Quincentenary

Wednesday 9th October 2024, Titterstone Clee, Cleeton St Mary

🎉500 Up!

This outing marked our 500th site visit (by my reckoning) in the 13 years that the group has been undertaking forays into the Shropshire, and surrounding countryside.

And I missed it!

The outing was to an area in the foothills of Titterstone Clee, in the vicinity of Cleeton St Mary which lies east of northeast of the summit. The habitat being surveyed was mainly grassland peppered with wet flushes, ditches and a stream.

As I was absent enjoying a break in Dorset I asked for snippets of information about the day from which I could cobble together this report. 

 
Normally I would paraphrase any responses into the report but, on this occasion, as their contributions present such different views of the day, I have decided to present them verbatim (with a couple of editorial tweaks). Each is followed by a few photographs.

The Generalist and star spotter of very interesting but often very small things:

“A couple of us, together with The New Dear leader had a easy journey there and we were surprised to not be heading for the blackest part of the sky, our pleasure was slightly diminished as we drove past the parking spot, past the Church and out of the village looking for the presumed parking spot……… A mile or so later we turned round, retraced our steps and parked behind other members of the group, a few others arrived shortly after. it was decided the lower slopes by the ditch would be too wet so we headed up hill. The weather was dry, very occasionally light rain but mostly mizzling! Two Cordyceps were found early on. Very, very few bugs, the highlight was male and female Periscope Head spiders found around lunch time. Someone has a smart weevil to id and that’s about it. We gave up c3pm as a large bank of dark rain cloud approached.

“I was amused that we remained in sight of the cars the whole time. As the crow flies we may have done less than a mile!!”

A cordyceps fungus, Cordyceps militaris, which is generally a parasite of moth and butterfly larva buried in the soil.

 Photograph: David Williams

Here is a second.

 Photograph: John Martin

Another fungus, found on bracken, Typhula quisquiliaris, known as Bracken club.

 Photograph: David Williams

A lacebug associated with moss, Acalypta parvula.

 Photograph: David Williams

A second lacebug, usually found on gorse, Dictyonota strichnocera.

 Photograph: David Williams

A ground bug, Drymus brunneus.

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The birder (and botanist and lots of other things):

“The only tale I can provide is that of the ouzel hunt. I thought an isolated Rowan with loads of berries looked good for a migrant Ring Ouzel and we all saw a group of Redwings and a couple of Mistle Thrushes fly out from it. I went over to check but there didn't seem to be any ouzels in there. I actually played a recording of their call just in case it prompted one to pop up. I then returned and played it to the some of the group too so we knew what to listen for. It was something of a surprise some time later when one then called back from the direction of the Rowan. Some blackish thrushes were moving about in there but hard to see. A couple more flew in including a nice male Ring Ouzel with an obvious white crescent on the breast. The group approached cautiously but the ouzels melted away somehow, a couple flying off up the hill and the rest disappearing somewhere unknown. I wandered round the back of the tree and circled round to see if they were in the Bracken but just managed to fall into a ditch and ended up upside down with my phone resting on bracken above the water. Otherwise the day was without incident. Luckily this was not captured on camera”

Lesser skullcap;

 Photograph: John Martin

Lemon-scented fern

 Photograph: John Martin

A very damp ground bug, Stygnocoris sabulosus.

 Photograph: John Martin

A psyllid, an Aphalara species.

 Photograph: John Martin

A plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis.

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The arachnologist (and deputy weevilist):

“The day it rained forever (apologies to Ray Bradbury)

“The weather forecast looked fine all week – no chance of rain whatsoever.

“Accordingly, a merry band of Joy of Wildlifers set out for the slopes of Titterstone Clee adjacent to Cleeton St Mary. The occasional use of windscreen wipers on the way was dismissed as an aberration that would go away.

“Having sailed (that term will seem more relevant as this tale unravels) past the layby where we were supposed to meet, much consultation of maps and apps resulted in a u-turn and, spotting other JoW members who got it right first time, parking and disembarking was achieved

.
“Unloading equipment and donning suitable outdoor clothing without getting one or both of those covered in sheep droppings proved just out of reach despite proverbial effort but was, literally, shrugged off. At least it wasn’t raining!

“Leaping, fording, wading and other techniques were employed to cross a stream that crossed our path on to the slopes of the Clee.

“Almost immediately it began to rain. Whilst awaiting the rain to clear, after all the weather forecast said it wouldn’t rain at all, we beat, swept and vacc’d and then watched terrestrial invertebrates learning how to swim in the collecting trays. Front crawl, backstroke but, alas, no butterfly!

“Those who read our leader’s carefully prepared site Working Information Card (WIC) knew to expect “wet flushes” (for those of a delicate disposition this refers to the terrain and not any medical condition) and were suitably shod (ditto) so the considerable amount of surface water proved navigable whilst we waited for the rain to clear.

“Finally the sacred Time of Lunching arrived so we looked for somewhere to shelter. This proved to be only available along the banks of a stream which, by know, gave a good impression of a raging torrent. As we had been steadily ascending whilst beating, sweeping, vaccing and waiting for the rain to clear we now had to negotiate a steep slope made slippery by, yes, you’ve guessed it, the rain.

View from the lunch spot.  Photograph: David Williams

“Nevertheless we descended with all equipment and, most vitally, lunch. There we sat under some trees dripping with water but at least giving us some shelter from the rain itself. We did a bit of vaccing and poking around and then realised that the water dripping from the trees was just that – the rain itself had stopped! Eagerly we scrambled back up the slope to be met by the soft refreshing rain which had just re-started.

“Go back a few paragraphs and repeat until well and truly soaked. Keeping a weather eye out (the other one was kept dry under waterproof headgear) we decided that the approaching mist and gloom was not, in fact, the eagerly anticipated clearing in the rain but more of the same in spades.

“We stuck it out for just long enough to be considered dedicated but not totally lunatic and then, skirting the large inland sea which had mysteriously appeared as if from nowhere but we know where it came from don’t we readers, we returned to the cars which were much closer than usual on these forays.

“So was it all worth it? Well this arachnologist thinks it was. We found a Nationally Scarce money spider (Hypselistes jacksoni) and another one we are always pleased to see and which we call Mr Periscope Head due to the bizarre head region on the male particularly and which can now guess at the function of. This in addition to the largest number of arachnid species encountered since the summer but did I mention the rain?”

Here are some of those arachnid species:

Hyposinga pygmaea;

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Zygiella atrica;

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Mr and Mrs Periscopehead, Walckenaera acuminata;

 Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Mr Periscopehead;

 Photograph: David Williams

And finally some beetles:

A pair of Pselaphus beetles. The one on the left is Pselaphus heisei.

 Photograph: Nigel Jones

A heath ladybird, Scymnus femoralis.

 Photograph: David Williams

And a weevil Andrion regensteinense.

My thanks to David for taking care of all the arrangement leading up to the visit and on the day, to Jim, John and Nigel for their contributions and to the photographers for their wonderful images and allowing me to use them in this report.

Quincentenary + 1

This outing, scheduled for Manor Road Pit Mound and Dawley Deepfield in Telford was cancelled due to heavy and persistent rain. We will have to wait for no. 501.

Dothill - Prequel

After reading my report about our visit to this site, my wife reminded me that a petition had been handed to Wrekin Council, requesting conservation of the habitat around Dothill Pool, in 1988. This was organised by three primary school children - one of whom was my son! How could I forget?

Up on the farm

Wednesday 2nd October 2024, Pentre Hodre Farm

Pentre Hodre Farm is an upland farm where the longhorn cattle and sheep have, more or less, the freedom of the farm. Gates within the farm are left open, so they can range from field to field at their whim. The overall aim of the owners is to “rewild” their farm and are using the stock in the same way that Knepp use theirs. It is still in its early stages. This is a site that should be visited periodically in future to see how it develops.

We met in the farmyard. Suited, booted and kitted out we set out on our wanderings, a bit like the cattle, ranging from field to field as our mood took us.

This is a little fanciful as I had a rough plan for a circuit in mind, but, as I have reported many times, the group does not often follow the plan I have in my head.

We passed a small fenced field where there was a single occupant - a Tamworth boar.

He was a friendly chap and came over to greet us, probably hoping for food, but stood still as we gave it a scratch. 

Moving from this field into the next we noted a herd of English longhorn cattle.

Photograph: David Williams

Eyeing them suspiciously we met the farmer who reassured us that they were very docile and we did not need to worry about them. BUT beware of getting too close as the horns are dangerous if you are near and one turns its head suddenly.

We were at the top of the field they were in the middle. And it remained that way as we investigated the hedgerow and elms.

Here are some of the things we saw:

A mirid bug that has turned up frequently in recent weeks, Pantilius tunicatus;

Photograph: David Williams

A 22-spot ladybird;

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A colourful fly that awaits identification;

Photograph: John Martin

And, there being plenty of dung around, we noticed some fungi growing on one of the cow-pats, Cheilymenia granulata, otherwise known as the Cowpat fungus.

Photograph: John Martin

By now the cattle had moved down the field and were congregated in the entrance to the next field …

Which is where we were heading!

Emboldened by the farmer’s reassurance we walked straight towards them …

They moved into the second field allowing us to pass through the gate.

But in the next field we were surrounded, giving us a close-up view of those threatening horns.

Photograph: John Martin

The cattle moved further down the field and we followed more slowly, again inspecting the hedgerows and areas of rougher vegetation.

We spotted a clump of Jelly ear fungus.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

And suction sampling of the grassland revealed an Angle shades moth.

Photograph: John Martin

Another insect to present itself was a weevil, Barynotus moerans.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

The cattle led the way and we followed as we moved down the field.

Just when I thought they were going to stay with us for the duration of the visit they moved away to the left into another field.

Somewhat relieved we carried on, veering to the right.

More suction sampling caused a communal huddle.

This revealed a harvestman, easily identified by the two white spots on its otherwise dark body, Nemastoma bimaculatum.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

A colourful Robin’s pin cushion was observed. This is a gall caused by the larva of the wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Lunch was taken with no interruption from the cattle … thankfully.

Early after lunch a suction sample of the neighbouring grassy vegetation captured a host of our favourite wingless wasp, Callitula pyrrhogaster. Here are three of them.

Photograph: David Williams

And here is a wolf spider surrounded by the wasps and a few springtails. Unfortunately the spider has decided to impose its will by walking on a couple.

Photograph: David Williams

Next we moved through some woodland towards an area of wooded meadow that was fenced off to keep the cattle out. On the way we found a green lacewing and springtail.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We also found a lacewing larva. 

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

What big jaws you’ve got.

All the better to eat you with!

A great find was the staphylinid beetle Encephalus complicans.

Photograph: David Williams

You may remember we have encountered this beetle before when its ability to contort itself left us in awe. Here is the set of photographs that captured that ability.

Photograph: David Williams

We let ourselves into the wooded meadow. An early find in this area was a distinctive looking wasp, possibly an ichneumon.

Photograph: John Martin

And a harvestman. Paroligolophus agrestis.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Other observations included A Roesel’s bush cricket located in the long grass;

Photograph: David Williams

And a burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides.

Photograph: David Williams

But the star of this area was a Spindle that was in full fruit.

Photograph: David Williams

At some stage some wag took this thermal image of a couple of the group to demonstrate, and I quote, “the difference between ambient temperature and a working entomologist's brain".

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

We keep ourselves amused!!!

Time was marching on, and we were at our furthest and lowest point on the farm from our starting position. The long. gentle (mostly) ascent back to the start was undertaken.

On the way we paused to look at the view (really to get our breath back after the steepest part of the climb).

The cattle had got there ahead of us!

Whilst we paused we did a bit of rummaging and found a Common rough woodlouse.

Photograph: David Williams

And a tortoise beetle which, after some debate, was determined as Cassida rubignosa.

Photograph: David Williams

Moving on we entered a field occupied by some sheep. These looked less threatening than the cattle.

Photograph: Nigel Cane-Honeysett

That was until we spotted this guy giving us the eye.

Photograph: John Martin

But, he was not interested in us and took his flock around us to the other side of the field, allowing us to pass unhindered, to return to our cars and home.

My thanks to the owners of Pentre Hodre Farm for granting us permission to do what we enjoy doing and to the photographers for their wonderful images and allowing me to use them in this report.