Bathampton Down and Bushy Norwood, 17 June 2026

Leader: Glen Maddison

On a thoroughly miserable cloudy and wet June morning, just 5 members joined me and Janine on this expected 4 hour trip around the meadows and woods near Bath University. I did consider cancelling at the time, but was persuaded to go ahead.

Walking through wet woodland towards the first meadows, we picked up Blue-tailed Damselfly, and a nice Orange-spotted Plant bug, with just a handful of moths, which were mostly Garden, Satin, Straw and Chevron Grass-veneers, before I managed to capture and show a Twin-barred Knothorn. Though the meadows were very wet, we added Meadow Brown and Marbled White Butterflies to our list, with a Buzzard being seen off by a pair of Carrion Crows.

Red-admiral butterfly was seen as we neared the quarry, and a few White-legged Damselflies were also out and about. Most of our party then decided to descend the slippery slopes into the quarry, though Andrew and I decided against it and had lunch near the golf-course.

We met up again after about 40 minutes and continued along the side of the golf-course, through the species-rich meadows, and though very wet underfoot, we were able to pick out some more interesting invertebrates, including the Common Stilleto fly, a new one for many of us, and a number of Large Skippers.

A Mistle Thrush collecting worms for hungry nestlings, Skylarks singing, and distant views of Goldfinch, Whitethroat and Blackcap were best of the birds, though many more were heard.

We parted at the edge of the golf-course, where I decided on walking back into Bath in soaking boots, to await better weather, whilst the rest walked back to the university.

31 birds species were noted, 9 species of Butterfly too.

Glen Maddison

Mike Williams recorded the following observations:

Path at top of university
Brown Ant (Lasius brunneus) under log; Pill Millipedes also under log

Bushey Norwood
Plants: Lesser Trefoil, Self-heal, Creeping Thistle, Rough Hawkbit, Red Clover, Meadow Buttercup, Pyramidal Orchid, Ox-eye Daisy, Yellow Rattle, Musk Thistle, Lady’s Bedstraw, Common Mouse-ear
Insects: A dead Rustic Sailor Beetle (Cantharis rustica); 12 Meadow Brown, Common Carder Bumblebee, (worker), 7-spot Ladybird, Painted Lady, Striped Slender Robberfly (Leptogaster cylindrica)

Wood
Red Admiral, Dryad’s Saddle

Golf course near quarry
White-legged Damselfly, Marbled White, Silver-Y, Ringlet

Seven Sisters Quarry
Plants: Common Spotted Orchid (approx. 100), Pyramidal Orchid (10), Wild Thyme, Common Milkwort, Yellow Rattle, Quaking Grass, Common Valerian, Argimony, Hop Trefoil, Woolly Thistle
Insects: Brown Argus, Marbled White, Marmalade Hoverfly

In quarry
3 Lesser Horseshoe bats, 1 Cave spider (Meta menardi/bourneti)

Golf Course
Mistle Thrush, Bumblebee Blacklet hoverfly (Cheilosia illustrata)