Field Trips 2024
Croxteth 13 April, Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April, Tawd Valley, Skelmersdale 18 May, Hightown 1 June, Lunt Meadows 29 June, West Kirby - Red Rocks 6 July, Bidston 10 August, Birkdale 17 August, Parbold 7 September, Marshside 21 September, Freshfield 5 October.
Croxteth 13 April, Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April, Tawd Valley, Skelmersdale 18 May, Hightown 1 June, Lunt Meadows 29 June, West Kirby - Red Rocks 6 July, Bidston 10 August, Birkdale 17 August, Parbold 7 September, Marshside 21 September, Freshfield 5 October.
Croxteth 13 April 2024
Steve Cross led sixteen members on a tour of this Liverpool Country Park, despite the muddiness of the paths. The highlight of course was the apomictic Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus in its only Merseyside and vc59 site. Ranunculus auricomus L. in BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. The population, at SD40929441, had increased to around 45 plants though only a few so far in flower and it has been known in this area for over 150 years. Other highlights were flowering American Speedwell Veronica peregrina and Blinks Montia fontana. Pignut Conopodium majus was hard to find in the lawn below the limes.
We could do comparisons of three buttercups (Meadow, Creeping and Goldilocks), five speedwells (Common Field, Ivy-leaved, Thyme-leaved, Germander and Wood), two Arums (italicum and maculatum) two Dogwoods (Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea), two Docks (Wood and Broad-leaved) and four willowherbs (Broad-leaved, American, Hoary and Great).
The colourful shows of mass flowering of Lesser Celandine, Ramsons, Garlic Mustard, Primroses and Hybrid Bluebells was admired, though we only saw a couple of flowering Common Dog Violet.
Trees included Field Maple, Scots Pine, Beech, Wych Elm, Holly, Oak, Ash, Birches, Elder, Bird and Wild Cherries, as well as exotic species such as Monkey Puzzle, Lawsons Cypress, Horse Chestnut and the new-leaved Dawn Redwood. We had a close look at the flowers on London Plane and Yew. Introduced shrubs and trees included Berberis species, Rhododendron ponticum and big tree species already in flower, Aucuba japonica and Cherry Laurel. Red Currant was in flower by the Alt.
Wood Dock could be seen widely as var. viridis (normal form) with the red-veined garden form var. sanguineus by the college but there was just one lot of Wood Anemone. The Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum was in flower and fruit in the usual place, Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum flowers were found and there were plenty of Narcissus and Hybrid Bluebell.
The “Garden Weeds” were Hairy Bittercress, Wavy Bittercress, Shining Cranesbill, Petty Spurge, Thale Cress, Shepherd’s Purse, Creeping Thistle, Sticky Mouse-ear, Groundsel and Herb Robert. The Garden Plants included Creeping Comfrey Symphytum grandiflorum, Lady’s Mantle, Spurges, Stinking Iris (with its beefy Bovril smell), garden form of Wood Forget-me-not, and purple and white forms of Fritillary. The grassland species included Common Sorrel, Sweet Vernal Grass, Field Woodrush and Springy Turf Moss Rhytidadelphus squarrosus.
The naturalised species of bamboo, Broad-leaved Bamboo Sasa palmetta (very common) and Arrow Bamboo Pseudosasa japonica (occasional) were at Aintree Wood (apt name on Grand National Day).
At the Ponds we had Silverweed, Water Dock, Wavy Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam seedlings, Yellow Iris, Hard, Compact and Soft Rushes, Pendulous Sedge, Duckweed Lemna sp. (seemed to be Common and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta which has only been in Britain since 1977), Common Alder, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Meadowsweet, and young, red Water Lily leaves.
A mystery plant in Mull Wood, just in leaf, was pondered over and using a photo ID app produced an answer of Giant Bellflower Campanula latifolia, with which we later concurred.
Mull Wood contained plenty of Enchanter’s Nightshade, Wood Speedwell, Raspberry, and male flowers on the Dog’s Mercury.
The liverwort Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea covered a couple of dead Rhododendron branches, Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata was by the Hall and Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss Hypnum cupressiforme was abundant throughout. Cartilage Lichen Ramalina farinacea was on a sycamore tree along with the moss Bryum capillare.
Bird highlights were seven Ring-necked Parakeets flying over and many singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, as well as calling Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Nuthatch. On the ponds were Mallard and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk and Long-tailed Tit were also seen.
Invertebrates included Common Shining Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, two male Tawny Mining Bee, a male Orange Tip butterfly, 7-spot, 14 spot and Harlequin Ladybirds, Alder Leaf Beetle, Holly Leaf Miner and a Nomada bee. The pipes at Myerscough College covered in algae again had the fascinating feeding patterns of snail feeding.
Fungi found included Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum and a tree covered in Turkeytail Trametes versicolor. Ramsons Rust Puccinia sessilis was on both Ramsons and Arum and the Hybrid Bluebells had Bluebell Rust Uromyces muscari (= Uromyces hyacinthi).
Photos and text Steve Cross
Steve Cross led sixteen members on a tour of this Liverpool Country Park, despite the muddiness of the paths. The highlight of course was the apomictic Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus in its only Merseyside and vc59 site. Ranunculus auricomus L. in BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. The population, at SD40929441, had increased to around 45 plants though only a few so far in flower and it has been known in this area for over 150 years. Other highlights were flowering American Speedwell Veronica peregrina and Blinks Montia fontana. Pignut Conopodium majus was hard to find in the lawn below the limes.
We could do comparisons of three buttercups (Meadow, Creeping and Goldilocks), five speedwells (Common Field, Ivy-leaved, Thyme-leaved, Germander and Wood), two Arums (italicum and maculatum) two Dogwoods (Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea), two Docks (Wood and Broad-leaved) and four willowherbs (Broad-leaved, American, Hoary and Great).
The colourful shows of mass flowering of Lesser Celandine, Ramsons, Garlic Mustard, Primroses and Hybrid Bluebells was admired, though we only saw a couple of flowering Common Dog Violet.
Trees included Field Maple, Scots Pine, Beech, Wych Elm, Holly, Oak, Ash, Birches, Elder, Bird and Wild Cherries, as well as exotic species such as Monkey Puzzle, Lawsons Cypress, Horse Chestnut and the new-leaved Dawn Redwood. We had a close look at the flowers on London Plane and Yew. Introduced shrubs and trees included Berberis species, Rhododendron ponticum and big tree species already in flower, Aucuba japonica and Cherry Laurel. Red Currant was in flower by the Alt.
Wood Dock could be seen widely as var. viridis (normal form) with the red-veined garden form var. sanguineus by the college but there was just one lot of Wood Anemone. The Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum was in flower and fruit in the usual place, Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum flowers were found and there were plenty of Narcissus and Hybrid Bluebell.
The “Garden Weeds” were Hairy Bittercress, Wavy Bittercress, Shining Cranesbill, Petty Spurge, Thale Cress, Shepherd’s Purse, Creeping Thistle, Sticky Mouse-ear, Groundsel and Herb Robert. The Garden Plants included Creeping Comfrey Symphytum grandiflorum, Lady’s Mantle, Spurges, Stinking Iris (with its beefy Bovril smell), garden form of Wood Forget-me-not, and purple and white forms of Fritillary. The grassland species included Common Sorrel, Sweet Vernal Grass, Field Woodrush and Springy Turf Moss Rhytidadelphus squarrosus.
The naturalised species of bamboo, Broad-leaved Bamboo Sasa palmetta (very common) and Arrow Bamboo Pseudosasa japonica (occasional) were at Aintree Wood (apt name on Grand National Day).
At the Ponds we had Silverweed, Water Dock, Wavy Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam seedlings, Yellow Iris, Hard, Compact and Soft Rushes, Pendulous Sedge, Duckweed Lemna sp. (seemed to be Common and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta which has only been in Britain since 1977), Common Alder, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Meadowsweet, and young, red Water Lily leaves.
A mystery plant in Mull Wood, just in leaf, was pondered over and using a photo ID app produced an answer of Giant Bellflower Campanula latifolia, with which we later concurred.
Mull Wood contained plenty of Enchanter’s Nightshade, Wood Speedwell, Raspberry, and male flowers on the Dog’s Mercury.
The liverwort Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea covered a couple of dead Rhododendron branches, Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata was by the Hall and Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss Hypnum cupressiforme was abundant throughout. Cartilage Lichen Ramalina farinacea was on a sycamore tree along with the moss Bryum capillare.
Bird highlights were seven Ring-necked Parakeets flying over and many singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, as well as calling Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Nuthatch. On the ponds were Mallard and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk and Long-tailed Tit were also seen.
Invertebrates included Common Shining Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, two male Tawny Mining Bee, a male Orange Tip butterfly, 7-spot, 14 spot and Harlequin Ladybirds, Alder Leaf Beetle, Holly Leaf Miner and a Nomada bee. The pipes at Myerscough College covered in algae again had the fascinating feeding patterns of snail feeding.
Fungi found included Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum and a tree covered in Turkeytail Trametes versicolor. Ramsons Rust Puccinia sessilis was on both Ramsons and Arum and the Hybrid Bluebells had Bluebell Rust Uromyces muscari (= Uromyces hyacinthi).
Photos and text Steve Cross
Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April 2024
Barbara Allen led a large group of twenty-four from the car park to explore the woods and waterside habitats of the Sankey Valley. We followed the usual route alongside the canals and the Blackbrook via Stanley Bank Mill then northward towards Carr Mill Dam. The lovely sunshine was enjoyed as we sat on a grassy bank overlooking the fishing pool.
Plant highlights were the masses of spring woodland flowers such as Ransoms, Lesser Celandine, and native Bluebell, and the more localised patches of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Enchanter's Nightshade, Wood Anemone, Wood Speedwell and Wood Dock. Scarcer plants included Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major (by the railway viaduct) and Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia.
The car park area was examined first with Marsh Marigold and Giant Hogweed of note as well as the usual trees, shrubs, grassland and ruderal plants. Planted Hedge Bedstraw and Oxeye Daisy were also found. Nice insect finds were Tortoise Beetle and Dock Bug. We then headed to the path next to the St. Helens Canal where one lone Sweet Violet was still flowering and Black Horehound leaves had us foxed for a little while and there was an Elder had an interesting yellow-mottled leaf caused by a virus.
At the Blackbrook Wharf Pond Lesser Pond Sedge was in abundance along with Wild Angelica and old stems of Purple Loosestrife. By Stanley Mill we found Teasel and Common Figwort.
The area around the East Lancs Road and railway viaduct was rich with Yellow Pimpernel, one patch of Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, Pignut, Barren and Wild Strawberries, Common Dog Violet, as well as the Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia and Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major. Garswood Old Road by the dam had flowering Sticky Mouse-ear, Cut-leaved Dead-nettle and Hedge Mustard.
The pond unfortunately was full of New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii with Duckweed Lemna sp. Other watersides had Hemlock Water Dropwort, Wavy Bittercress, Great Willowherb, Reedmace, Brooklime Veronica beccabunga, Yellow Iris, and Water Mint. Large Bittercress, Water Cress and Water Starwort were not yet in flower.
Trees and shrubs included Wild Cherry, Field Maple, Beech, Ash Oak, Wych Elm, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, Blackthorn, Apple, Osier, Snowberry, Dog Rose and Honeysuckle.
We could check out the various flowering speedwells Thyme-leaved, Ivy-leaved, Germander and Wood. A white form of Wood Forget-me-not really stood out. Some Hazel leaves had some red coloration (anthocyanins) in the centre and are frequent in young leaves (think young Sycamore leaves) and are thought to be protection for the young tender plants.
Also found were Tutsan, Wood Avens, Hybrid Bluebell (three colour forms pink, white and blue), Red Campion, Himalayan Balsam, Creeping Cinquefoil, Lesser Swinecress, Herb Robert, Green Alkanet, Hedge Woundwort, Dotted Loosestrife and Welsh Poppy (orange).
Monocotyledons found included Hard Rush, Remote Sedge, Pendulous Sedge and Wood Sedge.
Ferns were abundant with plenty of Dryopteris - Male, Scaly Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns, also Hartstongue, Bracken, Soft-Shield Fern and by the East Lancs Road Black Spleenwort. Horsetails numbered four - Field, Marsh, Great and probable Water. The exotic Fern alongside the Blackbrook is thought to be the Holly-fern- Fortune's Holly-fern Cyrtomium fortunei, though the House Holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum is very similar.
Lower plants noted were the mosses Spring Turf Moss, Common Pocket-moss Fissidens taxifolius, Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme and Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum. Two liverworts were found on a smooth barked tree - Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea and Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilatata. Stonework along the waterways had Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum.
Birds Singing Blackcap (5), Chiffchaff (3), Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird Great Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Lost Mallard ducklings were in the car park area, a Canada Goose was on a nest and a Moorhen already had young. Two Great Crested Gebe were on Carr Mill Dam. The only mammal finds were Grey Squirrels in the woods and mole hills by Carr Mill Dam. Tadpoles were in the fishing pool.
Insect highlights included Ashy Mining Bee Andrena cineraria, a Nomada Bee and Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis and two species of Tortoise Beetle Cassida vibex and a probable C. rubiginosa. We also found, Green Shieldbug, Buff-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebee queens, Phyllobius Weevils, Ground Beetle Pterostichus madidus, 14-spot Ladybird, a couple of Alderfly (almost certainly Sialis lutaria), leaf mines of moth Stigmella aurella on bramble leaves and at least seven male Orange Tip butterflies. Also seen were single, Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and three Speckled Wood. Three woodlice species were under a log - Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber and Common Pygmy Woodlouse Trichoniscus pusillus agg.. The blackish spider under the East Lancs Road was Shaded Orbweaver Metellina merianae and there was also a Flat-back Millipede.
Fungi were hard to come by, though we did find the rare rust on Greater Burnet-saxifrage Puccinia pimpinellae at the rusty-orange aecia stage. Tony Carter identified Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus agg., small black Disco Mollisia clavata on bramble, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca, Sheathed Woodtuft Kuehneromyces mutabilis in several places, Arum Rust Puccinia sessilis on Ramsons and Bracken Map Rhopographus filicinus on old bracken. On Nettle, unsurprisingly, were Nettle Rash Leptosphaeria acuta and Nettle Pox Calloria neglecta. And after he had gone, we also found Bluebell Rust - Uromyces muscari or U. hyacinthi (depending on your British or European taxonomy), Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon
and Broad-leaved Dock had fungus Ramularia rubella.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Barbara Allen led a large group of twenty-four from the car park to explore the woods and waterside habitats of the Sankey Valley. We followed the usual route alongside the canals and the Blackbrook via Stanley Bank Mill then northward towards Carr Mill Dam. The lovely sunshine was enjoyed as we sat on a grassy bank overlooking the fishing pool.
Plant highlights were the masses of spring woodland flowers such as Ransoms, Lesser Celandine, and native Bluebell, and the more localised patches of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Enchanter's Nightshade, Wood Anemone, Wood Speedwell and Wood Dock. Scarcer plants included Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major (by the railway viaduct) and Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia.
The car park area was examined first with Marsh Marigold and Giant Hogweed of note as well as the usual trees, shrubs, grassland and ruderal plants. Planted Hedge Bedstraw and Oxeye Daisy were also found. Nice insect finds were Tortoise Beetle and Dock Bug. We then headed to the path next to the St. Helens Canal where one lone Sweet Violet was still flowering and Black Horehound leaves had us foxed for a little while and there was an Elder had an interesting yellow-mottled leaf caused by a virus.
At the Blackbrook Wharf Pond Lesser Pond Sedge was in abundance along with Wild Angelica and old stems of Purple Loosestrife. By Stanley Mill we found Teasel and Common Figwort.
The area around the East Lancs Road and railway viaduct was rich with Yellow Pimpernel, one patch of Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, Pignut, Barren and Wild Strawberries, Common Dog Violet, as well as the Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia and Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major. Garswood Old Road by the dam had flowering Sticky Mouse-ear, Cut-leaved Dead-nettle and Hedge Mustard.
The pond unfortunately was full of New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii with Duckweed Lemna sp. Other watersides had Hemlock Water Dropwort, Wavy Bittercress, Great Willowherb, Reedmace, Brooklime Veronica beccabunga, Yellow Iris, and Water Mint. Large Bittercress, Water Cress and Water Starwort were not yet in flower.
Trees and shrubs included Wild Cherry, Field Maple, Beech, Ash Oak, Wych Elm, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, Blackthorn, Apple, Osier, Snowberry, Dog Rose and Honeysuckle.
We could check out the various flowering speedwells Thyme-leaved, Ivy-leaved, Germander and Wood. A white form of Wood Forget-me-not really stood out. Some Hazel leaves had some red coloration (anthocyanins) in the centre and are frequent in young leaves (think young Sycamore leaves) and are thought to be protection for the young tender plants.
Also found were Tutsan, Wood Avens, Hybrid Bluebell (three colour forms pink, white and blue), Red Campion, Himalayan Balsam, Creeping Cinquefoil, Lesser Swinecress, Herb Robert, Green Alkanet, Hedge Woundwort, Dotted Loosestrife and Welsh Poppy (orange).
Monocotyledons found included Hard Rush, Remote Sedge, Pendulous Sedge and Wood Sedge.
Ferns were abundant with plenty of Dryopteris - Male, Scaly Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns, also Hartstongue, Bracken, Soft-Shield Fern and by the East Lancs Road Black Spleenwort. Horsetails numbered four - Field, Marsh, Great and probable Water. The exotic Fern alongside the Blackbrook is thought to be the Holly-fern- Fortune's Holly-fern Cyrtomium fortunei, though the House Holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum is very similar.
Lower plants noted were the mosses Spring Turf Moss, Common Pocket-moss Fissidens taxifolius, Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme and Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum. Two liverworts were found on a smooth barked tree - Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea and Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilatata. Stonework along the waterways had Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum.
Birds Singing Blackcap (5), Chiffchaff (3), Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird Great Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Lost Mallard ducklings were in the car park area, a Canada Goose was on a nest and a Moorhen already had young. Two Great Crested Gebe were on Carr Mill Dam. The only mammal finds were Grey Squirrels in the woods and mole hills by Carr Mill Dam. Tadpoles were in the fishing pool.
Insect highlights included Ashy Mining Bee Andrena cineraria, a Nomada Bee and Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis and two species of Tortoise Beetle Cassida vibex and a probable C. rubiginosa. We also found, Green Shieldbug, Buff-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebee queens, Phyllobius Weevils, Ground Beetle Pterostichus madidus, 14-spot Ladybird, a couple of Alderfly (almost certainly Sialis lutaria), leaf mines of moth Stigmella aurella on bramble leaves and at least seven male Orange Tip butterflies. Also seen were single, Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and three Speckled Wood. Three woodlice species were under a log - Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber and Common Pygmy Woodlouse Trichoniscus pusillus agg.. The blackish spider under the East Lancs Road was Shaded Orbweaver Metellina merianae and there was also a Flat-back Millipede.
Fungi were hard to come by, though we did find the rare rust on Greater Burnet-saxifrage Puccinia pimpinellae at the rusty-orange aecia stage. Tony Carter identified Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus agg., small black Disco Mollisia clavata on bramble, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca, Sheathed Woodtuft Kuehneromyces mutabilis in several places, Arum Rust Puccinia sessilis on Ramsons and Bracken Map Rhopographus filicinus on old bracken. On Nettle, unsurprisingly, were Nettle Rash Leptosphaeria acuta and Nettle Pox Calloria neglecta. And after he had gone, we also found Bluebell Rust - Uromyces muscari or U. hyacinthi (depending on your British or European taxonomy), Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon
and Broad-leaved Dock had fungus Ramularia rubella.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Following photos by Tony Carter
Tawd Valley, Skelmersdale 18 May 2024
Seventeen members and friends were first told by the leader, Peter Gately, about the changing fortunes of the Tawd Valley from farming to coal mining and then to industrial and finally a new town. Through all this woodland has survived and spread to cover the industrial scars of slagheaps and mills. The river too has been polluted in the past but has been much improved (with recently breeding Dipper and Grey Wagtail) and there is annual survey of invertebrate river life (and I did see a Mayfly).
From the meeting point at the Library, we first encountered ruderal and grassland species before reaching the first woodland. We traversed through a mixture of water side, woodland, meadow and mown grass habitats.
New to many were Indian, Yellow-flowered or Mock Strawberry Potentilla indica and Bog Stitchwort Stellaria alsine.
The classic woodland plants were all seen including Enchanter’s Nightshade, Dog’s Mercury, Ramsons, Wood Sorrel, Wood Dock, Bluebell, Town Hall Clock (only leaves left) and Wood Anemone.
In the damper spots were Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Reed Canary Grass, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Brooklime, Wavy and Large Bittercresses, Meadowsweet and Wild Angelica. In the water were Common Water-starwort, Floating Sweet-grass Glyceria fluitans, Yellow Iris.
Many Grasses and Monocots seen allowing comparisons and opportunities to be shown the identification features. In the open areas we saw Red Fescue, Sweet Vernal Grass, Rough Meadow Grass, Giant Fescue, Field Club-rush, Annual Meadow Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Meadow Foxtail, Reed Canary Grass, Soft and Compact Rush, Creeping Soft Grass and Yorkshire Fog. Those in the woodland included Pendulous Sedge, Remote Sedge, Wood Millet Milium effusum, Wood Melick Melica uniflora, Tufted Hair Grass, Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa and Wood Sedge Carex sylvatica.
Other plants of interest were Bistort, Lady’s Mantle, Common Figwort, Ground Ivy, Goldenrod, Lesser and Greater Stitchwort, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Yellow Pimpernel, Germander Speedwell, Changing Forge-me-not and Pignut in flower.
An orchid looked like Southern Marsh Orchid, though it had spotted leaves and seemed to be the hybrid Dactylorhiza x grandis (Southern x Common Spotted).
Non-natives included Japanese Rose, Himalayan Balsam, Fringecups Tellima grandiflora, Yellow Archangel ssp. argenteum, Common Star of Bethlehem, Japanese Knotweed, American Willowherb and Pink Purslane.
Native trees that got there on their own (probably) include oaks, Wych Elm, birches, Ash, Rowan, Holly, Wild Cherry, Goat Willow, Hazel and Sycamore. Whereas definite planted trees included Red American Oak, Hornbeam, Norway Maple, Field Maple, Beech, Grey and White Poplars, Common Lime, Snowberry, White Willow, Bird Cherry, Rhododendron, Japanese Rose, Cherry Laurel, Whitebeam and Swedish Whitebeam.
Also there were Red Currant, Field Rose, White-stemmed Bramble Rubus cockburnianus, Raspberry,
Ferns – Eight species today with Lady Fern, Bracken, Hartstongue, Polypody, Soft Shield, Scaly Male, Broad-Buckler and Male Ferns.
Mosses and Liverworts Springy Turf Moss was in the grassland, and in the woodland were Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme, Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum and Common Smooth-cap Atrichum undulatum. On hard surfaces by the river was Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum. A tree trunk had Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilitata and a wall had the moss Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata.
Algae The orange Trentepohlia covered one tree.
Lichens Lepraria sp., Parmelia sulcata, Xanthoria parietina and Physcia adscendens.
Fungi A tree was covered in Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum. Ramularia rubella was on dock leaves and Tutsan had the rust Melampsora hypericorum.
Birds Plenty of birds were singing including 24 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 9 Robin, 8 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Wren and 3 Chaffinch. The group were delighted to see a female Mallard with nine ducklings. Several were lucky to have good views of a Treecreeper, creeping up a tree of course! It seems I was only one to see a Grey Wagtail alongside the river. Also seen and heard were Moorhen, Crow, Magpie, Great Tit and Woodpigeon. Three Nuthatch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were noted, and a family flock of at least seven Long-tailed Tits flitted across.
Invertebrates At least 5 male Orange Tip butterflies were seen as well as a female Brimstone, plus single Comma, Small White and Large Skipper. Mines on leaves included Holly Leaf Miner, Hogweed leaf mines of the flies Phytomyza spondylia / pastinacae aggregate (impossible to tell from just the mine) and Pegomya fly larvae mines on Dock. Several Nomada bees, Red-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bumblebee. Also found were Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis, Harlequin Ladybird, Kentish Snail, Cola-nut Gall Andricus lignicola on oak and the wonderfully shaped galleries of the Elm Bark Beetle Scolytus on a dead Wych Elm tree.
Round trip of around 4 miles and entered the squares SD4806, SD4807 & SD4707. We saw some 168 flowering plant taxa, 8 ferns, 1 horsetail, 5 mosses, 2 liverworts, 1 algae, 4 lichens, 3 fungi, 18 birds, 5 butterflies and 11 other insects and 1 snail.
Text and photos by Steve Cross. Plant list SC with input also from PG and RF.
Seventeen members and friends were first told by the leader, Peter Gately, about the changing fortunes of the Tawd Valley from farming to coal mining and then to industrial and finally a new town. Through all this woodland has survived and spread to cover the industrial scars of slagheaps and mills. The river too has been polluted in the past but has been much improved (with recently breeding Dipper and Grey Wagtail) and there is annual survey of invertebrate river life (and I did see a Mayfly).
From the meeting point at the Library, we first encountered ruderal and grassland species before reaching the first woodland. We traversed through a mixture of water side, woodland, meadow and mown grass habitats.
New to many were Indian, Yellow-flowered or Mock Strawberry Potentilla indica and Bog Stitchwort Stellaria alsine.
The classic woodland plants were all seen including Enchanter’s Nightshade, Dog’s Mercury, Ramsons, Wood Sorrel, Wood Dock, Bluebell, Town Hall Clock (only leaves left) and Wood Anemone.
In the damper spots were Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Reed Canary Grass, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Brooklime, Wavy and Large Bittercresses, Meadowsweet and Wild Angelica. In the water were Common Water-starwort, Floating Sweet-grass Glyceria fluitans, Yellow Iris.
Many Grasses and Monocots seen allowing comparisons and opportunities to be shown the identification features. In the open areas we saw Red Fescue, Sweet Vernal Grass, Rough Meadow Grass, Giant Fescue, Field Club-rush, Annual Meadow Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Meadow Foxtail, Reed Canary Grass, Soft and Compact Rush, Creeping Soft Grass and Yorkshire Fog. Those in the woodland included Pendulous Sedge, Remote Sedge, Wood Millet Milium effusum, Wood Melick Melica uniflora, Tufted Hair Grass, Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa and Wood Sedge Carex sylvatica.
Other plants of interest were Bistort, Lady’s Mantle, Common Figwort, Ground Ivy, Goldenrod, Lesser and Greater Stitchwort, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Yellow Pimpernel, Germander Speedwell, Changing Forge-me-not and Pignut in flower.
An orchid looked like Southern Marsh Orchid, though it had spotted leaves and seemed to be the hybrid Dactylorhiza x grandis (Southern x Common Spotted).
Non-natives included Japanese Rose, Himalayan Balsam, Fringecups Tellima grandiflora, Yellow Archangel ssp. argenteum, Common Star of Bethlehem, Japanese Knotweed, American Willowherb and Pink Purslane.
Native trees that got there on their own (probably) include oaks, Wych Elm, birches, Ash, Rowan, Holly, Wild Cherry, Goat Willow, Hazel and Sycamore. Whereas definite planted trees included Red American Oak, Hornbeam, Norway Maple, Field Maple, Beech, Grey and White Poplars, Common Lime, Snowberry, White Willow, Bird Cherry, Rhododendron, Japanese Rose, Cherry Laurel, Whitebeam and Swedish Whitebeam.
Also there were Red Currant, Field Rose, White-stemmed Bramble Rubus cockburnianus, Raspberry,
Ferns – Eight species today with Lady Fern, Bracken, Hartstongue, Polypody, Soft Shield, Scaly Male, Broad-Buckler and Male Ferns.
Mosses and Liverworts Springy Turf Moss was in the grassland, and in the woodland were Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme, Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum and Common Smooth-cap Atrichum undulatum. On hard surfaces by the river was Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum. A tree trunk had Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilitata and a wall had the moss Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata.
Algae The orange Trentepohlia covered one tree.
Lichens Lepraria sp., Parmelia sulcata, Xanthoria parietina and Physcia adscendens.
Fungi A tree was covered in Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum. Ramularia rubella was on dock leaves and Tutsan had the rust Melampsora hypericorum.
Birds Plenty of birds were singing including 24 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 9 Robin, 8 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Wren and 3 Chaffinch. The group were delighted to see a female Mallard with nine ducklings. Several were lucky to have good views of a Treecreeper, creeping up a tree of course! It seems I was only one to see a Grey Wagtail alongside the river. Also seen and heard were Moorhen, Crow, Magpie, Great Tit and Woodpigeon. Three Nuthatch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were noted, and a family flock of at least seven Long-tailed Tits flitted across.
Invertebrates At least 5 male Orange Tip butterflies were seen as well as a female Brimstone, plus single Comma, Small White and Large Skipper. Mines on leaves included Holly Leaf Miner, Hogweed leaf mines of the flies Phytomyza spondylia / pastinacae aggregate (impossible to tell from just the mine) and Pegomya fly larvae mines on Dock. Several Nomada bees, Red-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bumblebee. Also found were Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis, Harlequin Ladybird, Kentish Snail, Cola-nut Gall Andricus lignicola on oak and the wonderfully shaped galleries of the Elm Bark Beetle Scolytus on a dead Wych Elm tree.
Round trip of around 4 miles and entered the squares SD4806, SD4807 & SD4707. We saw some 168 flowering plant taxa, 8 ferns, 1 horsetail, 5 mosses, 2 liverworts, 1 algae, 4 lichens, 3 fungi, 18 birds, 5 butterflies and 11 other insects and 1 snail.
Text and photos by Steve Cross. Plant list SC with input also from PG and RF.
| lbs_tawd_valley_sc_list.docx |
Hightown 1 June 2024
Twenty-six members and friends toured the various habitats at Hightown led by Steve Cross. At the station area was Hop and the usual ruderals and urban species. Clustered Clover Trifolium glomeratum and Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum had spread to the triangular grassland on the corner of Lower Alt Road and Riverside at SD29700370.
By the Alt Centre we found Hedgerow Cranesbill, Wild Onion, and Pink Sorrel. The Twiggy Spurge Euphorbia x pseudovirgata = Euphorbia esula × waldsteinii was still in the area down to the Alt where it was first seen over 30 years ago by Vera Gordon.
At the reedbed we could compare Garden Angelica Angelica archangelica with Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum.
On the saltmarsh were Sea Arrow Grass Triglochin maritima, Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica, Sea Aster, Sea Milkwort and Greater Sea-spurrey Spergularia media.
Identification of Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia) in N.W. England has long been problematical with plants not pure C. anglica or C. officinalis but the hybrid C. x hollandica, however some plants conform to C. atlantica, further details on this can be found in the paper by Eric Greenwood and Hugh McAllister at https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/128
A slight detour took us to see the flowering Common Meadow-rue Thalictrum flavum (c. 50 plants) to the south of the reedbed at SD29590334.
On the slope and base of the dunes were Sea Rocket, Sea Holly, Sea Spurge, Wild Parsnip, Field Horsestail, Sea Sandwort, Kidney Vetch, plenty of seedling Prickly Saltwort and oraches and here the Sea Bindweed was doing well (with at least 150 plants). The fungus Dune Brittlestem Psathyrella ammophila was amongst the Marram.
The Peat Beds / Submerged Forest had some nice clear Royal Fern Osmunda regalis, and tree stumps (Birch/Oak) nearly 5000 years old! Gut (Intestine) Weed Ulva sp (probably intestinalis) was thriving in the brackish water conditions.
South of Blundellsands Sailing Club we came across Curled Dock ssp. littoreus, Sea Beet, Lyme Grass, Sea Mayweed, False Fox Sedge, Sea Arrow Grass, and masses of Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa in flower. The bed of Sea Club-rush Bolboschoenus maritimus is now extensive and a significant factor in saving the dunes from erosion.
Celery-leaved Buttercup and Wild Celery were in flower, and we also found Gypyswort, Hard Rush, Jointed Rush Juncus articulatus, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Yellow Iris, and Remote Sedge Carex remota.
At the Rubble/Shingle area we could compare Sea Sandwort Honckenya peploides with Sea-milkwort Lysimachia maritima. Also present were Sea Fern Grass, Sea Beet, Sea Mayweed, and Biting Stonecrop. On the main ridge there was just one Yellow-horned Poppy in flower and around 36 Rock Samphire plants.
The adjacent dunes had Sea Bindweed Calystegia soldanella, but also Asparagus, Apple, Wild Parsnip, Rest Harrow, Sea Holly, Kidney Vetch, Polypody Fern, Umbellate Hawkweed, Heath Dog Violet. and plenty of Dune Fescue and Sand Catstail. Also found were Common, Sticky, and possible Hybrid Storksbills. A highlight for many was a Bee Orchid and five Pyramidal Orchids in flower.
After lunch we headed North along dune paths towards the Sailing Club car park, and had Downy Oat-grass Avenula pubescens, Yellow Oat-grass Trisetum flavescens and some Spreading Meadowgrass Poa humilis. Also here were flowering Houndstongue, Silver Hair-grass, Bulbous Buttercup, and around fifty Isle-of-Man Cabbage Coincya monensis subsp. monensis at its global headquarters on the Sefton Coast.
Between the Sailing Club Car Park and Thornbeck Avenue we came aross Common Storksbill, Buckshorn Plantain, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Silver Hair-grass. A couple of plants of Tree Lupin were in a sorry state, possibly due to the large introduced American Aphid Macrosiphum albifrons. A White Campion had White Campion Anther Smut Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae. Also in this stretch was Pink Sorrel, Russian Comfrey, Pampas Grass and near the gate a patch of Bloody Cranesbill, plus some Horse Radish, Meadow Cranesbill, Bugloss and Soapwort.
The grass verges of Thornbeck Avenue have over 125 plant species of which 13 are notable. They were extraordinarily rich due to frequent rain rather than the usual spring droughts we get in most years, and there has also been a delay in mowing giving the best ever show of Clustered Clover Trifolium glomeratum (really a thing of the SE England) https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.w4a and Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum. Also found here were Buckshorn Plantain, Common Storksbill, White and Biting Stonecrop, Bulbous Buttercup, Field Forget-me-not, Corn Spurrey, Field Pansy, and Hybrid Pansy Viola arvensis × tricolor = V. × contempta. Lesser and Slender Trefoils Trifolium dubium and T. micranthum could be compared, and the same for Procumbent Pearlwort, Annual Pearlwort Sagina apetala and Slender Pearlworts Sagina filicaulis.
Other finds were Sheep’s Sorrel, Smooth Hawksbeard, Haresfoot Clover, Rest Harrow, Annual Wall Rocket, Lesser Hawkbit, Slender Parsley-piert Aphanes australis, Thyme-leaved Sandwort. Wild Radish (white form), Sun Spurge, Annual Nettle, Garden & Opium Poppies, Scarlet Pimpernel, and Flax Linum usitatissimum. Bristly Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides and Purple Toadflax were in leaf. The strange seed pods appear to be those of Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum nutans.
It was rich in grasses with Cocksfoot, Barren and Soft Bromes and especially Silver Hair Grass Aira caryophyllea in abundance. Also, present were Sweet Vernal Grass, Red Fescue, plenty of Squirreltail Fescue Vulpia bromoides, plus Timothy, Sea Fern Grass, Spreading Meadow-grass Poa humilis, and some escaped Greater Quaking Grass Briza maxima.
There was a planted Mitchell’s Whitebeam Sorbus thibetiana “John Mitchell” and the Dutch Elm Ulmus × hollandica Ulmus glabra x Ulmus minor had hundreds of seedlings growing below it. The final finds were Field Madder Sherardia arvensis and Common Mallow in flower.
Mosses Wall Screw-moss Tortula muralis and Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata were on walls.
Birds Crow, Shelduck (6), Jackdaw, Starling (30), Common Whitethroat (3 + singing), Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Reed Warbler (two singing and seen along the Alt and one on the reedbed) and House Martin (6). A Little Egret was feeding along the Alt. A Kestrel hunted over the dunes.
Invertebrates Garden, White and Dark-lipped Banded, and plenty of Kentish Snails.
Insects seen on Lower Alt Road near the Alt Centre were Yellow Shell Moth Camptogramma bilineata, Regal Piercer Moth Pammene regiana and Welsh Chafer Hoplia philanthus. Also seen were 14-spot Ladybird, Hairy Shield Bug, Red-tailed, Early, White/Buff-tailed Bumblebee workers and a Common Blue Butterfly. Several male (and probable female) Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis were also found.The Strandline held Heart Urchin, Whelk and Ray egg cases and a live Shore Crab was on the peat bed.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Below is the full species list of 209 higher plant taxa seen on the day plus 2 mosses, 3 fungi, 17 birds, 4 snails and 11 insects.
Twenty-six members and friends toured the various habitats at Hightown led by Steve Cross. At the station area was Hop and the usual ruderals and urban species. Clustered Clover Trifolium glomeratum and Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum had spread to the triangular grassland on the corner of Lower Alt Road and Riverside at SD29700370.
By the Alt Centre we found Hedgerow Cranesbill, Wild Onion, and Pink Sorrel. The Twiggy Spurge Euphorbia x pseudovirgata = Euphorbia esula × waldsteinii was still in the area down to the Alt where it was first seen over 30 years ago by Vera Gordon.
At the reedbed we could compare Garden Angelica Angelica archangelica with Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum.
On the saltmarsh were Sea Arrow Grass Triglochin maritima, Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica, Sea Aster, Sea Milkwort and Greater Sea-spurrey Spergularia media.
Identification of Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia) in N.W. England has long been problematical with plants not pure C. anglica or C. officinalis but the hybrid C. x hollandica, however some plants conform to C. atlantica, further details on this can be found in the paper by Eric Greenwood and Hugh McAllister at https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/128
A slight detour took us to see the flowering Common Meadow-rue Thalictrum flavum (c. 50 plants) to the south of the reedbed at SD29590334.
On the slope and base of the dunes were Sea Rocket, Sea Holly, Sea Spurge, Wild Parsnip, Field Horsestail, Sea Sandwort, Kidney Vetch, plenty of seedling Prickly Saltwort and oraches and here the Sea Bindweed was doing well (with at least 150 plants). The fungus Dune Brittlestem Psathyrella ammophila was amongst the Marram.
The Peat Beds / Submerged Forest had some nice clear Royal Fern Osmunda regalis, and tree stumps (Birch/Oak) nearly 5000 years old! Gut (Intestine) Weed Ulva sp (probably intestinalis) was thriving in the brackish water conditions.
South of Blundellsands Sailing Club we came across Curled Dock ssp. littoreus, Sea Beet, Lyme Grass, Sea Mayweed, False Fox Sedge, Sea Arrow Grass, and masses of Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa in flower. The bed of Sea Club-rush Bolboschoenus maritimus is now extensive and a significant factor in saving the dunes from erosion.
Celery-leaved Buttercup and Wild Celery were in flower, and we also found Gypyswort, Hard Rush, Jointed Rush Juncus articulatus, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Yellow Iris, and Remote Sedge Carex remota.
At the Rubble/Shingle area we could compare Sea Sandwort Honckenya peploides with Sea-milkwort Lysimachia maritima. Also present were Sea Fern Grass, Sea Beet, Sea Mayweed, and Biting Stonecrop. On the main ridge there was just one Yellow-horned Poppy in flower and around 36 Rock Samphire plants.
The adjacent dunes had Sea Bindweed Calystegia soldanella, but also Asparagus, Apple, Wild Parsnip, Rest Harrow, Sea Holly, Kidney Vetch, Polypody Fern, Umbellate Hawkweed, Heath Dog Violet. and plenty of Dune Fescue and Sand Catstail. Also found were Common, Sticky, and possible Hybrid Storksbills. A highlight for many was a Bee Orchid and five Pyramidal Orchids in flower.
After lunch we headed North along dune paths towards the Sailing Club car park, and had Downy Oat-grass Avenula pubescens, Yellow Oat-grass Trisetum flavescens and some Spreading Meadowgrass Poa humilis. Also here were flowering Houndstongue, Silver Hair-grass, Bulbous Buttercup, and around fifty Isle-of-Man Cabbage Coincya monensis subsp. monensis at its global headquarters on the Sefton Coast.
Between the Sailing Club Car Park and Thornbeck Avenue we came aross Common Storksbill, Buckshorn Plantain, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Silver Hair-grass. A couple of plants of Tree Lupin were in a sorry state, possibly due to the large introduced American Aphid Macrosiphum albifrons. A White Campion had White Campion Anther Smut Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae. Also in this stretch was Pink Sorrel, Russian Comfrey, Pampas Grass and near the gate a patch of Bloody Cranesbill, plus some Horse Radish, Meadow Cranesbill, Bugloss and Soapwort.
The grass verges of Thornbeck Avenue have over 125 plant species of which 13 are notable. They were extraordinarily rich due to frequent rain rather than the usual spring droughts we get in most years, and there has also been a delay in mowing giving the best ever show of Clustered Clover Trifolium glomeratum (really a thing of the SE England) https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.w4a and Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum. Also found here were Buckshorn Plantain, Common Storksbill, White and Biting Stonecrop, Bulbous Buttercup, Field Forget-me-not, Corn Spurrey, Field Pansy, and Hybrid Pansy Viola arvensis × tricolor = V. × contempta. Lesser and Slender Trefoils Trifolium dubium and T. micranthum could be compared, and the same for Procumbent Pearlwort, Annual Pearlwort Sagina apetala and Slender Pearlworts Sagina filicaulis.
Other finds were Sheep’s Sorrel, Smooth Hawksbeard, Haresfoot Clover, Rest Harrow, Annual Wall Rocket, Lesser Hawkbit, Slender Parsley-piert Aphanes australis, Thyme-leaved Sandwort. Wild Radish (white form), Sun Spurge, Annual Nettle, Garden & Opium Poppies, Scarlet Pimpernel, and Flax Linum usitatissimum. Bristly Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides and Purple Toadflax were in leaf. The strange seed pods appear to be those of Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum nutans.
It was rich in grasses with Cocksfoot, Barren and Soft Bromes and especially Silver Hair Grass Aira caryophyllea in abundance. Also, present were Sweet Vernal Grass, Red Fescue, plenty of Squirreltail Fescue Vulpia bromoides, plus Timothy, Sea Fern Grass, Spreading Meadow-grass Poa humilis, and some escaped Greater Quaking Grass Briza maxima.
There was a planted Mitchell’s Whitebeam Sorbus thibetiana “John Mitchell” and the Dutch Elm Ulmus × hollandica Ulmus glabra x Ulmus minor had hundreds of seedlings growing below it. The final finds were Field Madder Sherardia arvensis and Common Mallow in flower.
Mosses Wall Screw-moss Tortula muralis and Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata were on walls.
Birds Crow, Shelduck (6), Jackdaw, Starling (30), Common Whitethroat (3 + singing), Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Pheasant, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Reed Warbler (two singing and seen along the Alt and one on the reedbed) and House Martin (6). A Little Egret was feeding along the Alt. A Kestrel hunted over the dunes.
Invertebrates Garden, White and Dark-lipped Banded, and plenty of Kentish Snails.
Insects seen on Lower Alt Road near the Alt Centre were Yellow Shell Moth Camptogramma bilineata, Regal Piercer Moth Pammene regiana and Welsh Chafer Hoplia philanthus. Also seen were 14-spot Ladybird, Hairy Shield Bug, Red-tailed, Early, White/Buff-tailed Bumblebee workers and a Common Blue Butterfly. Several male (and probable female) Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis were also found.The Strandline held Heart Urchin, Whelk and Ray egg cases and a live Shore Crab was on the peat bed.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Below is the full species list of 209 higher plant taxa seen on the day plus 2 mosses, 3 fungi, 17 birds, 4 snails and 11 insects.
| hightown_species_list_june_2024.docx |
Lunt Meadows 29 June 2024
Twelve members and friends had a rainy, wet start to this trip at this wetland site. The morning session did not move more than a hundred metres from the car park, and yet there was plenty to see and talk about. Dave Earl, our leader is a batologist (bramble expert) and so we had a lesson in identifying brambles. Lindley's Bramble Rubus lindleianus, Rubus incurvatiformis, Dewberry Rubus caesius, Railway Bramble Rubus tuberculatus, Boudicca Bramble Rubus boudiccae and Giant Blackberry Rubus armeniacus were fairly straight forward, if you have an expert, though there are more than 350 microspecies in the UK!
We could compare the three rushes - Soft, Hard and Compact. Other comparisons were of Red, White and Alsike Clovers. Hop Trefoil, Black Medick and Lesser Trefoil grew side by side and Common and Equal-leaved Knotgrass were also viewed together.
Just one clump of Bush Vetch was found but Smooth Tare Ervum tetraspermum was locally frequent, and surprisingly not a single Hairy Tare Ervilia hirsuta was found! Common Vetch, Bush Vetch, Birdsfoot Trefoil, (normal and sativus) plus the wetland Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus pedunculatus were also seen.
Grasses included Tall Fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus, Black Bent Agrostis gigantea, Marsh Foxtail, Soft Brome, False Oat Grass, Barren Brome, Common Couch, Common Bent, Timothy, Rough and Smooth Meadow Grasses.
Raspberry was in fruit, but Elder was still in flower. Tall herbs included Great Willowherb, Red Campion, Hogweed and Teasel.
The wetlands had Bulrush (or Reedmace) Typha latifolia, Purple Loosestrife, Meadowsweet, Water-plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica, Himalayan Balsam, Yellow Iris and Reed. Unfortunately, New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii had taken over several of the pools. Homer Green Pond seemed to be full of Water-soldier Stratiotes aloides.
It was a day for checking the three Bindweeds - Field, Hedge and Large (normal and pink-stripe forms). Other finds were Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Jointed Rush, Slender Rush, Creeping Buttercup, Creeping Cinquefoil, Wild Turnip, Rape, Nipplewort, Russian Comfrey, Yellow-rattle, Smooth Hawksbeard and Pineappleweed.
Willows numbered five - Goat, Grey, Osier, Hybrid Crack Willow and Hybrid Broad-leaved Osier Salix caprea x S. viminalis = S. x smithiana.
A pile of dumped soil by a ditch had a selection of annual plants such as Least Yellow-sorrel Oxalis exilis (with just five stamens having anthers, compared to 10 on Procumbent Yellow Sorrel), Thale Cress, Lesser Swine Cress, Common Field Speedwell, Scented Mayweed, Procumbent Pearlwort, Field Forget-me-not, Petty Spurge and Annual Wall Rocket.
At the edge of a pool Knieff’s Hook-moss Drepanocladus aduncus dominated. On a single wooden bench Variable-leaved Crestwort Lophocolea heterophylla, Redshank Moss Ceratodon purpurea and Broom Fork-moss Dicranum scoparium were found. Lesser Bird’s-claw Beard-moss Streblotrichum convolutum was also located. An oak had Oak Mildew Erysiphe alphitoides.
A male Larinioides cornutus spider was in a bindweed flower. The Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva or as it is also known – “Bonking Beetle,” due to the constant mating of this beetle on the top of umbel flowers, was also present. A Large Yellow Underwing Moth Noctua pronuba was found, and when disturbed flashed the yellow. A male Soldier Fly, the Broad Centurion Chloromyia formosa, was on a leaf. A female Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus was quite tame, posing on a finger.
The brief sunshine coaxed out seven Meadow Brown butterflies, a Red Admiral, a Large Skipper plus Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies. A Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle Agapanthia villosoviridescens was really striking.
The usual wildfowl and other water birds were seen, with Mallard, Teal, Coot, Moorhen, and grazing Greylag Goose and Canada Goose (which was protecting its young). Two Grey Heron were present, one Cormorant, Lapwing numbered at least eight, three Oystercatcher plus Herring, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Black-headed were seen, the latter included juveniles. Cetti’s Warbler were singing with at least five heard. Also present were Reed Bunting, Blackbird, Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch. Eight Swift flew overhead. Singing was heard from one Willow Warbler, five Whitethroat and two Sedge Warbler. A Song Thrush did an excellent impression of a Greenshank during its song.
Text and Photos Steve Cross
Twelve members and friends had a rainy, wet start to this trip at this wetland site. The morning session did not move more than a hundred metres from the car park, and yet there was plenty to see and talk about. Dave Earl, our leader is a batologist (bramble expert) and so we had a lesson in identifying brambles. Lindley's Bramble Rubus lindleianus, Rubus incurvatiformis, Dewberry Rubus caesius, Railway Bramble Rubus tuberculatus, Boudicca Bramble Rubus boudiccae and Giant Blackberry Rubus armeniacus were fairly straight forward, if you have an expert, though there are more than 350 microspecies in the UK!
We could compare the three rushes - Soft, Hard and Compact. Other comparisons were of Red, White and Alsike Clovers. Hop Trefoil, Black Medick and Lesser Trefoil grew side by side and Common and Equal-leaved Knotgrass were also viewed together.
Just one clump of Bush Vetch was found but Smooth Tare Ervum tetraspermum was locally frequent, and surprisingly not a single Hairy Tare Ervilia hirsuta was found! Common Vetch, Bush Vetch, Birdsfoot Trefoil, (normal and sativus) plus the wetland Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus pedunculatus were also seen.
Grasses included Tall Fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus, Black Bent Agrostis gigantea, Marsh Foxtail, Soft Brome, False Oat Grass, Barren Brome, Common Couch, Common Bent, Timothy, Rough and Smooth Meadow Grasses.
Raspberry was in fruit, but Elder was still in flower. Tall herbs included Great Willowherb, Red Campion, Hogweed and Teasel.
The wetlands had Bulrush (or Reedmace) Typha latifolia, Purple Loosestrife, Meadowsweet, Water-plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica, Himalayan Balsam, Yellow Iris and Reed. Unfortunately, New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii had taken over several of the pools. Homer Green Pond seemed to be full of Water-soldier Stratiotes aloides.
It was a day for checking the three Bindweeds - Field, Hedge and Large (normal and pink-stripe forms). Other finds were Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Jointed Rush, Slender Rush, Creeping Buttercup, Creeping Cinquefoil, Wild Turnip, Rape, Nipplewort, Russian Comfrey, Yellow-rattle, Smooth Hawksbeard and Pineappleweed.
Willows numbered five - Goat, Grey, Osier, Hybrid Crack Willow and Hybrid Broad-leaved Osier Salix caprea x S. viminalis = S. x smithiana.
A pile of dumped soil by a ditch had a selection of annual plants such as Least Yellow-sorrel Oxalis exilis (with just five stamens having anthers, compared to 10 on Procumbent Yellow Sorrel), Thale Cress, Lesser Swine Cress, Common Field Speedwell, Scented Mayweed, Procumbent Pearlwort, Field Forget-me-not, Petty Spurge and Annual Wall Rocket.
At the edge of a pool Knieff’s Hook-moss Drepanocladus aduncus dominated. On a single wooden bench Variable-leaved Crestwort Lophocolea heterophylla, Redshank Moss Ceratodon purpurea and Broom Fork-moss Dicranum scoparium were found. Lesser Bird’s-claw Beard-moss Streblotrichum convolutum was also located. An oak had Oak Mildew Erysiphe alphitoides.
A male Larinioides cornutus spider was in a bindweed flower. The Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva or as it is also known – “Bonking Beetle,” due to the constant mating of this beetle on the top of umbel flowers, was also present. A Large Yellow Underwing Moth Noctua pronuba was found, and when disturbed flashed the yellow. A male Soldier Fly, the Broad Centurion Chloromyia formosa, was on a leaf. A female Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus was quite tame, posing on a finger.
The brief sunshine coaxed out seven Meadow Brown butterflies, a Red Admiral, a Large Skipper plus Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies. A Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle Agapanthia villosoviridescens was really striking.
The usual wildfowl and other water birds were seen, with Mallard, Teal, Coot, Moorhen, and grazing Greylag Goose and Canada Goose (which was protecting its young). Two Grey Heron were present, one Cormorant, Lapwing numbered at least eight, three Oystercatcher plus Herring, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Black-headed were seen, the latter included juveniles. Cetti’s Warbler were singing with at least five heard. Also present were Reed Bunting, Blackbird, Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch. Eight Swift flew overhead. Singing was heard from one Willow Warbler, five Whitethroat and two Sedge Warbler. A Song Thrush did an excellent impression of a Greenshank during its song.
Text and Photos Steve Cross
West Kirby dunes, saltmarsh & Red Rocks Saturday July 6th
Twenty-three members and friends started out in wet and windy weather to walk from West Kirby towards Red Rocks, though it did brighten, and the sun came out in the afternoon. Robert Freeth led the exploration of saltmarsh, sand dune and freshwater marsh habitats in squares SJ2087 and SJ2088.
Highlights were the near-threatened Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus and the “Wirral Horsetail” Equisetum x meridionale (only found in North Wirral and Anglesey). The latter, more properly known as Southern Horsetail is a hybrid between Branched Horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum and Variegated Horsetail Equisetum variegatum. Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum was frequent at the path side with both flowers and the strawberry like fruits, we could also compare it with adjacent White Clover.
The salt marsh had the typical species with Common Salt Marsh Grass and Red Fescue dominating though with flowering Thrift, Sea Arrow Grass, Sea Plantain, Sea Aster, Sea Purslane, Spear-leaved Orache, Sea Milkwort, Scurvy Grass and Glassworts. Monocotyledons included Sea Rush Juncus maritimus, Jointed Rush, Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii, Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica (of hybrid origin), noticeable patches of Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa and large areas of Sea Club-rush. Hard Grass Parapholis strigosa was very inconspicuous and just one Annual Sea Blite was found.
The path between the saltmarsh and the dunes hosted Creeping Bent, lots of Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum in flower and some with the unmistakeable fruits, a surprising amount of the rare (at least in England) Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus and even a little Frog Rush Juncus ranarius. The other side at the dune edge had lots of Sea Radish and Perennial Sowthistle, some Wild Carrot, Kidney Vetch, Dewberry, Rest Harrow, Asparagus, Sea Rocket, Tufted Vetch and both Large-flowered and Intermediate Evening Primrose. A highlight for some was the two Pyramidal Orchids. A mini dune forming in the middle of the saltmarsh had Sea Holly and Sea Campion. The Curled Dock was the coastal subspecies littoralis and the low-growing Lady’s Bedstraw was of the var. maritimum.
Aliens were few though we did find small amounts of Japanese Rose, Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea, White Stonecrop and Red Valerian.
Further north were several flowering Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii. The damp patches, slacks and pools had Brookweed, Grey Willow, Lesser Water Parsnip, Gypsywort, Skullcap, Marsh Pennywort, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Marsh Horsetail, Marsh Bedstraw, Clustered Dock, Southern Marsh Orchid, Lesser Spearwort, Wild Angelica, False Fox Sedge, Water Mint, Great Willowherb, Common Water Plantain, Silverweed and at the main pool Water Dock. A single Distant Sedge Carex distans was a nice find.
The “Wirral Horsetail” spread from the main pool for around a kilometre southward along the boardwalk and path.
We could compare Field, Hedge and Large Bindweeds, Common and Equal-leaved Knotgrasses.
The Dunes held Lyme Grass, Marram, Smooth Hawksbeard, Sand Sedge, Common Catsear, Red Bartsia, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Haresfoot Clover, Yorkshire Fog and one Wild Onion Allium vineale. Also, here along the Golf Course edge were Great Mullein, Slender Rush, Fennel, White Campion, half a dozen flowering Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, Asparagus, Dune Fescue, Perforate St. John’s-wort, Harebell, Wild Thyme, Smaller Cat's-tail Phleum bertolonii, a sickly flowering Common Toadflax, Duke of Argyll’s Tea Plant plus an amazing amount of Burnet Rose Rosa spinosissimae. We could see two flowering Leek Allium sp. on the Golf Course. Storksbill had both pink and whitish flowers.
Sea Aster had rust Puccinia extensicola (or Puccinia dioicae var. extensicola) on the leaves. On Burnet Rose was Burnet Rose Rust Phragmidium rosae-pimpinellifoliae and red galls of the wasp Diplolepis spinosissimae. Cat’s-ear had a gall of the Gall Wasp Phanacis hypochoeridis.
Bird highlights were two males plus some juvenile Stonechats and a Kestrel hovered over us at lunchtime. On the shore some 50 Sandwich Terns were heard and seen with around 50 Oystercatcher summering, one Little Egret and around a hundred Cormorant were on the islands. Also found were Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls (c.250), Crow, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow. Two Pied Wagtails, three Skylarks were singing, around 20 Starling, a couple of pairs of Linnet and around five Meadow Pipits (one with beak full of food for young) were also located. An adult Frog was found.
Invertebrates and Insects were in short supply though one Meadow Brown butterfly and a Common Carder Bumble Bee were seen. A Wild Carrot flower was covered in flies. The only mollusc was a Dark-lipped Banded snail though Sea Wash Balls, the eggs of whelks were washed up (as was Ray egg cases). In the pool were several Horse Leech Haemopis sanguisuga which despite its scientific name is a predator of small invertebrates, not blood (which is used by the Medicinal Leech). The Blackneck Moth Lygephila pastinum was also found.
The Welsh limestone sea-defence boulders we had lunch on contained fossil Brachiopods and Corals as well as the Lichens Xanthoria parietina, Physcia sp. and Calcareous Rimmed Lichen Circinaria calcarea plus the mosses Tortula muralis and Grimmia pulvinata.
Photos and text Steve Cross
Twenty-three members and friends started out in wet and windy weather to walk from West Kirby towards Red Rocks, though it did brighten, and the sun came out in the afternoon. Robert Freeth led the exploration of saltmarsh, sand dune and freshwater marsh habitats in squares SJ2087 and SJ2088.
Highlights were the near-threatened Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus and the “Wirral Horsetail” Equisetum x meridionale (only found in North Wirral and Anglesey). The latter, more properly known as Southern Horsetail is a hybrid between Branched Horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum and Variegated Horsetail Equisetum variegatum. Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum was frequent at the path side with both flowers and the strawberry like fruits, we could also compare it with adjacent White Clover.
The salt marsh had the typical species with Common Salt Marsh Grass and Red Fescue dominating though with flowering Thrift, Sea Arrow Grass, Sea Plantain, Sea Aster, Sea Purslane, Spear-leaved Orache, Sea Milkwort, Scurvy Grass and Glassworts. Monocotyledons included Sea Rush Juncus maritimus, Jointed Rush, Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii, Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica (of hybrid origin), noticeable patches of Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa and large areas of Sea Club-rush. Hard Grass Parapholis strigosa was very inconspicuous and just one Annual Sea Blite was found.
The path between the saltmarsh and the dunes hosted Creeping Bent, lots of Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum in flower and some with the unmistakeable fruits, a surprising amount of the rare (at least in England) Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus and even a little Frog Rush Juncus ranarius. The other side at the dune edge had lots of Sea Radish and Perennial Sowthistle, some Wild Carrot, Kidney Vetch, Dewberry, Rest Harrow, Asparagus, Sea Rocket, Tufted Vetch and both Large-flowered and Intermediate Evening Primrose. A highlight for some was the two Pyramidal Orchids. A mini dune forming in the middle of the saltmarsh had Sea Holly and Sea Campion. The Curled Dock was the coastal subspecies littoralis and the low-growing Lady’s Bedstraw was of the var. maritimum.
Aliens were few though we did find small amounts of Japanese Rose, Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea, White Stonecrop and Red Valerian.
Further north were several flowering Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii. The damp patches, slacks and pools had Brookweed, Grey Willow, Lesser Water Parsnip, Gypsywort, Skullcap, Marsh Pennywort, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Marsh Horsetail, Marsh Bedstraw, Clustered Dock, Southern Marsh Orchid, Lesser Spearwort, Wild Angelica, False Fox Sedge, Water Mint, Great Willowherb, Common Water Plantain, Silverweed and at the main pool Water Dock. A single Distant Sedge Carex distans was a nice find.
The “Wirral Horsetail” spread from the main pool for around a kilometre southward along the boardwalk and path.
We could compare Field, Hedge and Large Bindweeds, Common and Equal-leaved Knotgrasses.
The Dunes held Lyme Grass, Marram, Smooth Hawksbeard, Sand Sedge, Common Catsear, Red Bartsia, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Haresfoot Clover, Yorkshire Fog and one Wild Onion Allium vineale. Also, here along the Golf Course edge were Great Mullein, Slender Rush, Fennel, White Campion, half a dozen flowering Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, Asparagus, Dune Fescue, Perforate St. John’s-wort, Harebell, Wild Thyme, Smaller Cat's-tail Phleum bertolonii, a sickly flowering Common Toadflax, Duke of Argyll’s Tea Plant plus an amazing amount of Burnet Rose Rosa spinosissimae. We could see two flowering Leek Allium sp. on the Golf Course. Storksbill had both pink and whitish flowers.
Sea Aster had rust Puccinia extensicola (or Puccinia dioicae var. extensicola) on the leaves. On Burnet Rose was Burnet Rose Rust Phragmidium rosae-pimpinellifoliae and red galls of the wasp Diplolepis spinosissimae. Cat’s-ear had a gall of the Gall Wasp Phanacis hypochoeridis.
Bird highlights were two males plus some juvenile Stonechats and a Kestrel hovered over us at lunchtime. On the shore some 50 Sandwich Terns were heard and seen with around 50 Oystercatcher summering, one Little Egret and around a hundred Cormorant were on the islands. Also found were Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls (c.250), Crow, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow. Two Pied Wagtails, three Skylarks were singing, around 20 Starling, a couple of pairs of Linnet and around five Meadow Pipits (one with beak full of food for young) were also located. An adult Frog was found.
Invertebrates and Insects were in short supply though one Meadow Brown butterfly and a Common Carder Bumble Bee were seen. A Wild Carrot flower was covered in flies. The only mollusc was a Dark-lipped Banded snail though Sea Wash Balls, the eggs of whelks were washed up (as was Ray egg cases). In the pool were several Horse Leech Haemopis sanguisuga which despite its scientific name is a predator of small invertebrates, not blood (which is used by the Medicinal Leech). The Blackneck Moth Lygephila pastinum was also found.
The Welsh limestone sea-defence boulders we had lunch on contained fossil Brachiopods and Corals as well as the Lichens Xanthoria parietina, Physcia sp. and Calcareous Rimmed Lichen Circinaria calcarea plus the mosses Tortula muralis and Grimmia pulvinata.
Photos and text Steve Cross
Bidston 10 August 2024
Nineteen members and friends met at Bidston Station to tour the areas between the M53 and the railway. Robert Freeth, the leader for the day gave an introduction and Barbara Greenwood gave a brief history of the area and how it related to the botany. This included information and species lists from Eric Greenwood paper “Changes to the coastal flora of Wirral, Merseyside (v.c.58)”, it can be found at https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/135/168
The route took us under the A554, between B&Q Wallasey and the railway, then to the area below the M53 and A5139 were we had lunch. We went then went east on a path through the old sidings over the ballast and rails.
Interesting finds were over a hundred Cut-leaved Teasel Dipsacus laciniatus and one Pale Toadflax Linaria repens. Of note too were Reflexed Stonecrop Petrosedum rupestre, Great Horsetail, and Spearmint. Below the M53 and A5139 was Grass-leaved Orache, Yellow-wort Blackstonia perfoliata and Sand Spurrey Spergularia rubra. Also here were Musk Mallow, Greater Knapweed, Chicory, a very large Lady’s Bedstraw and the sativus form of Birdsfoot Trefoil which seem to have originated from a wildflower seed mix. Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius took a little bit of figuring out with the immature flowers so confusing compared to full flowers, but the leaf structure confirmed the identification.
By the station were the rail-side regulars such as Rosebay and Great Willowherb, birches, willows, Large Bindweed, and brambles. The first stretch from the station over The Birket and under the A554 had the usual ruderal species including Himalayan Giant Bramble Rubus armeniacus, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam, Italian Ryegrass, Rat's-tail Fescue Vulpia myuros, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Meadow Buttercup, Michaelmas Daisy, Petty Spurge, Hoary Mustard, Broom, Bridewort Spiraea sp., Montbretia as well as the Reflexed Stonecrop Petrosedum rupestre. The Birket had Fennel Pondweed Stuckenia pectinata. Hybrid Woundwort Stachys palustris × sylvatica = S. × ambigua was intermediate in characters between the two parents. Tufted and Meadow Vetchlings added colour. Also in flower were Red Bartsia, Upright Hedge Parsley Torilis japonica, Meadowsweet, Honeysuckle, Bittersweet (or Woody Nightshade), Goatsbeard, Hedge Woundwort, Ribbed Melilot and Hybrid Campion Silene dioica × latifolia = S. × hampeana. Further along was plenty of Great Horsetail plus Field Forget-me-not, Black Bindweed, Turkey Oak, Hartstongue Fern and a white-coloured form of Herb Robert. A wetland had Water Forget-me-not, Reed, Reed Canary Grass, Amphibious Bistort, Marsh Horsetail, Yellow Iris, Typha and Clustered Dock. Other finds included Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea, Giant Hogweed, Meadow Cranesbill, Common Couch and Lucerne.
Under the M53 and A5139 was surprisingly rich flora with Eastern Rocket, Grass-leaved and Spear-leaved Oraches, Yellow-wort, Sand Spurrey Spergularia rubra, Buckshorn Plantain, Wild Carrot, Ribbed and Tall Melilots, Self-heal, Pellitory of the Wall, Bristly Oxtongue, Common Centaury, Kidney Vetch, Oxeye Daisy, Purple Toadflax, Cotoneaster sp., Weld, Prickly Lettuce, Oxford Ragwort, and Annual Wall Rocket. We could compare Teasel and Cut-leaved Teasel side by side. Sean found Spiked Sedge Carex spicata. Further on were Hard Rush, Smooth Tare, False Fox Sedge, Hazel, Timothy, Canadian Goldenrod, Common Fleabane and Hollyhock.
The ballast and railway tracks of the sidings held Hop Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Common Centaury, Haresfoot Clover, Perforate St. John’s wort, Maidenhair Spleenwort, Smooth Hawksbeard, Umbellate Hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum, Toad Rush, Gorse, Common and Pale Toadflax, Mouse-ear Hawkweed and Great Mullein. The hard standing had Peltigera lichen, Apple, Swedish Whitebeam, Oxeye Daisy, Red Valerian, Reflexed Stonecrop, Fern Grass and around 100 Cut-leaved Teasel.
Lower plants included Greasewort (Liverwort) Aneura pinguis, mosses Hypnum cupressiforme, Polytrichum sp. and Bryum argenteum. The only lichen noticed was Xanthoria parietina.
Fungi consisted of rusts on Coltsfoot (Puccinia poarum), Bramble (Violet Bramble Rust Phragmidium violaceum), Willow (Melampsora sp.).
Mildews were found on Common Couch Grass (Blumeria graminis ), Ribbed Melilot (Erysiphe trifoliorum), Blackthorn (Erysiphe prunastri), and Common Knotgrass (Erysiphe polygoni).
Bird highlights included calling Buzzard, Reed Warbler and a Cetti’s, Warbler. Two Tufted Duck were on The Birket. Also seen were Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Cormorant flew east, flock of 4 Magpie, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, 14 Mallard, 2 Coot and at least 21 Canada Geese flew over.
The sun in the afternoon brought out the butterflies with a total of 10 Speckled Wood, 6 Common Blue, 4 Red Admiral, 3 Large White, 3 Peacock, 2 Small White, 2 Gatekeeper, 1 Green-veined White and a Brimstone. Dragonflies were active with 3 Common Darter, 2 Brown Hawker and a single Southern Hawker.
Other insects included Six-spot Burnet Moth (adults and pupa), Shaded Broad-bar Moth, Hoverflies Xylota segnis and Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea. Rose Sawfly larvae of either Arge ochropus or Arge pagana on Rose. A red Apion weevil was on Dock. Common Carder Bumble Bees liked the Himalayan Balsam flowers. Also here were a pupa of Harlequin Ladybird, female Oedemera beetle (most likely nobilis), Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a Common Field Grasshopper was well camouflaged on the old railway track. Several Guelder Rose had been decimated by Viburnum Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni. Sean found Mint Motha Ptychoptera cranefly, Semaphore Fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Sun Fly.
Leaf mines included those of the flies Phytomyza angelicae on Wild Angelica, Phytomyza spondylii/pastinacae agg. on Hogweed, Phytoliriomyza melampyga on Himalayan Balsam, Liriomyza eupatoria on Hemp Agrimony.
Galls found included Aulacidea hieracii on Hawkweed, Robin's Pincushion or Bedeguar Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae (new and old) on Rose and Dasineura pustulans on Meadowsweet. Sean found the Alder Vein Angle Gall Eriophyes inangulis.
Nineteen members and friends met at Bidston Station to tour the areas between the M53 and the railway. Robert Freeth, the leader for the day gave an introduction and Barbara Greenwood gave a brief history of the area and how it related to the botany. This included information and species lists from Eric Greenwood paper “Changes to the coastal flora of Wirral, Merseyside (v.c.58)”, it can be found at https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/135/168
The route took us under the A554, between B&Q Wallasey and the railway, then to the area below the M53 and A5139 were we had lunch. We went then went east on a path through the old sidings over the ballast and rails.
Interesting finds were over a hundred Cut-leaved Teasel Dipsacus laciniatus and one Pale Toadflax Linaria repens. Of note too were Reflexed Stonecrop Petrosedum rupestre, Great Horsetail, and Spearmint. Below the M53 and A5139 was Grass-leaved Orache, Yellow-wort Blackstonia perfoliata and Sand Spurrey Spergularia rubra. Also here were Musk Mallow, Greater Knapweed, Chicory, a very large Lady’s Bedstraw and the sativus form of Birdsfoot Trefoil which seem to have originated from a wildflower seed mix. Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius took a little bit of figuring out with the immature flowers so confusing compared to full flowers, but the leaf structure confirmed the identification.
By the station were the rail-side regulars such as Rosebay and Great Willowherb, birches, willows, Large Bindweed, and brambles. The first stretch from the station over The Birket and under the A554 had the usual ruderal species including Himalayan Giant Bramble Rubus armeniacus, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam, Italian Ryegrass, Rat's-tail Fescue Vulpia myuros, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Meadow Buttercup, Michaelmas Daisy, Petty Spurge, Hoary Mustard, Broom, Bridewort Spiraea sp., Montbretia as well as the Reflexed Stonecrop Petrosedum rupestre. The Birket had Fennel Pondweed Stuckenia pectinata. Hybrid Woundwort Stachys palustris × sylvatica = S. × ambigua was intermediate in characters between the two parents. Tufted and Meadow Vetchlings added colour. Also in flower were Red Bartsia, Upright Hedge Parsley Torilis japonica, Meadowsweet, Honeysuckle, Bittersweet (or Woody Nightshade), Goatsbeard, Hedge Woundwort, Ribbed Melilot and Hybrid Campion Silene dioica × latifolia = S. × hampeana. Further along was plenty of Great Horsetail plus Field Forget-me-not, Black Bindweed, Turkey Oak, Hartstongue Fern and a white-coloured form of Herb Robert. A wetland had Water Forget-me-not, Reed, Reed Canary Grass, Amphibious Bistort, Marsh Horsetail, Yellow Iris, Typha and Clustered Dock. Other finds included Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea, Giant Hogweed, Meadow Cranesbill, Common Couch and Lucerne.
Under the M53 and A5139 was surprisingly rich flora with Eastern Rocket, Grass-leaved and Spear-leaved Oraches, Yellow-wort, Sand Spurrey Spergularia rubra, Buckshorn Plantain, Wild Carrot, Ribbed and Tall Melilots, Self-heal, Pellitory of the Wall, Bristly Oxtongue, Common Centaury, Kidney Vetch, Oxeye Daisy, Purple Toadflax, Cotoneaster sp., Weld, Prickly Lettuce, Oxford Ragwort, and Annual Wall Rocket. We could compare Teasel and Cut-leaved Teasel side by side. Sean found Spiked Sedge Carex spicata. Further on were Hard Rush, Smooth Tare, False Fox Sedge, Hazel, Timothy, Canadian Goldenrod, Common Fleabane and Hollyhock.
The ballast and railway tracks of the sidings held Hop Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Common Centaury, Haresfoot Clover, Perforate St. John’s wort, Maidenhair Spleenwort, Smooth Hawksbeard, Umbellate Hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum, Toad Rush, Gorse, Common and Pale Toadflax, Mouse-ear Hawkweed and Great Mullein. The hard standing had Peltigera lichen, Apple, Swedish Whitebeam, Oxeye Daisy, Red Valerian, Reflexed Stonecrop, Fern Grass and around 100 Cut-leaved Teasel.
Lower plants included Greasewort (Liverwort) Aneura pinguis, mosses Hypnum cupressiforme, Polytrichum sp. and Bryum argenteum. The only lichen noticed was Xanthoria parietina.
Fungi consisted of rusts on Coltsfoot (Puccinia poarum), Bramble (Violet Bramble Rust Phragmidium violaceum), Willow (Melampsora sp.).
Mildews were found on Common Couch Grass (Blumeria graminis ), Ribbed Melilot (Erysiphe trifoliorum), Blackthorn (Erysiphe prunastri), and Common Knotgrass (Erysiphe polygoni).
Bird highlights included calling Buzzard, Reed Warbler and a Cetti’s, Warbler. Two Tufted Duck were on The Birket. Also seen were Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Cormorant flew east, flock of 4 Magpie, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, 14 Mallard, 2 Coot and at least 21 Canada Geese flew over.
The sun in the afternoon brought out the butterflies with a total of 10 Speckled Wood, 6 Common Blue, 4 Red Admiral, 3 Large White, 3 Peacock, 2 Small White, 2 Gatekeeper, 1 Green-veined White and a Brimstone. Dragonflies were active with 3 Common Darter, 2 Brown Hawker and a single Southern Hawker.
Other insects included Six-spot Burnet Moth (adults and pupa), Shaded Broad-bar Moth, Hoverflies Xylota segnis and Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea. Rose Sawfly larvae of either Arge ochropus or Arge pagana on Rose. A red Apion weevil was on Dock. Common Carder Bumble Bees liked the Himalayan Balsam flowers. Also here were a pupa of Harlequin Ladybird, female Oedemera beetle (most likely nobilis), Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a Common Field Grasshopper was well camouflaged on the old railway track. Several Guelder Rose had been decimated by Viburnum Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni. Sean found Mint Motha Ptychoptera cranefly, Semaphore Fly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Sun Fly.
Leaf mines included those of the flies Phytomyza angelicae on Wild Angelica, Phytomyza spondylii/pastinacae agg. on Hogweed, Phytoliriomyza melampyga on Himalayan Balsam, Liriomyza eupatoria on Hemp Agrimony.
Galls found included Aulacidea hieracii on Hawkweed, Robin's Pincushion or Bedeguar Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae (new and old) on Rose and Dasineura pustulans on Meadowsweet. Sean found the Alder Vein Angle Gall Eriophyes inangulis.
Birkdale 17 August 2024
Twelve members and friend met at Birkdale Station and proceeded west along Weld Road. The highlight (after only 20 metres) was Brachyglottis Broomrape Orobanche minor subsp. minor var. heliophila growing on the Shrub Ragwort Brachyglottis × jubar 'Sunshine’ (formerly, but incorrectly known as Senecio greyi). This parasitic broomrape variety was only described in 2020, but is frequent on this commonly planted shrub, especially around car parks and gardens. Other species noted were the usual urban species such as Pineappleweed, Shaggy Soldier, Field Horsetail, Smooth Sowthistle, and on a wall Ivy-leaved Toadflax and the ferns Wall-rue and Maidenhair Spleenwort; also, flowering Purple Toadflax, but the Foxglove had gone to seed. As we approached the coast road Russian Vine, Ivy, Smooth Hawksbeard, Dewberry, Common Storksbill and Haresfoot Clover were found.
The start of the dunes by the coast road had Rest Harrow, Kidney Vetch, Autumn Hawkbit, Common and Hoary Ragworts, Polypody Fern, Canadian Fleabane and a clump of Snowberry. Further along were Sea Radish (in flower and seed), Lesser Burdock, Spear and Creeping Thistles, Lyme Grass, Perennial Rye and Common Couch Grasses.
A Sand Pile by the shrimpers compound had Lyme Grass, Sea Rocket, Annual Wall Rocket, Sea Beet, Sea Radish, Red Goosefoot, a yellowy-white form of Redshank (no yellow glands on stalk) and Spear-leaved Orache. We could directly compare Ray’s and Common Knotgrass.
A transect westwards through the Salt Marsh held lots of Sea Club-rush, plus Perennial Sowthistle, Sea Rush Juncus maritimus, Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa, Red Fescue and Sea Aster. Also found were Strawberry Clover, Sea Milkwort, Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii, Curled Dock of the subspecies littoralis, Hard Grass Parapholis strigosa, Annual Sea-blite Suaeda maritima, Reed and Sea Purslane and we could compare Sea Arrow Grass and Sea Plantain. Along the main track was one Lesser Sea-spurrey with its pink flowers, though most had gone to seed. Glassworts Salicornia numbered three species (Purple, Common and Long-stalked). A few patches of Common Cord-grass Spartina anglica, a fertile derivative species of a native and a North American Spartina were found, and the Common Saltmarsh Grass was dominant here. Birdlife consisted of a flock of 100 Starling, a Redshank, Swallow and Little Egret.
South along the Marsh/Dune edge with a mix of Dune, Salt, Brackish and Freshwater species. The large swathe of flowering Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii stood out and good finds were Frog Rush, Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus, and Bristle Club-rush Isolepis setacea. Also here were Wild Celery, False Fox Sedge, Silverweed, Gypsywort, Common Fleabane, Typha, Spear-leaved Orache and Sea Mayweed. We compared Strawberry, White and Red Clovers. Galls of the midge Cystiphora sonchi were common on Sowthistle. Flowering here too was Great Willowherb, Water Mint, Rest Harrow, Sea Radish, Marsh Woundwort, Wild Angelica, Dewberry, Yellow Iris, Hairy Tare, Tufted Vetch, Canadian Goldenrod, yellow-flowered Tall Melilot (with black hairy seed pods). Other finds were Jointed Rush, Red Bartsia, Meadowsweet, Hedge Bindweed, Michaelmas Daisy, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Slender Rush. Marsh Sea Arrowgrass and Sea Arrowgrass grew side by side for easy comparison. A female (long ovipositor) Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis was also found here.
An Open Sand Patch where we had lunch provided Canadian Fleabane, Prickly Sowthistle, Intermediate Evening Primrose, Carline Thistle, Cleavers, Asparagus, Common Catsear, Common Knotgrass, Common Mouse-ear, Mugwort and Rose Campion. The Typha ditch edge hosted Typha latifolia, Common Water Cress growing together with Fool’s Water Cress, Amphibious Bistort, Hemlock Water Dropwort and Balm of Gilead Populus x jackii. By the Bridge was a big patch of Galingale Cyperus longus, which is a native in Britain but here is probably an introduction. A Water Rail called from the marsh, a Curlew flew inland calling and a Kestrel was hovering. Below a birch, Hop was in flower. Even here there was still a brackish influence with Sea Club-rush, Sea Rush and Parsley Water-Dropwort, but freshwater species included Skullcap and Fool’s Water Cress.
The Path south held Creeping Willow and way too much Sea Buckthorn; also, Kidney Vetch, Wild Onion, Polypody Fern, Soapwort, and more Rose Campion. By the side of the path was the white form of Wild Radish and we also found Wild Cherry, Common Storksbill and Harebell.
A Round Pool had the whole north part edged with Sharp Club-rush Schoenoplectus pungens, at its only site in Britain (though it used to occur on Jersey up to the 1970’s), although it is widespread in much of world. Its status is uncertain, first found by W. G. Travis in 1909 and recorded through to 1978 but died out in “the wild”. It was however reintroduced from that stock in 1990 at four sites and it has since spread to the Green Beach and is now found at a total of six sites at Birkdale. Also here were Fairy Flax, Marsh Bedstraw, Wild Parsnip, Water Mint, Yellow-rattle, Red Bartsia, Glaucous Sedge, Eyebright, Grey Club Rush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Marsh Pennywort, Lesser Spearwort and both Jointed & Slender Rushes. Sean found Common Stonewort Chara vulgaris. Two male and a female Emperor Dragonfly patrolled the pond and there were plenty of Pond Snails, plus water beetles and bugs.
Opposite Selworthy Road the non-native, problematic Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea was found in white, white-pink, and pink forms with nearby Montbretia, and some yellow apples here were tasted.
Slack 27 beyond Selworthy Road Path held Baltic Rush Juncus balticus at its only English site, plus hybrid Baltic x Hard Rush Juncus x lancastriensis. Additionally, Common Milkwort, Grass of Parnassus, Eyebright, Meadowsweet, Umbellate Hawkweed (some with gall wasp Aulacidea hieracii), Toad & Jointed Rushes, Marsh Arrow Grass and Common Spike-rush were found. A Willow Warbler flitted through the bushes calling.
Only four returned back across the Dunes, with the others heading to Hillside Station. Interesting finds included Common Broomrape Orobanche minor subsp. minor, on Red Clover; a female Bee Fly, the Dune Villa Villa modesta, was rubbing sand on her abdomen to make the eggs less sticky before shooting the eggs into holes in the sand. The sand dunes also held Sand Sedge, Dune Fescue, Silver Hair Grass, Sand Catstail, Blue Fleabane, Haresfoot Clover, Red Valerian and the Heath Dog Violet had open seed capsules. A wet slack had Grass of Parnassus, Square-stalked St John's-wort Hypericum tetrapterum, and Marsh Willowherb. On the day we saw over 150 plant species.
Butterflies were quite conspicuous on the day with a total of at least 15 Common Blue, 7 Grayling, 5 Wall Brown, 2 Gatekeeper and single Meadow Brown, Large White, Painted Lady and Peacock. Six-spot Burnet Moths and Common Darter dragonflies were quite frequent; an adult Frog hopped away from us and Sean had the briefest glimpse of a Common Lizard. Galls on Meadowsweet were caused by the midge Dasineura ulmaria.
Powdery Mildews were found on Wall Lettuce (Golovinomyces cichoracearum), Canadian Goldenrod (Golovinomyces asterum var. solidaginis) and Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus). Eyebright had the rust fungus Coleosporium tussilaginis (sometimes split as Coleosporium euphrasiae) and Marram had Ergot Claviceps purpurea.
Further information on Baltic Rush Juncus balticus can be found in Smith, P.H. 1984. The distribution, status and conservation of Juncus balticus Willd. in England. Watsonia 15: 15–26
Smith, P.H. (2006). Revisiting Juncus balticus Willd. in England. Watsonia 26: pages 57-65. https://www.watsonia.org.uk/html/watsonia_26.html#p57.pdf
And for Sharp Club Rush Schoenoplectus pungens. Smith, P.H. 2005. Schoenoplectus pungens on the Sefton Coast. BSBI News 98: 30–33.
For the Hybrid Baltic x Hard Rush hybrids Juncus x lancastriensis (J. balticus x J. inflexus) see Stace, C.A. (2020). Hybrids in Juncus section Juncotypus, with a description of J. x lancastriensis (Juncaceae.). British & Irish Botany 2 (4): 266-284. https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/71/106
Twelve members and friend met at Birkdale Station and proceeded west along Weld Road. The highlight (after only 20 metres) was Brachyglottis Broomrape Orobanche minor subsp. minor var. heliophila growing on the Shrub Ragwort Brachyglottis × jubar 'Sunshine’ (formerly, but incorrectly known as Senecio greyi). This parasitic broomrape variety was only described in 2020, but is frequent on this commonly planted shrub, especially around car parks and gardens. Other species noted were the usual urban species such as Pineappleweed, Shaggy Soldier, Field Horsetail, Smooth Sowthistle, and on a wall Ivy-leaved Toadflax and the ferns Wall-rue and Maidenhair Spleenwort; also, flowering Purple Toadflax, but the Foxglove had gone to seed. As we approached the coast road Russian Vine, Ivy, Smooth Hawksbeard, Dewberry, Common Storksbill and Haresfoot Clover were found.
The start of the dunes by the coast road had Rest Harrow, Kidney Vetch, Autumn Hawkbit, Common and Hoary Ragworts, Polypody Fern, Canadian Fleabane and a clump of Snowberry. Further along were Sea Radish (in flower and seed), Lesser Burdock, Spear and Creeping Thistles, Lyme Grass, Perennial Rye and Common Couch Grasses.
A Sand Pile by the shrimpers compound had Lyme Grass, Sea Rocket, Annual Wall Rocket, Sea Beet, Sea Radish, Red Goosefoot, a yellowy-white form of Redshank (no yellow glands on stalk) and Spear-leaved Orache. We could directly compare Ray’s and Common Knotgrass.
A transect westwards through the Salt Marsh held lots of Sea Club-rush, plus Perennial Sowthistle, Sea Rush Juncus maritimus, Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa, Red Fescue and Sea Aster. Also found were Strawberry Clover, Sea Milkwort, Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii, Curled Dock of the subspecies littoralis, Hard Grass Parapholis strigosa, Annual Sea-blite Suaeda maritima, Reed and Sea Purslane and we could compare Sea Arrow Grass and Sea Plantain. Along the main track was one Lesser Sea-spurrey with its pink flowers, though most had gone to seed. Glassworts Salicornia numbered three species (Purple, Common and Long-stalked). A few patches of Common Cord-grass Spartina anglica, a fertile derivative species of a native and a North American Spartina were found, and the Common Saltmarsh Grass was dominant here. Birdlife consisted of a flock of 100 Starling, a Redshank, Swallow and Little Egret.
South along the Marsh/Dune edge with a mix of Dune, Salt, Brackish and Freshwater species. The large swathe of flowering Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii stood out and good finds were Frog Rush, Saltmarsh Flat-sedge Blysmus rufus, and Bristle Club-rush Isolepis setacea. Also here were Wild Celery, False Fox Sedge, Silverweed, Gypsywort, Common Fleabane, Typha, Spear-leaved Orache and Sea Mayweed. We compared Strawberry, White and Red Clovers. Galls of the midge Cystiphora sonchi were common on Sowthistle. Flowering here too was Great Willowherb, Water Mint, Rest Harrow, Sea Radish, Marsh Woundwort, Wild Angelica, Dewberry, Yellow Iris, Hairy Tare, Tufted Vetch, Canadian Goldenrod, yellow-flowered Tall Melilot (with black hairy seed pods). Other finds were Jointed Rush, Red Bartsia, Meadowsweet, Hedge Bindweed, Michaelmas Daisy, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Slender Rush. Marsh Sea Arrowgrass and Sea Arrowgrass grew side by side for easy comparison. A female (long ovipositor) Short-winged Conehead Conocephalus dorsalis was also found here.
An Open Sand Patch where we had lunch provided Canadian Fleabane, Prickly Sowthistle, Intermediate Evening Primrose, Carline Thistle, Cleavers, Asparagus, Common Catsear, Common Knotgrass, Common Mouse-ear, Mugwort and Rose Campion. The Typha ditch edge hosted Typha latifolia, Common Water Cress growing together with Fool’s Water Cress, Amphibious Bistort, Hemlock Water Dropwort and Balm of Gilead Populus x jackii. By the Bridge was a big patch of Galingale Cyperus longus, which is a native in Britain but here is probably an introduction. A Water Rail called from the marsh, a Curlew flew inland calling and a Kestrel was hovering. Below a birch, Hop was in flower. Even here there was still a brackish influence with Sea Club-rush, Sea Rush and Parsley Water-Dropwort, but freshwater species included Skullcap and Fool’s Water Cress.
The Path south held Creeping Willow and way too much Sea Buckthorn; also, Kidney Vetch, Wild Onion, Polypody Fern, Soapwort, and more Rose Campion. By the side of the path was the white form of Wild Radish and we also found Wild Cherry, Common Storksbill and Harebell.
A Round Pool had the whole north part edged with Sharp Club-rush Schoenoplectus pungens, at its only site in Britain (though it used to occur on Jersey up to the 1970’s), although it is widespread in much of world. Its status is uncertain, first found by W. G. Travis in 1909 and recorded through to 1978 but died out in “the wild”. It was however reintroduced from that stock in 1990 at four sites and it has since spread to the Green Beach and is now found at a total of six sites at Birkdale. Also here were Fairy Flax, Marsh Bedstraw, Wild Parsnip, Water Mint, Yellow-rattle, Red Bartsia, Glaucous Sedge, Eyebright, Grey Club Rush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Marsh Pennywort, Lesser Spearwort and both Jointed & Slender Rushes. Sean found Common Stonewort Chara vulgaris. Two male and a female Emperor Dragonfly patrolled the pond and there were plenty of Pond Snails, plus water beetles and bugs.
Opposite Selworthy Road the non-native, problematic Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea was found in white, white-pink, and pink forms with nearby Montbretia, and some yellow apples here were tasted.
Slack 27 beyond Selworthy Road Path held Baltic Rush Juncus balticus at its only English site, plus hybrid Baltic x Hard Rush Juncus x lancastriensis. Additionally, Common Milkwort, Grass of Parnassus, Eyebright, Meadowsweet, Umbellate Hawkweed (some with gall wasp Aulacidea hieracii), Toad & Jointed Rushes, Marsh Arrow Grass and Common Spike-rush were found. A Willow Warbler flitted through the bushes calling.
Only four returned back across the Dunes, with the others heading to Hillside Station. Interesting finds included Common Broomrape Orobanche minor subsp. minor, on Red Clover; a female Bee Fly, the Dune Villa Villa modesta, was rubbing sand on her abdomen to make the eggs less sticky before shooting the eggs into holes in the sand. The sand dunes also held Sand Sedge, Dune Fescue, Silver Hair Grass, Sand Catstail, Blue Fleabane, Haresfoot Clover, Red Valerian and the Heath Dog Violet had open seed capsules. A wet slack had Grass of Parnassus, Square-stalked St John's-wort Hypericum tetrapterum, and Marsh Willowherb. On the day we saw over 150 plant species.
Butterflies were quite conspicuous on the day with a total of at least 15 Common Blue, 7 Grayling, 5 Wall Brown, 2 Gatekeeper and single Meadow Brown, Large White, Painted Lady and Peacock. Six-spot Burnet Moths and Common Darter dragonflies were quite frequent; an adult Frog hopped away from us and Sean had the briefest glimpse of a Common Lizard. Galls on Meadowsweet were caused by the midge Dasineura ulmaria.
Powdery Mildews were found on Wall Lettuce (Golovinomyces cichoracearum), Canadian Goldenrod (Golovinomyces asterum var. solidaginis) and Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus). Eyebright had the rust fungus Coleosporium tussilaginis (sometimes split as Coleosporium euphrasiae) and Marram had Ergot Claviceps purpurea.
Further information on Baltic Rush Juncus balticus can be found in Smith, P.H. 1984. The distribution, status and conservation of Juncus balticus Willd. in England. Watsonia 15: 15–26
Smith, P.H. (2006). Revisiting Juncus balticus Willd. in England. Watsonia 26: pages 57-65. https://www.watsonia.org.uk/html/watsonia_26.html#p57.pdf
And for Sharp Club Rush Schoenoplectus pungens. Smith, P.H. 2005. Schoenoplectus pungens on the Sefton Coast. BSBI News 98: 30–33.
For the Hybrid Baltic x Hard Rush hybrids Juncus x lancastriensis (J. balticus x J. inflexus) see Stace, C.A. (2020). Hybrids in Juncus section Juncotypus, with a description of J. x lancastriensis (Juncaceae.). British & Irish Botany 2 (4): 266-284. https://britishandirishbotany.org/index.php/bib/article/view/71/106
Parbold 7 September 2024
On a mostly cloudy day, eleven members met at Parbold Station and under the leadership of Peter Gateley explored the canal and countryside to the east of the village. The station provided cultivated Iron Cross Sorrel Oxalis tetraphylla, Sticky Groundsel and the Cornsalad proved to be Keeled-fruited Cornsalad Valerianella carinata. Heading south down Station Road we observed Maidenhair Spleenwort, Wall-rue, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Herb Robert, Shaggy Soldier, and Procumbent Yellow Sorrel. The edge of a small car park by the canal provided Bristly Oxtongue, Oxford Ragwort, Pineappleweed, Marsh Cudweed, and Toad Rush. The bridge had the hedgehog-like moss Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata.
We then headed east along the canal past a patch of narrow-leaved Lesser Bulrush Typha angustifolia, and long-leaved Unbranched Bur-reed Sparganium emersum. Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides proved to be common, with some “floating islands” of it carried down on the slight current. This is proving to be an invasive species, even though it was only first found growing wild in Britain in 1990, it originated in North America. Mexican Fleabane was abundant on a wall on the other side of the canal. A Moorhen had four young. Comparisons could be made between Broad-leaved and Clustered Docks; as well as Lady, Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns plus Creeping and Common Bents. The alien Orange Balsam Impatiens capensis proved to be frequent along the canal edge, though much less of a problem compared to its relative Himalayan Balsam which is a major problem here.
Further finds along the canal included Water Forget-me-not, Dianthus deltoides 'Albus' of garden origin, Reed Sweet Grass Glyceria maxima, Marsh Woundwort, Water Mint, flowering Arrowhead Sagittaria sagittifolia, Gypsywort, Yellow Water-lily, Blunt-leaved Pondweed Potamogeton obtusifolius, Hairy Sedge and one Giant Hogweed in leaf. An unusual find for a canal bank was a patch of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium. An even odder find was a life size model Crocodile besides a long-boat!
After lunch we headed north over a bridge and through some woodland with Common Figwort, Wood Sage (gone to seed) and Bittersweet. Further on was Common Hemp-nettle Galeopsis tetrahit, Brooklime, Wood Speedwell, Self-heal, Wood Dock, Thyme-leaved Speedwell and Remote Sedge. Going west along Wood Lane brought us out into farmland, though some plants of the roadside where obviously from a wildflower seed mix – Musk Mallow, Cornflower, Lady’s Bedstraw, Ragged Robin, Harebell, Feverfew, Red Campion and Birdsfoot Trefoil. Also along this stretch were Field Forget-me-not, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Creeping Cinquefoil, Red Bartsia, Crested Dogstail, Sweet Vernal Grass, Common Mouse-ear, Downy and Silver Birches, Fat Hen and Common Toadflax. Chickens and domestic duck were in the field near the farmhouse. Continuing west we found Sneezewort, Perforate St. John’s wort, Black Medick, Broom, Columbine (Aquilegia), Smooth Hawksbeard, Common Field Speedwell and Dame's-violet Hesperis matronalis. A ditch held Reed Canary Grass, Common Figwort and Floating Sweet-grass Glyceria fluitans. By a farm gate was lots of Common Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Turning left in to Chapel Lane took us past a patch of fruiting Lords and Ladies or Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum. Chapel Meadow had been cut, though here was planted Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana, Field Maple, Wild Privet and Guelder Rose (which was decimated by Viburnum Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni). The surround of the meadow had Bush Vetch, Red Clover, Tufted Vetch, Sneezewort, Slender Rush, Common Knapweed, Meadow Vetchling and Tufted Hair Grass. A pool had Bulrush Typha latifolia and further west was Bittersweet, Prickly Sowthistle, Russian Comfrey, Dovesfoot Cranesbill and Butterbur. Bramble Way hosted Meadow Saffron Colchicum autumnale and the fungus Blushing Rosette Abortiporus biennis. Over the bridge were False Acacia Robinia pseudoacacia, Spear-leaved Orache, Bread Wheat, Feverfew and Purple Toadflax. Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major was by the canal.
Grasses seen on the day included Reed, False Oat Grass, Common Couch, Annual Meadow Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Cocksfoot. Trees included Hazel, Scots Pine, Horse Chestnut, Ash, Oak, Sycamore, Alder, Holly, White Poplar, White and Hybrid Crack Willows, Cypress. Shrubs and climbers present included Ivy, Dog Rose, Elder, Cotoneaster, Snowberry, Hawthorn, Lilac, Rhododendron, Cherry Laurel, Flowering Currant, Broom and Honeysuckle.
Six Willowherbs were found - Greater, Hoary, Rosebay, Marsh, American and Broad-leaved. Both Creeping and Meadow Buttercup were still in flower. Flowering still were White Deadnettle, Common Knotgrass, Perennial Sowthistle, Guernsey Fleabane, Smooth Sowthistle, Common Knapweed, Hogweed, Meadow Vetchling, Large and Hedge Bindweed, Green Alkanet, Scented and Scentless Mayweed, White Clover, Great and Ribwort Plantain, Mugwort, Redshank, Creeping Cinquefoil, Common and Hoary Ragworts, Autumn Hawkbit, Common Catsear, Autumn Hawkweed Hieracium sabaudum, Hedge Woundwort and Dandelion. We also found Nettle, Silverweed, Cow Parsley, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Hairy Tare, Lesser Burdock, Garlic Mustard, as well as Field and Marsh Horsetails plus Scaly Male Fern and Bracken.
Birds seen and heard included Blackbird, Robin, Nuthatch (one heard), Magpie, Crow, Mallard (at least 37), Blue Tit, Swallow, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Along Wood Lane was a flock of twenty-three Jackdaw: plus 2 juvenile Pied Wagtails. One Common Toad was found along the canal.
Insects found included Alder Leaf Beetle larvae, Craneflies, Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria, Holly leaf miner, Seven-spot Ladybird adult and pupa of Harlequin Ladybird, Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes, fly leaf mines Phytoliriomyza melampyga on Himalayan Balsam, leaf mines on Horse Chestnut of the moth Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella (only in Britain since 2002) and fly leaf mine Pegomya sp. on Dock. Just single Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies were found. Surprisingly, the only butterfly was a single Speckled Wood way out in agricultural land far away from the woodland edge. Galls on Oak (Knopper, Silk Button and Common Spangle), Nettle had Dasineura urticae and Alder had galls of the fungus Taphrina tosquinetii.
Rooting Bolete Boletus radicans (= Caloboletus radicans) was cut to show how its turns blue. Mildews found on Wood Avens (Podosphaera aphanis), Green Alkanet (Golovinomyces cynoglossi), Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus), Sycamore (Sawadaea bicornis), Oak (Erysiphe alphitoides), Hogweed (Erysiphe heraclei) and Marsh Woundwort. Bramble had rust Phragmidium sp. Sycamore had Tar Spot Fungus and Broad-leaved Dock had Ramularia rubella.
On a mostly cloudy day, eleven members met at Parbold Station and under the leadership of Peter Gateley explored the canal and countryside to the east of the village. The station provided cultivated Iron Cross Sorrel Oxalis tetraphylla, Sticky Groundsel and the Cornsalad proved to be Keeled-fruited Cornsalad Valerianella carinata. Heading south down Station Road we observed Maidenhair Spleenwort, Wall-rue, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Herb Robert, Shaggy Soldier, and Procumbent Yellow Sorrel. The edge of a small car park by the canal provided Bristly Oxtongue, Oxford Ragwort, Pineappleweed, Marsh Cudweed, and Toad Rush. The bridge had the hedgehog-like moss Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata.
We then headed east along the canal past a patch of narrow-leaved Lesser Bulrush Typha angustifolia, and long-leaved Unbranched Bur-reed Sparganium emersum. Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides proved to be common, with some “floating islands” of it carried down on the slight current. This is proving to be an invasive species, even though it was only first found growing wild in Britain in 1990, it originated in North America. Mexican Fleabane was abundant on a wall on the other side of the canal. A Moorhen had four young. Comparisons could be made between Broad-leaved and Clustered Docks; as well as Lady, Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns plus Creeping and Common Bents. The alien Orange Balsam Impatiens capensis proved to be frequent along the canal edge, though much less of a problem compared to its relative Himalayan Balsam which is a major problem here.
Further finds along the canal included Water Forget-me-not, Dianthus deltoides 'Albus' of garden origin, Reed Sweet Grass Glyceria maxima, Marsh Woundwort, Water Mint, flowering Arrowhead Sagittaria sagittifolia, Gypsywort, Yellow Water-lily, Blunt-leaved Pondweed Potamogeton obtusifolius, Hairy Sedge and one Giant Hogweed in leaf. An unusual find for a canal bank was a patch of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium. An even odder find was a life size model Crocodile besides a long-boat!
After lunch we headed north over a bridge and through some woodland with Common Figwort, Wood Sage (gone to seed) and Bittersweet. Further on was Common Hemp-nettle Galeopsis tetrahit, Brooklime, Wood Speedwell, Self-heal, Wood Dock, Thyme-leaved Speedwell and Remote Sedge. Going west along Wood Lane brought us out into farmland, though some plants of the roadside where obviously from a wildflower seed mix – Musk Mallow, Cornflower, Lady’s Bedstraw, Ragged Robin, Harebell, Feverfew, Red Campion and Birdsfoot Trefoil. Also along this stretch were Field Forget-me-not, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Creeping Cinquefoil, Red Bartsia, Crested Dogstail, Sweet Vernal Grass, Common Mouse-ear, Downy and Silver Birches, Fat Hen and Common Toadflax. Chickens and domestic duck were in the field near the farmhouse. Continuing west we found Sneezewort, Perforate St. John’s wort, Black Medick, Broom, Columbine (Aquilegia), Smooth Hawksbeard, Common Field Speedwell and Dame's-violet Hesperis matronalis. A ditch held Reed Canary Grass, Common Figwort and Floating Sweet-grass Glyceria fluitans. By a farm gate was lots of Common Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Turning left in to Chapel Lane took us past a patch of fruiting Lords and Ladies or Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum. Chapel Meadow had been cut, though here was planted Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana, Field Maple, Wild Privet and Guelder Rose (which was decimated by Viburnum Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni). The surround of the meadow had Bush Vetch, Red Clover, Tufted Vetch, Sneezewort, Slender Rush, Common Knapweed, Meadow Vetchling and Tufted Hair Grass. A pool had Bulrush Typha latifolia and further west was Bittersweet, Prickly Sowthistle, Russian Comfrey, Dovesfoot Cranesbill and Butterbur. Bramble Way hosted Meadow Saffron Colchicum autumnale and the fungus Blushing Rosette Abortiporus biennis. Over the bridge were False Acacia Robinia pseudoacacia, Spear-leaved Orache, Bread Wheat, Feverfew and Purple Toadflax. Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major was by the canal.
Grasses seen on the day included Reed, False Oat Grass, Common Couch, Annual Meadow Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Cocksfoot. Trees included Hazel, Scots Pine, Horse Chestnut, Ash, Oak, Sycamore, Alder, Holly, White Poplar, White and Hybrid Crack Willows, Cypress. Shrubs and climbers present included Ivy, Dog Rose, Elder, Cotoneaster, Snowberry, Hawthorn, Lilac, Rhododendron, Cherry Laurel, Flowering Currant, Broom and Honeysuckle.
Six Willowherbs were found - Greater, Hoary, Rosebay, Marsh, American and Broad-leaved. Both Creeping and Meadow Buttercup were still in flower. Flowering still were White Deadnettle, Common Knotgrass, Perennial Sowthistle, Guernsey Fleabane, Smooth Sowthistle, Common Knapweed, Hogweed, Meadow Vetchling, Large and Hedge Bindweed, Green Alkanet, Scented and Scentless Mayweed, White Clover, Great and Ribwort Plantain, Mugwort, Redshank, Creeping Cinquefoil, Common and Hoary Ragworts, Autumn Hawkbit, Common Catsear, Autumn Hawkweed Hieracium sabaudum, Hedge Woundwort and Dandelion. We also found Nettle, Silverweed, Cow Parsley, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Hairy Tare, Lesser Burdock, Garlic Mustard, as well as Field and Marsh Horsetails plus Scaly Male Fern and Bracken.
Birds seen and heard included Blackbird, Robin, Nuthatch (one heard), Magpie, Crow, Mallard (at least 37), Blue Tit, Swallow, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Along Wood Lane was a flock of twenty-three Jackdaw: plus 2 juvenile Pied Wagtails. One Common Toad was found along the canal.
Insects found included Alder Leaf Beetle larvae, Craneflies, Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria, Holly leaf miner, Seven-spot Ladybird adult and pupa of Harlequin Ladybird, Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes, fly leaf mines Phytoliriomyza melampyga on Himalayan Balsam, leaf mines on Horse Chestnut of the moth Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella (only in Britain since 2002) and fly leaf mine Pegomya sp. on Dock. Just single Common Darter and Migrant Hawker dragonflies were found. Surprisingly, the only butterfly was a single Speckled Wood way out in agricultural land far away from the woodland edge. Galls on Oak (Knopper, Silk Button and Common Spangle), Nettle had Dasineura urticae and Alder had galls of the fungus Taphrina tosquinetii.
Rooting Bolete Boletus radicans (= Caloboletus radicans) was cut to show how its turns blue. Mildews found on Wood Avens (Podosphaera aphanis), Green Alkanet (Golovinomyces cynoglossi), Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus), Sycamore (Sawadaea bicornis), Oak (Erysiphe alphitoides), Hogweed (Erysiphe heraclei) and Marsh Woundwort. Bramble had rust Phragmidium sp. Sycamore had Tar Spot Fungus and Broad-leaved Dock had Ramularia rubella.
Marshside 21 September 2024
A group of twelve, led by Steve Cross, headed south along Marine Drive from Marshside RSPB car park, down onto the saltmarsh by Hesketh Road and finally to the mini dune at Fairway and then later returning the same way. It was cloudy with a coolish wind at first but was sunny by the afternoon.
Though late season many plants were still in flower on the slope of sea wall or on saltmarsh; and we could do some “necrobotany” - identifying dead plants.
Along the sea wall we found White Stonecrop, Sea Radish (mostly yellow flowers, but one with white flowers), Perennial Sowthistle, Small-flowered and Intermediate Evening Primroses, plus Sea and Scentless Mayweeds. Also here were dune plants too, such as Birdsfoot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and Viper’s Bugloss (some flowering and some leaves only for this biennial, the latter looking a bit like Bristly Oxtongue). Grasses including Red Fescue, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Creeping Bent, and Peter Gateley pointed out a patch of Spreading Meadow-grass Poa humilis and Sea Fern-grass Catapodium marinum.
A 5m wide band of Common Couch was at the base of the slope and was of the ssp. arenosus a bluish glaucous form, which can have inrolled leaf blades but leaf sheaths glabrous, making it similar to the rare Sea Couch E. athericus (leaf-sheaths have a sparse ciliate margin) and there was probably some of the hybrid E. x drucei too, which is intermediate in most characters with very sparse cilia on the sheaf-margin. See Greenwood, E.F. 2004. Coastal Elytrigia species and hybrids in North-western England and northern Wales. BSBI News 95: 15–19
Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica had the Ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea var. spartinae and the Sea Aster had mildew either Golovinomyces asterum or G. cichoracearum. The fungus King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp balls Daldinia concentrica was on a dead ash tree on the strandline.
Also, found were Yarrow, Sea Club Rush, Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Sea Beet, Ribwort Plantain, Common Ragwort, Bramble and Spear Thistle. Flowering were Canadian Fleabane, Herb Robert, Michaelmas Daisy, Rest Harrow, Haresfoot Clover, Marsh Woundwort, Soapwort, plus Great and Rosebay Willowherbs. Also, present were Hogweed, Marram, Elm, Burnet Rose (one), Cotoneaster, Common Alder, Large Bindweed and the lichen Xanthoria parietina.
The saltmarsh held Common Sea Lavender Limonium vulgare (still in flower) and Lax-flowered Sea Lavender Limonium humile, plus hybrid Limonium x neumanii. The structure of the flower spikes was distinctive in profile and form, though the hybrids are intermediate.
The strandline held plenty of Spear-leaved Orache Atriplex prostrata and Grass-leaved Orache Atriplex littoralis plus quite a bit of Kattegat Orache Atriplex longipes × prostrata = A. × gustafssoniana. A couple of plants seemed to be Babington's Orache Atriplex glabriuscula and Taschereau’s Orache Atriplex glabriuscula x longipes = A. x taschereaui.
We could also compare Sea Plantain and Sea Arrow Grass; some Sea Aster was still in flower. Sea Purslane, Long-bracted Sedge and Sea Milkweed were also present. Much of the Annual Sea-blite had turned red. Glassworts were rare this high up the marsh but both Purple, and Yellow Glassworts were found.
The mini dune at Fairway had lots of Lyme Grass, plus Sea Holly, Buckshorn Plantain, Haresfoot Clover, Common Mouse-ear, Autumn Hawkbit, Sea Sandwort, Sea Buckthorn and Sea Beet. A few Greater Sea-spurrey Spergularia media were still in flower.
Plenty of Pink-footed Geese were on the marsh and flying over and I reckoned 1310 for the day. Four Great White Egret and 33 Little Egret were on the saltmarsh along with 3000 Knot, 57 Shelduck, 1 Cormorant, 11 Feral Pigeon, 3 Woodpigeon, 1 Curlew and 47 Redshank. Twelve Swallow flew over and we noted 2 Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, and a Common Buzzard. Also seen were Linnet, Crow, Black-headed Gull, Greylag and Canada Geese, Mute Swan and Herring Gull.
Insects came out with the sun in the afternoon, and we saw 3 Common Darter (including a mating pair), one Migrant Hawker, and a Common Field Grasshopper. A Comma, two Large White and a Red Admiral butterfly were seen. A caterpillar proved to be that of the Dark Tussock Dicallomera fascelina. Galls on Perennial Sowthistle were those caused by the fly Cystiphora sonchi.
Wolf Spiders Pardosa sp. were running across the path and a Copse Snail Arianta arbustorum was also present. Strandline finds included crabs, whelk egg cases, ray egg cases, Heart Urchin (Sea Potato) and gull feathers.
A group of twelve, led by Steve Cross, headed south along Marine Drive from Marshside RSPB car park, down onto the saltmarsh by Hesketh Road and finally to the mini dune at Fairway and then later returning the same way. It was cloudy with a coolish wind at first but was sunny by the afternoon.
Though late season many plants were still in flower on the slope of sea wall or on saltmarsh; and we could do some “necrobotany” - identifying dead plants.
- Pryce, Suki (2023). Winter recording and ‘necrobotany’ by the Norfolk Flora Group. BSBI News 154. P3-8.
- https://bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2023/09/BSBI-News-154-web.pdf
Along the sea wall we found White Stonecrop, Sea Radish (mostly yellow flowers, but one with white flowers), Perennial Sowthistle, Small-flowered and Intermediate Evening Primroses, plus Sea and Scentless Mayweeds. Also here were dune plants too, such as Birdsfoot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and Viper’s Bugloss (some flowering and some leaves only for this biennial, the latter looking a bit like Bristly Oxtongue). Grasses including Red Fescue, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Creeping Bent, and Peter Gateley pointed out a patch of Spreading Meadow-grass Poa humilis and Sea Fern-grass Catapodium marinum.
A 5m wide band of Common Couch was at the base of the slope and was of the ssp. arenosus a bluish glaucous form, which can have inrolled leaf blades but leaf sheaths glabrous, making it similar to the rare Sea Couch E. athericus (leaf-sheaths have a sparse ciliate margin) and there was probably some of the hybrid E. x drucei too, which is intermediate in most characters with very sparse cilia on the sheaf-margin. See Greenwood, E.F. 2004. Coastal Elytrigia species and hybrids in North-western England and northern Wales. BSBI News 95: 15–19
Common Cord Grass Spartina anglica had the Ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea var. spartinae and the Sea Aster had mildew either Golovinomyces asterum or G. cichoracearum. The fungus King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp balls Daldinia concentrica was on a dead ash tree on the strandline.
Also, found were Yarrow, Sea Club Rush, Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Sea Beet, Ribwort Plantain, Common Ragwort, Bramble and Spear Thistle. Flowering were Canadian Fleabane, Herb Robert, Michaelmas Daisy, Rest Harrow, Haresfoot Clover, Marsh Woundwort, Soapwort, plus Great and Rosebay Willowherbs. Also, present were Hogweed, Marram, Elm, Burnet Rose (one), Cotoneaster, Common Alder, Large Bindweed and the lichen Xanthoria parietina.
The saltmarsh held Common Sea Lavender Limonium vulgare (still in flower) and Lax-flowered Sea Lavender Limonium humile, plus hybrid Limonium x neumanii. The structure of the flower spikes was distinctive in profile and form, though the hybrids are intermediate.
The strandline held plenty of Spear-leaved Orache Atriplex prostrata and Grass-leaved Orache Atriplex littoralis plus quite a bit of Kattegat Orache Atriplex longipes × prostrata = A. × gustafssoniana. A couple of plants seemed to be Babington's Orache Atriplex glabriuscula and Taschereau’s Orache Atriplex glabriuscula x longipes = A. x taschereaui.
We could also compare Sea Plantain and Sea Arrow Grass; some Sea Aster was still in flower. Sea Purslane, Long-bracted Sedge and Sea Milkweed were also present. Much of the Annual Sea-blite had turned red. Glassworts were rare this high up the marsh but both Purple, and Yellow Glassworts were found.
The mini dune at Fairway had lots of Lyme Grass, plus Sea Holly, Buckshorn Plantain, Haresfoot Clover, Common Mouse-ear, Autumn Hawkbit, Sea Sandwort, Sea Buckthorn and Sea Beet. A few Greater Sea-spurrey Spergularia media were still in flower.
Plenty of Pink-footed Geese were on the marsh and flying over and I reckoned 1310 for the day. Four Great White Egret and 33 Little Egret were on the saltmarsh along with 3000 Knot, 57 Shelduck, 1 Cormorant, 11 Feral Pigeon, 3 Woodpigeon, 1 Curlew and 47 Redshank. Twelve Swallow flew over and we noted 2 Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, and a Common Buzzard. Also seen were Linnet, Crow, Black-headed Gull, Greylag and Canada Geese, Mute Swan and Herring Gull.
Insects came out with the sun in the afternoon, and we saw 3 Common Darter (including a mating pair), one Migrant Hawker, and a Common Field Grasshopper. A Comma, two Large White and a Red Admiral butterfly were seen. A caterpillar proved to be that of the Dark Tussock Dicallomera fascelina. Galls on Perennial Sowthistle were those caused by the fly Cystiphora sonchi.
Wolf Spiders Pardosa sp. were running across the path and a Copse Snail Arianta arbustorum was also present. Strandline finds included crabs, whelk egg cases, ray egg cases, Heart Urchin (Sea Potato) and gull feathers.
Freshfield LBS 5 October 2024
Eighteen went north from Freshfield station to explore the woods and heathland at Montagu Road Triangle and Freshfield Dune Heath which hold round 10% of Britain’s Dune Heathland. We looked at fungi, flowering plants and “necrobotany ” – dead plants.
Freshfield Station Car Park had Norway Maple, Tar Spot on Sycamore, and the Ivy had Colletotrichum trichellum on the leaves. The ivy flowers attracted three Red Admiral butterflies as well as Dronefly Eristalis tenax and a Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea. Groundsel had the orange cups of Australian rust fungus Puccinia lagenophorae, only known in Britain since 1961.
Montagu Road had more Tar Spot on Sycamore and birch logs hosted Birch Woodwart Annulohypoxylon multiforme. Grey Poplar twigs held Poplar Bell Schizophyllum amplum and the poplar logs had Birch Woodwart Annulohypoxylon multiforme. Bramble had both rusts Phragmidium violaceum and P. bulbosum. Mildews found on Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus), Ribwort Plantain (Podosphaera plantaginis) and Great Mullein (Golovinomyces verbasci).
Still in flower along Montagu Road were Shaggy Soldier, Smooth and Prickly Sowthistles, Common Knotgrass, Large Bindweed, Common Ragwort, Herb Robert, Creeping Buttercup, Annual Meadow Grass, Yarrow, Evening Primrose, Heather, Petty Spurge, Oxeye Daisy, Cocksfoot, Daisy, White Dead-nettle, Canadian Goldenrod, Purple Toadflax, Creeping Thistle and Dandelion. Planted or of garden origin were Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Garden Privet, Lily of the Valley, Cherry Laurel, New Zealand Flax, Yucca, Montbretia, Rowan, Spotted Dead Nettle, Cotoneaster and Stinking Hellebore Helleborus foetidus which did a good job of looking like Cannabis. Stinking Iris could be told by its beefy, Bovril smell. Also found were Perennial Rye Grass, Great and Ribwort Plantains, Nettle, Tufted Vetch, Blackthorn, Elder, Wych Elm, Ash, Horse Chestnut, Mugwort, Grey Poplar, Ground Elder, and Broom. The Buddleia, Honesty, Campion, Wild Carrot, Black Horehound, Cleavers, and Great Mullein had gone to seed. Also, flowering was a patch of Narrow-leaved Michaelmas Daisy Symphyotrichum lanceolatum with its small whitish flowers and long, narrow leaves. A colourful, hairy caterpillar of the Grey Dagger Acronicta psi was basking in the sunshine.
Montagu Road Triangle woodland had plenty of Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca, plus Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, Amethyst Deceiver, Plums and Custard Tricholomopsis rutilans and below birch was Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum and Birch Milkcap Lactarius tabidus. Sulphur Tuft was found on stumps. Also present were flowering Heather, Autumn Hawkbit, Rosebay Willowherb (with rust Pucciniastrum epilobii), Great Mullein, Broom, Common Ragwort, and Common Knapweed. The woods provided Montbretia, Foxglove and Honeysuckle. The woods had Grey Poplar, pine (mostly Scots and a few Corsican), oak (with abundant mildew Erysiphe alphitoides), birch, Rowan, Yew, hawthorn, beech, spruce, Holly, and hybrid Highclere Holly Ilex x altaclerensis, Sweet Chestnut and Montbretia.
After lunch we found the orangy Raspberry Slime Mould Tubifera ferruginosa on a fallen trunk and nearby was the “bootlaces” of Honey Fungus. Autumn Hawkweed Hieracium sabaudum had mostly gone to seed but there was still a couple of flowers. An Apple had plenty of fruit.
In the open heathland was flowering Heather, Creeping Buttercup, Common Ragwort, Broom, Common Catsear. Also present were Rosebay Willowherb, Creeping Willow, Canadian Fleabane, Buckshorn Plantain, Compact Rush, Heath Rush Juncus squarrosus, Toad Rush and Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa plus Bird’s-foot Ornithopus perpusillus and Sand Sedge. Along the paths was plenty of the introduced American species Slender Rush (or Slender Path Rush) Juncus tenuis.
Freshfield Dune Heath LWT reserve. Here was Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca, Birch Brittlegill Russula betularum, Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus, Slippery Jack Suillus luteus, Birch Milkcap Lactarius tabidus, Turkeytail Trametes versicolor, Blusher Amanita rubescens and some large Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria. Also found were Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus, Nitrous Bonnet Mycena leptocephala with its distinctive smell, White Fibrecap Inocybe geophylla, Sickener Russula emetica, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scurfy Twiglet Tubaria furfuracea, False Chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Surprise Webcap Cortinarius semisanguineus (the red gills contrasting with the pale cap), Deceiver Laccaria laccata, Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta and Herald of Winter Hygrophorus hypothejus. Laxitextum bicolor is a Stereum lookalike that is increasing rapidly. On birch was Common Tarcrust Diatrype stigma and Birch Polypore or Razor Strop Fungus Fomitopsis betulina and a birch also had “witches' brooms” probably caused by the fungus Taphrina betulina.
The woods provided flowering Cyclamen or Sowbread Cyclamen hederifolium (pink and white forms) which had originated in nearby gardens as had the Cut-leaf Bramble Rubus laciniatus. Bittersweet and Hairy Sedge were present, and the Foxglove had gone to seed. Herb Robert leaves had the black spots of the fungus Coleroa robertiani. Male and Broad Buckler Ferns, plus Polypody Fern were in the woods, as were the mosses Rough-stalked Feather-moss Brachythecium rutabulum, Common Feather-moss Kindbergia praelongum, Wood Bristle-moss Lewinskya affinis and Bank Haircap Moss Polytrichum formosum. A few trees had the free-living orange algae Trentepohlia (which can also be a partner within some lichens).
Heading back on towards the open heathland gave us Wavy Bittercress Cardamine flexuosa in a ditch, Sheep’s Sorrel, Tufted Vetch, Bird’s-foot Ornithopus perpusillus, Sand Sedge, Weld, Fat Hen, Procumbent Pearlwort, and Spear Thistle. Brooklime was in another ditch. Flowering still were Red Campion, Common Mouse-ear, Prickly Sowthistle, Common Michalemas Daisy S. x salignus, Creeping Cinquefoil, Smooth Hawksbeard, Evening Primrose, Autumn Hawkbit, Common Storksbill, Yarrow, Broom, Gorse, Honeysuckle and one patch of Sheep’s Bit Jasione montana. The area is fenced enclosing the four large Longhorn Cattle plus some sheep (white and black).
Heading back alongside the path and railway we had flowering Smooth Hawksbeard, Harebell, Bridewort Spirea sp., Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Red and White Clovers, Bramble, False Oat Grass, Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot and Wild Parsnip. Gone to seed were Great Mullein, Canadian Fleabane, Hogweed, and Curled Dock.
The “lawns” along Montagu Road had Daisy, Thyme-leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia, Buckshorn Plantain, Petty Spurge, Groundsel, Dovesfoot Cranesbill, Hedge Mustard, and Shepherds Purse.
Lichens seen were Xanthoria parietina, Physcia adscendens and P. tenella, Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Evernia prunastri, Parmelia sulcata on trees and in the open heathland Pixie Cup Lichens Cladonia sp., Cladonia portentosa, and Dog Lichen Peltigera sp.
The butterflies and dragonflies took advantage of the sun with six Common Dater (including a mating pair), three Comma, and a Small Copper being present. Seven-spot Ladybird, Drone-fly Eristalis tenax and an adult Common Green Shieldbug were also seen.
Leaf mines were on Holly (fly Phytomyza ilicis), Horse Chestnut (moth Cameraria ohridella), bramble (moth Stigmella aurella), Wild Cherry (Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella).
Galls on oaks, caused by gall wasps, were Common Spangle (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum), Silk Button (Neuroterus numismalis) and Artichoke (Andricus foecundatrix). Dark-lipped Banded Snail and Garden Snail represented the molluscs.
Birds present were a hunting Kestrel, a Nuthatch calling, 51 Jackdaw flew over, plus Woodpigeon, Crow, Blackbird, and Robin.
Text and photos by Steve Cross.
Eighteen went north from Freshfield station to explore the woods and heathland at Montagu Road Triangle and Freshfield Dune Heath which hold round 10% of Britain’s Dune Heathland. We looked at fungi, flowering plants and “necrobotany ” – dead plants.
Freshfield Station Car Park had Norway Maple, Tar Spot on Sycamore, and the Ivy had Colletotrichum trichellum on the leaves. The ivy flowers attracted three Red Admiral butterflies as well as Dronefly Eristalis tenax and a Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea. Groundsel had the orange cups of Australian rust fungus Puccinia lagenophorae, only known in Britain since 1961.
Montagu Road had more Tar Spot on Sycamore and birch logs hosted Birch Woodwart Annulohypoxylon multiforme. Grey Poplar twigs held Poplar Bell Schizophyllum amplum and the poplar logs had Birch Woodwart Annulohypoxylon multiforme. Bramble had both rusts Phragmidium violaceum and P. bulbosum. Mildews found on Great Plantain (Golovinomyces sordidus), Ribwort Plantain (Podosphaera plantaginis) and Great Mullein (Golovinomyces verbasci).
Still in flower along Montagu Road were Shaggy Soldier, Smooth and Prickly Sowthistles, Common Knotgrass, Large Bindweed, Common Ragwort, Herb Robert, Creeping Buttercup, Annual Meadow Grass, Yarrow, Evening Primrose, Heather, Petty Spurge, Oxeye Daisy, Cocksfoot, Daisy, White Dead-nettle, Canadian Goldenrod, Purple Toadflax, Creeping Thistle and Dandelion. Planted or of garden origin were Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Garden Privet, Lily of the Valley, Cherry Laurel, New Zealand Flax, Yucca, Montbretia, Rowan, Spotted Dead Nettle, Cotoneaster and Stinking Hellebore Helleborus foetidus which did a good job of looking like Cannabis. Stinking Iris could be told by its beefy, Bovril smell. Also found were Perennial Rye Grass, Great and Ribwort Plantains, Nettle, Tufted Vetch, Blackthorn, Elder, Wych Elm, Ash, Horse Chestnut, Mugwort, Grey Poplar, Ground Elder, and Broom. The Buddleia, Honesty, Campion, Wild Carrot, Black Horehound, Cleavers, and Great Mullein had gone to seed. Also, flowering was a patch of Narrow-leaved Michaelmas Daisy Symphyotrichum lanceolatum with its small whitish flowers and long, narrow leaves. A colourful, hairy caterpillar of the Grey Dagger Acronicta psi was basking in the sunshine.
Montagu Road Triangle woodland had plenty of Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca, plus Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, Amethyst Deceiver, Plums and Custard Tricholomopsis rutilans and below birch was Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum and Birch Milkcap Lactarius tabidus. Sulphur Tuft was found on stumps. Also present were flowering Heather, Autumn Hawkbit, Rosebay Willowherb (with rust Pucciniastrum epilobii), Great Mullein, Broom, Common Ragwort, and Common Knapweed. The woods provided Montbretia, Foxglove and Honeysuckle. The woods had Grey Poplar, pine (mostly Scots and a few Corsican), oak (with abundant mildew Erysiphe alphitoides), birch, Rowan, Yew, hawthorn, beech, spruce, Holly, and hybrid Highclere Holly Ilex x altaclerensis, Sweet Chestnut and Montbretia.
After lunch we found the orangy Raspberry Slime Mould Tubifera ferruginosa on a fallen trunk and nearby was the “bootlaces” of Honey Fungus. Autumn Hawkweed Hieracium sabaudum had mostly gone to seed but there was still a couple of flowers. An Apple had plenty of fruit.
In the open heathland was flowering Heather, Creeping Buttercup, Common Ragwort, Broom, Common Catsear. Also present were Rosebay Willowherb, Creeping Willow, Canadian Fleabane, Buckshorn Plantain, Compact Rush, Heath Rush Juncus squarrosus, Toad Rush and Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa plus Bird’s-foot Ornithopus perpusillus and Sand Sedge. Along the paths was plenty of the introduced American species Slender Rush (or Slender Path Rush) Juncus tenuis.
Freshfield Dune Heath LWT reserve. Here was Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca, Birch Brittlegill Russula betularum, Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus, Slippery Jack Suillus luteus, Birch Milkcap Lactarius tabidus, Turkeytail Trametes versicolor, Blusher Amanita rubescens and some large Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria. Also found were Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus, Nitrous Bonnet Mycena leptocephala with its distinctive smell, White Fibrecap Inocybe geophylla, Sickener Russula emetica, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scurfy Twiglet Tubaria furfuracea, False Chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Surprise Webcap Cortinarius semisanguineus (the red gills contrasting with the pale cap), Deceiver Laccaria laccata, Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta and Herald of Winter Hygrophorus hypothejus. Laxitextum bicolor is a Stereum lookalike that is increasing rapidly. On birch was Common Tarcrust Diatrype stigma and Birch Polypore or Razor Strop Fungus Fomitopsis betulina and a birch also had “witches' brooms” probably caused by the fungus Taphrina betulina.
The woods provided flowering Cyclamen or Sowbread Cyclamen hederifolium (pink and white forms) which had originated in nearby gardens as had the Cut-leaf Bramble Rubus laciniatus. Bittersweet and Hairy Sedge were present, and the Foxglove had gone to seed. Herb Robert leaves had the black spots of the fungus Coleroa robertiani. Male and Broad Buckler Ferns, plus Polypody Fern were in the woods, as were the mosses Rough-stalked Feather-moss Brachythecium rutabulum, Common Feather-moss Kindbergia praelongum, Wood Bristle-moss Lewinskya affinis and Bank Haircap Moss Polytrichum formosum. A few trees had the free-living orange algae Trentepohlia (which can also be a partner within some lichens).
Heading back on towards the open heathland gave us Wavy Bittercress Cardamine flexuosa in a ditch, Sheep’s Sorrel, Tufted Vetch, Bird’s-foot Ornithopus perpusillus, Sand Sedge, Weld, Fat Hen, Procumbent Pearlwort, and Spear Thistle. Brooklime was in another ditch. Flowering still were Red Campion, Common Mouse-ear, Prickly Sowthistle, Common Michalemas Daisy S. x salignus, Creeping Cinquefoil, Smooth Hawksbeard, Evening Primrose, Autumn Hawkbit, Common Storksbill, Yarrow, Broom, Gorse, Honeysuckle and one patch of Sheep’s Bit Jasione montana. The area is fenced enclosing the four large Longhorn Cattle plus some sheep (white and black).
Heading back alongside the path and railway we had flowering Smooth Hawksbeard, Harebell, Bridewort Spirea sp., Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Red and White Clovers, Bramble, False Oat Grass, Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot and Wild Parsnip. Gone to seed were Great Mullein, Canadian Fleabane, Hogweed, and Curled Dock.
The “lawns” along Montagu Road had Daisy, Thyme-leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia, Buckshorn Plantain, Petty Spurge, Groundsel, Dovesfoot Cranesbill, Hedge Mustard, and Shepherds Purse.
Lichens seen were Xanthoria parietina, Physcia adscendens and P. tenella, Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Evernia prunastri, Parmelia sulcata on trees and in the open heathland Pixie Cup Lichens Cladonia sp., Cladonia portentosa, and Dog Lichen Peltigera sp.
The butterflies and dragonflies took advantage of the sun with six Common Dater (including a mating pair), three Comma, and a Small Copper being present. Seven-spot Ladybird, Drone-fly Eristalis tenax and an adult Common Green Shieldbug were also seen.
Leaf mines were on Holly (fly Phytomyza ilicis), Horse Chestnut (moth Cameraria ohridella), bramble (moth Stigmella aurella), Wild Cherry (Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella).
Galls on oaks, caused by gall wasps, were Common Spangle (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum), Silk Button (Neuroterus numismalis) and Artichoke (Andricus foecundatrix). Dark-lipped Banded Snail and Garden Snail represented the molluscs.
Birds present were a hunting Kestrel, a Nuthatch calling, 51 Jackdaw flew over, plus Woodpigeon, Crow, Blackbird, and Robin.
Text and photos by Steve Cross.
