Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Three Pits Walk – Number 3 to Bentley Community Woodland on 25th September 2024

Leader: Hilary Hilton
Attenddees : Four Doncaster Nat’s mambers attended the visit.

Report :

Another colliery waste site with good paths leading up to the view point over Doncaster. It has been planted with areas of conifers and mixed broadleaf trees mainly Oak which have now matured with areas of scrub around.

There is a small area of open water that had attracted a few birds.

It has a pleasant natural feel for what is a totally artificial landscape.

Bentley Community Woodland
Taxonomic Name Vernacular Name
Birds  
Chroicocephalus ridibundus Black-headed Gull
Buteo buteo Buzzard
Fulica americana Coot
Fulica atra Long-tailed Tit
Pica hudsonia Magpie
Cygnus olor Mute Swan
   
Vascular Plants  
Scorzoneroides autumnalis Autumn Hawkbit (in flower)
Typha latifolia Bullrush
Trifolium sp. Clover (in Flower)
Pulicaria sp. Fleabane (in flower)
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani  Grey Club-rush
Aster amellus Michaelmas Daisy
Jacobaea vulgaris Ragwort
Parentucellia latifolia Red Bartsia
Phragmites australis Reed
  Thistle (?)
Daucus carota Wild Carrot
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Blackstonia perfoliata Yellow-wort
   
Fungi  
Coprinellus micaceus Glistening Inkcap
  Bolete (?)
   
Galls  
Diplolepis rosae Robin’s pincushion
   
Invertebrates  
Agelastica alni Alder Beetle
Sympetrum striolatum Common Darter
  Crane Fly sp.
   
Shrubs  
Rosa canina Dog Rose
Cornus sanguinea Dogwood
Ulex europaeus Gorse
   
Trees  
Populus tremula Aspen
  Conifer sp.
Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn (in fruit)
Corylus avellana Hazel
Larix sp. Larch
Quercus sp. Oak
Salix viminalis Osier
Sorbus aucuparia Rowan (in fruit)
Betula pendula Silver Birch
Euonymus europaeus Spindle (in fruit)
Salix sp. Willow sp.

Hilary Hilton
 


 

Doncaster Naturalists’ Society visit to the River Don Trust site at Sprotbrough Ings on 14 September 2024

Leader: Colin Howes
Meet : 1.30pm at Newton Lane off Sprotbrough Road (SE557031).

Report :

Route: From Newton Lane, proceed in a southerly direction to the 18th/19th century farm/hamlet of Newton with its limestone walls and historic farm buildings. Turn right and follow the Don Valley Way (follow the Kingfisher signs). The track shortly splits, the vehicular track to the right, passes the old quarry (SE555027) which used to house the ferryman’s cottage (there used to be a ferry from Newton across the Don to Hexthorpe here … what a good idea. There were also proposals for a road bridge here … another bright idea). We follow the narrow footpath to the left which proceeds through an interesting but treacherous path through the river-side flood woodland which we exit via a stile at (SE555024). This gets us onto the flood bank of the ‘Hexthorpe Reach’ of Sprotbrough Ings.

The Ings contains wet grazing land and up to five rushy water-bodies, the number depending on how wet the season’s been. The main water body, which sports both Yellow and White Waterlilies, is Bell’s Pond [Lady Isabelle’s Pond], a Local Authority Site of Natural History Interest. There is a network of drains, three of which lead to the River Don, exiting at three sluices which facilitate the management of the Ings as floodland, part of Doncaster’s strategic flood defences. The Sluices are worth visiting for views of fish or aquatic invertebrates.

Proceeding up stream along the flood bank, there are two stiles to negotiate. Looking east, the route overlooks Hexthorpe Allotments; Hexthorpe Dell; the Rowing Club & Hexthorpe Flatts. Looking west we overlook the Sprotbrough Ings wetlands (look for water birds. To make our visit a round trip, we leave the Don flood embankment between the two impressive Sprotbrough Ings Railway Viaducts at (SE550014) and join the footpath/National Cycle Network at the metal turntable gate No.62 and proceed north along the track between the steep railway embankment on our left and the re-wilding rough shrubby grassland on our right. After ¼ of a mile we merge with the disused railway track heading north toward Richmond Hill/Sprotbrough Road. After ½ a mile (SE554027) we cut east into a disused limestone quarry (with interesting limestone botany), cross the live railway line via the brick footbridge (25 steps up & 25 steps down – look out for colonies of Wall-rue ferns) and re-join the newly hard-cored agricultural lane leading back to Newton Farm and our parking place on Newton Lane.

Geology: Most of our trip is on River Don alluvium but our return path brings us up onto the laminated upper Magnesian Limestone, part in a railway cutting (look out for ferns) and part in the disused quarry (look for rock exposures) to the rear of Cromwell Road.
CAH.
 


 

Doncaster Naturalists’ Anston Stones Wood and Lindrick Dale Gall meeting on 19th September 2024

Leader : Tom Higginbottom. 
Meet : 10.30 am. Park in layby on A57 at entrance to the wood SK535827.

Report :
 


 

Doncaster Naturalists’ Late Summer walk at Thorpe Marsh on 7th September 2024

Leader : Mick Townsend.
Meet : 1 pm at the level crossing on Applehurst Lane SE593098.

Report :

 


 

Doncaster Naturalists’ visit to Yorkshire Arboretum on 4th September 2024

Leader : Tom Higginbottom
Meet : 10.30am in car park SE706697 

Report :