Amphibians & Reptiles - A poor year for frogs and toads. No palmate newts recorded. If anybody spots frog spawn will you let me know.
Grass snakes - Only three or four sightings, but being a hot summer they could have moved away from their usual basking areas.
Birds - We found our Kingfisher dead below the Old Mill. On closer inspection it had two pea size growths or ticks on its neck. A new Kingfisher has taken its place. Also our kestrel was found dead. It was thin and in poor condition. A Sparrow hawk is now seen more frequently on site. The only tree that the Red Kite perched on was cut down. A good year for Jenny Wrens. A few Black Caps on the lower end of the beds. The Heron not seen lately. Two Water rails on the site this year, arrived two weeks early. A Nuthatch seen on Lower End 14th January. Richard Harrison has recently seen a black and white Starling and Geoff Moseley a black and white Blackbird. No known reason.
Butterflies - A good year. 22 species recorded. For the first time the Essex Skipper was identified on site. The number of butterflies in the top field is increasing each year in areas that have not been disturbed. On the 2nd of December Terry Allsopp saw what I thought was the last butterfly of the season so I sent off my butterfly records for the year, but surprise, surprise, I saw a Red Admiral on the 22nd December, so I wonder who will be the first person to see a butterfly this year?
Crayfish - I am still removing them from the brook at the west end of the beds to try to prevent them getting on to the site.
Dragons & Damsel flies - The best year yet.
Fish - We used to have Trout throughout the cress beds but there are only two small sections that still have them. At the moment (December) they are spawning. Because of the low water levels I have introduced four trout ladders that should help them move upstream. We have increased the habitats for the Bullheads and other fish by replacing the anti-erosion slabs slightly above the bottom of the beds. Plenty of Minnows, 10 Spine Stickleback recorded but no 3 Spine Stickleback seen.
Insects - A very good year, particularly in the top field.
Mammals - A poor year for small mammals. For only the second time in living memory we have no Water Voles on site but we still have a few Black Water Shrews.
Badgers - I was telling Barry Rosier the other day that there were no badgers on the watercress beds and he told me that there were badgers around the edge of the village. The next week I couldn't believe my eyes when a badger sett appeared on the watercress beds. He also told me that wallabies have been seen on the Fair Mile in Henley. The last time I saw a Wallaby was in 1996 on Swyncombe Downs. Although I was for once carrying a camera with the correct lens I was too surprised to take a photo.
Fox - Over the last year I have found two Fox cubs and one adult dead on site.
Water - Good news - the first time in three years the springs have returned and the water level is back to normal.
Pollution - Several sewage blockages recently in the High Street, and on three occasions sewage has poured into the watercress beds.
Desmond Dix - Chiltern Society Site Warden