How hard the wind doth blow

Ifton Meadows Nature Reserve, Wednesday 19th September 2018

To quote the description on the 'Shropshire's Great Outdoors' website: “Ifton Meadows Local Nature Reserve is a former Colliery site which has since been re-clothed by nature to provide a diverse mosaic of habitats and notable species. From semi-natural ancient woodland with extensive swathes of British bluebell to skylarks nesting on the acid grassland with views across the wider countryside to the Welsh hills.” The reference to distant views might suggest to the reader that the site is a little exposed. And indeed it is. A most interesting place, but we chose to visit on a day marked by very strong winds. Nice in the sunshine, we nevertheless had to shout at each other to be heard. Before long, a decision had been made to retreat into the woodland on the lower slopes of the site in search of shelter.

Before we took to the trees, the grassland was swept, and a few recently planted oak saplings beaten. A caterpillar was spotted, sunning itself in the grass. This turned out to be the larva of the speckled wood butterfly. 

Photograph: David Williams

Later in the day we saw two adults flying in the trees, demonstrating the continuously brooded nature of this species. Three earwigs also appeared in quick succession, two from the grassland, one from the plantation. These were not the ubiquitous common earwig however, but its much less often seen cousin Lesne's earwig, Forficula lesnei. 

Photopgraph: David Williams

This species has now turned up at half a dozen sites in VC40, all of which have one thing in common: landscaping work which includes tree planting. The insect is usually discovered in the plantations themselves, and this was the case again here. Somewhere there is a tree nursery which is seeding Shropshire with this unobtrusive insect. Ifton Meadows is the most northerly Shropshire location yet, and I believe the most northern inland record in Britain. One of our group collected a couple of ichneumon wasps for later identification. Ichneumons are a large & difficult group & seldom (if ever!) feature in our species lists. So to claim these two records for the day was particularly pleasing.  

Acrotomus succinctus - Photograph: Bryan Formstone

Dyspetes praerogator - Photograph: Bryan Formstone

In the woodland, we were at least able to communicate without shouting, though the roar of the wind in the tree-tops was a little alarming. The weather also now decided to become cloudier, and was soon depositing rain at an angle nearer the horizontal than vertical. Fortunately this soon passed, and the day improved steadily from there, though the wind if anything increased in strength. The bark of a large tree-stump was peeled back, and revealed two cells formed in the underlying detritus. One contained a large ground beetle; the other a hibernating bumblebee, probably the tree bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum.  Clearly very drowsy, we snapped a couple of quick pictures & carefully replaced the bark over it. 

Photopgraph: David Williams

We reached the edge of the woodland and heroically decided to brave the maelstrom. Beating oaks at the woodland edge produced hawthorn and bronze shieldbugs, 

Photopgraph: David William

Photopgraph: David William

and the larva of the micromoth Diurnea fagella, all from oak. This last creature is distinguished from all but its two closest relatives by the modified third pair of thoracic legs, which have developed fleshy 'boxing gloves'. The colour of its head capsule clinches the species identification. 

Photopgraph: David Williams

Continuing along the woodland edge, a birch shieldbug was spotted on white poplar. Clearly a day for finding shieldbugs on the 'wrong' plants – perhaps they had been blown there by the wind!  

Photopgraph: David Williams

By now the sun was shining brightly. But the wind finally wore down our resistance, and we headed back to our cars and the prospect of a journey home along roads littered with twigs and branches.   

And to finish a photograph of a soldier fly - probably Sargus bipunctatus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Tea, entomology and more tea

Brickyard Farm and Farfield Meadows, Wednesday 12th September

Four of us arrived at our hosts' splendid residence in lovely September sunshine. Before any serious investigations of their garden & fields commenced, they insisted on plying us with tea & coffee. Our resistance was minimal; some at least did attempt to give an impression of entomologising with one hand whilst holding their beverage with the other!

Photograph: David Williams

Refreshments over, our Arachnologist produced his latest piece of equipment, a pond-net. He had his eye on the garden pond, and the quest for a water-spider, a species, uniquely in Britain, which makes for itself an air-filled 'diving bell' from which to sally forth beneath the pond's surface. Much trawling with the net mainly produced copious quantities of mud, which made finding anything else rather difficult, and no spiders were forthcoming. After leaving the mud to settle for a while, a strange beast did eventually appear from the murk & cause much speculation as to its identity.  Subsequently, the author's ancient Observers Book of Pond Life identified it as an alderfly larva, an odd-looking beast indeed.

Photograph: David Williams

The most numerous (or at least obvious) invertebrate in the grassland was the cranefly Tipula padulosa. 

Photograph: David Williams

Legions of spiked shieldbugs were also enjoying the sunshine, sunbathing low in the vegetation. Worker wasps, their colonial duties coming to an end, feasted instead on the ripe blackberries in the hedgerows. 

Photograph: David Williams

A red kite circled lazily over us. 

Moving on into an area known as 'Seven Acre Field', we encountered several friendly horses, who peered into our beating trays in an interested & affable way. They deserved a photo, but were too large for my macro lens, so sadly went unrecorded. A gorse shieldbug was prised from a gorse bush. Feeling that lunchtime was imminent, we decided a less horse-filled environment was called for, so moved to the next field. Here we pitched camp next to a large dung heap before unwrapping our sandwiches. Yum! During our visit last year, we found lesser earwigs, the money-spider Ostearius melanopygius & various pseudoscorpions in said heap. The first two were duly re-found and recorded, though the pseudoscorpions escaped us on this occasion.

A wooden fence divided this field from an adjacent, ungrazed / unmown one. Examination of this fence, which was in full sun, produced various harvestmen and, oddly, two sunbathing walnut orb-weaver spiders (Nuctenea umbratica). This is a strictly nocturnal species; what it was doing sitting brazenly sunning itself is a mystery.

Photograph: David Williams

Leaning over the fence and sweeping the long grass with a bat-detector, a male long-winged conehead (a bush cricket) was detected in full song.

We decided to have a brief foray into the adjacent SWT reserve (Farfields Meadow). Sadly, it had been cut in July & now had a flock of sheep nibbling it further, and entomological interest was minimal. We gave up and returned to our hosts' abode, where we were further plied with tea, coffee and biscuits, consumed whilst sitting in their lovely garden in warm sunshine. Bliss! An examination of their flower borders revealed various butterflies and bees nectaring on the flowers, including small copper and painted lady, and several Halictus rubicundus, a species of solitary bee. 

Halictus rubicundus & honeybee - Photograph: David Williams

Eventually, and with some reluctance, we forced ourselves up off the garden chairs & made our ways home.  

Some other photographs from the day: 

Corizus hyaoscami

Photograph: David Williams

Dolycoris baccarum

Photograph: David Williams

Eupeodes luniger

Photograph: David Williams

Phalangium opilio

Better late than never

Danson's Farm, Whitchurch - Wednesday 5th September 2018

It is now nearly three weeks since we visited this Danson's Farm. The delay has not been caused by a lack of interest in the site but by my absence from the country on holiday and the decision to leave suitable electronic devices at home. Please accept my apologies for the delay.

Danson's Farm is an old disused farm. Part of it was acquired by The Woodland Trust who created a woodland that runs alongside the Llangollen canal close to Whitchurch. The rest has been managed by its present owner for the benefit of wildlife.

The site nestles between the A41 as it by-passes Whitchurch and the canal. It consists of grassland, woodland, plantation and pools and retains some remnants of the farm buildings.

We met on a small pull-off from the A41 and one of the problems facing this area was immediately apparent.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Sadly, fly-tipping, a curse of our society, is a major concern in this area.

On a brighter note, nearby, an Araneus diadematus was photographed in a tangle of leaves and web.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The owner appeared and unlocked the gate welcoming us to the site. The first area we came to was where the farm buildings used to stand. Only one remained standing (shown in the first photograph) but several bases remained and some upright girders that hinted at past larger constructions.

If you look carefully at the above photograph you will see an object on the metal just above halfway up.

What is it?

An upwardly mobile snail.

This area was rough grassland. It may not have been pleasing on the eye but the variety of the vegetation meant that it was an area where insects flourished and we spent quite a good deal of time surveying it.

Some of the things we found were:

Small copper butterflies - pleasingly these were very common here and throughout the rest of the site.

Photograph: David Williams

Green shiledbug

Photograph: David Williams

A fly - Tachina fera

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

A bee - Lasioglossum calceatum

Photograph: David Williams

And a cranefly -Tipula paludosa

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

On our way from this area into the next field we passed a large patch of Soapwort

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

The next field was grassland surrounded by trees with a large patch of nettles. Careful navigation was required to avoid stings!

An early find in this area was a Blue shieldbug

Photograph: David Williams

And the hawthorns bordering the field harboured a hawthorn shieldbug nymph.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

This field opened out into a large grass field, the focus of which was a pool.

The pool had some reedmace, and where there is reedmace there is always a chance of finding the bug Chilacis typhae.

We were not disappointed as one head hosted a mating pair whilst a third looked on.

The edge of the pool was the perfect spot for lunch.

In fact it was too good a spot as it took a determined effort to get going again after refreshments. But we did tear ourselves away.

Eventually.

As we moved on a hazel tree bordering the large field was beaten dislodging a large mirid bug - Pantilius tunicatus.

Photograph: David Williams

We made our way into the next field. A gorse bush was spotted, searched and yielded a Gorse shieldbug.

Photograph: David Williams

The field descended gently towards the canal whose bank was covered in dense vegetation and alders. And on the alders were:

Blue alder leaf beetle.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

And Parent bug nymphs.

Photograph: David Williams

Trying to hide amongst the lush vegetation but not escaping our eagle eyes was a Burnished brass moth.

Photograph: David Williams

Also lurking in the undergrowth was a huge spider - Araneus quadratus. This is the same genus as the spider in the third photograph but they are easily distinguished by the pattern on their abdomens.

Photograph: David Williams

Time to head back to the cars but we were about as far away from them as we could get! So it took a while to get back. And, needless to say, we kept our eyes open for anything of interest.

The first object that caught our attention was head of a mammal which we think was a mink.

Photograph: David Williams

Whilst some were fascinated by this others turned their attention elsewhere and found a Robin's pin cushion.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

This delightful growth on a rose is a gall which houses larvae of a wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Also making an appearance was the large hoverfly Sericomyia silentis.

Photograph: Jim Cresswell

And finally the spider Gibbaranea gibbosa.

Photograph: David Williams

We finally made it to the cars, took our life into our own hands as we turned right onto the A41 and returned home after an excellent day in a pleasing site worthy of another visit at a different time of the year.

My thanks to the owner for allowing us to do what we enjoy doing and to Shropshire Wildlife Trust for making the initial arrangements. As always my thanks to the photographers Nigel Cane-Honeysett, Jim Cresswell and David Williams for allowing me to punctuate this report with their excellent photographs.

A genuine double-header

Another double-header!

Not through time pressures or laziness but because we made two trips on consecutive days.

So without further ado.

Trip 1:

Lake Vyrnwy RSPB Reserve, Tuesday 28th August 2018

We met in the car park and after initial greetings and pit stops following a longish journey we made straight for the tea room and enjoyed an early elevenses.

Refreshed we drove to the far end of the lake and took the Bala road for a mile or so, parking in a pull-off just after the road crossed the Afon Nadroedd.

Our first job was to change a wheel as one of the cars suffered a puncture.

In a spirit of co-operation the wheel was soon changed.

And the drone was launched

Photograph: Bob Kemp

 There was even time for a selfie (with company)!

Photograph: Bob Kemp

It beats holding the camera in front of you at arms' length or on a selfie-stick.

A quick exploration of the vegetation across the road from the cars located a fox moth larva.

Photograph: David Williams

From the cars we wandered down to the river. On the banks and on the road verge as it approached the bridge we found a good spread of eyebrights.

Photograph: David Williams

Crossing the bridge we wandered into a wet meadow, where there was a mixture of rushes, nettle and grass with the odd tree close to the stream bank.

The hoverfly Leucozona glaucia with its grey/blue abdominal bands posed for a photograph, so a photograph was taken.

Photograph: David Williams

As elevenses and punctures had delayed our start lunchtime soon arrived and, as there were some convenient rocks by the side of the stream, we succumbed, eating whilst appreciating the view and the carrot cake supplied by our host. What a life.

Photograph: David Williams

Lunch over we moved on to view the Pistyll Rhyd-y-meinciau on the Afon Eiddew. This required us to back-track a little to the appropriate car park. From here we made our way along a well trodden path to the falls making lots of stops on the way to have a look around.

After a while the path passed a dry stone wall. This was covered in lichens but one in particular caught our attention. This was Porpidia flavocruenta. According to our lichenologist "An unusual feature is the development of "umbos" (pointed elevation) in the middle of the apothecia ( "jam-tarts")".

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Whilst some were investigating the wall a couple of us looked at the grassland by the side of the river.

Unfortunately nothing of note was found.

On we went until we came to a patch of heathland on the side of the hill. 

From here there was a reasonable but distant view of the falls. The very tall tripod was employed once again.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

We took the opportunity for a rest. Unfortunately all the cake was gone.

Photograph: David Williams

On we went. Until a large rock provided a good perching point whilst looking at the falls which were still some way away.

Photograph: David Williams

On we went.

At last we were getting close. Only the bridge to cross.

And very shortly afterwards we were there.

All we had to do now was walk back then drive home.

My thanks to Sue Loughran for making the arrangements and to David Williams and Bob Kemp for their photographs.

Trip 2:

Postenplain, Wyre Forest, Wednesday, 29th August 2018

We assembled at the start of the forestry track that leads to Postenplain and from there made our way down the ride.

Unfortunately it was a little dark and dingy along the ride and a lack of an understory to the trees made finding things of interest difficult. However, undaunted, we tried: beating trees, sweeping the vegetation at the side of the path, turning over stones and dead wood and using a vacuum sampler.

Eventually we came to a wide clearing. Here the vegetation was much more mixed with bits of heathland, dry and wet grassland, shrubs and scrub.

Buried amongst all this vegetation was a black fungus, Entoloma chalybeum

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Independently two of us found examples of a tiny lace bug, Acalypta parvula.

Photograph: John Bingham

I noticed some movement in the grass and was able to capture the rather bizarre looking planthopper Eupelix cuspidata, with its elongated head, the fringe of which passes through the centre of its eyes.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

From the clearing we continued along a woodland ride then down a side path until we came to another clearing which in normal circumstances would be quite wet. This year the weather has not been normal and it was dry. That did not stop us looking for things of interest, for example Tutsan.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Whilst others chose to have a rest and watch the world go by.

Time was marching on and we were, by our standards, a long way from the cars. So we started on our return journey,

We had gone barely 50 yards when we came across some large mushrooms with a dark cap and blood red pores. These were Boletus luridiformis.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

And this photograph gives me the opportunity to share with you another in the occasional series showing the lengths that a photographer will go to in order to get that perfect shot.

Following this we made our way sedately, with many pauses, back to the cars and home.

My thanks to the Forestry Commission for granting us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to John Bingham for making the arrangements. My thanks also to the photographers John Bingham and Bob Kemp for allowing me to use their photographs.