​Carr House Green Common. Inskip
Monday 22nd July
Sunny warm
2 miles
Parked at The Derby Arms (with permission) then a party of 16 walked down through the village to the common. Turned left following a ditch to Woods Lane. Left along the road to Stavens Pool Bridge.
Returned via an overgrown embankment opposite the bridge that skirted the north edge of the common then through Green Farm. Right along the road back to the pub.
Visited The Sitting Goose PH at Catforth for a well earned drink after a beautiful summer's evening walk.
Canada Goose 15+
Mallard 1
Pheasant 1
Common Buzzard 1
Lapwing 2+ 2 juvs
Curlew 2
Swallow 5+
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 5+
Wood Pigeon 5+
Collared Dove 2
Carrion Crow 10+
Jackdaw 100+
Magpie h
Blue Tit h
Long Tailed Tit 13+
Willow/Chiff h (call note)
Blackcap 1
Sedge Warbler h
Wren h
Starling 10+
Blackbird h
Song Thrush h
Goldfinch 1
Linnet (male)
Red Bunting h
Brown Hare 3
h=heard only

Please find below the full list of species found at our Moth event for 2024. Thank you to all that attended what was a very enjoyable event.

​Abbey Village. Dole Lane. Track by Quarry. A675. Roddlesworth Lane. Lower Roddlesworth Reservoir. Rake Brook Reservoir.
Monday 15th July
Light Rain
19.00 to 20.45
2.5 miles 240 feet climb
Parked on Dole Lane then 6 brave members set off by walking to the top of Doles Lane. Left along a track by a Quarry.
Turned right at the A675 then up Roddlesworth Lane. Left through Lower Roddlesworth Farm.
Entered a wood then found a new path that followed the side of Lower Roddlesworth Reservoir.
Over a footbridge to view the top edge of the reservoir.
Returned via a path to Rake Brook Reservoir and back to Abbey Village.
Because of the weather I had decided follow a more sheltered route.
The landlady of the Hare & Hounds had kindly stayed open for us.
Most of the birds have stopped singing now but a loud Song Thrush serenaded us in Roddlesworth Wood.
Canada Goose 20+ R
Mallard 8 R
Oystercatcher 2
Black Headed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon
House Martin 2
Swallow 15+
Swift 2
Carrion Crow 10+
Jay 1
Magpie 1
Great Tit 1 + juv
Starling 2
Robin 1
Blackbird 1
Song Thrush 3
Dunnock h
Pied Wagtail (female)
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch h
Rabbit 2
h=heard only
R=Rake Brook Reservoir

​Rufford. Mawdesley Moss
Monday 8th July
Sunny warm
2 miles
2 hours 10 mins
Parked at the east end of Church Road, Rufford, then a party of 14 walked over the Canal and Railway to White Bridge over the River Douglas. Right along the B6246 for a few 100 yards to a path on the left inside a new fence and alongside a ditch that led to a gate. A new fence had been erected but had forgotten about a stile in a corner. Thats why we had to follow inside this fence.
Followed a rough track consisting of rubble to a collection of farm buildings just north of Home Farm.
Followed an overgrown path on an embankment with New Reed Brook on the right.
Eventually came to Gales Lane. Right then right again just before a LH corner and over a ditch.
Followed a path south along the side of a large field then into a copse with a stream on the left ending up at Black Moor Road.
We had left 2 cars on Sandy Lane earlier so with 5 in each car, drove back to Rufford to pick the cars up while the others (4) walked into Mawdesley and the Red Lion PH for a well earned drink after a beautiful summer's evening walk.
Mallard pair
Pheasant 1
Red Legged Partridge 1
Kestrel (seen from the car later)
Oystercatcher h
Lapwing 10+
Swallow 5+
House Martin h (Mawdesley Village)
Black Headed Gull 20+
Herring Gull 5+ (with above)
Lesser Black Backed Gull 5+ (with above)
Wood Pigeon 5+
Collared Dove 2
Feral Pigeon (several)
Carrion Crow 40+
Jackdaw 20+
Magpie 5+
Chiff Chaff h
Skylark 3+
Wren h
Starling 10+
Dunnock h
Blackbird 2
Song Thrush h
Mistle Thrush 1
Pied Wagtail 2 (female/juv)
Goldfinch h
Greenfinch 1 (male)
Yellow Hammer 2 (male)
Rabbit 1
h=heard only

​Monday 1st July
Knowles Farm. Brimmicroft
Damp
19.00 to 20.30
1.5 miles
Parked on the layby just north of The Hoghton Arms and on the opposite side of the road, then a party of 10 set by walking along the grass merge to Knowles Farm. Walked down through the yard of what was once a C de Hoghton Farm.
From the initial farmyard, the route went slightly left around a barn then through a gate to pick up a path that eventually led through several fields to a footbridge over the M65.
4 more members joined us and we crossed the M65 via a footbridge and walked through the ancient hamlet of Brimmicroft then along the main road to the right back to the motorway junction. Found a footpath that cut the corner off and kept us off the main road.
The going was difficult due to the long wet grass and several stiles that needed attention.
Found a couple of Common Spotted Orchid plants on a gassy verge at junction of the Motorway.
Common Buzzard 1
Swallow 15+
Black Headed Gull 1
Wood Pigeon 20+
Carrion Crow 10+
Jackdaw 10+
Wren h
Blackbird h
Song Thrush h
Dunnock 1
Goldfinch 2
Small Yellow Moth
h=heard only

​Ridley Lane. Ulnes Walton Depot
Very Warm
19.00 to 20.55
2 miles
Parked on Ridley Lane, just to the side of Cocker Bar Bridge then a party of 13 set off by walking south to a junction. Turned left with Garth Prison on the right and private fishing pools on the left. Walked to a junction overlooking the Depot then retraced steps.
It was a lovely summer's evening but the midges were biting.
Some of the party retired to The Dunkirk Hall PH for a well deserved drink.
Mallard 1
Pheasant 1
Kestrel 1
Common Buzzard 1
Oystercatcher 3
Lapwing 1
Swallow 5+
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon 20+
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Carrion Crow 20+
Jackdaw 40+
Magpie 2
Chiff Chaff h
Blackcap h
Whitethroat 1
Wren h
Starling 30+
Robin 1 juv
Blackbird h
Song Thrush h
Dunnock 1
Chaffinch h
Goldfinch h
Tree Sparrow 2
Reed Bunting h
Yellow Hammer h
Fallow (pale)Deer 4
Brown Hare1
h=heard only

Samlesbury. Potters Lane
Monday 17th June
Warm Sunny
19.00 to 21.15
2.25 miles 150 feet climb
Parked at The Samlesbury Hotel then a party of 16 followed a path that started just below the Hotel car park. Followed a hedge on the right to a gap. Left through gap then followed left hand hedge to a stile into field. Crossed field with hedge on the right. This became a definite track with boundaries on either side. This was the Medieval route into Preston. Descended to a Chapel. The right of way through a gate was padlocked so we used the Chapel's access to the main road then followed this to Potters Lane.
Looked at the Coaching House on the corner with a bell High in a gable. When the Coach was seen coming from Preston, the bell was rung thus indicating to the travellers to come out and get on the coach.
Walked along Potters Lane then right up a track and ascended the gravelled surface to a top gate. Followed a left hand hedge back to the outward route and retraced steps back to the cars.
Some of the party had a drink inside the Hotel bar.
Thanks Hazel for some of the images.
Canada Goose 20+
Mallard 5+
Grey Heron 1
Kestrel 1
Oystercatcher 2
Swallow 5+
Swift 4
Black Headed Gull 2 +
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon 5+
Great Spotted Woodpecker h
Carrion Crow 20+
Jackdaw 10+
Magpie 2
Blue Tit 1
Great Tit 3
Long Tailed Tit 10+
Chiff Chaff h
Wren h
Blackbird 2
Song Thrush 2
Mistle Thrush h
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow h
Chaffinch h
Roe Deer 1
Brown Hare 1
h=heard only

​Hoole Marsh. River Douglas.
Monday 10th June
Fine. Breezy
2.5 miles
19.00 to 20.50

Parked at the bottom of Station Road then a party of 12 followed the River Douglas south as far as Haunders Lane. Had a break then retraced steps.
Some of the party retired to Ego's for a well deserved drink after an enjoyable but breezy walk.

Watched 4 young Swallows being fed before setting off. Also 2 Swift flew over.

Thanks to Ian for the young Swallow image.

Greylag Goose/Domestic Goose 20+
Emperor Goose (with above)
Canada Goose 8
Mallard 5+
Shelduck 10+
Pheasant (male)
Little Egret 1
Water Rail h?
Oystercatcher 1
Redshank 3
Lapwing 3+
Swallow 5+ (4 juvs)
Swift 2
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2+
Wood Pigeon 1
Carrion Crow 5+
Jackdaw 5+
Magpie 2+
Wren h
Starling 5+
Blackbird 2
Song Thrush h
Pied Wagtail 1
Chaffinch 1
Reed Bunting (male)

Brown Hare 3

h=heard only

Broughton-Barton
Sunny warm
1.6 miles
19.00 to 20.40
Parked at The Broughton Inn, then a party of 10 set off by walking up Whittingham Lane to the east.
Crossed the bypass then found a quiet lane on the left before a point where the M6 crossed Whittingham Lane.
Walked up this beautiful old lane slowly as we had plenty of time. Found a path on the left that crossed several fields and eventually back to the bypass.
Retraced steps back down Whittingham Lane to the Pub.
Some of the group retired to the pub for a well deserved drink after a beautiful summer's evening walk.
The highlight of the evening were columns of midges rising high above a tree indicating how warm it was.
Thank you Hazel for some of the images.
Mallard 5+
Pheasant h
Oystercatcher 1
Lapwing 1
Swallow 2+
Black Headed Gull 5+
Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
Wood Pigeon 5+
Collared Dove 2
Carrion Crow 10+
Jackdaw 5+
Magpie 2+
Blue Tit 1
Chiff Chaff h
Wren h
Robin h
Starling 5+
Blackbird h
Song Thrush 5+ h
Chaffinch h
Greenfinch 1
Rabbit 1 black
h=heard only