Natural History Diary : October 2025
Tuesday 7th October
A very small catch in the moth trap this morning - only 8 moths from 6 species. However my first Green-brindled Crescent of the year was one of them.
Green-brindled Crescent, Aston, Oxon, 7th Oct
    
Green-brindled Crescent | Aston, Oxon    
Monday 6th October
At Farmoor this morning I didn't see anything of note until I got to the end of the causeway. I saw a Clouded Yellow on the grass bank, and it stopped long enough for a photo. There was a Little Egret at Pinkhill, and another one, and a Grey Heron, at Shrike Meadow. Then news came through of a Black-necked Grebe in the SW corner of F2, which showed well enough but it never came close. Just as it reached its closest approach a noisy flock of Greylag Geese flew in, which pushed it further out again! Among the geese was a Canada Goose hybrid. There were a few Grey Wagtails foraging at the water's edge. There were some dragonflies about: one Migrant Hawker and at least ten Common Darters.
In the garden I saw a Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Small White.
Black-necked Grebe, Farmoor, Oxon, 6th Oct
Clouded Yellow ♂, Farmoor, Oxon, 6th Oct
Grey Wagtail, Farmoor, Oxon, 6th Oct
Black-necked Grebe | Farmoor, Oxon Clouded Yellow ♂ | Farmoor, Oxon Grey Wagtail | Farmoor, Oxon
Hybrid Goose, Farmoor, Oxon, 6th Oct
    
Hybrid Goose | Farmoor, Oxon    
Sunday 5th October
I went over to Standlake this morning and walked to the Langley Lane hide. There wasn't much about in the hedgerows, but I saw three Chiffchaffs near the north shore hide. Pit 60 on the other hand was very busy. I counted at least 100 Cormorants - I'd never seen this many at pit 60 before. A Green Sandpiper (my first for 3 years) and a Common Sandpiper went up and down the shore in front of the hide. A Little Grebe was diving near the shore. There were two Grey Herons and three Great White Egrets (a far cry from the 26 GWE seen last week!). There weren't many ducks, although a few Teal were feeding in the surf near the hide. I saw a total of five Speckled Wood, including a female, near the gate leading to the Langley Lane hide. In the same area I saw two Common Darters, a Migrant Hawker, and a female Western Willow Spreadwing, my first at this site (and my latest UK record).
Later I saw a Small White at the allotment, and another in the garden.
Common Darter ♂, Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Common Sandpiper (juv), Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Green Sandpiper (juv), Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Common Darter ♂ | Standlake Common, Oxon Common Sandpiper (juv) | Standlake Common, Oxon Green Sandpiper (juv) | Standlake Common, Oxon
Little Grebe, Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Speckled Wood ♀, Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Western Willow Spreadwing ♀, Standlake Common, Oxon, 5th Oct
Little Grebe | Standlake Common, Oxon Speckled Wood ♀ | Standlake Common, Oxon Western Willow Spreadwing ♀ | Standlake Common, Oxon
Thursday 2nd October
Just 51 moths from 6 species in the trap this morning. Lunar Underwing accounted for more than half of them (32 individuals). The only species of note was a Straw Dot, my latest ever record.
Beaded Chestnut, Aston, Oxon, 2nd Oct
Lunar Underwing, Aston, Oxon, 2nd Oct
Shuttle-shaped Dart, Aston, Oxon, 2nd Oct
Beaded Chestnut | Aston, Oxon Lunar Underwing | Aston, Oxon Shuttle-shaped Dart | Aston, Oxon
Wednesday 1st October
A Chiffchaff was in the trees around the garden today.