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Wildlife Sightings 2021 Archive

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See the archived sightings from 2021 below.  For the most recent sightings go to the wildlife sightings page.
Wednesday 22nd December
11 yellowhammers, confiding flock on the Four Barrows track, (Emily Best)
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Friday 17th December
2 Roe Deer, field at top of Oxford Street (Ros Oswald)
Wednesday 15th December
4 December moths, moth catch on Lottage Road (Emily Best)
20 Corn Buntings, 27 Yellowhammers, 2 Stonechats and a Raven Manor Farm (Matthew Best)
50 + Yellowhammers and a group of 8 Roe Deer Upper Upham (Emily and Matthew Best)
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Tuesday 14th December
Merlin Highclear Down nature reserve (Wiltshire Wildlife Trust)
Wednesday 8th December
25 Corn Buntings close to North Field Cottages, Lottage Road (William Brown, Matt Best)
12 Roe Deer Manor Farm (Henry Brown, Matt Best)
Monday 6th December
Hedgehog, night-time visitor to garden on Lottage Road (Heather)
Sunday 5th December
31 species including Firecrest and Stonechat on the monthly Sunday walk, for full list see here (Four Barrows Bird Walk)
5 Squirrels and 4 Roe Deer on the bird walk (Four Barrows Bird walk)
Sadly no moths in the churchyard trap this morning, winter catches are often small but can be very interesting moths, sadly nothing today in the brisk north wind, but learn more about this project here (Marvellous Church Yard Moths)
Raven over the Ridgeway close to the Ogbourne Road (Matt Best)
Barn Owl  Ogbourne Road just past Woodsend, hunting by roadside at 7pm (Matt and Emily Best)
Friday 3rd December
Mistle Thrush, Great spotted woodpecker, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
Hedgehog, night-time visitor to garden on Oxford Street (Jennifer Rendell)
Thursday 2nd December
Dead Barn Owl on the B4192 north of the village (Matt Best)
Thursday 18th November
Approximately 2000 starlings, over New Barn on B4192 (Emily Best)
Wednesday 17th November
Raven and Bullfinch close to the brewery (Emily Best)
Sunday 14th November
2 Ravens, 200 Linnet and a Roe Deer from track to Highclear Down (Emily Best)
Thursday 11th November
Drinker moth caterpillar Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
Harvest Mouse nest, Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 10th November
2 Feathered Thorn and 2 Beaded Chestnut moths in the moth trap in the churchyard (Emily Best)
Marsh Tit opposite Laines Grain Store, Stock Lane (Matthew Best)
Monday 8th November
1 Harvest mice nest, Baydon Hill Farm (Emily Best)
Sunday 7th November
Rosemary beetle, garden on Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
2 Harvest mice nests, Shipley bottom, (Emily and Matt Best)
2 Stonechats, peregrine, kestrel, red kite, buzzard Shipley bottom (Matt Best)
34 species seen  new highest count for a monthly walk, many singing corn buntings and skylark as well as multiple small groups of fieldfare (Four Barrows Bird Walk)
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Wednesday 3rd November
3 Woodlark calling and landing in the field between Love's Copse and Love's Lane (Matt and Emily Best)
Brambling (f), 100 chaffinches, 4 bullfinches, 55 skylark and 10 yellowhammers along Love's Lane (Matt and Emily Best)
Tuesday 2nd November
2 Stonechats as well as buntings and redwings on the byway to Four Barrows (Emily Best)
Sunday 31st October
8 Harvest Mouse nests  close to the brewery on a Mammal Society survey - Brown Hare, Rabbit and evidence of Field Vole also seen (Emily Best)
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Saturday 30th October
2 Stonechat, 11 Corn Buntings (including 3 singing) and a Roe Deer Baydon Manor Farm (Matthew Best)
Slow Worm In the Church yard (Emily Best)
Thursday 28th October
4 Roe deer near Upper Upham (Emily Best)
Thursday 21st October
12 Golden Plover over the village early afternoon (Matthew Best)
44 Golden Plover circling and calling between Four Barrows and Baydon for over an our mid afternoon (Matthew Best)
Stonechat Four Barrows walk - male (Matthew Best)
Firecrest Still present and showing well on the Four Barrows Bridleway in the ivy on the right (Emily Best)
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Sunday 17th October
4 stonechats along track to Highclear Down (Matthew Best)
Siskin Small flock calling from top of Highclear plantation (Matthew Best)
Small Heath and Red Admiral Butterflies at Highclear Down (Matt Best)
Saturday 16th October
4 stonechats along with lots of yellowhammers, singing corn buntings, a kestrel, skylarks, meadow pipits and goldfinches on the Four Barrows Walk (Matthew Best)
Firecrest Still present and showing well on the Four Barrows Bridleway in the ivy next to the new section of fencing on the right (Matt Best)
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Thursday 14th October
Slow worm, Southward Lane just beyond the triangle (Emily Best)
Marsh Tit a pair in a mixed flock of long tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, nuthatch and treecreeper in woods next to the Roman villa on the Hilldrop Byway (Matt Best)
Southern Hawker Dragonfly Lottage road (Emily, Matt and Ben Best)
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13th October
Redwings many passing over in small flocks this afternoon and into the evening - listen out for the high-pitched pseep (Matt Best)
Ivy bee many of these lovely bees along the Green towards High Town and at the top near the church.  These are the UKs latest solitary bee in the year and are the only true autumn bee in the UK.  Amazingly these beeautiful insects were first described to science only 30 years ago and we are lucky to have large numbers buzzing about and feeding on ivy flowers on the green (Emily Best)
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Sunday 10th October
Red Admiral chrysalis, South Street (Sophie Best)
11 species of moth in the light trap (see insect sightings for details), Lottage Road Garden (Matt and Emily Best)
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Friday 8th October
Sparrowhawk male feeding on a wood pigeon, The Garlings (Jenny Street)
Common Frog, Garden pond on Kandahar (Ros Oswald) 
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Sunday 3rd October
26 species on Four Barrows Dawn walk See the walk page for the full list but highlights included lots of Skylarks (flock of 200 estimated) and some late swallows (Four Barrows Walk)
House Martins and Swallows a small group over Manor Farm late morning  (Matthew Best)
8 species of moth in the churchyard moth catch See Insect Sightings for details, the Green-brindled Crescent was a real stunner! (Marvellous churchyard moths)
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Friday 3rd December
Mistle Thrush, Great spotted woodpecker, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
Hedgehog, night-time visitor to garden on Oxford Street (Jennifer Rendell)
Thursday 2nd December
Dead Barn Owl on the B4192 north of the village (Matt Best)
Saturday 2nd October
2 Ravens Baydon Hill farm (Matthew Best)
2 Roe deer Baydon Hill farm (Matthew Best)
Thursday 18th November
Approximately 2000 starlings, over New Barn on B4192 (Emily Best)
Friday 1st October
Hummingbird Hawk-moth  St Michael's churchyard (Emily Best)
Pale Tussock caterpillar  Kandahar garden (Nick Whelan)
Wednesday 17th November
Raven and Bullfinch close to the brewery (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 29th September
4 Whinchats, 2 Stonechats and 2 Wheatears along the track to Highclear Down (Matthew Best)
Dor Beetle, Highclear Down (Emily Best)
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Sunday 14th November
2 Ravens, 200 Linnet and a Roe Deer from track to Highclear Down (Emily Best)
Thursday 11th November
Drinker moth caterpillar Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
Harvest Mouse nest, Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
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Monday 27th September
Pale Tussock Moth caterpillar strolling across the window in Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Sunday 26th September
12 species of moth caught in light trap, see insect sightings page for details, (Emily and Matt Best)
Saturday 25th September
Stonechat next to track to Four Barrows also good numbers of skylarks (flock of 15-20) and meadow pipits seep seep seeping overhead (Matt Best)
Wednesday 22nd September
Whinchat  on byway to Upper Upham - also lots of Meadow Pipits (Emily and Matt Best)
Adonis Blue Butterfly still several at Highclear Down with Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Heath, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood also seen in the sunshine today (Emily and Matt Best)
Bank vole, Early thorn caterpillar, garden spider, living in our Lottage road garden (Emily Best)
Barred Sallow 1, Frosted Orange 1, Setaceous Hebrew Character 1, Light Brown Apple Moth 5, Garden Rose Tortrix 1, moth catch on Lottage Road (Emily and Matt Best)
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Sunday 19th September
Firecrest singing near Court House/Crooked Corner (Emily and Matt Best)
Whinchat and Wheatear  cattle field just before Four Barrows (Emily and Matt Best)
Meadow Pipits calling overhead in fields around Four Barrows and New Barns (Matt Best)
Wednesday 15th September
25 species of moth caught in light trap, on Lottage Road, see Insect sightings for details (Emily and Matt Best)
Raven near Stock Close Farm (Emily and Matt Best)
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Monday 13th September
Buff Ermine caterpillar, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
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Sunday 12th September
Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillars at least 5 (!) on the beautiful fuchsia on the Butts (Sophie Best)
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Friday 10th September
Roe Deer Love's Copse (Eleanor Williamson and Emily Best)
Wednesday 8th September
Peregrines Male and Female both on the Church tower making a lot of noise in the sunshine this morning (Matt Best)
Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar on the ground at the bottom of Back Lane this morning (Harriet Ainsworth)
Redstart and Whinchat on the way to (Whinchat) and at (Redstart) Highclear Down (Matt and Emily Best)
Adonis blue butterfly and Small heath butterfly at Highclear Down (most numerus along the bottom (Emily and Matt Best)
Moth Catch: 25 species, garden on Lottage Road see Insect page for details (Emily and Matt Best)
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Sunday 5th September
Wheatear one of 32 species of birds seen on the Four Barrows bird walk this morning (Four Barrows bird walk)
Saturday 4th September
Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillars 3 outside Smith's Barn and one outside No15 West Street (Alice Best)
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Friday 3rd September
Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar Found at the school by the children during break time (Alice Best)
Slow worms 12 around the churchyard (Ben Best)
Wednesday 1st September
Raven 2 cronking over the village (Matthew Best)
Firecrest Still present and calling and singing frequently at the bottom of the Four Barrows bridleway  (Matthew Best)
Adonis Blue butterfly, Hornet Robberfly, High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
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Sunday 30th August
Roesel's Bush Cricket  steep bank next to Pentico Wood, also 30 species of bird - see the bird page for the full list (Beating the Bounds)
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Saturday 28th August
Yellow tail moth caterpillar, garden on The Butts (Sandy Martin)
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Friday 24th August
Little Owl regular visitor to the gardens of Kandahar (Tim Beattie)
Sunday 22nd August
Hornet Mimic Hover-fly, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
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Wednesday 18th August
Fox two at top of horse fields above Lottage farm (Matthew Best)
Muntjac next to the wood at Four Barrows (Matthew Best)
Monday 16th August
Firecrest, Showing well at bottom of Four Barrows track (near Court House) (Matthew Best)
Peregrine, Still roosting on the Church, at least 1 bird (Matthew Best)
Saturday 14th August
Hedgehog, Aldbourne vicarage garden (Rhona Floate)
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Thursday 12th August
Hedgehog, the Butts (Sandy Martin)
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Wednesday 11th August
Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar, Lottage Road garden (Ben Best)
38 Moth species caught in Light trap, see Insect sightings for details, Lottage Road garden  (Emily Best)
Wasp Spider - at Four Barrows (Matthew Best)
 
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Tuesday 10th August
Hedgehog, Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, Lottage Road Garden (Matt Best)
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Monday 9th August
Chalkhill Blue, High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
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Tuesday 3th August
Common Blue, Brimstone, Small Copper, High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
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Monday 2nd August
Hornet hoverfly, Comma, by-way leading to High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
Dark Green Fritillary, High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
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Thursday 29th July
Buff-tailed bumblebee workers on alliums, garden on The Butts (Sandy Martin)
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Monday 26th July
Tortoiseshells, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Marbled White, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Love's Lane (Emily Best)
Saturday 24th July
Black Arches, Love's Copse (Matt Best)
Cinnabar caterpillars on ragwort, Love's Lane (Matt Best)
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Wednesday 21st July
Hedgehog, Mullein caterpillar, Buff Tip moths, Kandahar garden (Tim Beattie)
30 Rooks, Corn Buntings, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper, Painted Lady, Marbled White, Large Skipper, Essex Skipper, Peacock, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Four Barrows Track (Emily Best)
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Monday 19th July
Moth Catch, 40 species see Insect Sightings for details, Lottage Road garden (Emily Best)
Thursday 15th July
Glow worm, Southward Lane 150m uphill from the bench, (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 14th July
Glow worm, Southward Lane just beyond Southward Triangle, (Matt Best)
Hedgehog, Farm Lane (Matt Best)
Moth Catch, 34 species see Insect Sightings for details, Lottage Road garden (Emily Best)
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Tuesday 13th July
White Plume, St Michael's churchyard (Jenny Greaves)
Peacock caterpillar, Four Barrows Track, (Nigel Payne)
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Sunday 11th July
Pied Shieldbug (final instar), St Michael's churchyard (Jenny Greaves)
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Saturday 10th July
Five-spot Burnet, Marbled White, Four Barrows Track (Ros Oswald)
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Friday 9th July
Ringlet, 38; Small Tortoiseshell, 54; Meadow Brown, 20; Marbled White, 11; Large Skipper; 4; Small Skipper, 1; Red Admiral, 2; Speckled Wood, 2; Green-veined White, 1; Small Heath, 1,  Track to High Clear Down, (Jon Beresford)
Thursday 8th July
Privet Hawk-moth, Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Wednesday 7th July
Treecreeper, Yellowhammers, Linnets, Corn Buntings, Skylarks, Whitethroats, Blackcap, Wren, Firecrest, Marbled White, Small Tortoiseshell, Large Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Narrow-borderd five-spot Burnet, Vapouror, Agapanthia Villosoviridescens, Peacock caterpillar, Broomrape, Four Barrow Track (Matt Best) 
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Tuesday 6th July
Scarlet Tiger, garden on Oxford Street (Jennifer Rendell)
Pigmy Shew, Back Lane, (Nigel Payne)
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Monday 5th July
Great Spotted Woodpecker with 2 chicks, Harlequin ladybird larva, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
2-Spot Ladybird, South Street  (Emily Best)
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Sunday 4th July
Corn Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Large Skipper, on by-way leading to High Clear down (Jon Beresford)
6-spot Burnet, 5-spot (fused) Burnet, 5-spot Burnet, Dingy Skipper, Wood Tiger, Marbled White, Common Blue, Brown Argus , Common Spotted Orchid, Cinnabar, High Clear Down (Jon Beresford)
Moth Catch, 25 species caught in St Michael's churchyard, see Insect page for details (Emily Best)
Orange-tailed Clearwing, attracted to lure in garden on Lottage Road (Emily Best)
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Friday 2nd July
Lesser Stag Beetle, Oxford Street opposite Co-op (Emily Best)
Strangalia Maculata, track to Four Barrows (Emily Best)
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Thursday 1st July
22-spot Ladybird, Vine Weevil, Lily Beetle, garden on Lottage Road,  (Emily Best)
Paederus Littoralis, St Michael's churchyard (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 30th June
Crab spider (Xysticus species), St Michael's Churchyard (Matt Best)
31 species of moth and an Orange Ladybird, moth catch on Lottage Road, see Insect sightings for details (Emily Best)
Small Blue, Common Blue, Marbled White, bridleway opposite Ford Farm, (Emily Best)
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Tuesday 29th June
Fox, Roe Deer, Four Barrows (Emily Best)
Common Pipistrelles, Serotines, Noctule bats, trees at the bottom of Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
Monday 28th June
Mullein caterpillar, garden on Marlborough Road (Jenny Greaves)
English Stonecrop, Yellow Stonecrop, Ox eye daisies, Rough Hawkbit, Sweet Woodruff, St Michael's churchyard (Jenny Greaves)
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Friday 25th June
28 species of moth and an Orange Ladybird, moth catch on Lottage Road, see Insect sightings for details (Emily Best)
Thursday 24th June
Alder Leaf Beetle? these beetles have been all over the village over the last few weeks (Emily Best)
Mullein caterpillars, on Mullein plants just to right of church steps at top of the Green (Emily Best)
Slow worms, 16 under the slates in St Michael's churchyard (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 23nd June
Common Blue Butterfly, Stock Lane (Jean Farr)
Hare, garden on The Butts, (Sandy and Ian Martin) 
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Tuesday 22nd June
Hedgehog, Lottage Road (Donna Keen) 
Monday 21th June
Scarlet Tigers, Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Sunday 20th June
Hedgehog, Kanahar (Ady Wilmot)
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Friday 18th June
Hedgehog, Kanahar (Sophie Fynn)
Hedgehog, Hawkins Road (Sophie Fynn)
Wednesday 16th June
Moth catch- 32 species see Insect sightings for details, garden on Lottage Road (Emily Best)
Tuesday 15th June
Green Shield Bug, Back Lane (Nigel Payne) 
Daddy long-legs, Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Monday 14th June
 Barn Owl, Four Barrows track (Nick Whelan)
Lily Beetle, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
Hedgehog, on Kandahar (Ady Wilmot and Ros Oswald)
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Sunday 13th June
 Hedgehog, garden on Kandahar (Ruth Lambert)
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Saturday 12th June
Bank Vole, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
5 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 26 species see Insect Sightings page, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
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Friday 11th June
Lesser Stag Beetle, Goddards Lane (Emily Best)
2 Bank Voles, Wood mouse, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
8 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 27 species see Insect Sightings page, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
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Thursday 10th June
 Hedgehog, garden on The Garlings (Diana Pengilly)
Wood mouse, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
2 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Hedgehog, at the pond mid afternoon (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 21 species see Insect Sightings page, Lottage Rd garden (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 9th June
 Large Red Damselfly, garden on Whitley Road (James Worby)
Lesser Stag Beetle, The Butts (James Worby)
4 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 13 species see Insect Sightings page, Lottage Rd garden (Emily Best)
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Tuesday 8th June
 Leucitic hedgehog, walking down Kandahar (Ady Wilmot)
Grass snake, sunning itself on the Garlings, (Sue Rodd)
Slow Worm, The Downs (Harriet Ainsworth)
1 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 22 species see Insect Sightings page, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
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Monday 7th June
3 hedgehogs, feeding in a garden on Oxford Road (Jennifer Rendell)
Cockchafer, Oxford Road (Jennifer Rendell)
Common Sainfoin, along the Ridgeway, (Nigel Payne)
6 Slow worms, St Michael's church yard (Emily Best)
Moth catch - 16 species see Insect Sightings page, Lottage Rd garden (Emily Best)
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Sunday 6th June
Hedgehog, walking down Kandahar, (Ady Wilmot)
Stoat, Burney hill by the brewery (Ady Wilmot)
Tree creeper, Whiteshards bottom, (Ady Wilmot)
House martins, nesting on the brewery (Ady Wilmot)
Lesser Stag Beetle, footpath beside Goddard's Park (Emily Best)
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Saturday 5th June
Cockchafer, on four barrows track during the day (Nigel Payne)
Hawthorn, in full bloom on four barrows track (Nigel Payne)
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Thursday 3rd June
30 species of moths and 3 cockchafers, moth trap Lottage Road (see insect sightings for details), (Emily Best)
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Thursday 27th May
8 Hares, Bottom of Ogbourne Hill, (Jean Farr)
Wednesday 26th May
Common Quail, 2 Yellow wagtails, track to High Clear Down (Matt Best)
Tree pipit, High Clear Down 
Tortoiseshell caterpillars, Brimstones, Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, 2 Green carpet moths, Red-tailed bumble bee, 7 spot ladybirds (mating and eggs) track to High Clear Down (Emily Best)
4 Small Heaths, Dingy Skipper, Tortoiseshell, Peacock, 8 Silver Y moths, High Clear Down
10 Hares, track to High Clear Down 
Fox, Muntjac Deer, Rabbits, High Clear Down
Chalk Milkwort, Yellow Rattle, High Clear Down
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Tuesday 25th May
Small White Butterfly, Garden Bumble Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee, football field (Emily Best)
Early Purple Orchid Flower, Love's Copse, (Nick Whelan)
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Sunday 23th May
Muslin moth, moth catch Lottage Road, (Emily Best)
St Mark's flies on hawthorn flowers, garden Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Friday 21th May
Siskin, female on feeder Lottage road (Matt Best)
Thursday 20th May
4 Brimstones, 1 Scalloped Hazel, 6 Muslins, 1 Hebrew Character, 1 Common Pug, moth catch Lottage road (Emily Best)
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Tuesday 18th May
2 Muslin moths, moth catch on Lottage Road (Emily Best)
Saturday 15th May
Fox, Love's Copse (Matt Best)
Common Pipistrelles, Soprano Pipistrelles, the village pond (Biodiversity group, Carbon Neutral Aldbourne)
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Friday 14th May
2 Hares, Love's Lane (Emily Best)
Kestrel, Love's Lane (Emily Best)
Solomon's Seal, Love's Lane and Poors' Gorse (Jo Hutchings)
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Wednesday 12th May
Swifts and House Martins, large numbers have arrived over the village,(Matt Best)
2 Roe deer, Love's Copse (Nick Whelan)
Bluebells in full bloom and Early Purple Orchid almost out, Love's Copse (Nick Whelan)
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Monday 10th May
1 Brindled Beauty, 2 Hebrew Characters, 1 Clouded Drab, 1 Great Prominent and a cheeky Cockchafer, Lottage Road moth catch (Emily Best)
Kestrel, Love's Lane (Emily Best)
Stoat family: adult and 2 kits, Love's Copse (Emily Best)
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Sunday 9th May
Peregrine, Whinchats (2 first winter birds), yellow wagtail, 5+ Wheatears, track to High Clear Down (Matt Best)
Hares 2, track to High Clear Down (Matt Best)
Common Pipistrelles, Serotines, Noctule bats, garden on Lottage Road (Matt Best)
Ruby Tigers 2, Cinnabar 1 Moth, High Clear Down (Emily Best)
Slowworm, Oxford road (Nigel Crunden)
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Saturday 8th May
2 Slow worms, church yard (Emily Best)
Slowworm and hedgehog faeces, Marlborough Road (Leanne Miller)
Common Pipistrelle, Rectory Woods, 3 Common Pipistrelles and 2+ Soprano Pipistrelles by stream on Palmer's field (Emily Best)
Hare, near motorway underpass Peaks Down (Jean Farr)
Green Cellar Slug, church yard (El Argyle)
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Friday 7th May
Pair of bullfinches, bottom of Palmer's Field (Emily Best)
Rooks - Fledging has begun on Kandahar/Lottage Road (Ros Oswald)
Thursday 6th May
Vestal Cuckoo Bee female, Early Bumblebee worker, on dead nettles at corner of football pitch (Emily Best)
Hedgehog faeces, Palmers field (Emily Best)
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Wednesday  5th May
Whinchat (2), Wheatear (10), Yellow Wagtail (1), Corn Buntings (6), Whitethroat (3) at the start of the track to High Clear Down - this has been a consistent site for wheatear and yellow wagtail over the last few weeks, the whinchat are a nice addition with the wheatears (including a ringed bird) and whinchat showing very well (Matt and Emily Best)
Green Hairstreak, Small Heath, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock  butterflies at High Clear Down (Matt and Emily Best)
Orange-tailed Mining Bee, Grey-patched Mining Bee, Red-tailed Mason Bee, Lathbury's Nomad Bee, High Clear Down
Brown-lipped Snail, High Clear Down (Emily Best)
Holly Blue, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Green-veined White and Peacock butterflies as well as singing Willow Warbler and the head of a blackbird (Peregrine prey remains) under the tower in the church yard (Matt Best)
House Martin over Lottage Road (Emily and Matt Best)
Large Red Damselfly several in Lottage Road (one in the church yard as well last Sunday (Emily Best)
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Monday 3nd May
Woodlark 2, singing in field between Southward Down and Love's Copse (Matt Best)
Swifts, they've arrived! 2 over Love's Copse and on over fields near Southward triangle (Matt Best)
Muslin Moths 2, Hebrew Character 1, Earl Grey 1, Still surprised by how few moths are around! Garden Lottage Road (Emily Best)
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Sunday 2nd May
27 bird species and 3 mammals on this mornings Four Barrows bird walk, we were limited to six spaces by Covid this month but hopefully we will be allowed <30 next month so please note 6th June in your diary!
Stonechat, Whitethroat, Peregrine, Swallows, Skylarks, Shipley Bottom (Matt and Emily Best)
Ravens, Ridgeway near Upper Upham (Matt and Emily Best)
Fox, Hare, Shipley Bottom (Matt and Emily Best)
Hairy-footed flower-bee male, garden on Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
Dotted Bee-fly, garden on Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
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Saturday 1st May
Spectacle 1, Early Grey 1, Hebrew Character 1, Clouded Drab 1, moth catch Lottage Road (Emily Best)
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Friday 30th April
Green woodpecker, goldcrests, treecreepers, Love's Copse (Emily Best)
Raven, calling above the Square (Emily Best)
Bluebells, in full bloom including a few white ones in Love's Copse (Nick Whelan)
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Wednesday 28th April
Wheatear female present on Palmers Field (Mike Bedbrook)
Raven Snap (Matt Best)
Bullfinch Ewin's Hill Road and Stock Lane (Matt Best)
Willow Warbler High Clear Plantation (Matt Best)
Brown Hare 3 next to Stock lane near Aldbourne Chase House (Matt Best)
Tuesday 27th April
Slow worms, garden on Lottage Road, (Geoff Roberts)
English stonecrop, White Dead Nettle, Hoary Plantain, Mouse Ear Hawkweed, Bulbous Buttercups, Bugle, St Michael's churchyard (Jenny Greaves)
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Monday 26th April
Dunnock, garden on Kandahar (Ros Oswald)
Dunnock Ros Oswald
Speckled wood , Love's Lane (Emily Best)
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Sunday 25th April
Goldcrest, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
Snake's Head Fritillary, garden on Kandahar (Nick Whelan)
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Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch and Kestrel Ewin's Hill Road (Matthew Best)
Willow Warbler Singing in the church yard this morning (Matthew Best)
Smooth Newts, garden on Kandahar (Ros Oswald)
Saturday 24th April
Cuckoo Near Ewin's Hill Farm (Matthew Best)
TREE PIPIT - singing in the hawthorn scrub north of Ewin's Hill Road (Matthew Best)
Bullfinch both at Southward Triangle and Ewin's Hill Farm (Matthew Best)
Hebrew characters 3 of these lovely moth was the total for a very quiet moth catch overnight (Emily Best)
Friday 23th April
Black oil beetle, Four Barrows track (Nigel Payne)
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Blackcap, Chiffchaffs, Yellowhammers Southward triangle
Holly Blue, Orange-tip, Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Green-veined white butterflies, Southward triangle 
Common Pipistrelles, Soprano Pipistrelle, Bottom of Four Barrow track 
Common Mourning Bees, going into holes in wall opposite pump on the square 
Orange-tailed Mining Bees, Lottage Road (Emily Best)
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Wednesday 21th April
Yellow wagtail, Wheatear, on muck heap near New Barn just off the B4192 (Matt Best)
Whitethroat, High Clear Down (Matt Best) 
Moth catch, Lottage Road, still only a few flying around, see Insect page (Emily Best)
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Tuesday 20th April
Slow worm, Marlborough Road (Jack Miller)
Brimstone and Orange Tip butterflies, St Michael's School (Sophie Best)
Common Carder Bee, Holly Blue butterfly, Football field (Emily Best)
Tawney Owl, Sparrowhawk, Palmer's Field (Emily Best)
Soprano Pipistrelle, flying low over the Bourne opposite the pond
Common Pipistrelles, Lottage Road, South Street and Palmer's field
Serotine (4), Palmers field and one drinking at the pond (Emily Best)
Slow worm, Jack Miller
Monday 19th April
Fox, The Downs, (Harriet Ainsworth)
Large Whites, Tortoiseshells, Brimstones, Peacocks all flying on the Four Barrows track (Emily Best)
Dotted Bee Fly, Lottage Road garden, (Emily Best)
Common Carder Bee, Lottage Road garden (Emily Best)
Dotted Bee Fly
Sunday 18th April

Wheatear, base of Sugar Hill near Liddington Warren Farm

Swallows over the village

Stockdoves, on the Ridgeway and at Shipley Bottom

Hares (8) Shipley Bottom

Rabbits (including 3 ginger ones), Sugar Hill

Common Shrew, Four Barrows

Brimstones, Orange Tips, Tortoiseshell and Peacocks; lot of butterflies on the wing.

Black Oil Beetles, Sugar Hill near Liddington Warren Farm. (Matt Best)

Orange tip.JPG
Thursday 15th April

Firecrest still present, singing and showing in Love's Copse (Matt Best)
Raven (2), Finch flock (est 100 - 55 chaffinch, 35 yellowhammer, 10 linnet) between Aldbourne and Love's Copse (Matt Best)

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Wednesday 14th April

Black Oil Beetles  - Palmer's Field and Track to Upper Upham (Harriet Ainsworth and Family)

Who else is seeing these and where?  Try reading the Nature Notes on oil beetles and using the buglife ID guide to check that we do not have any of the other species around Aldbourne (and if you are adventurous see if you can spot any mining bees - the Ashy mining bees are coming out in good numbers now - google them as they are confiding and recognisable - also they do not sting).

Nesting great tits in a nest box Marlborough Road - see video below (Leanne Miller and Family)

Does anyone else have tits in their boxes yet (or anyone lucky enough to have other species checking out any boxes)?

Moth catch Lottage road - full list on insect page - not very long in the cold weather! (Emily Best)

Tuesday 13th April

Slow worm 2 living in the compost heap on Oxford Road (George Rendell)

Firecrest singing at Southern end of Love's copse on the footpath (Emily and Matt Best)

Raven's (2), Stock Dove, Nuthatches (+++ in full song) Love's Copse (Emily and Matt Best)

Common Pipistrelle 5+ over gardens Lottage Road, more at the pond and Rectory Wood (Matt Best)

Brown long-eared Bat over the bourne South Street (Emily Best)

Thursday 25th February

Slow worm basking in a garden Back Lane (Nigel Payne)
(Slow worms have also been seen in previous years in the church yard, Farm Lane, Alma Road and Kandahar - has anyone else seen one this year?)

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Monday 12th April

Blackbird fledgling being fed by mother, Lottage Road (Matt Best)

Bank vole feeding under bird feeders, Lottage Road (Matt Best)

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Raven (1), Stock Dove (2 at barns on B4192 and 3 near High Clear Down), Cow slips (coming into flower High Clear Down), Early Purple Orchid (leaves only - thanks Nick for the inspiration to look for this one!), Corn Buntings (12), Brown hare(3), Ashy Mining Bee  between B4192 and High Clear Down nature reserve (Matt and Emily Best) 

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Thursday 8th April

Moorhen on the Bourne beside the water pump on the Square (Matt Best)

Hairy-footed Flower Bee Lottage road (Emily Best)

Blue Tit taking fluff from tennis ball, Lottage road (Matt Best)

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Saturday  10th April

Common Redstart  on the ridgeway at the top of Shipley Bottom (GR SU 214 782) (Emily Best)

Brown Hare Ridgeway near Snap (Emily Best)

Brown Hare  6 together in fields north of B4192 around 1km north of the village (Matt Best)

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Friday  9th April

Early Purple Orchid Love's Copse - in leaf but not yet in flower (Nick Whelan)

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Sunday 11th April

Roe Deer 1 South of B4192 near Upper Upham (Matt Best)

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Sunday 4th April

32 species see on Four Barrows Bird walk- see the project page for the full list (includes fieldfare and brown hare)

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Saturday 3rd April

2 stonechat - Hi Peak byway (Emily and Matt Best)

Common Redstart bullock paddock, Lottage farm (Emily and Matt Best)

Hedgehog faeces found in the churchyard

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Friday 2nd April

3 swallows - two over Manor farm, one over the village (Emily Best)

2 Siskin (M+F) on feeders, Lottage Road, here all week (Emily Best)

Peregrine on the church

8 Wheatear and 2 Ring Ouzel just out of the Parish at Liddington Hill - up to 5 Ouzels reported (Bests)

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Thursday 1st April

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Goddard's Lane Park (Emily and Sophie Best)

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Wednesday 31st March

Brown Hare 2 loping along next to the ridgeway (Matt and Ben Best)

Violets, Primroses, Wood Anemone, Lesser Celandine lots of early spring flowers Snap and Snap Farm (Matt and Ben Best)

Tuesday 30th March

Lottage Road moth catch

  • 2 Common Quakers

  • 3 Hebrew Characters

  • 1 Double-striped Pug

  • 4 Small Quakers

  • 1 Clouded Drab

  • 1 Twin-spotted Quaker

  • 1 Early Grey

  • and a micro (Diurnea fagella)

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Brimstone, comma, small tortoiseshell, peacock around Aldbourne village today

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Sunday 28th March

Two peregrines, male and female calling on the south face of the tower (Emily Best)

120 chaffinches, 60 yellowhammers, 1 brambling, 5 goldfinches Love's Lane byway (Matt and Emily Best)

Bluebells very first blooms emerging at Love's Copse (Emily Best)

Saturday 27th March

Wood anemone by the road at Ewin's Hill Farm (Matt and Ben Best)

Muntjac Deer grazing beside Nationwide Removals Barns (Alice and Matt Best)

Brown Hare 6 in rough pasture towards Ewin's Hill farm (GR  SU 262 744) and 2 in arable field nearby (SU 260 743) (Matt Best)

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Wednesday 24th March

Roe deer 2F + 1M High Clear Plantation (Matt and Ben Best)

Brown hare opp High Clear Down (GR SU 236 761) (Matt and Ben Best)

Tawny owl  male calling from woods just N of four barrows at 3pm (Matt and Ben Best)

Saturday 20th March

Siskin on feeders at Lottage Road (Emily Best)

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2021 by the community of Aldbourne, Wiltshire.

Wednesday 17th March

Brown Hare Group of 6 near Upper Upham (GR SU 217 775) (Emily Best)

Common Shrew garden, Lottage Road (Emily Best)

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