A window into the wildlife of a wood.
Ox Close Wood is wholly owned and managed by the East Keswick Wildlife Trust. The Trust was created in 1992 in order to purchase the wood so that it could be preserved for the benefit of wildlife and people. We have regular work parties within the wood (and other reserves that are managed by the Trust) and would welcome any volunteers who are interested in helping. Please contact me using the email address at the bottom of the page. The wood is situated between Wetherby and Harewood, W. Yorks.
All photographs in this website, unless accredited otherwise, were taken by me over the last 4 or 5 years.
All insects are wild and free and taken on the basis that they and their environment are the main concern. If you see any errors of identification, please let me know. Cameras that I have used have been a Panasonic DMC-FZ30 and, from October 2007, this and a Nikon D80. The Panasonic is a "bridge" camera and has a good Leica macro-zoom lens. The lens most frequently used with the D80 is the Nikon 105mm macro.
Reference books used in the main to identify specimens are, for odonata; Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland, by Brooks and Lewington. For beetles; Der Kosmos Kaferfuhrer, by Harde and Severa. For wild flowers; Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland by Blamey, Fitter & Fitter. For fungi; Mushrooms by Roger Phillips. For insects in general; Insects of Britain and Western Europe by M. Chinery, and for moths; Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Waring, Townsend and Lewington.
SUCCESS AT LAST. Brimstone butterflies are breeding.
7th-9th May 2010. Brimstone butterflies were seen egg laying on the Alder Buckthorn. This is fantastic news. Back in January 2003, fifty Alder Buckthorn saplings were planted along the top ride in the hope of attracting Brimstone butterflies. Over the years since then, only the occasional insect has been seen. But this weekend at least three pairs were seen - with the females egg laying. It is likely that these insects are the offspring of some that bred unseen last year. See the photo in the Butterflies gallery.
Other events and recent sightings......
- 12th January 2012. Buzzards, Woodcock, Goosanders. 7-spot Ladybirds hibernating as usual, plus one Orange Ladybird to the side of the track to the river.
- 27th November. Two or three Tree Creepers plus a Nuthatch which is quite uncommon in the wood now.
- 17th November. Primroses and Wood Anenome flowering!
- 12th November. Sightings of Woodcock, Kingisher and Peacock butterfly. Because of prolonged dry weather this year fungi have had a poor season, but with the mild and wetter conditions over the last two weeks, many more are now fruiting.
- 19th October 2011. A cool 9'C with a chilly wind, but sunny with a few butterflies flying in sheltered spots and dozens of 7-spot Ladybirds on the fence posts in the sheep enclosure. Buzzard and Red kite momentarilly flying wing-tip to wing-tip. Unusual sighting of a female Stonechat on the bridleway down to the river
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5th May. It's official. Summer's here. The Swifts have arrived!!
2nd August. Summer's over. The Swifts have gone.
- 17th April 2011. Another warm day up to 19'C. Brimstones are egg-laying, three weeks earlier than last year. A Large Red Damselfly was seen in the sunlight on the top ride at the bridge end of the wood. This again is early; the British Dragonfly Association show that none has been seen north of Leicestershire so I have submitted this record.
Latest Update....
13th December... Information on the Harlequin Ladybird extracted from 2008 Newsletter and added to the Ladybirds gallery.
If you see anything in the wood that you would like to tell us about, please do so to the email address below. Include a photo if possible.