A “Red Kite” Day

In cricketing parlance our joint outing with Invertebrate Challenge to Mortimer Forest to hunt for the spurge bug Dicranocephalus medius and the Cow-wheat shieldbug Sehirus biguttatus was “abandoned without a ball being bowled”. Fortunately this decision was made the day before the event so unnecessary travel was avoided. And by a second stroke of “fortune” our next trip was to Ludlow’s Whitcliffe Common a couple of miles away.

The weather was fine but overcast when four of us made the journey to Ludlow to visit the aforementioned Whitcliffe Common, a Shropshire Wildlife Trust Reserve just across the River Teme from the centre of Ludlow.

As there were only four of us we all travelled in one car. The trip got off to an inauspicious start when two of the group had senior moments and thought we were leaving half an hour later than arranged. Thankfully we were not meeting anyone on site – (I apologise to anyone who did turn up at the meet point, waited then went home disgusted). It was a frustrating journey via Bridgnorth and all sorts of villages getting behind slow moving wagons and nervous drivers. As one of the back-seat drivers remarked – “I would never have come this way” – very helpful. I then missed our turning in Ludlow onto “Weeping Cross Lane”.

Then things looked up. Just after the missed turning was a car park which I went into to do a U-turn and spotted a drab brick building - unmistakeably a public toilet. So, being gentleman of a certain age, we took advantage. Thank you Ludlow. Emptied and refreshed we eventually arrived at the meeting point about 45 minutes late. No-one was waiting for us.



We parked in the lay-by next to the “view-point” and took in the view. As we all know the vegetation around a car park is irresistible to the invertebrate hunter. And, next to the lay-by was an extensive patch of tall vegetation just asking to be inspected - and - there were seats. Oh joy! What more could we want?


And we spent the next few hours never venturing more than a couple of hundred yards from the lay-by making liberal use of the seats for identifying what we had found, resting our bags and equipment, talking to the locals, taking in the view, eating lunch – I do not think that anyone had a nap, but I could be wrong.

It was during lunch that we saw, fairly high in the sky, a large bird with long wings. Clearly not a Buzzard as one helpfully drifted past as we were looking to allow a comparison. Binoculars were employed and the unmistakeable shape of a Red Kite observed.

It was with some reluctance that we left the comforts of Whitcliffe Common and made the short trip to Mortimer Forest. Again the car park proved irresistible. But we were on a mission, we had target species, so we tore ourselves away and headed up a road past the Forestry Commission offices then onto a wide ride.

“What are you doing?” was a reasonable question from the local FC warden. An explanation was proffered. “Groups need permission” was the response. There were only four of us, hardly likely to cause much disturbance, certainly no more than all the dogs that were being exercised there. “However, as you’re here”. Thank you Mr Warden.

Unfortunately we did not find either of our target species but we did manage to walk to the edge of the county before returning to the car. The trip home was much easier than the journey out as the roads were much quieter.

All in all a mixed day but really it was a “Red Kite” day.