2011

Regular recorders are indicated by their initials:

DWE - Dave Emley
JAL - Andy Lawrence
MS - Mark Sutton
NC - Neil Carter
NDP - Nick Pomiankowski
ST - Steve Turner

December 20th : a juvenile Iceland Gull was in a field by the roundabout at the bottom of Keele bank. Not on campus but a nice bird to see so close to us NDP, JAL, DWE.

December 18th : Peregrine over fields by Lymes Road, Raven and Golden Plover over Drive Lodge MS.

November 29th : a tree in Barnes Dell that we thought was a Judas Tree turns out to be Redbud Hazel Disanthus cercidifolius so a new addition to our list DWE - see the blog.

November 25th : 40 Mallard, 3 Moorhens and 4 Little Grebes on the top lake DWE.

November 1st : 35 Mallard on the top lake plus the resident 3 Little Grebes DWE.

October 28th : 300 Wood Pigeons flew south at 8am DWE.

Ocftober 22nd : A Yellow-legged Gull was seen in fields along Lymes Road with Lesser Black-backed Gulls MS. This is the first record for our recording area.

October 14th : Six Crossbills and 10 SIskins were feeding in Norway Spruce behind Keele Hall; a Redpoll and a few Redwings flew over too DWE.

October 10th : a flock of 10 Redwings flew over the Terrace at 8am DWE.

October 3rd : a new moth to Keele - Large Wainscot - was found by a security light by the Walled Garden. Also a flock of 20 Long-tailed Tits and a Chiffchaff flew over DWE.

September 30th : two Harlequin Ladybirds in the moth trap - my first at Keele. This is an invasive species that attacks other, native, ladybirds DWE.

September 29th : two new plants for the Keele list were growing by the Observatory - Thorn Apple Datura stramonium and Annual Nettle Urtica urens. DWE.

September 15th : Three Siskins over Keele Hall; Common Darter and Southern Hawker over Lake 4. Can only see one adult and two juvenile Little Grebes on lake 1 DWE.

September 13th : a Siskin flew over Keele Hall and Chiffchaff was singing by the Walled Garden DWE.

September 2nd : A flock of up to 100 House Martins and Swallows was flying round the Dorothy Hodgkin and Hornbeam buildings this morning DWE.

August 15th : Pair pair of Little Grebes with three chicks were seen on the top lake and so far,  at least 12 pairs of House Martins have bred on campus NDP.

August 1st : Small Heath butterfly seen in the Walled Garden along with numerous hoverflies, largely Episyrphus balteatus -  a common migrant species DWE.

July 27th : Two new plants for Keele one going by the marvellous name of Good-King-Henry Chenopodium bonus-henricus and the other Fig-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodium ficifolium were found in the Walled Garden. Despite masses of thistles and Buddleia there was only one Peacock butterfly DWE.

July 14th : Green Woodpecker heard in Barnes Dell; Common Blue and Azure Damselflies plus Brown Hawker on Lake 1 where there were 25 Mallard and a Little Grebe DWE.

July 4th : A Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet was seen in the Walled Garden DWE. A Yellow Wagtail flew over the Sneyd Arms MS.

July 2nd : Lesser Whitethroat singing along Lymes Lane has been present since May so may be breeding MS. 

June 20th : Garden Warbler continues to sing in the Walled Garden as does Stock Dove on the Terrace. Six-spotted Burnet was seen along Clock House Drive DWE.

June 2nd : hatch of Common Blue Damselflies on the top lake and Carrion Crow seen mobbing a Raven as it flew over DWE; Great Spotted Woodpecker seen feeding chicks Kendal Allen.

May 31st : a Hare with 5 leverets in long grass outside the Medical School Debbie Cooke.

May 24th : Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff singing by the Observatory DWE.

May 23rd : A Fallow Deer was seen in a garden in Keele village Marie Parkes. It is unusual to get records on "our" side of the M6.

April 28th : a Cuckoo was calling along Clock House Drive Ian Wright.

April 27th : a calling Cuckoo flew over Drive Lodge - a rare sighting at Keele MS.

April 18th : four Crossbills flew over Drive Lodge MS.

April 9th : a Red Kite and 3 Sand Martins flew past Drive Lodge MS.

April 7th : a Wheatear was seen in a ploughed field on Lymes Lane MS.

April 7th : summer visitors are starting to arrive following the warm weather. There were 2 Blackcaps and several Chiffchaffs on the Terrace and Swallow over the campus and Willow Warbler singing in Church Plantation DWE.

March 27th : a very early Willow Warbler singing by Drive Lodge MS.

March 26th : male Tufted Duck on Lake 1 MS.

March 23rd : a pair of Mandarin Ducks in display flight around the Clock House area DWE.

March 22nd : Chiffchaff singing in Church Plantation DWE.

March 20th : a Crossbill flew over Drive Lodge MS.

March 18th : two Canada Geese, 7 Mallard, 4 Moorhens and 2 Little Grebes on the top lake; Nuthatches and Stock Doves are very vocal along the Terrace DWE. 3 Yellowhammers and a Tree Sparrow along Lymes Road MS.

March 15th : up to 20 Redpolls feeding in a Church Plantation garden Peter Thomas.

March 5th : first Curlew of the year over Drive Lodge; two pairs of Teal on a small pool opposite the Lodge; a pair of Little Grebes on Lake 1 has been joined by a returning  pair of Canada Geese MS.

February 6th : 5+ Snipe in a field off Clock House Drive JAL.

January 23rd : a pair of Ravens displaying over Drive Lodge and a female Goosander flew past MS.

January 18th : a skein of 100 Pink-footed Geese passed over campus at 09.00. The first moths of the year turned up in the moth trap - Early Moth and Pale Brindled Beauty. DWE

January 17th : After winter temperatures of -15C it is nice to see that there are still 2 Little Grebes on Lake 1, plus 6 Moorhens and 10 Mallard DWE.

January 3rd : a Peregrine flew over fields opposite Drive Lodge while two Greater Black-backed Gulls flew over the house MS.