Author Archives: Richard Bell

Emerald Damselfly

A few more photographs from our field meeting at Potteric Carr earlier this month: an emerald damselfly resting on a rush stem at the dragonfly ponds. A more unusual angle on one of the dragonflies. In close up, you can … Continue reading

Posted in butterflies, Meetings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Potteric Carr

Highlights of our July field meeting at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Potteric Carr reserve included a female marsh harrier hunting over Huxter Well Marsh; such a regular sight that it did little to disturb the herons, little egrets, lapwings, little grebes … Continue reading

Posted in Birds, Meetings | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Richard Brook

Richard Brook, conservationist, plant breeder and 60s music fanatic, who joined the Society in the 1960s and served as excursion secretary and later conservation officer, died on 20 April, aged 74. Extracts from his diary (below) were compiled by Richard’s second cousin, Ann  Brook … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged | 5 Comments

Half Moon and Ashfields

Field meeting, 14 August 2016: The Ashfields, between Heath village and the River Calder (OS ref. SE 353 206), were settlement lagoons for the pulverised fuel ash from Wakefield power station which was decommissioned in 1991. In the past thirty or forty … Continue reading

Posted in Meetings, Nature notes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Townclose Hills Field Meeting 10 July 2016

Pyramidal, common spotted and a hybrid orchid were in flower on the plateau at Townclose Hills Nature Reserve, also known as Billy Woods. Despite the breeze we saw ringlet, meadow brown, small tortoiseshell, small skipper and a few marbled white … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More newts fall prey to blackbird

It’s a wonder that we’ve got any newts left! I didn’t see her catch it but by the time I got my camera she’d finished despatching it. My 40 second movie has a soundtrack of me cursing as she flies … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Blackbird catching newts

On Saturday 16 May this female blackbird caught five smooth newts in our garden pond. She either waits in the centre of the pond, perching on the blanket of duckweed, or stalks along the edge. As soon as she catches … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged | Leave a comment