An afternoon in the sun on Newchurch Common.

A handful of butterflies, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large White, Small White and Green-veined White.

Plenty of odonata around too with a female-type Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 Brown Hawkers, 2 Downy Emeralds, a Broad-bodied Chaser, and five damsels: Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed, Red-eyed and Large Red.

The Spotted Longhorn Beetle Rutpela maculata was a new beetle for the year as were a mating pair of false blister beetles Oedemera lurida.

At least 6 Roesel's Bush Cricket nymphs were in Big Pool north meadow along with 2 Common Green Grasshopper nymphs.

The Spring Fieldcap fungus Agrocybe praecox was in Big Pool north meadow and was a new fungus here.

In the beetle belt north of the Pine Belt lots of Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) was in flower, a new record for 2025. Now 3 Common Twayblades are in flower, but many have been eaten by slugs or snails.

On the Shemmy Moss part of my Newchurch Patch, cool but no wind, even drizzled a tiny but but stiil had a few inverts!

There were 2 Common Lizards seen but neither basking given the weather.

The big odonata news was my first 8 Common Emerald Damselflies. Also seen were Common Blue, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies.

The tiny heather specialist Heather Grey (Neofaculta ericetella) was seen again. At least 20 Grass Wave moths and 10 Common Heath moths were also repeat sightings for 2025.

Around 12 Bog Bush Cricket nymphs were disturbed in the heather.

A new caddisfly for the year was Limnephilus elegans, a heath/bog specialist, so not common in the northwest, but I have recorded it before on Shemmy Moss.

A morning on the mosslands part of my Newchurch patch, changeable and breezy.

Another Common Lizard was found, but hiding not basking as there wasn't enough sun!!

A Yellow Shell was a new macromoth whilst a Bramble Shoot Moth was a new micromoth, both for the year. A Common Nettle Tap moth was a repeat sighting but the first time it was photographed this year.

A new Ichneumon Wasp was Ichneumon haemorrhoicus and as new Sand Wasp was Argogorytes mystaceus.

Beetles and bugs were well represented with new species for 2025 being the small soldier beetle Cantharis cryptica/pallida as well as a repeat sighting of Garden Chafer. Huge numbers of ladybirds were seen with counts of 122 7-spot Ladybird adults, 15 7-spot Ladybird larvae/pupae, 5 Harlequin Ladybirds and one 14-spot Ladybird. A Birch Shieldbug (Elasmostethus interstinctus) was possibly a new species ever seen here whilst 2 Dock Bugs were a repeat for 2025.

A new lacewing for 2025 was Pearly-green Lacewing (Chrysopa perla).

New plants in flower were Fox-and-Cubs and Creeping Cinquefoil.

A brief pop onto the mosslands bit of my Newchurch Patch to show a mate a couple of the specialities I found the other day.

We easily found his targets, Grass Wave and Heath Streak, both county rarities.

A new species for this year was the Lemon Marshfly hoverfly (Helophilus trivittatus) on Shemmy Moss.

A Common Lizard was seen again.

In the morning I had a nice Red-headed Cardinal Beetle near Big Pool Island Cut on Newchurch Common. Also in the morning I added a red ant species for the yearlist, Myrmica ruginodis, on Newchurch Common.

Just a short afternoon visit to Newchurch Common as the weather got slightly better.

The best butterflies were 3 Large Skippers and a Red Admiral.

The best odonata sighting was a Black-tailed Skimmer, but still no photo!

A new moth for me anywhere were 5 Scoparia pyralella, Brown-spot Grey, seen in Big Pool north meadow. Another new moth for the year was a Celypha lacunana, Common Marble, close by.

A new beetle was a 24-spot Ladybird near Big Pool Island Cut. A pair of 2 Harlequin Ladybirds mating were also a first this year. There were 2 x 7-spot Ladybird larvae near Big Pool north meadow.

Just a morning walk at Newchurch Common in the overcast but warm murk!

The Tree Bumblebee's nest in the Big Pool SW Glade was very active today despite the murk.

Around 4 Tapered Droneflies were seen.

A new growth of 6 St.George's Mushrooms were in the usual area south of Big Pool.

A very short visit am, dull, even drizzly, but warm.

A new hoverfly was Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens) in Big Pool Island Cut.

In the same area the soldier beetle Cantharis nigricans was seen.

At Burton Mere RSPB today finally saw my first Grass Snake after many years of dipping. Also Dingy Skipper, Broad Bodied Chasers, 6 Spot Burnetts and a white Ermine Moth.

On Newchurch again, dull at first, sunshine later!

Another Painted Lady was seen, in Big Pool North Meadow.

A male Hairy Dragonfly showed well on Big Pool but never cooperated for photos!

A nice new beetle was a Common Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus vespilla), in Big Pool Island Cut Meadow.

A couple of Roesel's Bush Cricket nymphs were again seen in the same place as before.

A Cucumber Spider (prob Araniella cucurbitina) was on the Big Pool meadows. A Xysticus species was also seen, on Shemmy Moss, but was too small to positively ID!

Hoary Plantain (Plantago media) was photographed as a new speies ever on patch, in the Big Pool meadows.

On Newchurch all day again, very hot & sunny.

A single Common Lizard skittered away from me on Shemmy Moss.

The best Odonata day of 2025 with 11 species on the wing. Two new species were added, first a male Emperor by the Whitegate Way on the track up past Lymm Vale. The second was a female-type Black-tailed Skimmer seen on Shemmy Moss, both were too warm and flighty for photographs. Good numbers of other species included an incredible total of around 160 Downy Emeralds (110 on the mosses and 50 on Newchurch Common and surrounds), 50 Four-spotted Chasers on Shemmy Moss, 2 Broad-bodied Chasers and a male Hairy Dragonfly on Newchurch Common. At least 80 Red-eyed Damselflies were on Big Pool, with 30 pairs in tandem and ovipositing. Also seen were Large Red Damselfly,  Common Blue Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

A new moth was added, new for my patch, male Fox Moth, seen on Shemmy Moss. Around 30 Heath Streaks were seen, the highest count so far this year.

At Newchurch Common pm in the sun.

very short visit but now 2 Broad-bodied Chasers are in the Big Pool Meadows as well as a newly emerged Four-spotted Chaser.

Morning and afternoon in hot sunshine at my Newchurch Common Patch. A visitor with me am, on to photo dragonflies.

There were 9 species of odonata again icluding totals of 60 Downy Emeralds, 30 Four-spotted Chasers, a Broad-bodied Chaser, a Hairy Dragonfly, 120 Red-eyed Damselflies with 30 pairs in cop and about half of these ovipositing, and the usual other 4 damselfly species.

At least 2 Hornets were seen today, near one of last years' nest sites. They don't re-use sites so I will be searching now to find this years sites.

A Cinnabar and a Common Carpet were seen again.

A new beetle for the year was Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) in Big Pool Island Cut meadow.

Probably the best find of the day and the hardest were 10 Roesel's Bush Cricket nymphs (Roeseliana roeselii), each around 1-2mm long in quite long grass in one of the meadows, a real needle in a hay stack job!!

On my Newchurch Common Patch am and pm in hot sunshine.

A very large Red-eared Terrapin on Small Pool was the first this year. It was sitting on the side of an occupied Coot nest, I fear for the eggs and chicks from this nest as I've seen this tactic and witnessed predation before.

A great odonata day again. singles of Broad-bodied Chaser on Newchurch Common east meadow and Hairy Dragonfly on Shemmy Moss were good records but again neither was photographable. The exuvia of a Downy Emerald was seen on a flag iris leaf in Big Pool Island Cut. Some numbers were stratospheric today with around 45 Downy Emeralds seen, and how many missed?! The split of these was 24 on Newchurch Common and 21 on Shemmy Moss. Also high; 25 Four-spotted Chasers, all on Shemmy Moss and 50 Red-eyed Damselflies on Small Pool, some in tandem and even ovipositing. The other usual 4 damselfly species made it nine species on the wing today! We checked the Banded Demoiselle area but nothing yet!!

A Welsh Poppy was east of Small Pool, a new flower for the year.

A correction of the longhorn moth from the 10th May, it was Sandy Longhorn (Nematopogon schwarziellus) as it was only c.7mm long, rather than N.swammerdamella!

Morning and afternoon on my Newchurch Patch due to a certain bird attracting twitchers! Sunny & warm.

At least 20 Downy Emeralds seen around Newchurch Common, all over the place! Also up to 450 Common Blue Damselflies present today and yesterday. But the odonata headlines were stolen by two new species for the year. Firstly a Hairy Dragonfly was seen in the east meadows followed by a Broad-bodied Chaser in the same area, making it 9 species now flying.

Moths were good too with a couple of new species. First was the micro Dark-barred Tortrix (Syndemis musculana), in Big Pool Island Cut. Then the Large Longhorn (Nematopogon swammerdamella) was seen in the Big Pool East Meadows. A caterpillar of the Satellite moth was new for the year too. A repeat sighting was a Common Carpet in Big Pool island Cut.

My first Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis) of the year was in Big Pool Island Cut on an oak.

A morning on Newchurch Common in the Big Pool area, sunny and warm after a cool start.

Lots (c.150) of Common Toad Tadpoles were in Small Pool.

Nothing unusual for butterflies or odonata but 2 male Downy Emeralds and 3 Red-eyed Damselflies were of note. A high count of 150 Common Blue Damselflies was a yearly max.

A very active Tree Bumblebees nest was found in old farm machinery in Big Pool SW Glade. Around 35 Flavous Nomad Bees were seen along the main track, a repeat sighting for 2025 but the highest number so far.

A Stripe-backed Brusheye (Dasysyrphus albostriatus) hoverfly was by the main track, the first for Newchurch proper as opposed to the mosslands.

A Harpocera thoracica mirid bug was seen again.

A Swan Mussel (Anodonta cygnea) shell was by Small Pool.

Common Comfrey is now in flower, especially in Big Pool SW Glade.

On the Shemmy Moss part of my local patch this morning, eventually sunny and warm after a cooler start.

A Common Lizard was hunting by the path east of the moss.

Seven butterfly species were seen, the highlight being a Red Admiral that I got photos of, the first photos this year and only the second of this species so far. A count of 11 Green Hairstreaks was the best for some time.

Another good odonata day with excellent counts rather than any new species. The best total of the year for the species was 20 Downy Emeralds, 18 of which were on Shemmy Moss and 2 at Gull Pool. Around 10 Four-spotted Chasers were seen too. A huge total of 450 Large Red Damselflies included at least 10 mating pairs. The max year count of 60 Azure Damselflies was made and 30 Common Blue Damselflies were also seen.

The first Heath Streak (Pleurota bicostella) moth was found, with plenty of larval webs also seen on the heather.

The Ichneumon Banchus volutotorius was positively identified and was new for 2025.

Both Green Tiger Beetles (16) and Common Green Shieldbug were seen again.

A brief morning and longer afternoon visit to my Newchurch Patch. Sunny intervals but cooler than recent days. But the temperature drop meant that invertebrates were easier to see and photograph so a bumper haul was had!!

Over 100 Common Toad Tadpoles were in the shallows on the north side of Big Pool.

There were 4 Green Hairstreaks on Shemmy Moss and a male Orange-tip on Newchurch Common amongst five of the usual butterfly species seen.

A good odonata day with two new species for the year. The first was 4 Blue-tailed Damselflies, all in Big Pool east meadows. This was followed by 10 (Large) Red-eyed Damselflies all in Big Pool north meadows and newly emerged. A male Downy Emerald was in a private area and another was off my official patch, at the start of the entrance road to Abbotsmoss Nursery from the A49. Also seen were 60 Common Blue Damselflies, mainly on Newchurch Common meadows, 40 Large Red Damselflies, 25 on Shemmy Moss and 15 on Newchurch Common, Around 6 Azure Damselflies, and finally 2 Four-spotted Chasers on Shemmy Moss.

In Big Pool north meadow the micromoth Roeslersstammia erxlebella was new for 2025.

A Flavous Nomad Bee in Big Pool north meadow was new for the year as was a Campopleginae Sp. of Ichneumon Wasp. Tawny Mining Bee was again photographed.

Several hoverflies were new for the yearlist, all around Big Pool. The first a lifer too, Figwort Blacklet (Cheilosia variabilis). Next a Stripe-faced Dronefly (Eristalis nemorum) was seen then Tiger Marsh Fly (Helophilus pendulus) was added. The aptly named Superb Dayglower (Xanthogramma pedisequum) was the next species found. A Blotch-winged Whitebelt (Leucozona lucorum) was north of the Pine Belt. A nice Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris) was the next new species, in north meadow. A Sphaerophoria sp. was seen but was a female which can't be assigned to a species. 15 Marmalade Hoverflies were a repeat sighting.

Two Bibio flies were seen and photographs, a new one Dilophus fibris and a repeat one, mating St Mark's Flies.

Two Red-and-Black Froghoppers (Cercopis vulnerata) were new for the year, both on Newchurch Common. Mating Phyllobius pyri Leaf Weevils were another addition.

A Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus) nymph was in Big Pool north meadow, a hotspot for orthoptera.

A female Metellina mengei spider was north of the Pine Belt.

New plants in flower were Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), which was widespread, Phacelia in the regenerating Beetle Belt with Oxeye Daisy (Leucantheum vulgare), White Campion (Silene latifolia), Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) and Common Chickweed (Stellaria media), all here too. Common Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) was in Big Pool north meadow.

On the Shemmy Moss part of my Newchurch Patch again in sweltering heat am.

At least 30 Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies were all over and 1 Downy Emerald was with them, in a totally new area of the moss for that species this year.

A White-barred Pond Fly hoverfly (Sericomyia lappona) was new for the year on patch.

A quickie, I'm pleased to say that our Hedgehog is back in our Moulton (nr Northwich, Cheshire) garden, having survived the winter. Food (cat food) and, more importantly in this weather, water is now out nightly! First sighting was 28th April 2025 

A hot and sunny day on Newchurch am and Shemmy Moss pm, post-puncture repair!

Just six species of butterfly, all the usuals! Two new moths for the year were on Newchurch Common in the east meadows, Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)and Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana).

A good day for odonata with my first 4 Common Blue Damselflies of the year, all on Newchurch Common am, east of Big Pool Island Cut. Also seen were 6 Downy Emeralds, 5 on Shemmy Moss and 1 in a private area, both males and females were seen. At least 4 Four-spotted Chasers and 40 Large Red Damselflies were seen, all on Shemmy Moss. That made it my most successful odonata day of 2025, with four species seen.

On some Pedunculate Oaks (Quercus robur) west of Small Pool at least 10 Apple Galls of the Biorhiza pallida gall wasp were seen. Orange-tailed Mining Bees (6) were again on Newchurch Common.

There were at least 5 Long-winged Duskyface hoverflies and 12 Orange-belted Leafwalker hoverflies on Newchurch Common, both repeat sightings this year.

A Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) was a good find in Big Pool Island Cut Meadow. A Amara aenea beetle was on Newchurch Common and a Hairy Shieldbug on Shemmy Moss, the former a new species for 2025 and the latter a repeat species, but the first pictures of both.

An Empis tessellata Dagger Fly was on Newchurch Common, new for the year. Another 2 Dark-edged Bee-flies were seen, in a new area, Big Pool Island Cut Meadow.

Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) an invasive species, was recorded officially in the Big Pool east meadows. Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) was new for 2025 and was on Newchurch Common too.

A Patch Day again, am Newchurch & pm Shemmy, warm enough for inverts and occasional sun.

Again up to 10 Heather Grey Moths (Neofaculta ericetella) were seen.

At least 3 teneral Four-spotted Chasers were on Shemmy Moss pm.

A Blood Bee (Sphecoides Sp.) was on Shemmy Moss. A Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) was on Newchurch Common.

Again upwards of 20 Green Tiger Beetles were on Shemmy Moss. A number of Mirid Bug species were new and IDed today, all on Newchurch Common. Firstly 4 Harpocera thoracica, and then a Common Nettle Mirid Bug Liocoris tripustulatus were seen. Also a Striped Oak Bug Rhabdomiris striatellus late instar nymph was found under an oak.

The superb and weird looking Snake Fly Xanthostigma xanthostigma was on Newchurch Common am. Two more fly species were on Newchurch Common and were new, a Suillia species and a Hebecnema species.

The Harvestman Rilaena triangularis was on Newchurch Common.

At least 16 St George's Mushrooms (Calocybe gambosa) were out as usual around St George's Day, near Big Pool.

A count of 63 Common Twayblades was encouraging today. Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanstrum) was new and in Big Pool SW Corner Glade as was Field Pansy (Viola arvensis).

On Shemmy Moss, Newchurch Patch, twice today, hot and sunny eventually.

An excellent odonata day with the first Downy Emerald dragonfly, a male, seen. At least 5 Four-spotted Chasers were seen too and a larva was found in the shallows of Shemmy Moss looking like it would be emerging tonight, as is the emergence preference for this species. At least 150 Large Red Damselflies were seen, with another landing on my lips and face, for the second time this spring!!

A good moth day too with two new species for the year. The first Brown Silver-line was seen, a common moth here. Also a Scalloped Hook-tip was found, a first record ever on patch.

A Large Pine Weevil, a serious pest in conifer plantations, was on the entrance road to Abbotsmoss conifer nursery!! This again was a new species for 2025.