The Naturalists' Notebook

Report by Tony Carter:
On Sunday 22nd September 2013, I joined a colleague who was leading a public foray for The National Trust at Formby Nature Reserve. I normally cover the area between the Pinfold and Fishermans Paths so I had not previously looked for fungi in this part of the coast. We eventually identified 64 species of fungus. I was surprised that, although the habitat in both areas is the same, there was a marked difference in the predominance of some species.  Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar) fruits in hundreds at Ainsdale. I have never recorded Geastrum fimbriatum (Sessile Earthstar), yet at Formby we found dozens of G. fimbriatum but only one triplex.

We also recorded lots of large Chroogomphus rutilus (Copper Pin), an occasional find at Ainsdale.

Auriscalpium vulgare (Earpick Fungus), that grows from buried pine cones, is one that we struggle to find at Ainsdale. Our inexperienced public found them with ease. But there was no sign of any Strobilurus tenacellus (Pinecone Cap), a common species at Ainsdale.

Auriscalpium vulgare (Earpick Fungus)

Later in the day we had a look at the outer sand dunes, not an ecosystem we look at very often. We found four species within ten minutes, all associated with Ammophila (Marram Grass). The star was a Melanoleuca (Cavalier) that I eventually identified as Melanoleuca cinereifolia. The one we found was a very light brown. There is a lighter coloured variation named maritima, now incorporated into cinereifolia. The spores, microscopic features and substrate are right and no other species fits.

An alternative view from Tony Carter.
The warden of the Reserve asked if I would lead a fungus foray for the public. As the MNA had fixed the 21st for a programmed visit and I had never been to the site, it seemed to be a good opportunity to acquaint myself with the area and see if it was suitable to hold such an event.  So, while other members were being delighted by Hobbies and Marsh Harriers, I was wandering around a small and dry woodland, looking for fungi.

I only found twenty-four species in two hours. Most of them were wood-decaying fungi, such as Fistulina hepatica (Beefsteak Fungus) on a fallen oak tree. There were very few mycorrhizal fungi, those that grow in association with plants, which one would expect in a healthy wood. Also missing were many of the most common fungi, essential for a public foray.

One  good find was a group of Gymnopilus junonius (Spectacular Rustgill) under another oak. In the USA, it is known as Laughing Jim.

Happily, I got back to the viewing area in time to see a Purple Sandpiper so my visit was not totally disappointing.

Seven members met at Sir Thomas Street for the 487 bus at 9.15. Due to the withdrawal of the number 24 from West Kirby, we had to go to Ness Gardens and walk from there. Three hardy walkers set off for the even longer way around by Inner Marsh Farm but the rest of us walked by Burton Wood, Burton churchyard and Puddington Lane. It was a sunny day, and surprisingly warm.  By the roadside we came across a poor trembling Rabbit with half-closed eyes. It bore no sign of damage, but it must surely have been hit by a car.

We met seven other members in the car park. While the rest of us were greeting, Jim and John went into the main hide overlooking the Scrape and saw the only Kingfisher of the day, although there were to be several other good birds for the rest of us later. The Scrape produced Canada Geese, Mute Swans, one Black Swan, Greylag Geese, Mallards, Coots, Shovellers and Teal. Two Buzzards were circling above and Swallows were still about. On the feeder outside there were Chaffinches and Goldfinches.

On the way to the other hide for lunch there were good displays of late flowers, including Perennial Sow Thistle, Fleabane and Hemp Agrimony.

Hemp Agrimony

Perennial Sow Thistle with a Carder Bee

From the second hide we saw only a Kestrel hovering and a Carrion Crow. There was some intent muttering and staring through telescopes at a brown mark on a distant bush. Was it an Owl?  No, just a natural feature. On the way back, however, a flock of Lapwings went up. We searched the skies and were rewarded with a pair of Hobbies. Then a Marsh Harrier flew low over the reeds and a Snipe went very fast in the opposite direction.

The sun brought out many butterflies, including a Red Admiral, lots of Large Whites, a Comma and a Speckled Wood. There was a Common Darter dragonfly on the railing. One Alder leaf had a strange deformity, looking like a gall, but when we turned the leaf over we saw that the swelling was empty, just a swollen shape next to the midrib.

Another Alder tree had unusually big glossy leaves and larger-than-usual cones. Was it a different species or is this just natural variation?

All around the reserve there were open-fronted bird boxes on the ground, each with a laminated picture inside, which was some sort of treasure trail for children. Lots of wood sculpture, too. There were wooden bluebells by the entrance, a wooden woodlouse by the woodpile, badgers going in and out of tunnels in the woods and a woodpecker on the side of a tree.

Amongst the many genuine bird boxes up in the trees was a bat box, accompanied by yet more wood sculptures, this time of fruit bats. Interesting for the kids, but whether the real bats would fnd them encouraging is another matter!  The best piece of art was a Heron sculpture by Paul Bearman, commissioned with funds donated by the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art.

Back in the main hide over the Scrape, the Warden’s telescope was on a Curlew Sandpiper, which we were all able to have a good look at. Some then went to the hide called the Blockhouse and saw Little Grebe, Snipe again, Marsh Harrier again and a Reed Bunting.  Then back through the woods to Ness Gardens. This morning’s distressed Rabbit had now become Corpse of the Day, lying dead in the gutter with its paws in the air.

Seventeen MNA members joined the penultimate coach trip of the year to Fairburn Ings RSPB Reserve near Castleford in West Yorkshire. After a slight detour we arrived in time for lunch and sat on the picnic tables overlooking the feeders. A multitude of Tree Sparrows were joined by Greenfinch, Goldfinch, a male Bullfinch, Great Tit, Collared Dove and later on a Willow Tit.

The small wildflower gardens in front and to the side of the visitor centre were a bit past their best but held Ribbed Melilot Melilotus officinalis, Upright Hedge-parsley Torilis japonica, Wild Carrot Daucus carota, Viper’s-bugloss Echium vulgare, Wild Marjoram Origanum vulgare, Lady’s Bedstraw Galium verum, Evening-primrose Oenothera sp.Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra, Chicory Cichorium intybus and Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris.

Chicory

In the small reedbed beside the pond-dipping platform a number of Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera leaves had a dozen or so Common Amber Snails Succinea putris.

The group split up with a number of us following the Lin Dike trail along the River Aire where we noted Cormorant, Little Egret – a few gracefully hanging in the air like dancing Cranes, Grey Heron, Mallard, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper and Common Tern. With blustery and overcast conditions it wasn’t an ideal day for insects but I did note Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum, Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans, Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis, Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, Scorpion Fly Panorpa communis, Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii, Hoverfly Eristalis sp. Common Wasp Vespula vlugaris and Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius. Butterflies included Green-veined White Pieris napi, a rather faded Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas and Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina.

Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii

Of particular note were the large numbers of Galls affecting a variety of Plant species. The most noticeable were the half dozen Bedugar a.k.a. Robin’s Pincushion Gall on Dog Rose Rosa canina caused by Cynipid Wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Robins Pincushion Gall

There was also Smooth Pea Galls on Dog Rose Rosa canina leaves caused by Cynipid Wasp Diplolepis nervosa.

Dog Rose Smooth Pea Galls

Some fine examples of Red Galls on Crack Willow Salix fragilis leaves caused by the Sawfly Pontania proxima.

Willow Leaf Galls

Galls on Alder Alnus glutinosa leaves caused by the Gall Mite Acalitus brevitarsus a.k.a. Eriophyes brevitarsus – the leaf is made to grow clusters of hairs, called an erineum, among which the mites live.  In this species, the hairs have several near-horizontal branches at the tip, so that each group of hairs is like a forest with a closed canopy. 

Alder Leaf Galls

There were also Galls on Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria leaves caused by the Gall Midge Dasineura ulmaria.

Meadowsweet Leaf Galls

Autumn fruits and berries covered the hedgerows and trees with Bramble Rubus fruticosus, Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa, Dog-rose Rosa canina, Blackthorn a.k.a. Sloe Prunus spinosa, Wild Plum Prunus domestica, Crab Apple Malus sylvestris, Rowan Sorbus aucuparia, Elder Sambucus nigra and Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus. A few members nibbled on some of the edible fruits along their walk.

Redshank

Plants included Common Nettle Urtica dioica, Red Campion Silene dioica, Common Bistort Persicaria bistorta, Redshank Persicaria maculosa, Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa, Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus, Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca, Purple-loosestrife Lythrum salicaria, Dyer’s Greenweed Genista tinctoria, Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum, Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea, Hedge Bindweed Calystegia sepium, Marsh Woundwort Stachys palustris, White Dead-nettle Lamium album, Selfheal Prunella vulgaris, Water Mint Mentha aquatica, Red Bartsia Odontites vernus, Wild Teasel Dipsacus fullonum, Greater Burdock Arctium lappa, Marsh Thistle Cirsium palustre, Michaelmas Daisy Aster sp. Tansy Tanacetum vulgare, Yarrow Achillea millefolium and Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum. A few fungi were noted Brown Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum and Field Mushroom Agaricus campestris.

We eventually arrived at the Lin Dike Hide overlooking Spoonbill Flash. Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Moorhen, Coot, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin 3, Ruff 3 , Curlew – heard, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Starling and a splendid female Marsh Harrier.

The trail then took us out onto Newton Lane and back towards the visitor centre scanning new Flash, The Moat and Phalarope Pool en route for Wildfowl and noting Greylag and Canada Geese, well grown Mute Swan cygnets, another 35 Gadwall and House Martins along with the odd Sand Martin hovering up insects for their forthcoming migration.

We arrived again at the visitor centre where caught up with other members sightings which included a Carrion Crow attacking a Sparrowhawk and a female Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanaea. An enjoyable day with a group total of over forty bird species.

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage

If you are interested in the wildlife of the North-west of England and would like to join the  walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

African Bush Elephant Loxodonta africana

I’ve recently returned from a two week jaunt around Ghana in West Africa. There were many cultural highlights such as Bolgatanga – Lobi Villages and the distinctive local architecture and painted houses in the Wa region, Kumasi -with the vibrant colours of the largest market in West Africa and Gold Coast Castles -the impressive 18th Century castle of Elmina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We did manage to pack in lots of wildlife viewing as well visiting the lush rainforest and canopy walkway of Kakum N.P. an exciting foot safari in Mole N.P. to view Elephants, Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary and the sacred Crocodile ponds at Paga.

Warthog Phacochoerus africanus

Olive Baboon Papio anubis

Campbell’s Mona Monkey Cercopithecus campbelli

Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus

‘Grasscutter’ the favourite Ghanaian Bushmeat – Greater Cane Rat Thryonomys swinderianus

Bug

Bug

Butterfly – White-barred Acraea Acraea encedon

Dragonfly -Violet Dropwing male Trithemis annulata

Dragonfly – Black Percher female Diplacodes lefebvrii

Dragonfly – St. Lucia Widow male Palpopleura lucia

Dragonfly – Portia Widow female Palpopleura portia

Dragonfly – Northern Banded Groundling male Brachythemis impartita

Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Red-headed Rock Agama Male Agama agama 

Five-lined Mabuya a.k.a. Rainbow Skink Trachylepis quinquetaeniata

Ghana Red Banded Millipede Pelmatojulus excisus

Fish caught from Lake Bosumtwi including the endemic Cichlid Hemichromis frempongi and the near-endemic cichlid Tilapia busumana

Dead Hermit Crab

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage

If you are interested in the wildlife of the North-west of England and would like to join the  walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

(Report from John Clegg)  A dull morning and a very bad weather forecast may have caused the very poor turnout for this meeting, with only two members attending. However, the rain stayed off and we were rewarded with a number of very close views of Red Squirrels at the feeding stations and running around in the trees. One of the Squirrels was almost black.

A number of Tit flocks were seen, including Blue- Great- and Coal Tits. Other birds included Jay, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie and, on returning to the warden’s hut, Chaffinch and Dunnock.

One Gatekeeper butterfly was seen near the end of the walk, just before the rain arrived.