Carpet Beetle; a Potato Leafhopper and the Drone-Fly (Eristalis pertinax).

3rd June 2018 - Ainsdale Sands Lake, Lancashire - A meet-up with a keen chum and a mooch with a specific species in mind. The target was found in good time, a superb looking Red Veined Darter accompanied by other odonates such as:- Broad Bodied Chaser (*8); Emperor Dragonfly (*7); 4 Spotted Chaser (*11); Black Tailed Skimmer (*2); Blue Tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

On the lepidoptera front we saw the butterflies:- Common Blue (*65); Small Heath (*21) and Wall Brown (*2) and the moths:- White Satin Moth (100+); Grass Rivulet (*2); Anania fuscalis (*1); Cinnabar (*5); Common Heath (*1); and Silver Y (*2). We also saw the larvae of Small Tortoisehsell; Mottled Umber and the Moth (Depressaria daucella).

Hoverflies were thin on the ground, we did see:- Xylota segnis; Eristalis nemorum; Helophilus pendulus; Myathropa florea; Eupeodes luniger; Leucozona lucorum; Eristalis pertinax; Melanostoma scalare; Merodon equestris and Episyrphus balteatus.

Other bugs seen were:- Hairy Shield Bug; Red Tailed Bumble Bee; Dune Chafer; Northern Dune Tiger Beetle; 7 Spot Ladybird; 22 Spot Ladybird; Caddisfly (Mystacides longicornis); Alder Leaf Beetle; Striped Millipede; Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Dance Fly (Empis tessellata); Green Lacewing (Chrysopa perla); Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea); Soldier Beetle (Cantharis nigricans) and Common Earwig.

5 galls were seen on Alder:- Taphrina tosquinetii; Eriophyes laevis; Eriophyes inangulis; Taphrina alni and Acalitus brevitarsus. Other galls noted were:- Pontania proxima; Cystophora sonchi and Dasineura ulmaria.

2 Stonechats were seen, a few Skylarks fluttering about. a brace of Shelduck flew pasts, a Meadow Pipit mooched and many Froglets as well as a Garden Snail and White Lipped Banded Snail.

Flowers in bloom were:- Early Marsh Orchird; Bee Orchid; Pyramidal Orchid; Common Spotted Orchid * Northern Marsh Orchid Hybrid; Common Milkwort; Danish Scurvygrass; Red Campion; Sea Milkwort; Marsh Bedstraw; Tufted Forget-Me-Not; Groundsel ssp denticulatus; Sea Mouse Ear; Common Mouse Ear; Weld; Bittersweet; Hound's-Tongue; Common Nettle; Wood Avens; Daisy; Creeping Buttercup; Biting Stonecrop; Kidney Vetch; Marsh Cinquefoil; Cuckooflower; Lesser Spearwort; Meadow Buttercup; Red Clover; White Clover; Buck's-Horn Plantain; Ribwort Plantain; Cloudberry; Sea Spurge; Portland Spurge; Blue Fleabane; Columbine; Creeping Cinquefoil; Herb Robert; Broad Leaved Willowherb; Goosegrass; Wild Asparagus; Ground Elder; Bugloss; Hedge Mustard; White Campion; Hogweed; Garlic Mustard; Yarrow; Yellow Flag Iris; Hemlock Water Dropwort; Round Leaved Wintergreen; Mouse Ear Hawkweed; Silverweed; Hop Trefoil; Dove's Foot Crane's-Bill; Celery Leaved Buttercup; Bulbous Buttercup; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Japanese Rose and Common Vetch.

The escapee Pyrenean Lily was also observed.

Other plants seen were:- Sand Cat's-Tail; Branched Bur Reed and Sea Arrow Grass.

2nd June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - As Harlequin Ladybird larvae and Hoverfly larvae munched through a Nettle Greenfly gathering and the one of the former species nibbled on a Large White Caterpillar (of which 18 were on our Garlic Mustard plants) I went through the moth trap. Species caught were:- Tachystola acroxantha (*7); Marbled Minor agg (*1); Common Marbled Carpet (*1); Common Plume Moth (*1); Grey Arches (*1); Flame Shoulder (*1); Bright Line, Brown Eye (*3); Bee Moth (*4); Light Brown Apple Moth (*2); Brown House Moth (*1); Diamond Back Moth (*1); Brimstone (*1) and Straw Dot (*1).

Melanostoma scalare rested on Nettle leaves in the garden.

Azure Damselfly; Large Red Damselfly; Black Tailed Skimmer; Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina); Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) and Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni) were the bugs noted.

Orange Hawkweed; Feverfew; Foxglove; Creeping Cinquefoil; Ground Elder and Meadow Vetchling were all in fine bloom.

1st June 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - The moths are struggling, the catch consisted of:- Bee Moth (*1); Light Brown Apple Moth (*2); Willow Beauty (*1); Anania coronata (*1); Tachystola acroxantha (*6); Straw Dot (*1); Teleoides vulgella (*1) and the Grass Moth (Crambus pascuella) (*1).

An Orange Ladybird was also caught.

31st May 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - I have put sightings on this site for every day in May, here are my last, some moths caught in the trap:- Diamond Back Moth (*3); Brimstone (*1); Small Magpie (*1); Common Marbled Carpet (*1) and a Willow Beauty (*1).

A Turnip Sawfly was also in the egg boxes.

29th May 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Moths caught included:- Poplar Hawk-Moth (*2); Marbled Minor agg (*1); Tachystola acroxantha (*2); Argyresthia trifasciata (*2); Notocelia cynosbatella (*1); Bright Line, Brown Eye (*1); Bee Moth (*2); Red Barred Tortrix (*1) and Caloptilia azaleella (*1).

An Orange Ladybird and a Tree Bee were also in the trap.

28th May 2018 - Brockholes LWT, Lancashire - An early start to beat the crowds and with a good walk done. Hoverflies seen were:- Xylota segnis; Cheilosia illustrata; Syritta pipiens; Helophilus pendulus; Eristalis nemorum; Chalcosyrphus nemorum; Leucozona lucorum; Cheilosia impressa; Eristalis pertinax; Platycheirus rosarum; Sericomyia silentis; Chrysogaster solstitialis and Tropidia scita.

Damselflies were everywhere, species seen were:- Blue Tailed Damselfly; Large Red Damselfly; Common Blue Damselfly; Common Emerald Damselfly; Azure Damselfly plus other Odonates:- Banded Demoiselle; 4 Spotted Chaser (*15) and Broad Bodied Chaser.

Lepidoptera species seen included the butterflies:- Orange tip (*5); Green Veined White (*1); Speckled Wood (*5); Common Blue (*11); Peacock (*3); and Small White (*1) and the moths:- Brown Silver Line (*3); Straw Dot (*1); Silver Y (*2); Common Carpet (*1) and Silver Ground Carpet (*1).

Other bugs noted consisted of: - The Black Spotted Pliers Support Beetle (Rhagium mordax); Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis); Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle (Gastrophysa viridis); Green Tortoise Beetle (Cassida rubiginosa); 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Downlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis); Black and Red Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata); Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria); Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius) and Green Lacewing (Chrysopa perla).

Flowers in bloom were:- Climbing Corydalis; Creeping Buttercup; Red Clover; Meadow Buttercup; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Ribwort Plantain; Common Mouse-Ear; Yellow-Rattle; Lesser Trefoil; Dandelion agg; White Clover; Common Vetch; Ox-Eye Daisy; Silverweed; Common Nettle; Common Sorrel; Yellow Flag Iris; Cow Parsley; Hemlock Water Dropwort; White Dead Nettle; Rape; Herb Robert; Cuckooflower; Red Campion; Wood Avens; Sanicle; Wood Speedwell; Bluebell; Goosegrass; Germander Speedwell; Greater Stitchwort; Yellow Pimpernel; Bush Vetch; Marsh Thistle; Hogweed; Cut Leaved Crane's-Bill; Ragged Robin; Meadow Vetchling; Tufted Vetch; Large Bittercress and Brooklime.

Crested Dog's Tail and Yorkshire Fog were 2 grasses pondered and the Alder Galls:- Eriophyes laevis and Eriophyes inangulis were seen too.

Birds noted were:- Magpie; Blackbird; Coot; Jackdaw; Black Headed Gull; Oystercatcher; Reed Bunting; Great Tit; Canada Goose; Sand Martin; Common Whitethroat; Mute Swan; Sedge Warbler; Pheasant; Song Thrush; Ringed Plover; Lapwing; Tufted Duck; Sparrowhawk; Carrion Crow; Gadwall; Great Crested Grebe; Common Tern; Mallard and Goldfinch.

With 1 fungus added I think 119 species with little effort wasn't a abd haul - the sun was lovely and the double-scoop ice ceram marvellous.

27th May 2018 - Gatley Carrs, Stockport, Cheshire - Me and the missus had a drive down to this quiet place to have a spot of lunch and a quick mooch. Celery Leaved Buttercup was nice to see in flower and Guelder Rose was looking quite splendid. Azure Damselflies were everywhere with the odd Blue Tailed and Large Red thrown into the mix. Hoverflies noted were few, they had more sense due to the rising thermals. The ones seen were:- Syrphus ribesii; Xylota segnis; Eristalis pertinax; Helophilus pendulus; Platycheirus albimanus and Merodon equestris. A Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Dowlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Hawthorn Shield Bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and Birch Catkin Bug (Kleidocerys resedae) were the other insects noted as well as the butterflies:- Small White and Holly Blue.

Cecidophyes rouhollahi was the only gall noted.

27th May 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Moths caught included:- Common Marbled Carpet (*1); Straw Dot (*1); Poplar Hawk-Moth (*2); Scalloped Hazel (*1); Herald (*1); May Highflyer (*1); Tachystola acroxantha (*3); Light Brown Apple Moth (*2); Argyresthia trifasciata (*1); Diamond Back Moth (*1) and Notocelia cynosbatella(*1).

A Harlequin Ladybird and the hoverflies (Epistrophe eligans) and (Episyrphus balteatus) were noted in the garden early doors whilst I did many chores.

I noted also a Turnip Sawfly; a Comma Caterpillar on the Red Currant bushes and a Holly Blue flitting from some thick vegetation. A Small White fed on Garlic Mustard.

26th May 2018 - Carr Mill Dam, Merseyside - The second location of the day before the last football match of the season. We spent about an hour pootling along and saw Green Veined White (*4) and Speckled Wood (*1) enjoying the sunny weather with 3 Brown Silver Line Moths spotted too. Chrysogaster solstitialis and Leucozona lucorum were the hoverflies on the wing and Downlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Black and Red Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) and Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) the other bugs observed.

Greater Celandine; Yellow Pimpernel; Bugle; Marsh Marigold and Pignut were in flower with Lesser Pond Sedge looking splendid.

A Common Tern fished; 14 pairs of Great Crested Grebe were noted, some up nice and close and a Grey Wagtail sand from a lofty tree.

26th May 2018 - Sankey Valley, Cheshire - Up early and a pleasant stroll before 2 cups of tea and a good breakfast in a nearby cafe. Flowers seen in bloom were:- Ground Elder; Wood Avens; Common Nettle; Goosegrass; Cow Parsley; Green Alkanet; Garlic Mustard; Creeping Buttercup; Daisy; Cuckooflower; Ramsons; Thyme Leaved Speedwell; Red Campion; Ivy Leaved Speedwell; Herb Robert; Welsh Poppy; Yellow Flag Iris; Common Sorrel; Hemlock Water Dropwort; Meadow Buttercup; Shepherd's Purse; Wood Speedwell; Bluebell; Dandelion agg; Hogweed; Cut Leaved Crane's-Bill; Ribwort Plantain; Common Mouse Ear; Bush Vetch; Yellow-Rattle; Foxglove; Comfrey agg; Ox-Eye Daisy; Ragged Robin; White Dead Nettle; Lesser Trefoil and Brooklime.

Only a few birds were seen, these being:- Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; Moorhen; Mallard; Swallow; Robin; House Sparrow; Grey Heron; Magpie; Wren and Chaffinch - one can't have eyes everywhere!

Gall noted were:- Eriosoma ulmi; Eriophyes inangulis; Eriophyes laevis; Aceria pseudoplatani; Andricus kollari and Psyllopsis cf. fraxini.

Hoverflies noted were:- Eristalis pertinax; Melanostoma scalare; Tropidia scita; Helophilus pendulus; Myathropa florea; Xylota segnis; Epistrophe eligans and Platycheirus albimanus.

Other bugs seen were:- Dance Fly (Empis tessellata); Red Headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis); Mirid Bug (Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus); Crane-Fly (Ptychoptera contaminata); 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Black Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus cristatus); Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella); Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum); Common Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus); Downlooker Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus) and Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis).

24th May 2018 - Anderton NR, Cheshire - I led a walk for several families today and we pootled along looking at a bit of this, that and t'other. Flowers discussed were:- Daisy; Creeping Buttercup; Wall Speedwell; Common Mouse-Ear; Dandelion agg; Common Nettle; Thyme Leaved Speedwell; Garlic Mustard; Goosegrass; Wood Avens; Meadow Buttercup; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Ribwort Plantain; Black Medick; Common Vetch; Red Campion; Cow Parsley; Hogweed; Wild Strawberry; Yellow Flag Iris; Germander Speedwell; Salad Burnet; Herb Robert; Hairy Tare; Silverweed; Ox-Eye Daisy; Ragged Robin; White Water Lily; Slender Speedwell; Hedge Mustard; Cut Leaved Crane's-Bill; and Comfrey agg which were all in flower. We also saw the vegetative state of Broad Leaved Dock; Meadowsweet; Teasel and Colt's-Foot as well as other plants such as Bracken; Rowan; Elder; Lime Tree; Cock's-Foot Grass; Bramble agg; Common Gorse and Broom.

Bugs seen were:- Harlequin Ladybird; 14 Spot Ladybird; Common Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemorum); Common Nettle Weevil; Nettle Pollen Beetle (Brachypterus urticae); Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Turnip Sawfly; Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle; Red Headed Cardinal Beetle; Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum); Alder Leaf Beetle; Common Blue Damselfly; Red Eyed Damselfly; Azure Damselfly; Blue Tailed Damselfly; Large Red Damselfly; Banded Demoiselle; 4 Spotted Chaser; Swollen Thighed Beetle; Common Green Grasshopper; Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica); and the butterflies:- Speckled Wood (*3); Green Veined White (*1) and Common Blue (*2).

Other bits and pieces seen were:- Grey Heron; Mute Swan; Black Headed Gull; Blackbird; White Lipped Banded Snail; Rabbit; Striped Woodlouse; Garden Snail; Strawberry Snail and the galls; Eriophyes laevis; Eriophyes inangulis; Taphrina pruni; Neuroterus quercusbaccarum and Biorhiza pallida.

Before and after the walk my good lady and I added the flowers :- Dove's-Foot Crane's-Bill; Cuckooflower; Red Clover; Welsh Poppy; Red Valerian; Shepherd's Purse and Pineappleweed, the galls:- Eriophyes tiliae; Eriophyes leiosoma; Blennocampa phyllocolpa; Andricus kollari; Eriophyes similis; Aceria fraxinivora, the Hoverflies:- Episyrphus balteatus; Leucozona lucorum; Eristalis pertinax; Platycheirus albimanus and Syrphus ribesii, the butterflies:- Brimstone (*3) and Comma (*1) plus:- The Lacewing (Chrysopa perla); Mirid Bug (Stenodema laevigata); Mirid Bug Calocoris alpestris); Rhopalid Bug (Rhopalus subrufus); Brown Lipped Banded Snail; 2 Spot Ladybird; Garden Chafer; Buff Tailed Bumble Bee; Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus)

The total for the walk, with added rust fungus was 88 species.

The total species list overall including a post/ante mooch was 120species.

22nd May 2018 - Heaton Mersey/River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - Speckled Wood (*2); Holly Blue (*1); Comma (*1); Brimstone (*1) and Orange Tip (*3) were the butterflies on the wing with Epistrophe eligans (*1) the only hoverfly seen.

Ground Elder was now in flower.

20th May 2018 - River Dee, Holt Castle, Cheshire - We had a trip out and pottered along, it was ruddy warm, too warm for some bugs in fact. Odonata species seen were:- Club Tailed Dragonfly (*39); Broad Bodied Chaser (*1); Common Blue Damselfly (*1) and Banded Demoiselle (*3). Hoverflies were few:- Epistrophe eligans (*1); Melanostoma scalare (*1); Leucozona lucorum (*3) and Helophilus pendulus (*1). Butterflies on the wing were:- Green Veined White (*6); Orange Tip (*3); Small Tortoiseshell (*3); Comma (*1); Red Admiral (*1); Peacock (*3); Speckled Wood (*1) and Holly Blue (*2). 2 moth species were noted:- Brimstone (*1) and Silver Y (*2).

Other bugs listed were:- Malachite Beetle (Malachius bipustulatus); Snipe Fly (Rhagio scolopaceus); Black and Red Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata); Green Drake Mayfly (Ephemera danica); Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria); 2 Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata); 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata); 14 Spot Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis); Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula); Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus); White Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lucorum); Dance Fly (Empis tessellata); Red Headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis); Water Snipe Fly (Atherix ibis); Swollen Thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis); Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica); Scorpion Fly (Panorpa germanica) and the Sawfly (Tenthredo mesomela).

Flowers in bloom were:- Wild Radish; Pineappleweed; Common Poppy; Shepherd's Purse; Germander Speedwell; Wall Speedwell; Thale Cress; Bird's-Foot Trefoil; Goosegrass; Herb Robert; Red Dead Nettle; Bluebell; Comfrey agg; Common Vetch; Hogweed; Groundsel; Red Campion; Weld; Hedge Mustard; Cuckooflower; Garlic Mustard; Meadow Buttercup; Creeping Buttercup; Ribwort Plantain; Dandelion agg and Cow Parsley.

A Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis); a Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher were other things noted.

19th May 2018 - Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Cheshire - Moths seen this morn after a cold night were few:- Bee Moth (*3); Light Brown Apple Moth (*7); and Herald (*1).

Merodon equestris; Episyrphus balteatus and a Holly Blue Butterfly joined me in the garden whilst I was reading.

17th May 2018 - Gatley Carrs, Stockport, Cheshire - A cycle and a mooch before dinner beckoned. 16 species of hoverfly were noted, these were:- Syrphus ribesii (*2); Melanostoma scalare (*5); Eupeodes luniger (*3); Merodon equestris (*1); Eristalis pertinax (*2); Leucozona lucorum (*1); Xylota segnis (*4); Baccha elongata (*1); Myathropa florea (*1); Epistrophe eligans (*4); Syritta pipiens (*1); Helophilus hybridus (*1); Helophilus pendulus (*6); Episyrphus balteatus (*2); Neoascia podagrica (*1) and Platycheirus albimanus (*2).

Only 5 butterfly species were noted, these being:- Large White (*1); Orange Tip (*1); Green Veined White (*1); Small Tortoiseshell (*1) and Speckled Wood (*1). A Garden Carpet Moth and a Cock's-Foot Moth were added too.

Other bugs and beasties seen were:- Common Nettle Bug (Liocoris tripustulatus); Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus); Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella); Blue Tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans); Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum); Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni); Pot Bellied Emerald Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula); Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); Tachnid Fly (Tachina fera); 14 Spot-Ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata); Crane-Fly (Tipula vernalis) and 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata).

A few flowers were observed in bloom:- Cow Parsley; Dandelion agg; Creeping Buttercup; Herb Robert; Wood Avens; Bluebell; Red Campion; Goosegrass; Bush Vetch; Meadow Buttercup; Ribwort Plantain; Large Bittercress; Daisy; Yellow Flag Iris; Comfrey agg; Cuckooflower; Slender Speedwell; Common Nettle; Common Mouse Ear; Pick-a-Back Plant; Ramsons and Wood Stitchwort.

14th May 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A walk into town with my daughter, flowers in bloom were:- Ox-Eye Daisy; Red Clover; Black Medick; American Winter Cress; Thyme Leaved Speedwell; Cuckooflower; Common Vetch; Common Mouse Ear; Daisy; Ribwort Plantain; Meadow Buttercup; Ivy Leaved Toadflax; Fringe Cups; White Valerian; Dandelion agg; Groundsel; Wall Speedwell; Oxford Ragwort; Creeping Buttercup; Common Field Speedwell; Bluebell; Wood Avens; Toothwort; Ivy Leaved Speedwell; Red Campion and Hedge Mustard.

Holly Blue (*1); Green Veined White (*1) and Comma (*1) were the butterflies on the wing and Epistrophe eligans; Baccha elongata and Eristalis pertinax the hoverflies seen.

The Gall (Eriophyes inangulis) was spotted as well as a Grey and Pied Wagtail on the River and then a couple of 7 Spot Ladybirds and a lone Harlequin Ladybird.

13th May 2018 - Ainsdale Sands Lake, Lancashire - After lunch and some tea and cake we started a wander here and bumped into the knowledgeable Dr Phil Smith, a charming man dedicated to the Sefton Coast and a font of information. We had a lovely stroll, we saw many wonderful things. Flowers in bloom were:- Beaked Hawksbeard ; Common Vetch; Early Forget-Me-Not; Heath Dog Violet; Spring Vetch; Alexanders; Thyme Leaved Sandwort; Bog-Bean; Groundsel ssp denticulatus; Sea Mouse Ear; Kidney Vetch; Rue Leaved Saxifrage and Celery Leaved Buttercup.

Early Hair Grass; Sand Cats-Tail; Saltmarsh Grass; Dune Fescue; Red Fescue; Sea Arrowgrass; Jointed Rush; Grey Poplar; False Fox Sedge; Long Bracted Sedge; Common Field Woodrush; Sand Sedge; Glaucous Sedge; Common Osier and Japanese Rose were other plants of interest.

The butterflies:- Speckled Wood (*1); Orange Tip (*3) and Green Veined White (*1) were enjoying the sun and the hoverflies:- Leucozona lucorum (*1); Myathropa florea (*2) and Melanostoma scalare (*1) were keeping in partial shade.

Vernal Mining Bee; Azure Damselfly; 4 Spotted Chaser; Northern Dune Tiger Beetle; Alder Leaf Beetle; 7 Spot Ladybird and the Dance Fly (Empis tessallata) were nice extras.

A Whinchat and Common Toad completed a grand list. Thank you Phil for your sharing of information and fine company!

Field Maple and Ash were trees noted in flower and Cuckooflower was sporting some healthy blooms.

3rd May 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A Kingfisher whizzed over the water, Cow Parsley and Toothwort was in flower and the general greenery was increasing by the day.

A Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) was also seen.

2nd May 2018 - Heaton Moor, Stockport, G. Manchester - 5 Common Green Shield Bugs (Palomena prasina) were seen catching the odd solar ray as well as the hoverflies:- Helophilus pendulus (*1); Epistrophe eligans (*1) and the ubiquitous Eristalis pertinax (*1).  A 7 Spot Ladybird was also noted.

23rd April 2018 - Fairburn Ings, West Yorkshire - After a fish and chips dinner we headed here to round off a days mooching. 40 birds were seen as the wind started to whip up and the day progress. The species noted were:- Tufted Duck; Grey Heron; Jackdaw; Mallard; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Cormorant; Chaffinch; Great Tit; Tree Sparrow; Robin; Skylark; Goldfinch; Greenfinch; Blackbird; Pheasant; Mute Swan; Moorhen; Blue Tit; Canada Goose; Coot; Black Headed Gull; Little Grebe; Pochard; Egyptian Goose; Greylag Goose; Stock Dove; Little Egret; Shelduck; Shoveler; Gadwall; Spoonbill; Magpie; Great Crested Grebe; Swallow; Kestrel + Dunnock; Bittern; Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff on call.

Cuckooflower was now in flower.

23rd April 2018 - Tophill Low, West Yorkshire - Tis 14 years since we last visited this site, a few changes have been made and things are looking mighty fine. We wandered, we clocked up 61 birds:- Great Tit; Pheasant; Red Legged Partridge; Robin; Wood Pigeon; Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Blackcap; Goldcrest; House Martin; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Goldfinch; Tufted Duck; Pochard; Sand Martin; Goldeneye; Greenfinch; Wren; Tree Sparrow; Jackdaw; Blackbird; Gadwall; Mallard; Moorhen; Willow Warbler; Mistle Thrush; Song Thrush; Great Crested Grebe; Carrion Crow; Coot; Greylag Goose; Black Headed Gull; Magpie; Long Tailed Tit; Grey Heron; Reed Bunting; Little Grebe; Common Sandpiper; Skylark; Common Whitethroat; Wheatear; Feral Pigeon; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Teal; Shelduck; Little Ringed Plover; Cormorant; Wigeon; Shoveler; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Buzzard; Pied Wagtail; Little Egret; Redshank; Swallow; Yellow Wagtail; Yellowhammer; Rook + Cetti's Warbler and Bullfinch on call.

Yellow Archangel and Crosswort were both in flower and 1 Green Veined White was on the wing.

22nd April 2018 - Messingham Sand Quarry, Lincolnshire - A tucked away gem found after some advice from a lovely lady at Far Ings. It was late in the day so birds were going quite but 33 species were still noted, these were:- Chiffchaff; Common Tern; Wood Pigeon; Oystercatcher; Coot; Greylag Goose; Great Tit; Pheasant; Moorhen; Blackcap; Mallard; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Lapwing; Sand Martin; Red Crested Pochard (*4); Gadwall; Shoveler; Great Crested Grebe; Tufted Duck; Willow Warbler; Pochard; Shelduck; Cormorant; Mandarin Duck; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Chaffinch; Egyptian Goose; Reed Bunting; Swallow; Long Tailed Tit; + Wren and Goldcrest on call.

Singles of Peacock and Brimstone took in the last remaining sun and a Bee Fly (Bombylius major) had a late fly out.

Meadow Saxifrage and Common Dog Violet were in flower.

22nd April 2018 - Waters Edge CP, Lincolnshire - A continuation of a fine walk, at this site 38 birds were noted:- Mallard; Cormorant; House Sparrow; Wood Pigeon; Carrion Crow; Coot; Pochard; Greylag Goose; Canada Goose; Tufted Duck; Bar Headed Goose; Gadwall; Reed Bunting; Moorhen; Cetti's Warbler; Long Tailed Tit; Little Grebe; Willow Warbler; Robin; Chiffchaff; Goldfinch; Blue Tit; Blackcap; Dunnock; Mute Swan; Great Tit; Sedge Warbler; Swallow; Collared Dove; Starling; Blackbird; Bullfinch; Lesser Black Backed Gull + Reed Warbler; Chaffinch; Wren; Greenfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker on call.

Small Tortoiseshell (*4); Brimstone (*2); Speckled Wood (*1); Holly Blue (*1) and Peacock (*2) were the butterflies seen.

22nd April 2018 - Far Ings, Lincolnshire - A grand day out, wandering in fine sun, sipping tea here and there and enjoying the great outdoors with my best mate. 40 species of bird were noted here:- Canada Goose; Mute Swan; Cormorant; Great Tit; Tufted Duck; Mallard; Swallow; Wood Pigeon; Carrion Crow; Black Headed Gull; Magpie; Blackbird; Wren; Chiffchaff; Chaffinch; Sedge Warbler; Goldfinch; House Sparrow; Blackcap; Tree Sparrow; Redshank; Shelduck; Gadwall; Feral Pigeon; Common Tern; Cetti's Warbler; Sand Martin; Bullfinch; Dunnock; Blue Tit; Robin; Great Crested Grebe; Coot; Wigeon; Pied Wagtail; Little Egret; Pheasant; Oystercatcher + Goldcrest and Reed Warbler on call.

Slender Speedwell; Common Cornsalad; Ground Ivy; Green Alkanet; Snake's Head Fritillary; Marsh Marigold; Red Campion; Common Stork's-Bill; Cow Parsley and Garlic Mustard were all in flower.

Small White (*1); Green Veined White (*2); Speckled Wood (*1); Small Tortoiseshell (*3) and Peacock (*4) were the butterflies on the wing. White Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lucorum) and Buff Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) were buzzing about as well as a brace of the Bee Fly (Bombylius major) and the quite lovely hoverfly (Cheilosia illustrata). 7 Spot Ladybird (*51) was also seen.

21st April 2018 - Kilnsea Wetlands, East Yorkshire - A mooch and 20 species of bird seen:- Pied Wagtail; Yellow Wagtail; White Wagtail; Blue Headed Wagtail; Cormorant; Mute Swan; Little Egret; Wigeon; Avocet; Shelduck; Greylag Goose; Kestrel; Swallow; Greenshank; Wheatear; Black Headed Gull; Magpie; Ringed Plover; Linnet and Starling.

1 Small Tortoiseshell was on the wing.

21st April 2018 - Spurn, East Yorkshire - Up early and out for a good long yomp. 43 bird species were noted:- House Sparrow; Starling; Magpie; Greenfinch; Wood Pigeon; Dunnock; Mallard; Blackbird; Greylag Goose; Carrion Crow; Mute Swan; Skylark; Wren; Meadow Pipit; Robin; Dark Bellied Brent Goose; Oystercatcher; Tufted Duck; Grey Plover; Dunlin; Knot; Herring Gull; Linnet; Sanderling; Ringed Plover; Reed Bunting; Curlew; Turnstone; Shelduck; Bar Tailed Godwit; Little Egret; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Kestrel; Great Tit; Cuckoo; Feral Pigeon; Pied Wagtail; Lesser Whitethroat; Black Brant; Song Thrush + Goldfinch and Chiffchaff on call.

Roe Deer (*3); Brown Hare; Rabbit and numerous webs and larvae of the Brown Tailed Moth were also seen as well as Spring Beauty in flower and the butterflies Small Tortoiseshell (*2) and Peacock (*5).

20th April 2018 - Brough Haven, East Yorkshire - The final wander of the day and a spot that seemed to have little but gradually built up a decent list. It was another quiet spot with barely anyone around. 31 bird species were listed, these being:- Wood Pigeon; Shelduck; Curlew; Skylark; Carrion Crow; Sedge Warbler; Greylag Goose; Black Headed Gull; Wheatear; Linnet; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Coot; Shoveler; Reed Bunting; Gadwall; Marsh Harrier (M); Mute Swan; Meadow Pipit; Pied Wagtail; Little Ringed Plover; Ringed Plover; Herring Gull; Kingfisher; Oystercatcher; Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Blackbird + Cetti's Warbler; Wren and Pheasant on call.

Small Tortoiseshell (*31) and Peacock (*9) were the butterflies seen as well as a White Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lucorum).

20th April 2018 - Northcliffe Wood, West Yorkshire - The second location of the day and a quiet reserve that is a nice place for a peaceful wander. 22 bird species were noted:- Blackcap; Tree Sparrow; Blue Tit; Chiffchaff; Chaffinch; Blackbird; Carrion Crow; Pheasant; Linnet; Willow Warbler; Buzzard; Robin; Goldfinch; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Black Headed Gull; Coal Tit and Red Legged Partridge + Greenfinch; Skylark; Mallard; Wren and Song Thrush on call.

2 butterfly species were seen:- Peacock (*1) and Brimstone (*2). A brace of Green Tiger Beetles were enjoying the pleasant climes.

Wood Sorrel; Bluebell; Primrose and Barren Strawberry were flowers contemplated.

20th April 2018 - North Cave Wetlands, West Yorkshire - The sun was sizzling and with a cup of tea to start and another cuppa with a breakfast barm in between two circular walks a total of 58 bird species were clocked up:- Commic Tern; Avocet; Blackbird; Blackcap; Black Headed Gull; Blue Tit; Carrion Crow; Chaffinch; Coot; Great Crested Grebe; Wren; Dunnock; Gadwall; Goldfinch; Great Tit; Greenfinch; Grey Heron; Greylag Goose; House Sparrow; Jackdaw; Kestrel; Feral Pigeon; Lapwing; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Linnet; Little Egret; Little Grebe; Little Ringed Plover; Long Tailed Tit; Magpie; Mallard; Mediterranean Gull; Collared Dove; Moorhen; Mute Swan; Oystercatcher; Pheasant; Pochard; Red Legged Partridge; Redshank; Reed Bunting; Robin; Rook; Canada Goose; Sedge Warbler; Shelduck; Shoveler; Skylark; Teal; Tufted Duck; Common Whitethroat; Wigeon; Wood Pigeon and Tree Sparrow + Green Woodpecker; Reed Warbler; Song Thrush and Willow Warbler on call.

Butterflies on the wing were:- Small Tortoiseshell (*6); Peacock (*3); Green Veined White (*2); Speckled Wood (*1); Small White (*1) and Brimstone (*1). A Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum) and a Buff Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) were enjoyed the sun as well as a brace of 7 Spot Ladybirds and the Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis).

Dandelion agg; White Dead Nettle; Red Dead Nettle; Ground Ivy; Colt's-Foot; Lesser Celandine; Daisy; Cowslip; Garlic Mustard; Ivy Leaved Speedwell and Common Field Speedwell were all in flower.

16th April 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - A quick pootle and a Peacock butterfly was seen; an Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria); a Orange Tailed Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa); 2 Drone-Flies (Eristalis pertinax) and the Hoverfly (Platycheirus albimanus).

A lone Wood Anemone was in flower.

16th April 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - A ride on the bike in warm weather with sunny spells. 27 bird species were noted, these were:- House Sparrow; Goosander; Chiffchaff; Dunnock; Wood Pigeon; Feral Pigeon; Blackbird; Magpie; Robin; Coot; Carrion Crow; Greenfinch; Song Thrush; Great Tit; Wren; Long Tailed Tit; Canada Goose; Blackcap; Grey Wagtail; Willow Warbler; Jackdaw; Chaffinch; Mistle Thrush; Mallard; Sand Martin + Goldfinch and Nuthatch on call.

3 Small Tortoiseshells were on the wing; several Buff Tailed Bumble Bees were flitting about; a cluster of Pot Bellied Emerald Beetles (Gastrophysa viridula) were on the leaves of Broad Leaved Dock; and 3 Common Green Shieldbugs (Palomena prasina) were seen sun-bathing.

Ramsons was now in flower.

15th April 2018 - Pennington Flash, G. Manchester - The daughter is home from Uni so we had a leisurely walk and I took in a few birds, 41 species in fact:- Wren; Goldfinch; Wood Pigeon; Great Tit; Magpie; Chiffchaff; Blackbird; Carrion Crow; Coot; Tufted Duck; Mallard; Great Crested Grebe; Goldeneye; Jay; Cormorant; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Mute Swan; Canada Goose; Black Headed Gull; Gadwall; Lapwing; Oystercatcher; Common Sandpiper; Grey Heron; Moorhen; Shoveler; Long Tailed Tit; Teal; Blue Tit; Willow Warbler; Chaffinch; Blackcap; Willow Tit; Bullfinch; Stock Dove; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Dunnock; Reed Bunting + Cetti's Warbler; Song Thrush and Greenfinch on call.

Marsh Marigold was in bonny flower.

9th April 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - Cycling about and 21 bird species were seen:- Magpie; Wood Pigeon; Moorhen; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow; Blue Tit; Wren; Blackcap; Great Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Robin; Chaffinch; Mistle Thrush; Dunnock; Blackbird; Goldcrest; Greenfinch; Canada Goose; + Willow Warbler; Song Thrush and Great Spotted Woodpecker on call.

A Small Tortoiseshell was on the wing as was a Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum) and a Double Striped Pug Moth.

Barren Strawberry was in good flower.

9th April 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - Another cycle ride. whilst cruising down river I noted 24 bird species:- Wren; Greenfinch; Wood Pigeon; Carrion Crow; Grey Heron; Canada Goose; Magpie; Chiffchaff; Robin; Dunnock; Long Tailed Tit; Song Thrush; Chaffinch; Cormorant; Buzzard; Blackbird; Jackdaw; Blackcap; Mallard; Grey Wagtail; House Sparrow; Blue Tit + Bullfinch and Goldcrest on call.

A Tree Bee (Bombus hypnorum); Buff Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) and a Red Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus lapidarius) were seen as well as the Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax) and the butterflies Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell.

8th April 2018 - Sale WP, G. Manchester - A good bike ride with my missus, we did some birding around the water park after enjoying a cuppa, 24 species were noted:- Wood Pigeon; Great Tit; Blue Tit; Magpie; Robin; Nuthatch; Chaffinch; Mallard; Canada Goose; Black Headed Gull; Coot; Carrion Crow; Moorhen; Cormorant; Great Crested Grebe; Gadwall; Herring Gull; Teal; Shoveler; Tufted Duck; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Ring Necked Parakeet + Wren and Chiffchaff on call.

Sweet Ciceley was in flower and the Drone-Fly (Eristalis pertinax) landed on my hand.

30th March 2018 - Rixton Clay Pits, Warrington, Cheshire - A Good Friday walk, 31 birds seen, these were:- Collared Dove; Nuthatch; Blackbird; Magpie; Carrion Crow; Chiffchaff; Mute Swan; Goldfinch; Dunnock; Canada Goose; Coot; Jay; Tufted Duck; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Goldcrest; Blue Tit; Wren; Buzzard; Robin; Long Tailed Tit; Feral Greylag Goose; Moorhen; Mallard; Song Thrush; Grey Heron; Chaffinch; Pheasant; House Sparrow; Lapwing; Oystercatcher and Jackdaw.

Colt's-Foot was in good flower and a Buff Tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) was on the wing.

'In 1989 Nippondenso (later Denso) bought the Yorkshire based company IMI Radiators to make and supply car radiators for the new Toyota factory in Burniston Derbyshire.

In extending the factory for the new production line, out of an idea from its Production Engineering Manager, Chris Lunnon, the strip pasture land adjacent to the factory and prone to flooding, was landscaped and turned into the nature reserve you will find today. The design incorporated meadow, woodland and ponds, providing the greatest suitable wildlife habitat within the three-hectare area.'

I think there should be applause all round for those who have made this happen and who continue to do their bit. We had a lovely sunny walk and noted 19 birds, these were:- Wood Pigeon; Magpie; Blackbird; Wren; Goosander (*3); Kingfisher (*2); Great Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Mallard; Chiffchaff (*2); Bullfinch; Buzzard; Treecreeper; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Robin; Dunnock; Goldfinch + Jay on call.

Red Dead Nettle was in flower.

25th March 2018 - Millers Dale, Derbyshire - A meet up to see Mezereon, a flower overlooked for too long. We saw it thank you to a couple of fine folk, it is a subtle little thing with a nice fragrance. Other blooms noted were:- Colt's-Foot; Barren Strawberry; Dog's Mercury; Dandelion agg and Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage.

A couple of Brown Trout were seen; 2 * 7 Spot Ladybirds; the Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) and a male Brimstone butterfly. An Early Bumble Bee (Bombus pratorum) was later identified.

24th March 2018 - Todbrook Reservoir, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire - Whilst waiting for a local football match we had a short pootle at this nearby area, the upshot was 22 bird species seen, these being:- Blackbird; Goldfinch; Song Thrush; Herring Gull; Black Headed Gull; Carrion Crow; Pied Wagtail; Coot; Mallard; Great Crested Grebe; Canada Goose; Jackdaw; Coal Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Robin; Chaffinch; Siskin; Magpie; Collared Dove; House Sparrow; Dunnock and Great Tit.

Whaley Bride beat Whythenshawe Town 6 - 1 by the way.

19th March 2018 - Wirral CP, The Wirral - Tea and cake and then a 2 hour roam about to finish the day. 35 birds were noted whilst pootling along:- Robin; Song Thrush; Great Tit; Carrion Crow; House Sparrow; Moorhen; Buzzard; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Wood Pigeon; Blackbird; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Wren; Oystercatcher; Magpie; Dunnock; Long Tailed Tit; Teal; Bar Tailed Godwit; Shelduck; Curlew; Redshank; Pintail; Wigeon; Black Headed Gull; Mallard; Jay; Black Tailed Godwit; Treecreeper; Greenfinch; Mistle Thrush; Dunlin; Herring Gull; Collared Dove + Goldfinch on call.

Cowslip; Dandelion agg. and Colt's-Foot were in flower, the Ash Key Gall (Aceria fraxinivora) was in profusion on one particular tree and a Small Tortoiseshell had a flit about in the soft breeze.

19th March 2018 - West Kirby Marine Lake, The Wirral - The second spot of the day and after a chat with a charming old fella we pootled around to see what we could see. Only 12 birds were noted:- Feral Pigeon; Herring Gull; Pale Bellied Brent Goose (*20); Black Headed Gull; Scaup (2*M/2*F); Pied Wagtail; Turnstone; Redshank; Cormorant; Oystercatcher; Dublin and Carrion Crow.

Danish Scurvygrass was in flower.

19th March 2018 - Burton Mere RSPB, The Wirral - Up early and out and about with the first port of call a decent site we hadn't visited for a few years. 54 bird species were noted today in a biting wind that eventually calmed down and brought some milder thermals. The birds seen were:- Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; Nuthatch; Moorhen; Mallard; Gadwall; Blue tit; Great Tit; Black Headed Gull; Teal; Canada Goose; Greenfinch; Jackdaw; Goldfinch; Greylag Goose; Lapwing; Coot; Robin; Cormorant; Redshank; Shoveler; Avocet; Pied Wagtail; Shelduck; Chaffinch; Wren; Reed Bunting; Dunnock; Carrion Crow; Black Tailed Godwit; Marsh Harrier (*2); Tufted Duck; Grey Heron; Pink Footed Goose; Magpie; Little Egret; Wigeon; Pintail; Long Tailed Tit; Pheasant; Whooper Swan; Rook; Stock Dove; Kestrel; Song Thrush; Starling; Oystercatcher; Curlew; Little Grebe; Coal Tit; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Herring Gull; Chiffchaff and Redwing.

Colt's-Foot; Green Alkanet and Blackthorn were all in flower.

18th March 2018 - Cutacre CP, Bolton, Lancashire - We don't know this site and missed the main pool in a bitterly cold wind. We didn't hang about either but will be back on a more clement day. The 23 birds seen were:- Lapwing; Magpie; Blackbird; House Sparrow; Wren; Meadow Pipit; Jackdaw; Goldfinch; Kestrel; Wood Pigeon; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Redwing; Long Tailed Tit; Carrion Crow; Grey Wagtail; Coot; Canada Goose; Gadwall; Mallard; Black Headed Gull; Blue Tit; Chaffinch and Dunnock.

Plenty of Colt's-Foot was in flower.

5th March 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - A mooch around this nearby area whilst pedalling about, 28 birds were noted:- Carrion Crow; Song Thrush; Magpie; Jay (4 of which were sat together just above my head chattering away); Long Tailed Tit; Great Tit; Wood Pigeon; Robin; Blackbird; Blue Tit; Dunnock; Grey Heron; Cormorant; Goldfinch; Goldcrest (feeding on the floor 8ft away and unperturbed); Wren; Redwing; Nuthatch; Mallard; Black Headed Gull; Ring Necked Parakeet (at least 4); Goosander; Little Grebe; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Canada Goose; Mistle Thrush; Fieldfare and Starling.

Several Leopard Slugs were noted beneath logs.

5th March 2018 - River Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire - Out on the bike to feed the birds, I came back filthy but saw 26 twitterers, these were:- Magpie; Carrion Crow; Wood Pigeon; Grey Heron; Moorhen; Greenfinch; Song Thrush; Fieldfare; Mallard; Redwing; Chaffinch; Robin; Dunnock; Goosander; Wren; Coot; Canada Goose; Grey Wagtail; Blue Tit; House Sparrow; Sparrowhawk; Pied Wagtail; Feral Pigeon; Common Gull; Black Headed Gull; Great Tit and Long Tailed Tit.

Sweet Violet was now in flower.

18th February 2018 - Marbury CP, Cheshire - Our daughter was dropped off at the train station and off to London she pootled, back to Uni after a bonus 4 days visit home. We pottered along to this fine location for a stretch and a bit of easy birding. The list was 42 species without too much effort, these were:- Jay; Nuthatch; Blue Tit; Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; Chaffinch; Carrion Crow; Wren; Great Tit; Magpie; Song Thrush; Shelduck; Cormorant; Tufted Duck; Great Crested Grebe; Coot; Dunnock; Mallard; Moorhen; Goldeneye; Goosander; Greylag Goose; Reed Bunting; Curlew; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Common Gull; Black Headed Gull; Mute Swan; Grey Heron; Redwing; Pied Wagtail; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Kestrel; Gadwall; Goldfinch; Sparrowhawk; Bullfinch and Hawfinch (*7) + Jackdaw and Green Woodpecker on call.

A Common Eel was also seen, trying its best to escape the bill of a hungry Cormorant. the tussle went on and on, the Eel was swallowed at one point but was coughed back up. Eventually the bird dived and disappeared - I am sticking to the chippy.

4th February 2018 - Wyming Brook NR, Sheffield, S. Yorkshire - The second location of the day and a lovely walk, although we did come back absolutely filthy. 16 birds species were seen, these were:- Robin; Raven; Buzzard; Mallard; Cormorant; Goosander; Moorhen; Siskin; Blue Tit; Coal Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Treecreeper; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Chaffinch; Great Tit and Wood Pigeon.

The lichens Cladonia conicocrea; Xanthoria parietina; Physcia aipolia; Parmelia saxatilis and Ramalina farinacea were observed.

The galls Andricus foecundatrix and Andricus kollari were also recorded.

2 liverworts were added to the day's findings - Lunularia cruciata and Pellia epiphylla.

Whilst checking through the lichens a Common Flower Bug (Anthocoris nemorum) crawled out from amid the foliage.

4th February 2018 - Rivelin Valley NR, Sheffield, S. Yorkshire - We had called off at a favoured haunt for a full-English breakfast (it was a stunner) and called in here first to burn off the calories. A shortish walk but what we did see we thoroughly enjoyed. Only 13 bird species which were:- Wood Pigeon; Great Tit; Blackbird; Goldcrest; Nuthatch; Wren; Long Tailed Tit; Mallard; Moorhen; Treecreeper; Grey Wagtail; Magpie and Goldfinch.

Wall Rue and Grey Cushion Moss (Grimmia pulvinata) were identified too as well as a few fungi.

21st January 2018 - Chorlton WP. G. Manchester - Ghastly weather but we pootled out. 30 bird species were seen, these being:- Jay; Magpie; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Wood Pigeon; Dunnock; House Sparrow; Grey Wagtail; Blackbird; Chaffinch; Carrion Crow; Black Headed Gull; Feral Pigeon; Robin; Collared Dove; Grey Heron; Pochard; Tufted Duck; Mute Swan; Greenfinch; Coot; Moorhen; Mallard; Cormorant; Canada Goose; Great Crested Grebe; Long Tailed Tit; Redwing; Common Gull and Goldfinch.

14th January 2018 - Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, W. Yorkshire - A walk around the ruined Abbey and a mooch down the river - 13 birds were noted:- Wood Pigeon; Black Headed Gull; Carrion Crow; Feral Pigeon; Magpie; Robin; Blackbird; Jay; Long Tailed Tit; Cormorant; Blue Tit; Mallard and Grey Heron.

Snowdrops were in flower.

14th January 2018 - Rodley NR, Leeds, W. Yorkshire - An early morning stroll with some tea and cake thrown into the mix. 39 bird species were seen, these were:- Wood Pigeon; Black Headed Gull; Starling; Carrion Crow; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Bullfinch; Great Tit; Robin; Dunnock; Magpie; Feral Pigeon; Pochard; Tufted Duck; Moorhen; Gadwall; Grey Heron; Common Gull; Goldcrest; Mute Swan; Teal; Cormorant; Linnet; Blackbird; Wren; Mistle Thrush; Goosander; Jackdaw; Long Tailed Tit; Song Thrush; Common Pheasant; Greenfinch; Reed Bunting; Pied Wagtail; Stock Dove; Goldfinch; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Shoveler and Little Grebe only spotted by my good lady.

White Dead Nettle and Winter Heliotrope were both in flower.

5th January 2018 - Tatton Park, Cheshire - A walks with a good fellow today who was good company and contributed to a grand day out. Birds listed totalled 42, these being:- Wood Pigeon; Robin; Nuthatch; Carrion Crow; Jackdaw; Great Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Magpie; Jay; Goldcrest; Coal Tit; Goldfinch; Chaffinch; Blackbird; Buzzard; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Treecreeper; Wren; Coot; Mallard; Grey Heron; Stock Dove; Black Headed Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Canada Goose; Feral Greylag Goose; Mute Swan; Tufted Duck; Pochard; Cormorant; Great Crested Grebe; Mistle Thrush; Green Woodpecker (*4); Goosander; Goldeneye; Little Grebe; Wigeon; Siskin; Common Gull; Starling and Moorhen + Common Pheasant on call.

4 Short Tailed Voles were seen; a 7 Spot Ladybird was enjoying the sun, a Frog was noted beneath a log as well as the Variegated Centipede (Lithobius variegatus).

Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) was identified due to its glossy leaves that look like a cross between a normal Oak Leaf and a Holly Leaf. It is also known as the Evergreen Oak, a very useless pointer.

4th January 2018 - Bruntwood Park, Stockport, Cheshire - A bike ride of about 5 miles, I had a wander around this local area but dog walkers dictate and birds are not easy to list. 19 species were noted, these were:- Carrion Crow; Great Tit; Blue Tit; Blackbird; Magpie; Redwing; Wood Pigeon; Mistle Thrush; Kestrel; Long Tailed Tit; Robin; House Sparrow; Collared Dove; Coal Tit; Mallard; Black Headed Gull; Feral Pigeon; Mandarin Duck and Moorhen.

The Variegated Centipede (Lithobius variegatus) was noted whilst rolling logs.

3rd January 2018 - Abney Hall, Stockport, Cheshire - On the bike again and after yesterdays soaking today I was duly wind blown so just did a swift 3 miles. It was too wicked for the birds, only 16 species seen:- Wood Pigeon; Goldfinch; Siskin; Coot; Mallard; Moorhen; Treecreeper; Great Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Blackbird; Robin; Dunnock; Magpie; Black Headed Gull; Blue Tit and Carrion Crow.

The Ash Gall (Aceria fraxinivora) was seen as well as Wood Avens in flower. A Pygmy Woodlouse was also noted beneath a log.

2nd January 2018 - Fletcher Moss, G. Manchester - 6 miles on the bike today, 22 bird species seen:- Mallard; Moorhen; Magpie; Blackbird; Carrion Crow; Robin; Ring Necked Parakeet; Coal Tit; Great Tit; Blue Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Dunnock; Song Thrush; Wood Pigeon; Grey Heron; Goosander; Grey Wagtail; Chaffinch; Redwing; Starling; Cormorant and Mistle Thrush.

A Grey Squirrel was gutsing itself stupid on the bird feeders, Greater Periwinkle was sporting a fresh flower and only one good bunch of Mistletoe was seen.

 Phytomyza ilicis and Taxomyia taxi were the only 2 galls seen and a Striped Woodlouse was noted whilst looking at fungi as well as a couple of Garden Snails.