Making history

Bwlytai Wood, Wednesday 24 July 2018

After an uneventful but long trip to the north west of Shropshire we gathered in the car park of the village hall in Trefonen and readied ourselves for the visit to the Shropshire Wildlife Trust reserve.

Bwlytai Wood is a small woodland that was given to the Trust by a former resident of Trefonen. The Trust website states that "the bluebells and wood anemones that spill over the ground in spring testify that this is an ancient woodland site".

Unfortunately we were not visiting in spring. 

We were hoping to find fungi.

And we had some early success with a couple of finds on dead wood that we could identify and one that we could not.

Dead moll's fingers:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Candle-snuff fungus:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Unidentified:

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And on live wood, a nice lichen - Candelaria concolor.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

But after these early finds fungi were hard to find.

As were invertebrates. There was a long walk (by our standards) from the car park to the wood so we did not take the vacuum sampler with us. A decision that we regretted almost immediately as the more traditional methods of sweeping and beating were ineffective. There was very little ground level vegetation and most of the trees had no low branches that we could reach to beat!

We did manage to find some larvae which we decided were hoverflies, but we had no idea of the species. Here is a photograph of one:

Photograph: Bob Kemp

One curiosity of the wood is a beech tree

As you walk around it you can see a "window" close to the ground formed when branches have fused.

We lunched and took the decision to go elsewhere. This was the first time in the history of the Joy of Wildlife programme and its predecessors that we had failed to stay at the nominated site.

Nantmawr Quarry and Jones' Rough were just down the road and this is where we went.

I thought that the quarry was now unused and accessible but when we arrived we saw the notice on the gate "Keep out". This confused us as we had been following "brown signs" to the site. What do the brown signs indicate?

No matter, we decided to have a "real" walk by following the first public footpath off the road which would, eventually, take us to Jones' Rough, another Shropshire Wildlife Trust reserve. Before we left the car we did a quick scan of the parking area and found several Large willow aphids sitting on stones.

Photograph: David Williams

The footpath took us up a steep sided pasture. We paused awhile near the top to take in the view, regain our breath and do a bit of entomologising.

Photograph: David Williams

Amongst the grass we noticed some craneflies with "under-developed" wings. These were female Tipula pagana.

Photograph: David Williams

On we went. The footpath brought us out at the top of the quarry. Did we take a look? I'll let you decide.

From here the footpath levelled out taking us through another pasture where the views were spectacular even in the hazy conditions of the day.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Photograph: David Williams

Finally we got to Jones' Rough. The main interest here is a scree slope which is very attractive to butterflies. 

It is a bit late in the season for butterfly watchers but we did espy a faded Wall and a Small copper posed very nicely in front of a camera.

Photograph: David Williams

Amongst the rock we noticed Field grasshoppers.

Photograph: David Williams

Time was passing quickly. It was well past our normal going home time. But, hey, what does it matter when you are enjoying yourselves. 

One last find to report before we made our way home after this historic, curious but enjoyable day. This was the rather elongated beetle Oedemera femoralis.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

My thanks to the Shropshire Wildlife Trust for permitting us to survey and to the photographers David Williams, Bob Kemp and Nigel Cane-Honeysett for allowing me to use their photographs.

Any old iron?

Furber's Scrapyard and Whixall Flood Fields, Wednesday 17th October 2018

What are we doing looking at a scrapyard?

Surely there cannot be anything of interest there. An even if there was, there will be nothing left at this time of the year. If you believe this do not bother reading on.

A couple of years ago Shropshire Wildlife Trust acquired Furber's Scrapyard and several fields that border Whixall Moss, Llangollen Canal and Moss Lane with the long term aim of extending the moss, providing a scrape for wintering birds and providing facilities for visitors such as a bird hide and a small car park.

The scrapyard, being a scrapyard, needed clearing of the accumulated scrap. Most of this has been done and we were granted the opportunity to go take a look.

The site looks barren.

But is it?

The site is surrounded by trees and is a neighbour of Whixall Moss. Even within the area bounded by the trees there are patches of scrubby grassland.

Is it safe?

Only a few items of scrap remain but away from the concrete areas the ground is littered with fragments of car components. And strands of razor wire can be found along the boundary.

It is safe but you must exercise caution when walking about and especially if examining things on the ground.

But what is there to find?

Well, when faced with an area apparently bereft of living things Moth Vac comes to the fore.

What did we find?

This first vacuum sample proved very fruitful.

Adonis ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

Common striped woodlouse.

Photograph: Susan Loose

 A pair of harvestmen that took advantage of their close proximity. Unlike many species harvestmen mate head to head.

Photograph: David Williams

And something we rarely see even in the "best" grasslands, a Small grass shieldbug

Photograph: David Williams

That's a pretty good start for this "barren" landscape.

After this we moved on to exploring the bordering trees and associated vegetation. There were a lot of alders and many were infested with the blue alder beetle Agelastica alni.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And the larva of what we think is the alder sawfly Platycampus luridiventris.

Photograph: Susan Loose

Another sawfly larva was spotted although we do not know the species, but the larva is similar to those of the rose sawfly.

Photograph: Susan Loose

The rust gall Puccinia poarum was found on the underside of a colt's-foot leaf.

Photograph: Susan Loose

Another gall was found in some mugwort. This has been caused by the aphid Cryptosyphum artemesiae.

Photograph: Susan Loose

Other insects making use of the vegetation within the site were:

A common carder bee;

Photograph: David Williams

Ichneumon sarcitorius, as its name implies an ichneumon wasp and one that is, apparently, identifiable by mere mortals;

Photograph: David Williams

A caddis fly, sorry but I do not know the species

Photograph: Susan Loose

Finally, an oak eggar caterpillar.

Photograph: David Williams

The photographs above document a selection of what was observed, there was plenty of other species that were found, recorded and released but not photographed.

So, is the site barren?

I think you now know the answer to that question.

Time had marched on and lunch was taken. After lunch we visited four of the fields that the Trust has acquired but only did cursory searches for invertebrates whilst we looked at the sites and considered their potential.

In the last field we met a representative of Natural England who just happened to be there discussing work with fencing contractors. He then spent a while with us discussing the plans for the sites that we had been looking at.

Amongst the species we encountered in the afternoon were:

Two more galls, both on willow species;

Rabdophaga salicis - Photograph: Susan Loose

Pontania bridgmanii - Photograph: Susan Loose

The hoverfly Eristalis tenax;

Photograph: Susan Loose

Two Scathophaga flies who were clearly confused by the Autumnal sunshine;

Photograph: Susan Loose

As were these common froghoppers;

Photograph: Susan Loose

The rather splendid wolf spider Arctosa perita;

Photograph: David Williams

Finally one of my favourite beetles - a water ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

We enjoyed a good day in an unusual habitat and I hope that we are able to return at a time of the year when there is something about for us to find!

My thanks to the Shropshire Wildlife Trust for giving us permission to visit the scrapyard and fields and to the photographers David Williams, Susan Loose and Nigel Cane-Honeysett for allowing me to use their photographs.

I have one more photograph to share. A fungus - Boletus concretus!

Photograph: Susan Loose

The Hunchback of Llanymynech

Llanymynech Rocks Nature Reserve, Wednesday 10th October 2018

I thought we were early but we were the last to arrive! Seven of us met in the small reserve car park in Pant. After the usual greetings and discussion of this and that we were kitted up and ready to rumble.

Rather than take the path directly to the rock face we took the track that forks left from the main path about 50 yards from the entrance gate. None of us had ever been down this way so why not?

After passing along this rather nondescript path for a while we found three openings that I assume were lime kilns.

These were checked for the presence of cave spiders but were declared unoccupied, probably as they were quite small and not very dark.

Having clambered up to the kilns to get a look you then have to get down again.

A short distance later the rather dingy path opened out into a small clearing where the sun had broken through the early morning mist that was lingering. It was pleasantly warm here and encouraged us to pause awhile checking out the trees, ivy and dense path-side vegetation.

A red admiral was spotted and photographed.

Photograph: David Williams

And an Aphrophora alni posed on a finger presenting an unmissable photo-opportunity.

Photograph: David Williams

There was a fourth kiln here but it was as void of cave spiders as the first three.

With some reluctance we carried on along the path wondering where it was going to take us.

Then we noticed through the trees on our right a descending slope. Was this a path up to the rock face?

Yes it was. We took it passing a tree that looked rather dirty - the effect of the lichen Opegrapha atra.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Eventually we emerged into the sunshine that had been denied to us by the trees apart from at the clearing mentioned earlier.

What a lovely October day.

The rock face stood proud before us. We then noticed a climber ascending the face. After watching for a while we got on with what we had come to do and explored the grassland in front of the rocks but keeping well away from the climber.

Lunchtime approached and as we sort somewhere to sit down a green mushroom was spotted. 

Photograph: David Williams

This is the Mousepee pinkgill. So named as it smells of … well you can guess the reason!

Nearby a common groundhopper was noticed and remarkably it hung around long enough to be photographed.

Photograph: David Williams

A last sweep of a tree before lunch dislodged a hunchback.

Photograph: David Williams

This is the nymph of the treehopper Centrotus cornutus. When it grows up it retains its hunchbacked shape but looks much cuter!

Lunch. What a wonderful place to be.

Photograph: David Williams

After lunch we decided to head for Wales. 

Photograph: David Williams

On the way we noticed a few hemiptera. 

First a green shield bug.

Then a bordered shield bug which unfortunately was no longer alive (making it easier to photograph).

Photograph: David Williams

And finally a Spiked shieldbug which had a deformed wing.

Photograph: David Williams

And, for a bit of relief from all these bugs, a 24-spot ladybird.

Photograph: David Williams

Eventually we crossed the border by passing through the kissing-gate that separates the two quarries. We forged deep into this foreign country and headed for the view point and the seat.

Here we relaxed and took in the view trying to pick out the landmarks noted on the display in front of the seat and reminisced about times past. How we got onto Billy Cotton's Band Show I cannot recall, but we did.

"Wakey! Waykeeeeeeeeeee!". They don't make them like that anymore.

Behind us the very high tripod was set up and captured us in our reflective mood.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

It also captured some rather splendid views of the reserve.

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Photograph: Bob Kemp

Photograph: Bob Kemp

What was there left to do?

Go home.

So we did.

My thanks to Shropshire Wildlife Trust for giving us permission to survey on this excellent reserve and to the photographers David Williams and Bob Kemp for providing such excellent photographs.