Just one of those days by Keith Fowler

Wednesday 25th June, 2014

As some of you may know and a lot probably don’t, a few years ago I found a hoverfly (Callicera rufa), normally resident in the Caledonian Pine Forests, on top of Little Hill. Keen for more people to see this wonderful fly I arranged an “Invertebrately Challenged Tetrad” outing to the summit last year. Unfortunately that quest was unsuccessful as the fly did not come out to play on a rather dull day. So, undeterred, I scheduled a “Joy of Invertebrates” trip and today was the day.

The weather, despite an unpromising forecast was fine and sunny with some but not a lot of, cloud. The prospects were good. Unfortunately not everything went to plan.

1) I was unable to make the trip as I was attending the funeral of an aunt. (Actually she was a second cousin but I always knew her as and called her aunt but I am sure you are not at all interested in this technicality.)
2) I arranged for a deputy to lead the walk only for him to miss the event due to a cat that needed to visit the vet; get well soon. Fortunately I had a deputy’s deputy who kindly agreed to lead.
3) Then one of the stalwarts cried off ill; get well soon.
4) Others were unavailable.

On the plus side three new “walkers” were expected. But then one was unable to make it due to work.

So I met our leader for the day and two of our new walkers at the Forest Glen car park to give them a suggested route, which involved a walk around the Wrekin, a description and picture of the hoverfly and send them on their way.

I departed.

The following day I received an email from the deputy’s deputy letting me know they had completed the walk (and it was quite long). It included this photograph of a fly about 4 metres (or 4 and half yards) up the central Scots Pine on the summit of Little Hill that could only be our target species. 

Mission accomplished.

Well done!

Callicera rufa has now been seen on Little Hill in each of the last four years so it is possible that a colony has established itself on the site. Let us hope they stay and we do not make it impossible for them to survive by, in the name of conservation, “tidying” this bit of habitat.

Yes, it was just one of those days; but, in the end, for positive reasons.

Keith Fowler