In late summer 2021, for the second year running, Nicola Devine has photographed Willow Emerald damselflies mating next to the big pond; and for the sixth year running she has photographed a Brown Hairstreak butterfly laying eggs on a blackthorn bush. Willow Emeralds have been recorded on only one other Oxfordshire site: Otmoor nature reserve […]
A Film About the Trap Grounds
A film made in August 2020 by Sharon Woodward, a member of Oxford City Council’s Communications Team, has beaten thousands of other entries to win an award for Best Documentary Film in the Malnad International Wildlife and Environmental Film Festival, 2021. (Malnad is in Karnataka, by the way.) You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/kE3MUIVUPEw
Earthstar Fungi Sighting
Today (October 4th) walking down the Frog Lane path at the north end of the Trap Grounds we noticed first one very large Earthstar Fungus, (possibly about 2 1/2 inches across?)and then, on looking closer at the undergrowth, many more among the fallen leaves and twigs.We counted about 15 of them, either in groups or […]
Heron by the Boardwalk
A Heron has been hanging around by the Boardwalk recently. First sighting about a month ago, when we disturbed it by walking and it flew off over the Reed Beds. Yesterday I (and another frequent visitor a pervious day) spotted it there again, and I took a few photos while it stood very still, almost […]
Downy Emerald dragonfly
Cordulia aenea is a relatively new arrival on the Trap Grounds. Nicola Devine spotted one in May 2019 and managed to get this close-up photo on 8 June 2021. On the same day she saw four Hairy Hawkers, a Four-Spotted Chaser, a Banded Demoiselle, and hundreds of Azure Blues. There are 33 known species of […]
Jay bathing in Frog Lane stream
Clare Weiner writes: Yesterday (June 2nd) we were halfway down Frog Lane walking towards the canal when a Jay landed in the bushes to the left of us, then fluttered down into the ditch and began to bathe. It jumped around and splashed about energetically, then retired to a branch where it preened busily. This […]
Ragged Robin sighting
Clare Weiner writes: Today, after being concerned not to see any Ragged Robin beside the Dragonfly Pond last year or it seemed this year, I was pleased to spot one flower in the first meadow opposite the school. But it did seem to be only one flower on one plant… Photo rather unfocussed but here […]
Tadpoles in the big pond, seen May 10th
On 10th May, we finally saw evidence of frog and/or toads breeding in the Trap Grounds again this year. Huge numbers of small blackTadpoles were shimmying about near the bank of the ‘Swan Pond’, at the point where the swans like to preen. I have also been keeping an eye on our new swan pair, […]
Fly lands on Butterfly
Today, an amusing sight: a Brimstone butterfly had alighted in the meadow opposite the school fence. While taking some photos of the brimstone, we witnessed a middle-sized Fly (not sure what kind!) suddenly alighting on the Brimstone’s wing! The butterfly hesitated, then opened its wings and flew off, the fly ‘fell off’ and flew away […]
Brown Jelly Ear (?)
Very attractive soft jelly-like brown fungi on dead mossy branches. Jelly Ear, maybe? (Julie Dyson, 22 December 2020)