Leader: Mrs Caroline Barrass.

Members Present: Nora; June; Gill; Jim; & Colin

With Nats excursions having been postponed due to the UK Coronovirus pandemic ‘Lockdown’ requirements, our usual wildlife monitoring activities have been somewhat curtailed this year. However, the recent relaxation of the rules allowing groups of up to six non-shielding, non covid-19 symptomatic people to meet socially, has enabled Nats members to accept the invitation to visit the Auckley Common and the Torne banks at Broad Oak Farm … our first chance to be ‘released into the wild’ since March.

Caroline’s Kitchen garden and flower borders were worth a longer look, so too was the fascinating antique John Deere Model B tractor.

(Recording site 1) Auckley Common Lane. Verge and hedgerow (SE657019)

Birds: Chaffinch; Blackbird
Mammals: Mole [hills]
Moths: Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Anthriscus sylvestris	Cow parsley
Arctium minus	Lesser Burdock
Armoracia rusticana	Horse-radish
Arrhenatherum elatius	False oat-grass
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Bellis perennis	Daisy
Bromus hordeaceus	Soft-brome
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Dactylis glomerata	Cock’s-foot
Equisetum arvense	Field horsetail
Fraxinus excelsior	Ash
Geranium molle	Dove’s-foot crane’s-bill
Geranium robertianum	Herb Robert
Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed
Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire-fog
Lamium album	White dead-nettle
Lolium perenne	Perennial rye-grass
Malva sylvestris	Common mallow
Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort plantain
Poa annua	Annual meadow-grass
Poa pratensis	Smooth meadow-grass
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn
Pteridium aquilinum	Bracken
Quercus robur	Pedunculate Oak
Rosa canina	Dog Rose
Rumex crispus	Curled dock
Rumex obtusifolius	Broad-leaved dock
Sambucus nigra	Elder
Senecio jacobaea	Common ragwort
Silene latifolia	White campion
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge mustard
Taraxacum sp	Dandelion
Trifolium repens	White clover
Tussilago farfara	Colt’s-foot
Urtica dioica	Common nettle

(Recording site 2) Fallow arable land north of Cricket field off Auckley Common Lane (SE6501)

Birds: Buzzard (flew over)
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Amsinkia micrantha	Common Fiddleneck
Agrostis stolonifera	Creeping Bent
Arctium minus	Lesser Burdock
Arrhenatherum elatius	False oat-grass
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Avena fatua	Wild Oat
Avena sativa	Common Oat
Bromus hordeaceus	Soft-brome
Bromus sterilis	Sterile Brome
Cirsium vulgare	Spear Thistle
Dactylis glomerata	Cock’s-foot
Elytrigia repens	Common Couch
Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
Galium aparine	Cleavers
Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed
Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire-fog
Hordeum murinum	Wall Barley
Hordeum vulgare	Barley
Lamium album	White dead-nettle
Lolium perenne	Perennial rye-grass
Papaver rhoeas	Common poppy
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup
Rumex obtusifolius	Broad-leaved dock
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge mustard
Taraxacum sp	Dandelion
Triticum aestivum	Bread Wheat

(Recording site 3) Oak Farm: Garden, Farm yard & Horse pasture (SE658019 to 657019)
[Herbaceous borders & flower beds well worth looking at]

Birds: Blackbird; Chiffchaff; Wren; Wood Pigeon; Swallow [nesting in porch to house].
Fungus: ‘Chicken in the Woods’ growing on uprooted tree stump.
Plant Galls: Oak Apple of Quercus robur
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Acer campestre	Field Maple
Alliaria petiolata	Garlic Mustard
Anthriscus sylvestris	Cow parsley
Arrhenatherum elatius	False oat-grass
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Bellis perennis	Daisy
Betula pendula	Silver Birch
Bryonia dioica	White Bryony
Calystegia sylvatica	Large bindweed
Chamerion angustifolium	Rosebay willowherb
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Dactylis glomerata	Cock’s-foot
Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
Fraxinus excelsior	Ash
Galium aparine	Cleavers
Geranium robertianum	Herb Robert
Glechoma hederacea	Ground-ivy
Lamium album	White dead-nettle
Leucanthemum vulgare	Oxeye daisy
Lolium perenne	Perennial rye-grass
Malva sylvestris	Common Mallow
Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort Plantain
Prunus cerassus	Flowering Cherry
Poa annua	Annual Meadow-grass
Populus x canadensis	Hybrid Poplar {variegated)
Quercus robur	Pedunculate oak
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup
Rhinanthus minor	Yellow Rattle
Rumex acetosa	Common Sorrel
Sambucus nigra	Elder
Senecio jacobaea	Common Ragwort
Silene latifolia	White Campion
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge Mustard
Sorbus aucuparia	Rowan
Taraxacum sp	Dandelion
Tilia x vulgaris	Hybrid lime
Trifolium pratense	Red clover
Trifolium repens	White clover
Urtica dioica	Common nettle

(Recording site 4) River Torne Bank (SE655021 to 663025)

Birds: Kestrel; Lapwing (2); Reed Bunting; Skylark; Swallow; Yellow Hammer.
Mammals: Mole Hills across the embankments showed whitish sandy soil on the upper part of the embankment and dark peaty soil along the base of the embankment by the Torne edge.
Brown Hare 1 in arable field on north side of river.
Amphibians: Common Frog 2 young spns. in water edge vegetation.
Invertebrates:
(Coleoptera) Alder beetle (Large population particularly on leaves of lower epicormic growths at base of Alnus glutinosa); Cardinal Beetle.
(Lepidoptera) Small Tortoiseshell (very worn spns.); Meadow Brown; Large Skipper (2 displaying/mating pairs); Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

(Hemiptera) Water Scorpion Nepa cinarea in muddy shallows.
(Hymenoptera) Bombus pascuorum; Red Tailed Bumble Bee Bombus lapidarius; Bombus terrestris. Nest of dried grass and moss in large open burrow (? Of rabbit) on south facing bank of Torne embankment. Over a dozen workers in attendance at entrance possibly indicated recent disturbance, possibly by dog or badger, though no identifiable footprints in disturbed sandy soil.
(Orthoptera) Meadow Grasshopper Chorhippus paralellus. A large emergence amongst the south-facing dry sward at the top of the embankment.
(Odonata) Banded Demoselle Colopterix splendens Very active. Several counts of 4-6.
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans; Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula.
(Diptera) Sun-fly or Footballer Helophilus pendulus Frequent on emergent and water-side vegetation; Drone fly Eristalis tenax; Pegomya sp. Blotch mine of Great Water Dock.
(Arachnida) Large female Lycosid carrying egg cocoon.
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Acer campestre	Field maple
Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore
Achillea millefolium	Yarrow
Agrostis stolonifera	Creeping bent
Alliaria petiolata	Garlic mustard
Alnus glutinosa	Alder
Anthriscus sylvestris	Cow parsley
Apium nodiflorum	Fool’s watercress
Armoracia rusticana	Horse-radish
Arrhenatherum elatius	False oat-grass
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Bellis perennis	Daisy
Betula pendula	Silver birch
Betula pubescens	Downy birch
Berula errecta	Lesser Water-parsnip
Cardamine pratense	Cuckooflower or Milkmaids
Carduus nutans	Musk thistle
Centaurea nigra	Common knapweed
Chenopodium album	Fat hen
Cirsium vulgare	Spear thistle
Conium maculatum	Hemlock
Cornus sanguinea	Dogwood
Corylus avellana	Hazel
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Crepis capillaris	Smooth hawk’s-beard
Dactylis glomerata	Cock’s-foot
Dipsacus fullonum	Teasel
Eleocharis palustris	Common Spike-rush
Epilobium hirsutum	Great Willowherb
Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
Euonymus europaeus	Spindle
Fraxinus excelsior	Ash
Glechoma hederacea	Ground-ivy
Glyceria maxima	Reed sweet-grass
Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed
Hieracium spp	hawkweeds
Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire-fog
Hypochaeris radicata	Common cat’s-ear
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow iris
Juncus effusus	Soft-rush
Lamium album	White dead-nettle
Lemna minor	Common duckweed
Leontodon autumnalis	Autumn hawkbit
Leucanthemum vulgare	Oxeye daisy
Lolium perenne	Perennial rye-grass
Lotus corniculatus	Bird’s-foot-trefoil
Malva sylvestris	Common mallow
Mentha aquatica	Water Mint
Myosotis scorpioides	Water forget-me-not
Persicaria amphibia	Amphibious bistort
Phragmites australis	Common reed
Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort plantain
Poa annua	Annual meadow-grass
Poa pratensis	Smooth meadow-grass
Polygonum aviculare	Knotgrass
Populus x canadensis	Hybrid black Poplar
Populus x canescens	Grey Poplar
Populus nigra italica	Lombardy Poplar
Potamogeton natans	Broad-leaved pondweed
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn
Quercus robur	Pedunculate oak
Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculus sceleratus	Celery-leaved Buttercup
Rorippa nasturtium-aquatica	Water-cress
Rosa arvensis	Field rose
Rosa canina s.l*	Dog rose
Rubus fruticosus agg.	Bramble
Rumex acetosa	Common Sorrel
Rumex acetocella	Sheep’s Sorrel
Rumex hydrolapathum	Great Water dock
Rumex obtusifolius	Broad-leaved dock
Salix caprea	Goat willow
Salix cinerea	Grey willow
Sambucus nigra	Elder
Senecio jacobaea	Common ragwort
Silene latifolia	White campion
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge mustard
Sparganium emersum	Unbranched bur-reed
Taraxacum sp	Dandelion
Trifolium dubium	Lesser trefoil
Trifolium repens	White clover
Typha latifolia	Reedmace
Urtica dioica	Common nettle
Veronica beccabunga	Brooklime

 

(Recording site 5) Wildlife Pond Created Pond created ca 15 years ago (pers com Caroline Barrass) (SE659022)

Birds: Blackcap; Heron; Long-tailed Tits (group of ca 7); Reed Bunting; Whitethroat; Willow Warbler.
Mammals: Mole (hills); Roe Deer (footprints).
Coleoptera: 7-spot Ladybird
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Alnus glutinosa	Alder
Cynosurus cristatus	Creasted Dogtail
Eleocharis palustris	Common Spike-rush
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow Iris
Juncus effusus	Soft-rush
Lemna minor	Common Duckweed
Leucanthemum vulgare	Oxeye daisy
Mentha aquatica	Water Mint
Myosotis scorpioides	Water forget-me-not
Persicaria amphibia	Amphibious bistort
Phragmites australis	Common reed
Picea sp.	Spruce (Christmas tree) ?.var glauca
Populus x canescens	Grey Poplar
Potamogeton natans	Broad-leaved pondweed
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup
Ranunculus sceleratus	Celery-leaved Buttercup
Rosa canina s.l*	Dog rose
Rubus fruticosus agg.	Bramble
Salix caprea	Goat willow
Salix cinerea	Grey willow
Salix viminalis	Osier
Silene dioica	Red Campion
Silene latifolia	White Campion
Taraxacum sp	Dandelion
Trifolium pratense	Red Clover
Trifolium repens	White clover
Typha latifolia	Reedmace
Urtica dioica	Common nettle
Vicia sativa	Common vetch

Hedgerow (between Torne embankment & Wildlife Pond)

Latin Name	English Name
Acer campestre	Field maple
Cornus sanguinea	Dogwood
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn
Euonymus europaeus	Spindle
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn
Quercus robur	Pedunculate oak
Rosa canina s.l*	Dog rose
Rubus fruticosus agg.	Bramble

 

(Recording site 6) Fallow Arable adjacent to Torne embankment (SE662023)

Birds: Blackbird;
Mammals: Mole (hills); Roe Deer (footprints).
Flowering Plants:

Latin Name	English Name
Amsinkia micrantha	Common Fiddleneck
Anagallis arvensis	Scarlet Pimpernel
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort
Brassica rapa	Oil-seed Rape
Barbarea vulgaris	Winter-cress
Carduus nutans	Musk Thistle
Cirsium vulgare	Spear Thistle
Conium maculatum	Hemlock
Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
Fallopia convolvulus	Black-bindweed
Galium aparine	Cleavers
Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed
Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire-fog
Lamium album	White Dead-nettle
Papaver rhoeas	Common Poppy
Persicaria lapathifolia	Pale Persicaria
Persicaria maculosa	Redshank
Polygonum aviculare	Knotgrass
Raphanus raphanistrum	Wild Radish
Silene latifolia	White Campion
Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge Mustard
Taraxacum sp.	Dandelion
Triticum aestivum	Bread Wheat (volunteer)
Tussilago farfara	Colt’s-foot
Vicia sativa	Common Vetch
Viola tricolor	Wild Pansy

Notes from CAH

Below are Caroline’s photos from the meeting

The second visit on Wednesday, 17th June 2020

The grass verges had been cut since the first meeting but there was plenty to keep the group interested which meant that it was 5.30 pm before they finished. Many banded damoiselles were in evidence along the river bank along with common blue damselfly. Footprints of deer gave away their earlier presence. Swallows and Skylarks were flying and Chiff-chaff and Yellowhammer were both seen and heard singing. Red Admiral and Tortoiseshell butterflies were in evidence as was a silver Y moth. Hoverflies, alder beetles and grasshoppers kept the group busy trying to identify them to species level. Plants found are listed below.

White Bryony
Sheep’s Sorrel
White Campion
Mouse-ear Chickweed
Teasel
Birds-foot-trefoil
Giant Dock
Plantain
Sweet-briar
Honeysuckle
Knapweed
Poppies
Wild Pansy
Common Vetch
Hemlock

Below are Anna Thirwell’s photos from the meeting

Below are Carol Benson’s photos from the meeting