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Please send all Wildlife sightings and images to Dave Carroll email until 12th February
February 2012
Tuesday 7th
When a Fox appeared on the ice at Piper Marsh carrying at Coot, Sue and Brain Trout where both in the hide with their cameras to capture the moment (photos below).
Fox carrying a Coot on Piper Marsh, 7th February 2012 © Brian Trout
Fox carrying a Coot on Piper Marsh, 7th February 2012 © Sue Trout
Monday 6th
Photos today of two Potteric Carr carnivors, Mink, photographed by Barry Wardley, and Fox at Piper Marsh taken by Robin Mokryj.
Mink at the IDB pumping station on 6th February 2012 © Barry Wardley
Fox at Piper Marsh today, 6th February 2012 © Robin Mokryj
Fox at Piper Marsh today, 6th February 2012 © Barry Wardley
Saturday 4th
This Fox was in a hurry at a frozen Huxter Well Marsh.
Fox running across Huxter Well Marsh on 4th February 2012 © Robin Mokryj.
Friday 3rd
6 Roe Deer were on Willow Bank blue path and 3 Foxes rested on the Piper Marsh islands in the morning (C Bailey).
January
Tuesday 31st
3 Roe Deer ran across Huxter Well in the morning.
Monday 30th
Black Spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Hawthorn Bank above Hawthorn Field. Taken yesterday © Ken Woolley.
Sunday 29th
Derek Bateson reports:
‘Two of the Three Musketeers decided on birding and looking for the elusive Bittern today so I decided to look for some female Hazel flowers Corylus avellana (image) near the Field Centre. These are tiny, and somewhat difficult to find, looking like tiny crimson sea anemones emerging from a bud. These are a little late and emerged ten days after the male catkins first appeared (I have attached an image for comparison, but the images are not to scale). Lichens seem to be proliferating around the Reserve due to the clean air and I was attracted to this group of developing colonies covered in frost, probably Xanthorina and Parmelia sp. (image). Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus is one of the fungi now appearing regularly and these two images show both rosette and bracket forms (images).
As it was extremely cold, I decided to call it a day.’
Other reports today included 2 Roe Deer on Piper Marsh and a Weasel performing in front of Decoy Marsh Hide.
Frosted lichen colonies probably Xanthoria and Parmelia sp. © Derek Bateson.
Hazel catkin (male) Corylus avellana left and Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus © Derek Bateson.
Hazel female flower © Derek Bateson.
Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus © Derek Bateson.
Saturday 28th
Ken Woolley found some twenty or thirty leaves fully open on a Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna near the Decoy Marsh boardwalk, following which he went into landscape mode see images of Huxter Well Marsh below.
Huxter Well Marsh Cell 2A looking east © Ken Woolley.
Huxter Well Marsh central grassland area © Ken Woolley.
2 Foxes ran across the Central Grassland, one chasing the other. They must have been going full speed and ran until out of view towards the motorway bridge near Loversall Fields. Perhaps two males or maybe a male chasing a female? (S & R Bird).
Friday 27th
There were five Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus in Black Carr Field this morning (Glyn Hudson).
Thursday 26th
Dave Carroll reports:-
I had a Stoat Mustela erminea near the Division Drain wooden bridge at Loversall Field and a Frog Rama temporaria on the footpath through St Catherine's Copse.
Saturday 21st
A nice rich coloured Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa was photographed in Corbett Wood and a very early flowering (1st for the year) Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara was along the Green Walk near Old Eaa Hide. (Ken Woolley).
Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa © Ken Woolley.
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara © Ken Woolley.
Thursday 19th
Steve Clements a local fungi expert was on the Reserve today and below are some of the images he recorded. Steve's fungi foray resulted in several new species for the Reserve.
Smoky Bracket Bierkandera adusta left, dark form and right, pale form © Steve Clements.
Ochre Cushion Hypocrea pulvinata © Steve Clements.
Left, Slime Mold Trichia species and right, Mucilago crustacea © Steve Clements.
A single Hare seen bounding about on Huxter Well Marsh's Cell 3b. (Ian Heppenstall).
Wednesday 18th
More images from yesterday this time from the camera of Ken Woolley. The hoar frost ice crystals were on a Birch Betula pendula twig on Black Carr Field, the frosted Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaves were along the path down to the same area, the Slime Mold Mucilago crustcea fungi was just off Loversall Bank on the minor path to Loversall Delph and adding a splash of colour the Water Fern Azolla filiculoides and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta, frozen in a layer of ice, were on Willow Marsh.
Hoar frost ice crystals on a Birch Betula pendula twig © Ken Woolley.
Left, frosted Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaves and right, Slime Mold Mucilago crustcea fungi © Ken Woolley.
Water Fern Azolla filiculoides and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta © Ken Woolley.
Tuesday 17th
On a very cold frosty day but with the sun shining Derek, Ken and myself setoff at Ken's instigation for Black Carr Field. The grasses and thistles covered in hoar frost were quite spectacular (see images). By 10-20 am Derek had had enough and returned to the Field Centre.
Ken and myself went to check along Hawthorn Bank which had just a few frosted covered fungi these included Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus on a Silver Birch Betula pendula stump (see image) and also Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes again on a Silver Birch Betula pendula stump.
By late morning it was somewhat warmer but it had started to cloud over and the light had 'gone'. Below are some images of the frosted flora.
Hoar frost ice crystals on dead Thistle © Allan Parker ARPS
Hoar frost ice crystals on dead Thistle © Allan Parker ARPS
Left, Hoar frost ice crystals on tree trunk and right frosted Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus © Allan Parker ARPS
Monday 16th
This male Roe Deer showing white neck markings was photographed on the Reserve by Barry Wardley
Roe Deer male © Barry Wardley
Sunday 15th
Derek Bateson reports:-
'Very frosty this morning so it seemed that 'arty crafty' was in order. KW had gone off to look for the Bittern at Decoy Marsh so AP GH and RM set off for Division Drain but almost immediately Glyn spotted three 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata on the underside of a Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaf but they were in deep shade. We (DB and AP) then found several Teasel Dipsacus fullonum covered in frost (see image), also berries of Hawthorn Crataegus montana (see image), plus a colourful Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaf, edged in frost. The fence at the bottom of Cottage Drain was covered in hoar frost (see image).
Next up was a Wren searching crevices for insects. I then saw a Willow Salix trunk where the bark had fallen away, completely exposing the black rhizomorphs of Honey (Bootlace) Fungi Armillaria mellea (see image).
Soon, after AP discovered he had mislaid a camera component and went back to search the path I went on by myself and noted at least three pairs of Bullfinch on Willow Bank, also a small flock of Long-tailed Tit. By this time, I was in creative mode and photographed a couple of rather striking Dog Rose Rosa canina branches bearing thorns (see image), and whilst doing this I found a dormant 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata using the thorns as some protection from the cold (see image). The morning finished with a couple of Lichens and some rather nondescript bracket fungi’
An American Mink Mustela vison (bad news for the Reserve) was seen on Decoy Marsh (KW) and a Fox Vulpes vulpes was on Piper Marsh (AP KW et al)
Left, frosted Teasel Dipsacus fullonum © Allan Parker ARPS and right frosted Hawthorn Crataegus montana berries © Derek Bateson
Ice crystals on frosted fence © Allan Parker ARPS.
Left, Bramble Rubus fruiticosus frosted leaf and right, Honey (Bootlace) Fungi Armillaria mellea rhizomorphs © Derek Bateson.
Left, Dog Rose Rosa canina and right, 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata © Derek Bateson
Thursday 12th
Two more images from Tuesday the Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa was photographed along the path past Piper Marsh and the splash of winter colour is in the form autumn Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaves in Childers Wood.
Left, Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa © Ken Woolley and right Bramble Rubus fruiticosus leaves © Allan Parker ARPS
Tuesday 10th
'AP, KW and DB opted for the northern part of the Reserve today, and Gorse Ulex europaeus in flower were the first subject along Decoy Bank, later near the viaduct at the eastern end of Childers Wood KW spotted some patches of the attractive Moss Polychtricum commune (see image) which we all photographed. We looked in vain for Scarlet Elf Cup but like most fungi this year is probably going to be a month late.
Ken and Allan then adopted the ‘arty crafty’ mode whilst I made my way to the edge of Corbett Field where there was a small group of tawny-yellow fungi (see image) which I have not been able to identify.
Close by on a Birch stump was a typical small growth of Chondostereum purpureum (see image), and on another stump Candle Snuff (Stag's Horn) Xylaria hypoxylon (see image), but this did not display the usual ‘stag’s horn’ formation.
Looking for invertebrates under various pieces of bark, I came across what might be a mass of eggs, or maybe even a slime mould (see image), difficult to photograph in poor light, so I will be pleased if anyone has any ideas on its identification.
KW/AP later found some more fruiting bodies of Artist’s Fungus Ganoderma applanatum in Corbett Field a first record for this area though the several fruiting bodies were of various ages (see image,) the last of the Olive Oysterling Panellus serotinus fungi was getting past its sell by date (see image) and a birch stump was noted covered in a pattern of fungal growths (see image)’
Left, Gorse Ulex europaeus © Allan Parker ARPS and right Moss Polychtricum commune © Derek Bateson
Left, Candle Snuff (Staghorn) Xylaria hypoxylon and right unidentified fungi © Derek Bateson
Eggs or Slime Mold see text' © Derek Bateson
Right, Chondrostereum purpureum © Allan Parker ARPS and right, Artist’s Fungus Ganoderma applanatum © Ken Woolley
Left, Olive Oysterling Panellus serotinus and right, fungal growths on Birch Stump © Allan Parker ARPS
Sunday 8th
Report from Ken Woolley.
During the first part of a solo post lunch stroll I became so bored that I started taking pictures with my compact of mosses and lichens (how sad can you get !). I perked up however when I counted the overwintering leaves of 23 Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera (see there is light at the end of the tunnel). These were in two batches one of eighteen and one of five. As two of the batch of eighteen were 'doubles' that is a potential (but unlikely) twenty-five flowering spikes in the summer.
Lichens © Ken Woolley.
Sunset at Decoy Marsh © Ken Woolley
Derek Bateson reports:
'Today, although not brilliant was quite warm and the three Musketeers set off together, but KW and AP were ornithologically inclined, with telescopes not cameras, so we later went our separate ways. Now doubt a bird report will materialise. Near the Pumping Station, female catkins of Hazel Corylus avellana were fully out and producing pollen, but no male catkins were visible so far (see image).
In Black Carr Field in fact the female catkins were not developed to the pollen stage. I had decided to examine some rotten logs and in the first of these found Black Snake Millipede Tachypodoilus niger (see image) but this seemed slightly damaged in the centre section although clearly displaying the distinctive white legs. Almost alongside were several small Snail Discus rotundatus, and a baby Woodlouse Oniscus asellus had crawled alongside (see image). Several adult Woodlouse Oniscus asellus (see image) were under the same piece of bark. Whilst examining more dead logs I came across a very dark specimen of the Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa, so I photographed this, and its underside to show the pore formation (see images).
Finally, under another piece of bark I found an insect larva which refused to position itself properly for the camera (see image). So far I have been unable to come up with an ID as I’m rather puzzled by the rear appendages (claspers?). Can anyone out there suggest anything?’
Hazel Corylus avellana female catkins © Derek Bateson
Left, Black Snake Millipede Tachypodoilus niger and right, Snail Discus rotundatus, and a young Woodlouse Oniscus asellus © Derek Bateson
Woodlouse Oniscus asellus © Derek Bateson
Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa © Derek Bateson
Unidentified insect larva © Derek Bateson
A Happy New Year to all our contributors and readers.
Sunday 1st
Not much to report on the wildlife scene just the last remnants of fungi still about and surprisingly several plants still in flower including Bramble Rubus fruiticosus and Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium. Also in flower was Gorse Ulex europaeus but that's normal for this time year especially with it being so mild.
Fungi included Candle Snuff (Staghorn) Xylaria hypoxylon, Turkey Tails (Many-zoned Polypore) Trametes versicolor, Birch Mazegill Lenzites betulinus, Jew's Ear (Jelly Ear) Auricularia auricula-judae, Chondrostereum purpureum and Velvet Shank Flammulina velutipes (AP KW).
A Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus was reported on the path to the west of Black Carr Field ('Butterfly Alley') (SC SR JK).
Left, Candle Snuff (Staghorn) Xylaria hypoxylon and right, Smoky Bracket Bierkandera adusta dark form © Ken Woolley.
Gorse Ulex europaeus © Allan Parker ARPS
Wildlife News, September to December 2011
Wildlife News, March to August 2011
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