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www.lensweb.wordpress.com Biodiversity enhancement as well as flood prevention is the aim as the the Environment Agency project team managed to get down to 800mm in one scrape (see photo) and 1m in the other (currently under construction), with very gently sloping sides. Unfortunately we haven’t had any rain so they’re not looking very wet yet but the potential is definitely there to make some significant wetland habitat as the subsoil is very clay rich and this was the site of an old pond. Biodiversity Blitz at Manor Farm Volume 2 Issue 15 LENS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of Forbes Hole Friends of West Park First for the Midlands 2 2014 Weather 3-6 Forbes Hole reports 7-9 Bird /Garden reports 10-17 Gwen Hardy birds 18-26 Grey squirrel/brown 27 Inside this issue: Report wildlife records including mammal records for inclusion in the new Nottinghamshire Mammal Atlas LENS Recorder [email protected] Wildlife emergency number call police 101 Erewash Borough Council Contact Centre 0115 9072244. Deadline for next LENS bulletin September 2015 LENS Tree Quiz Photo credit Marion Bryce LENS Tree Quiz Manor Farm Biodiversity Enhancement Photo credit Dan Widdowson Parents and children were delighted to test their knowledge of native trees and their fruits in Joan Breakwell’s tree quiz. It was not easy. Successful participants were rewarded with an apple drink. Some took the opportuni- ty to plant their very own tree seed. It was a bit cold but the Leisure Centre was open to provide washing facilities and hot drinks. Many thanks to the Manager, Mr Hodg- kinson for permission to host this event. Future events Contact details 43 U3A Plants 28-35 Flora of Derbyshire 36 Trowell Marsh 37-38 Stoney Clouds 39-40 Butterfly transects 41 Ringlet expansion 42

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Page 1: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

1 www.lensweb.wordpress.com

Biodiversity enhancement as well as flood prevention is the aim as the the Environment Agency

project team managed to get down to 800mm in one scrape (see photo) and 1m in the other (currently under construction), with very gently sloping sides. Unfortunately we haven’t had any rain so they’re not looking very wet yet but the potential is definitely there to make some significant wetland habitat as the subsoil is very clay rich and this was the site of an old pond.

Biodiversity Blitz at Manor Farm

Volume 2 Issue 15

LENS

Wildlife

Watch Spring 2015

LENS Long Eaton Natural

History Society

Friends of Forbes Hole Friends of West Park First for the Midlands

2

2014 Weather 3-6

Forbes Hole reports 7-9

Bird /Garden reports 10-17

Gwen Hardy birds 18-26

Grey squirrel/brown 27

Inside this issue:

Report wildlife records including mammal records for inclusion in

the new Nottinghamshire Mammal

Atlas

LENS Recorder

[email protected]

Wildlife emergency number call

police 101

Erewash Borough Council Contact

Centre 0115 9072244.

Deadline for next LENS bulletin

September 2015

LENS Tree Quiz

Photo credit Marion Bryce

LENS Tree Quiz

Manor Farm Biodiversity Enhancement

Photo credit Dan Widdowson

Parents and children were delighted to test

their knowledge of native trees and their

fruits in Joan Breakwell’s tree quiz. It was not

easy. Successful participants were rewarded

with an apple drink. Some took the opportuni-

ty to plant their very own tree seed.

It was a bit cold but the Leisure Centre was

open to provide washing facilities and hot

drinks. Many thanks to the Manager, Mr Hodg-

kinson for permission to host this event.

Future events Contact details

43

U3A Plants 28-35

Flora of Derbyshire 36

Trowell Marsh 37-38

Stoney Clouds 39-40

Butterfly transects 41

Ringlet expansion 42

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It was a lovely day for the Wood-land management morning held on January 24.

Some work was carried out to coppice willow saplings along the

pond edge

Scrub was cut back from path-ways and litter removed included some tree protectors.

Clearance around the steps close to the car park will help to devel-op a wildflower area to enhance the close to nature experience of visitors who enjoy the newly

opened out vista of the pond.

Led by Jaimey Richards

Jaimey has organised a num-ber of activities on Erewash Borough Council wildlife sites

Ask for a copy of the pro-gramme which has been dis-

tributed via the Erewash Tree Wardens circulaton list and also see the LENS outreach programme and diary of events on the website.

Pioneer Meadows has a new

management plan written by Der-byshire Wildlife Trust and Erewash Borough Council has obtained a stewardship grant from Natural England.

LENS will lead a fungal foray, or-ganised by EBC’s Jaimey Richards

on Sunday 18th October 10am – 12pm

All wildlife records are welcomed from this site.

Brian Gough identified an unusual plant growing at Pioneer Meadows LNR as Stranvaesia davidiana, a garden ornamental from China. Alan Wilmot writes ‘There are a

few records for it growing in the wild in Britain as a bird sown shrub of waste ground. There are a num-ber of records for the London area but few from further north. The nearest to us appear to be Chester

and Leeds so your plant might

be first for the Midlands.’ It is not a popular garden plant due to the unpleasant smell of the flowers.

Himalayan balsam is an invasive

species which damages biodiversi-ty as it outcompetes native plant species. The shallow rooted plant can be controlled by hand pulling

before seed is set. To tackle the problem at West Park Fox Covert SK486344. David Lally [email protected] has made a draft timetable for "balsam bashes” for next year and welcomes all volun-teers.

Jaimey Richards (EBC) will lead a

woodland and meadow work party

September 18th 10am-1pm Con-

tact:

[email protected]

Friends of West Park

First for the Midlands

Friends of Forbes Hole

Stranvaesia davidiana

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Creating Vistas at Forbes Hole

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Dates for balsam bashing

meet Fox Covert

Tuesday, 12 May 2015 7 pm Thursday, 28 May 2015 7 pm Sunday, 7 June 2015 11 am Tuesday, 9 June 2015 7 pm Thursday, 25 June 2015 7 pm Tuesday, 14 July 2015 7 pm Thursday, 23 July 2015 7 pm

Sunday, 2 August 2015 11 am Tuesday, 11 August 2015 7 pm Thursday, 27 August 2015 7 pm

Tuesday,8 September 2015 7 pm Contact::David Lally [email protected]

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Swans revisited the pond on 24th Oct with a pair and a juve-nile. They remained until 27th Oct and did not re-appear until 8th-15th, again one pair and a juvenile. A lone adult appeared briefly on 21st Feb.

Just as we were convinced that there would be no sightings

of tufted duck or goosanders this year, one pair of goosan-ders arrived on 17th Feb. The numbers increased daily to include 8males and 6females on 24th Feb. Unfortunately, to date there have been no sightings of tufted duck. We also have to report that again there are no moorhen or coot on the pond. Mallard still visit the garden, numbers anything

up to 20!

Sparrows have been regular garden visitors with a maxi-

mum number of 16 on 5th Sept and 15 on 7th Feb. Reed buntings have been interesting visitors to the feeding sta-tions. A lone male on 24th Oct and again on 13th Dec from when it became a daily visitor until 26th Dec when it was joined by a female. Since then they have appeared daily in varying numbers with the maximum totalling 5 males and 3 females.

Reed Bunting at Quorndon Crescent Feeder

Photo credit Fay Blackburn

A grey wagtail made an unexpected appearance on 5th and 7th Dec picking up mixed corn seed from the garden path that had been left by the mallards. A female greater spotted woodpecker arrived on 18th and

19th Dec and 3rd, 8th and 30th Jan. Starlings have been noted on a number of occasions along with coal tits and daily sightings of blue tit, great tit, long-tailed tit, greenfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, dunnock, robin,

blackbird, collared dove, wood pigeon and magpie.

A dead robin by the feeders on 20th Feb made us suspect the possible presence of a sparrow hawk and this was confirmed the following day when a male bird landed on the hedge just a few feet away from the kitchen win-dow, affording us a remarkable view of this striking predator. The next day our neighbour reported that a fe-male sparrowhawk had taken a blackbird in their garden.

Gr Crested Grebe, several, Little Grebe 1, Lesser Black-back gull 2, Black-headed gull, many, Cormorant 4, Heron 1,

Little Egret 1 (more or less resident), Swan 1 juv, Mallard 6, Gadwall 1pr

Widgeon 2, Tufted duck 100approx, Pochard 10, Goldeneye 4, Goosander 8, Coot, many, Moorhen 4, Oyster Catcher

1, Kestrel 1,

Wood pigeon 2, ***Green Woodpecker 2*** Magpie 4, Robin 3, Blackbird 3, Long-tailed tit 8, Blue tit 4, Great tit 6,

Chaffinch 6, Bullfinch 1, Goldfinch 6, Crow 4, ***Goldcrest 2*** Dunnock 2

PASTURE LANE WORKINGS - 23rd January 2015 33 sightings

in ap­prox. 90 minutes RSPB Bird Watch at Long Eaton School 2015

Photo credit Fay Blackburn

OUT AND ABOUT On Friday 20th February, in response to a request for vol-unteers, we joined two staff members of the Long Eaton School to assist with the Year 9 Environmental Science class in their assignment to the RSPB Annual Bird Survey. The 25 pupils were divided into four groups and we trav-ersed the playing fields before following the bank of the Ere-wash Canal and the school perimeter fence of the ad-

joining fox covert. Obviously some pupils displayed more interest in the proceedings than others but several were evidently quite enthusiastic and we spend the hour stress-ing the importance and relationship of birds within the en­vironment. Each child was given an identification chart and amongst the birds recorded were 70+ black-headed

gull and 4 common gulls, moorhen, mallard, crow, magpie,

jackdaw, starling, blackbird, wood pigeon, pied wagtail, chaffinch and house sparrows, this more or less comprised the list.

Barker’s Pond– Our Garden

Fay and John Blackburn

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Garden Birds and Butterflies

Alan Heath

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Garden Birds 6 Sussex Way, Sandiacre NG1– 5NU

Stuart Gilder

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Bird J F M A My Jn Jy A S O N D

Blackbird 4 5 3 4 4 5 6 4 4 7 9 4

Blk-headed gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bluetit 2 2 2 2 3 6 6 5 2 2 3 2

Buzzard 0

Chaffinch 1 3 4 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2

Chiffchaff 2

Coal tit 1 1 1 1

Collared dove 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1

Cormorant 0 0

Carrion crow 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1

Dunnock 1 2 2 2 2 1 3 2 3 2 2 2

Feral pigeon 2

Fieldfare 0

Goldcrest 1

Goldfinch 8 10 7 8 11 10 6 16 17 11 17 30

Grasshopper

wrbler

1

Great tit 2 2 2 2 8 10 4 4 2 2 2 2

Greenfinch 5 7 6 4 3 4 6 6 4 4 6 5

Gt spotted

wdpkr

0 1 1 1

Grey heron 1 0 1 0 0 1

Herring gull 0

House martin 0 0 0 0 0 0

House sparrow 6 5 5 4 7 10 8 11 9 7 13 9

Jay 1 1

Lesser redpoll 1 1

Long tailed tit 4 4 2 2 2 7 2 4 4 7 9 4

Magpie 2 1 4 4 2 7 3 3 1 2 1 1

Mallard 2 3 2 2 1 2 2

Mistle thrush 0 0

Redwing 1 9

Reed bunting 2

Robin 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 2

Siskin 1 2 2

Song thrush 1

Sparrowhawk 0 1 0

Stock dove 1 2 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 3

Starling 1 1 15 24 32 1 2

Swift 0

Tree sparrow 1

Wood pigeon 6 6 5 5 6 3 3 4 5 7 5 4

Wren 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Joan & Keith Breakwell, 60 Wensleydale Road, Garden Birds 2014 The figures are the highest number of each species seen in the garden at any one time during the month.

0 denotes a bird that was seen, but didn’t land in the garden.

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Butterfly J F M A M Jn Jl A S O N D

Small white 1 2 1 3 2 1 1

Large white 1 2 2 1 1 2 1

Green-veined white 1 1 1 2 1

Comma 1 1 1 1

Holly blue 3 3 1 2 2 1 1

Small tortoiseshell 3 1 1 1 1 1

Gate-keeper 8 1

Speckled wood 2 2 3 1 2 2 2

Peacock 1 6 1 4 1 1 1

Red admiral 1 1 3 1 1

Brimstone 1 1 1 1

Orange tip 2 2

Ringlet 2 1

Large skipper 1

Meadow brown 1

Dragonfly J F M A M Ju Jl A S O N D

Azure damselfly

Banded demoiselle 1 1 2

Blue-tailed

dmselfly

1

Broad-bodied chser 1 1

Brown hawker 1 2

Cmmn blue dmslfly 1 4 4

Common darter 4 2 3 3

Lge red damselfly 3 1 1

Migrant hawker 2 1

Southern hawker 1 2 2 1

Joan & Keith Breakwell, 60 Wensleydale Road, Garden Butterflies and Dragonflies 2014

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Garden Birds 4 Hardy Close, Long Eaton

Gwen Bates

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Our house has a south facing front and a north facing back with gardens on all 4 sides. The back garden is domi-nated by a huge horse chestnut tree, this featured on East Midlands Today in a feature about leaf problems. The front garden is the biggest and is filled with a variety of flowers, shrubs and trees and a well-tended vegetable patch. Until last year we had a cooking apple tree called Peasgood Non Such which kept the whole family sup-plied with apple pies and crumbles for most of the year! Sadly it succumbed to a fungal disease and it was felled

late last year. My husband used to keep bees and has always been keen on organic gardening so we planned the garden to be friendly to nature. We have a good sized buddleia that attracts plenty of butterflies and the garden always has

flowers for bees.

I joined the BTO birdwatch when it first started and I enjoy watching and recording the variety of feathered visi-tors we have. There are 3 feeding stations although the birds ignore the one in our pear tree. Happily they do visit the Niger seed feeder in the middle of the garden near to the bird bath and the bird table that we have next to a yew tree at the front of a shrub bed. I keep the bird table well stocked with sunflower hearts and dried meal worms. And the birdbaths in both gardens well stocked with water. We attract the usual garden birds such as Great Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Green Finches, Gold Finches, Chaf-

finches, Sparrows, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Thrushes and the ever present Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons. We have also been lucky to have had Green Woodpecker and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker visit as well as a Gold-crest which we mistook for a Wren until it grazed for greenfly over the climbing rose outside the lounge window!

We also have 2 nest boxes on the front of the house and I am pleased to report that we have had many broods of Blue Tits raised in them over the years, although we have never been around at the right time to see the ba-bies leave the nest.

When we first came to live in the Long Eaton area we could walk from our garden across the fields to the canal and Trent Lock. Now, 50 years later, we are completely surrounded by housing, except for the football ground off Manchester Street.

Our Garden – 4 Hardy Close, Long Eaton

Gwen Bates

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Since Gwen joined the British Trust for Ornithology and its Garden Birdwatch Project in 1995 she has kept a

weekly record of birds visiting her garden at 4 Hardy Close, Long Eaton.

Let us have a closer look at this valuable dataset. After tabulation of the monthly highest counts, an annual

total and average was calculated for each species. A percentage change was calculated compared with pre-

vious years.A t-test was used to calculate the significance of changes set at a probability of less than

0.05%, the smaller the probability the greater the likelihood of real changes. Where there is a great variation

in the counts each year, it is more difficult to prove real changes are taking place, which is why it is good to

have a consistent series of records to carry out comparisons:

Total number of sightings = 13 680

Total no of species 1995-2014 = 32

Total no of species sighted in 2014 = 21

Highest no of species = 24 in 2001

Lowest no of species = 18 in 2008

Year with highest count = 931 in 2004

Year with lowest count = 469 in 2008

Total annual count in 2014 =587

Heron (1999), siskin (1998) willow tit (2000), and green woodpecker (2013) have only been seen in one year.

Most common birds 1995-2013

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Most common birds 1995-2013

Most common 2006 -2013

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Most common 2014

Statistically significant increases in 2014 compared with the average counts 1995-2013:

All years 2014 % increase Probability of

significance

Blue tit

36 42 15% 0.00022

Great tit

17 27 46% 8.07E-07

Jackdaw

0 4 100% 4.87E-17

Pied wagtail

<1 1 100% 1.67E-07

Wood pigeon

30 51 69% 1.60E-09

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Statistically significant decreases in 2014 compared with the average counts 1995-2013:

All years 2014 % decrease Probability of

significance

Blackbird 47 37 -22% 2.59E-13

Bullfinch 5 2 -57%

0.01661

Greater spotted woodpecker 1 0 100% 0.00147

Housesparrow 126 59 -53%

0.00081

Long tailed tit 12 0 100% 0.00322

Magpie

14 7 -49% 0.00045

Mistlethrush 3 0 100% 0.00861

Robin

16 13 -20% 0.0025

Songthrush

7 3 -55% 0.00114

Starling

-26%

Wren 8 5 -35%

0.0045

Not seen in 2014

Blackcap

Fieldfare

Goldcrest

Greater spotted Woodpecker

Green woodpecker

Heron

Long tailed tit

Mistle thrush

Redwing

Siskin

Willow tit

At first glance it seems 2014 was not a good year for 4 Hardy Close with 11 species showing a significant

reduction compared with previous years.11 species not seen at all and there was a very significant reduc-

tion of 15% in the total annual count in 2014 compared with the average annual counts since 1995

BUT it can be seen that there is a very significant reduction of 40% in counts when the average annual count

pre-2006 is compared with post 2006. If the post 2006 results are averaged there is no significant reduc-

tion in the total annual count in 2014!

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Some change in the local environment has occurred which has affected some species more than others

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Statistically significant changes in annual average bird counts pre-2006 compared with post 2006

pre-2006 post 2006 % increase or

decrease

Probability of

significance

Bullfinch 3 6 +91%

0.04532

Dunnock

17 11 -35% 0.01842

Housesparrow 172 54 -75% 1.73E-06

Jackdaw 0 1 +100% 0.02305

Magpie 16 8 -51% 0.0146

Mistlethrush 5 0 -100% 0.01269

Starling

227 93 -59% 0.01216

Songthrush

9 2 -76% 1.33E-05

Sparrowhawk 2 <1 -79% 0.01845

Wood pigeon

27 34 +25% 0.00546

Wren 10 4 -63% 1.81E-05

3 species have increased (Jackdaws were first seen in 2012) and 8 species have decreased, significantly since 2006.

Statistically significant increases in 2014 compared with the average counts 1995-2006:

Pre-2006 aver-

age annual

count

2014 % increase Probability of

significance

Bluetit 37 42 15% 0.0057

Great tit

18 27 51% 1.27E-5

Jackdaw 0 4 100% 4.95E-14

Wood pigeon 27 51 91 4.81E-07

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Statistically significant decreases in 2014 compared with the average counts 1995-2006

Pre-2006

average an-

nual count

2014 % decrease Probability of

significance

Blackbird 49 37 -12% 2.48E-7

Bluetit 17 13 -25% 0.00819

Fieldfare

<1 0 -100% 0.03881

Greater spotted

woodpecker

1 0 -100% 0.01368

Housesparrow 172 59 -66% 5.01E-6

Long tailed tit 13 0 100% 1.50E-05

Magpie 16 7 60% 0.001

Long tailed tit 5 0 100% 0.00571

Robin 17 13 24% 0.00149

Song thrush 9 3 67% 5.25E-6

Starling 237 134 34% 0.00369

Wren 10 5 50% 1.78E-05

Statistically significant increases in 2014 compared with the average counts 2007-2013:

Post-2006 2014 % increase Probability of

significance

Blue tit

33 42 28% 0.02682

Coal tit

4 8 84% 0.02898

Great tit 19 27 40% 0.02264

Jackdaw

0 4 100% 2.56E-05

Pied wagtail

<1 1 100% 0.00096

Sparrowhawk <1 1 100% 0.04653

Wood pigeon

34 51 52% 0.00012

Statistically significant decreases in 2014 compared with the average counts 2007-2013:

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Blackbird 39 37 -4%

0.00667

Bullfinch 6 2 -66% 0.04306

Goldfinch

37 29 -21% 0.00387

Statistically significant decreases in 2014 compared with the average counts 2007-2013:

The results show there may have been a significant change in the local environment which resulted in a signifi

­cant reduction in bird counts. After 2006 mistlethrush has not been seen and the number and frequency of

other species has reduced. A new norm with reduced numbers has been established and 2014 seems not to

have been such a bad year after all! Compared with post-2006 records 7 species show a statistically signifi-

cant increase in numbers although it was not such a good year for blackbird, bullfinch or goldfinch. It will be

interesting to see if the generalised increase of bird counts will continue or if the changes are such that the

reduced level of counts will continue in future years.

Marion Bryce January 2015

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Another species with a justified reputation as a pest species. Not just a Nottinghamshire resident but present throughout the Country and in many other parts of the world.

The Brown rat Rattus norvegicus is a native of central Asia which was introduced to the British Isles around 1720. It has subsequently spread throughout the British Isles, and indeed much of the temperate World, carried especially by humans in ships.

Identification should be relatively easy but quite a number of people seem to confuse this species with Water

vole. Brown rats have greyish-brown fur, prominent pointed muzzles, eyes and ears. They have long, al-most naked tails which are almost as long as the head and body combined. Water voles tend to be darker with blunt muzzles, ears which are hardly visible and shorter, hairy tails> Rats head & body are 150 - 270

mm long and have a tail length of 105 - 240 mm. They weigh up to 600g, but usually 200-300g. They sel-dom live longer than a year. Reproduction takes place all year round. Females can begin to breed at 3-4 months old, and if food is readily available may breed continuously, but typically have five litters a year. Litter size increases from around 6 in young females weighing 150g, to 11 in females of 500g. The young

are born blind and hairless, but their eyes open at 6 days, and they are weaned at about 3 weeks.

Brown rats are omnivorous and will consume almost anything, but cereals form a substantial part of their diet. Brown rats are not territorial and live in loose colonies with a hierarchy based on size and age. Rats dig their own burrows, and entrances are usually joined by obvious well-used runs.

As an alien, a major pest of stored foodstuffs, and the carrier of various human diseases (including Weil’s disease and plague), the rat is considered as a major pest species and great efforts are made to eradicate

it. This is particularly true in domestic situations and in populations on many islands where they have a major impact on much native fauna including many scarce breeding birds.

I am sure that there are few people who have not seen this species; indeed many will have them visiting their gardens. However, despite them being the only species in southern England with Reds being confined to a few isolated sites, reports of reds in urban gardens are still being received.

Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis were brought to Britain in 1828 when some were brought to Wales as novel-ties. Further releases were made from the late 1880’s and the species has subsequently spread across most of mainland Britain.

Grey Squirrels are larger than reds with a length of 24-28.5 cm. and a tail length of 19.5-24 cm. Females weigh 0.4-0.72 kg, and males 0.44-0.65 kg. They generally have a speckled silver-grey coat, with a brownish tinge on feet, face and along the back, especially in summer; the tail is fringed white. Red Squirrels have a uniform red-

dish-brown fur. Females live for up to 5 years and males around 2-3 years. Squirrels are diurnal, with peaks

of activity in the early morning and late afternoon. They are not territorial, but share home ranges and tem-porally abundant food sources. They make a nest (drey) of twigs (cut, live from the tree. Dreys are usually tucked in a fork against the trunk, though squirrels also use large holes in trees as drey sites. Grey squirrels are essentially animals of deciduous woodland, and are dependant upon the large seeds of such trees as oak, beech, hazel, sweet chestnut and walnut. In autumn, when abundant, these seeds are stored, often underground. Because deciduous fruit falls to the ground in autumn, grey squirrels spend much more time

foraging on the ground, and burying fruits there, than Red Squirrels.

Females usually have two litters a year, in early spring and summer. Young squirrels are born blind and hairless, in litters of 3-4, after a gestation of 44 days. Lactation lasts up to 10 weeks, though the young start to take solid food after about 8 weeks. They can breed at 10-12 months old.

Grey Squirrels carry a virus which is fatal to reds but to which they themselves are immune. They cause at least £50 million a year in damage to commercial forestry and ancient woodland killing trees by stripping bark. They also cause problems by taking the eggs and young of many song birds. With the move to more

urban areas they bring many problems to our gardens and wildlife. They have no legal protection and are classed as a pest species. Under schedule 19 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act it is an offence to release them into the wild.

GREY SQUIRREL by John Ellis

BROWN RAT by John Ellis

Page 28: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

28

LE

AD

U3

A -

Pla

nt

Gro

up

S

ITE

Deep

dale

A

ppro

ach

Dim

min

s-

dale

NR

E

lvasto

n

Castle

N

atu

re

Rese

rve

Gold

en

Bro

ok

Sto

rage

Lag

oo

n

Ere

wa

sh

Canal,

Sandia

cre

-

Lock C

ott

to

Tra

ff

Lig

hts

Tic

knall

Lim

-e

yard

s

Chel-

lasto

n

Brick-

work

s

Toto

n

Sid

ings

Pio

ne

er

Mea

d-

ow

s,

K

irk

Halla

m

End o

f P

astu

re

Lan

e,

Lon

g

Eato

n

Ben-

nerl

ey

Via

duct,

nr

Ilkes-

ton

Pla

nts

ob

serv

ed

2

01

4

GR

ID R

EF

S

K170

70

6

SK

379

220

SK

406

333

SK

469

333

S

K353

241

S

K

492

34

6

SK

455

396

SK

507

317

SK

476

434

DA

TE

13/0

8/2

01

4

14/0

5/2

01

4

12/0

3/2

01

4

23/0

7/2

014

28/0

5/2

01

4

11/0

6/2

014

25/0

6/2

014

09/0

4/2

014

01/1

0/2

014

09/0

7/2

014

10/0

9/2

014

Agrim

ony, S

weet

Agrim

onia

eupato

ria

Alk

anet, G

reen

Penta

glo

ttis

sem

perv

i-re

ns

Angelic

a, W

ild

Angelic

a s

yvestr

is

Arr

ow

head

Sagitta

ria

sagittifo

lia

Arc

hangel, Y

ello

w

Lam

iastr

um

gale

obdolo

n

Bals

am

, H

imala

yan

Impatie

ns g

landulif

era

Bedstr

aw

, H

eath

G

alli

um

saxatile

Bedstr

aw

, Lady’s

G

aliu

m v

eru

m

Bellf

low

er,

Nettle

-le

aved

Cam

panula

tra

cheliu

m

Bin

dw

eed,

Fie

ld

Convolv

ulu

s a

rvensis

Bin

dw

eed,

Hedge

Caly

ste

gia

sepiu

m

Bin

dw

eed,

Larg

e

Caly

ste

gia

silv

atica

Birds-f

oot

Tre

foil

Lotu

s c

orn

icula

tus

Bitte

rcre

ss,

Hairy

Card

am

ine h

irsuta

Bitte

rcre

ss, W

avy

C.

flexuosa

Bitte

rsw

eet

(or

Woody N

ights

hade)

Sola

num

dulc

am

ara

Blu

ebell

Hyacin

thoid

es n

on

-scripta

Bra

mble

[agg]

Rubus f

ruticosus

Brid

ew

ort

S

piraea s

pp.

Bro

ad B

uckle

r F

ern

D

ryopte

ris d

ilata

ta

Bry

ony, W

hite

Bry

onia

cre

tica

Bugle

A

juga r

epta

ns s

sp.

dio

ica

Bulrush o

r R

eedm

ace

Typha latifo

lia

Burd

ock

Arc

tiu

m s

p.

Burd

ock, G

reate

r A

rctiu

m la

ppa

Bur-

reed,

Bra

nched

Sparg

aniu

m e

rectu

m

Butt

erb

ur

Peta

sites h

ybrid

us

Butt

erc

up, C

ele

ry-le

aved

Ranunculu

s s

cle

ratu

s

Butt

erc

up, C

reepin

g

Ranunculu

s r

epens

Butt

erc

up, M

eadow

R

anunculu

s a

cris

Cam

pio

n, B

ladder

Sile

ne v

ulg

aris

Cam

pio

n,

Red

Sile

ne d

ioic

a

Page 29: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

29

Cam

pio

n, W

hite

Sile

ne latifo

lia

Cela

ndin

e,

Lesser

Ranunculu

s fic

aria

Chic

kw

eed,

Com

mon

Ste

llaria m

edia

Chic

kw

eed,

Gre

ate

r S

tella

ria n

egle

cta

Cin

quefo

il, C

reepin

g

Pote

ntilla

repta

ns

Cle

avers

or

Goosegra

ss

Galiu

m a

parin

e

Clo

ver,

Red

Trifo

lium

pra

tense

Clo

ver,

White

Trifo

lium

repens

Coltsfo

ot

Tu

ssila

go farf

ara

Com

frey,

Com

mon

Sym

phytu

m o

ffic

ianale

Com

frey,

Russia

n

Sym

phytu

m x

upla

nd-

icum

Com

mon W

hitlo

wgra

ss

Ero

phila

vern

a

Corn

flo

wer

Centa

ure

a c

yanus

Cow

Pars

ley

Anth

riscus s

ylv

estr

is

Cow

slip

P

rim

ulu

s v

eris

Cra

nesbill

, C

ut-

leaved

Gera

niu

m d

issectu

m

Cra

ne’s

-bill

, D

ove’s

-foot

Gera

niu

m m

olle

Cra

ne’s

-bill

, M

eadow

G

era

niu

m p

rate

nse

Cra

nesbill

, S

mall-

flo

were

d

Gera

niu

m p

usill

um

Cre

ss, T

hale

A

rabid

opsis

thalia

na

Cuckoo P

int

(Lord

s a

nd L

adie

s)

Aru

m m

acula

tum

Daff

odil

Narc

issus p

seudonarc

is-

sus

Dais

y

Belli

s p

ere

nnis

Dais

y,

Ox-e

ye

Belli

s p

ere

nnis

Dandelio

n [

agg]

Ta

raxacum

[agg]

D

ead n

ett

le, W

hite

Lam

ium

alb

um

Dock, B

road-le

aved

Rum

ex o

btu

sifoliu

s

Dock,

Curle

d

Rum

ex c

rispus

Dogs M

erc

ury

M

erc

ura

lis p

ere

nnis

Dra

gon’s

teeth

T

etr

agonolo

bus m

ariti-

mus

Enchante

r’s-n

ights

hade

Circaea lu

tetia

na

Evenin

g P

rim

rose, Larg

e-f

low

ere

d

Oenoth

era

gla

zio

via

na

Everla

stin

g-p

ea,

Bro

ad-le

aved

Lath

yru

s la

tifo

lius

Dock,

Gre

at W

ate

r R

um

ex h

ydro

lapath

um

Fe

rn,

Bro

ad B

uckle

r D

ryopte

ris d

ilata

ta

Page 30: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

30

Fe

rn,

Hart

s-t

ongue

Asple

niu

m s

colo

pendri-

um

Fe

rn,

Male

D

ryopte

ris f

ilix-m

as

Fe

verf

ew

T

anacetu

m p

art

heniu

m

Fig

wort

, W

ate

r A

lliu

m o

lera

ceum

Fo

rget-

me-n

ot, F

ield

M

yosotis a

rvensis

Fo

rget-

me-n

ot, W

ate

r M

uosotis s

corp

ioid

es

Fo

rget-

me-n

ot, W

ood

Myosotis s

ylv

atica

Fo

xglo

ve

Dig

italis

purp

ure

a

Gip

syw

ort

Lycopus e

uro

paeus

G

oats

beard

T

ragopogon p

rate

nsis

Gold

en-r

od

Solid

ago v

irgaure

a

Gro

und I

vy

Gle

chom

a h

edera

cea

Gro

undsel

Senecio

vulg

aris

Hare

bell

Cam

panula

rotu

ndifolia

Haw

kbit,

Autu

mn

Leonto

don a

utu

mnalis

Haw

kbit,

Lesser

Leonto

don s

axatilis

Haw

kbit,

Rough

Leonto

don h

ispid

us

Haw

ksbeard

, S

mooth

C

repis

capill

aris

Haw

kw

eeds

Hie

raciu

m s

pp.

Hedge-p

ars

ley,

Uprig

ht

To

rilis

ja

ponic

a

Hem

lock

Coniu

m m

acula

tum

Hem

p-a

grim

ony

Eupato

riu

m c

annabin

um

Hem

p-n

ett

le, R

ed

Gale

opsis

angustifo

lia

Herb

-Robert

G

era

niu

m r

obert

ianum

Hogw

eed

Hera

cle

um

sphondyliu

m

Honeysuckle

Lonic

era

pericly

menum

Hop, W

ild

Hum

ulu

s lu

pulu

s

Hors

era

dis

h

Arm

ora

cia

rusticana

Hors

eta

il, F

ield

(snake g

rass,

puz-

zle

gra

ss)

Equis

etu

m a

rvense

Hors

eta

il, W

ate

r E

quis

etu

m f

luvia

tile

Iris

/ Y

ello

w F

lag

Iris

pseudacoru

s

Ivy

Hedera

felix

Knapw

eed,

Com

mon (

or

"Hard

head")

C

enta

ure

a n

igra

Knotg

rass [agg]

Poly

gonum

avic

ula

re

Lady’s

-mantle

Alc

hem

illa s

p.

Lady’s

Sm

ock

Card

am

ine p

rate

nsis

Page 31: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

31

Lett

uce, P

rickly

Lactu

ca s

err

iola

Loosestr

ife, P

urp

le

Lyth

rum

salic

aria

Lucern

e o

r A

lfalfa

Me

dic

ago s

ativa

Mare

sta

il H

ippuris v

ulg

aris

Mars

h-B

edstr

aw

,Com

mon

Galiu

m p

alu

str

e

Mars

h-m

arig

old

C

altha p

alu

str

is

Meado

wsw

eet

Fili

pendula

ulm

aria

M

edic

, B

lack

M. lu

pulin

a

Melil

ot

Me

lilotu

s s

p.

Mig

nonett

e, W

ild

Reseda lu

tea

Merc

ury

, D

og’s

M

erc

uria

lis p

ere

nnis

Mouse-e

ar,

Fie

ld

Cera

stiu

m a

rvense

Mug

wort

(or

Com

mon W

orm

wood)

Art

em

isia

vulg

aris

Mulle

in

Verb

ascum

sp.

Musk-m

allo

w

Ma

lva m

oschata

Musta

rd,

Garlic

(or

Jack-b

y-t

he-h

edge)

Alli

aria

petio

lata

Musta

rd,

Hedge

Sis

ym

briu

m o

ffic

inale

Nett

le, C

om

mon

Urt

ica d

ioic

a

Nig

hts

hade, E

nchante

r’s-

Circaea lu

tetia

na

Nig

hts

hade, W

oody (

or

Bitte

rsw

ee

t)

Sola

num

dulc

am

ara

Nip

ple

wort

Lapsana c

om

munis

Old

Man’s

Beard

C

lem

atis v

italb

a

Orc

hid

, C

om

mon s

pott

ed-

Dacty

lorh

iza f

uchsii

Orc

hid

, N

ort

hern

Mars

h

Dacty

lorh

iza p

urp

ure

lla

Oxto

ngue,

Bristly

Pic

ris e

chio

ides

Pars

ley, H

edge U

prig

ht

To

rilis

ja

ponic

a

Pin

eapple

-weed (

or

Ma

yw

eed)

Ma

tric

aria

dis

coid

ea

Pla

nta

in,

Gre

ate

r P

lanta

go m

ajo

r

Pla

nta

in,

Hoary

P

lanta

go m

edia

Pla

nta

in,

Rib

wort

P

lanta

go la

nceola

ta

Prim

rose

Prim

ula

vulg

aris

Purp

le-lo

osestr

ife

Lyth

rum

salic

aria

Ragged R

obin

Lychnis

flo

s-c

uculi

Ragw

ort

, C

om

mon

Senecio

ja

cobaea

Ragw

ort

, O

xfo

rd

Senecio

squalid

us

Ram

sons (

wild

garlic

) A

lliu

m u

rsin

um

Raspberr

y

Rubus id

aeus

Redshank (

or

Pers

icaria

) P

ers

icaria

maculo

sa

Page 32: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

32

Reed,

Com

mon

Phra

gm

ites a

ustr

alis

Rhododendro

n

Rhododendro

n p

onticum

Rush,

Hard

Juncus inflexus

Rush, S

oft

Juncus e

ffusus

Sanic

le

Sanic

ula

euro

paea

Scabio

us, D

evil’

s b

it

Succis

a p

rate

nsis

Scabio

us, F

ield

K

nautia

arv

ensis

Sedge,

Lesser

Pond

Care

x a

cutifo

rmis

Sedge, P

endulo

us

Care

x p

endula

Sedge (

unknow

n s

pecie

s)

Care

x s

p.

Self H

eal

Pru

nella

Vulg

aris

Silv

erw

eed

Pote

ntilla

anserin

a

Skullc

ap, Lesser

Scute

llaria

gale

ricula

ta

Slo

e o

r B

lackth

orn

P

runus s

pin

osa

Sorr

el

Rum

ex s

p.

Sorr

el, C

om

mon

Rum

ex a

ceto

sa

Snow

berr

y

Sym

phoricarp

os a

lbus

Snow

dro

p

Gala

nth

us n

ivalis

Sow

Th

istle, P

rickly

S

onchus a

sper

Sow

Th

istle, S

mooth

S

onchus o

lera

ceus

Speedw

ell,

Germ

ander

Vero

nic

a c

ham

aedry

s

Speedw

ell,

Wood

Vero

nic

a m

onta

na

Sple

enw

ort

, M

aid

enhair

Asple

niu

m trichom

anes

agg

Spurg

e

Euphorb

ia s

p.

Spurg

e,

Pett

y

Euphorb

ia p

eplu

s

Stitc

hw

ort

, Lesser

Ste

llaria g

ram

inea

St. J

ohn’s

-wort

, H

airy

Hypericum

hirsutu

m

St. J

ohn’s

Wort

, P

erf

ora

te

Hypericum

perf

ora

tum

Sto

necro

p, E

nglis

h

Sedum

anglic

um

Sto

necro

p,

Rock

Sedum

fors

tera

num

Str

aw

berr

y, W

ild

Fra

garia

vesca

*S

traw

berr

y, W

ild (

need to c

heck if

not

Barr

en S

traw

berr

y)

Fra

garia

vesca

Ta

nsy

Ta

nacetu

m v

ulg

are

Ta

re,

Hairy

Vic

ia h

irsuta

Ta

re,

Sm

ooth

V

icia

tetr

asperm

a

Te

asel

Dip

sacus fullo

num

Te

asel, S

ma

ll D

ipsacus p

ilosus

Th

istle

, C

reepin

g

Cirsiu

m a

rvense

Th

istle

, S

pear

Cirsiu

m v

ulg

are

To

adfla

x,

Com

mon

Lin

aria

vulg

aris

To

adfla

x,

Sm

all

Chaenorr

hin

ium

min

us

Page 33: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

33

To

rmentil

Pote

ntilla

ere

cta

Tre

foil,

Birdsfo

ot

Lotu

s c

orn

icula

tus

Tw

aybla

de,

Com

mon (

an o

r-chid

) N

eott

ia o

vata

(Lis

tera

ovata

)

Vetc

h,

Com

mon

Vic

ia s

ativa

Vetc

h, T

ufted

Vic

ia c

racca

Vetc

hlin

g, M

eadow

Lath

yru

s p

rate

nsis

Vio

let, C

om

mon D

og

Vio

la r

ivin

iana

Wate

rcre

ss

Rorip

pa n

astu

rtiu

m

aquaticum

Wate

rcre

ss, F

ool’s

A

piu

m n

odiflo

rum

Wate

r-lil

y, Y

ello

w

Nuphar

lute

a

Wate

r-pla

nta

in

Alis

ma p

lanta

go-

aquatica

Will

ow

-herb

, B

road L

eaved

Epilo

biu

m m

onta

num

Will

ow

-herb

, G

reat

(Codlin

s

and C

ream

) E

pilo

biu

m h

irsutu

m

Will

ow

herb

, H

oary

E

pilo

biu

m p

arv

iflo

rum

Will

ow

herb

, M

ars

h

Epilo

biu

m p

alu

str

e

Will

ow

-herb

, R

osebay

Epilo

biu

m a

ngustifo

lium

Wood A

vens/H

erb

Bennet

Geum

urb

anum

Woodru

ff

Galiu

m o

dora

tum

Worm

wood

Art

em

isia

absin

thiu

m

Woundw

ort

, H

edge

Sta

chys s

ylv

atica

Woundw

ort

, M

ars

h

Sta

chys p

alu

str

is

Yarr

ow

A

chill

ea m

ille

foliu

m

LE

AD

U3

A -

Pla

nt

Gro

up

S

ITE

Deep

dale

Appro

ach

Dim

min

s-

dale

NR

Elv

asto

n

Castle

Natu

re

Rese

rve

Gold

en

Bro

ok

Sto

r-

age

La

go

on

Ere

wa

sh

Canal,

Sandia

cre

T

icknall

Lim

eyard

s

Chella

sto

n

Brickw

ork

s

Toto

n

Sid

-

ings

Pio

ne

er

Mea

do

ws,

Kirk H

alla

m

End

of

Pastu

re

Lan

e,

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Page 34: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

34

Birch, S

ilver

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la p

endula

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eepin

g

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endula

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oungii’

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ckth

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(S

loe)

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nus s

pin

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ja

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ja a

ltern

ifolia

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ja

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ja d

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ild

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nus a

viu

m

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ut, C

om

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ors

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b, W

ild

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is

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ant

(type?)

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p.

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mon

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, E

nglis

h

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rocera

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labra

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cacia

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paeus

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urn

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opulu

s

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thorn

, C

om

mon

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taegus m

onogyna

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lus a

vella

na

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x a

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m

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h, E

uro

pean

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ecid

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p.

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nglis

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r P

eduncula

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urk

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e, A

ustr

ian

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us n

igra

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r, H

ybrid

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ck

Populu

s x

canadensis

Page 35: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

35

Popla

r, W

hite

Populu

s a

lba

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ard

en

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ustr

um

ovalif

oliu

m

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ild

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ustr

um

vulg

are

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urr

ant

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es r

ubru

m

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Sta

gshorn

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ach)

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a

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Dog

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anin

a a

gg.

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ose,

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er

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urn

um

opulu

s

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ield

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osa a

rvensis

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an (

Mounta

in A

sh)

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us a

ucuparia

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e o

r B

lackth

orn

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runus s

pin

osa

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dle

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e

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uro

paeus

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ore

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cer

pseudopla

tanus

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rin

g T

ree

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urn

um

la

nta

na

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, S

wedis

h

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us inte

rmedia

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ow

, A

lmond

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tria

ndra

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ow

, C

rack

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fra

gili

s

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ow

, G

oat

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capre

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ow

, G

rey

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cin

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a

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ow

, O

sie

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alix

vim

inalis

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ow

, W

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g

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sepulc

ralis

Will

ow

, W

hite

Salix

alb

a

Yew

, C

om

mon

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xus b

accata

Dave P

inney w

rite

s.

Ple

ase f

ind a

ttached o

ur

Long E

ato

n a

nd D

istr

ict

U3A P

lant

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dy G

roup 2

014 s

pre

ad-

sheet.

I a

m s

ure

that

there

will be a

few

err

ors

so feel fr

ee t

o c

orr

ect

any y

ou s

pot

but

ple

ase let

me k

now

.

You w

ill see t

hat

there

are

tw

o c

ate

gori

es o

f pla

nts

, herb

aceous a

nd w

oody.

Gra

sses a

re ‘w

ork

in p

rogre

ss’ .

Our

U3A g

roup m

et

in 2

014 o

n 1

5 o

ccasio

ns fro

m M

arc

h t

o N

ovem

ber.

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re a

ll learn

ing a

nd t

eachin

g o

ur-

selv

es;

that’s h

ow

the U

3A w

ork

s.

If a

nyone in t

heir

thir

d a

ge,

i.e.

who n

o longer

work

s,

is inte

reste

d in join

-

ing t

he g

roup in 2

015 p

lease s

ee t

he w

ebsite a

t w

ww

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rg.u

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ong-e

ato

n .

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hoto

show

s t

he U

3A g

roup a

t Tic

knall in 2

014

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36

Page 37: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

37

In early 2014 LENS was asked to do an Environmental Survey at Trowell Boards next to the Erewash Canal ‘hot

waters’ (Stanton Ironworks was on the other side of the canal ) now Trowell Marsh Nature Reserve.. The Canal

and River Trust had bought some land close to the nature reserve 20 years ago, so they had somewhere to dump

canal dredgings. These have toxic residues so can’t be spread on agricultural land but now this is a sensitive

wildlife site so they need to know if protected species such as great crested newt, grass snake, tree sparrow are

present.

The nature reserve is between the canal and the railway and is a bit of a secret garden. Pushing through a nettly

stile, is a path through a hawthorn copse where the ground is quite bare. Beetles hide under small piles of con-

crete rubble. A snail eating beetle.

House sparrows, goldfinches and whitethroat sang in the hedge which bordered the railway line.

The many colourful wildflowers in the meadow were alive with many insects, comma, gatekeeper and ringlet.

Cinnabar and latticed heath moths. An iridescent green St John’s Wort leaf beetle and a seed eating beetle bur-

rowing its head into a mauve knapweed flower.

There were more banded agrions than I have ever seen on one site.

One night we went to listen for bats, brown long eared and common pipistrelle. Daubentons swept the canal sur-

face.

A jay screamed from its woodland lair mostly hawthorn with a few ‘proper’ trees such as spindle, turkey oak and

apple. Pink orchid spikes on the path. The shaded understorey covered with ground ivy, figwort and a hybrid

comfrey,speckled wood in the dappled light.

Trowell Marsh

Snail eating beetle Cychrus caraboides

Trowell Marsh June 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Whitethroat

Trowell Marsh June 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

The Meadow

Trowell Marsh July 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

A stripey bug Pycnoptera striata

Trowell Marsh July 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Page 38: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

38

Common frog, common newt and common toad under carpet tiles and carabid with staphylinid beetles.

At the farther end, wet feet, a splash of yellow loosestrife in a cloud of meadowsweet, marsh willowherb, hem-

lock and skullcap among reedmace and reed grass. Hawkers and hoverflies and green veined whites, glossy

wax snail and marsh slug. Willowherb leaf beetles and skullcap leaf beetles gems on the green leaves.

A site with much natural history interest but as the summer progressed the grass in the meadow grew taller

and creeping thistle scratched, nettle and bramble grew high in the wood.

‘A problematic nature reserve’ difficult to access but the Erewash Borough Council team pulverised the towering

vegetation and a good team from LENS removed the cuttings.

It was not until Autumn I found the other, larger, half of the nature reserve. Woodland, oak, ash and willow and

a lot of Japanese knotweed. A path through and a great site for exploration with Wellington boots led to a

world of weird and wonderful fungi.

Now you know why and how LENS became a prime contact for Trowell Marsh and will invite you to take part in

the grass raking on the meadow this year! Marion Bryce February 2015

Yellow Loosestrife and Meadowsweet

Trowell Marsh June 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Skullcap leaf beetle

Trowell Marsh June 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

LENS Volunteers on Meadow

Trowell Marsh October 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Dog Stinkhorn

Trowell Marsh November 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Sunday

27 September

2-4pm

Trowell Marsh LNR

Little Hallam Lane, Ilkeston

Meet at canal bridge

Meadow management

Hay turning on the meadow

Led by Marion Bryce (LENS)

[email protected]

Page 39: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

39

It is always a delight to walk around Stoney Clouds Sandiacre. The sandstone rocks and thin acid soils have a dif­

ferent flora compared to the muds and shales around Long Eaton. It is dark in the dense planted mixed deciduous woodland at the top but there are a few veteran trees in among the competing saplings. The hedged meadow shows ridge and furrow which is visible on land that was ploughed in an Open Field System but which has not

been ploughed since then. A lot of the meadow area is high in phosphates, but the thinner dry acid grassland has an interesting flora including harebell, sheep’s sorrel, pignut, bulbous buttercup and sheep’s fescue grass and there are colourful fungi wax caps and golden spindles in autumn. There is a rock outcrop with a steep escarp­ment bluebells grown under the twisted oaks. ‘Cardboard Hill’ is where children slide down on cardboard boxes and on sledges if it snows this helps to keep the invasive bracken at bay. Stoney Clouds is a Local Nature Reserve owned and managed by Erewash Borough Council. In 2014 Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reviewed the management

plan for the reserve and Natural England awarded a stewardship grant. http://www.erewash.gov.uk/

media/files/Erewash_in_Bloom/Stoney_Clouds_LNR_Management_Plan_2013_-_2023.pdf

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly sunning

by hedge, Stoney Clouds 18 August 2013

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Speckled Wood butterfly on bracken Stoney Clouds 15 September 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Sand Digger Wasp Stoney Clouds 18 August 2013

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis Stoney Clouds

15 September 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

38

Sandstone outcrop at Stoney Clouds 20 May 2013 Photo credit Marion Bryce

Page 40: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

40

Nightlife-Elephant Hawk Moth

Stoney Clouds 09 May 2010

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Barbut’s cuckoo bee Stoney Clouds

15 September 2014

Emperor Dragonfly Stoney Clouds

15 September 2014

Golden rod Solidago virgaurea Stoney Clouds

15 September 2014

Bluebells grow beneath the twisted oaks at Stoney Clouds 20 May 2013

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Golden spindles Stoney Clouds

15 September 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

Saturday

June 13th

10am – 12pm

Stoney Clouds LNR,

Church Street, Sandiacre

Meet at Church Street entrance

Tour of Stoney Clouds biodiversity

Uncover the rich wildlife in this

attractive mosaic of habitats

Led by Teresa Hughes (DWT)

Page 41: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

41

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

NU

MB

ER O

F B

UTT

ERFL

IES

WEEK NUMBER

2014 BUTTERFLY COUNTS BY WEEK NUMBER AT 3 SITES

TOTON WASHLANDS

MAYFIELD

FORBES

BUTTERFLY TRANSECTS 2014

Butterfly transects were carried out according to Butterfly Conservation guidelines. For these charts the high-

est single count in any one week was plotted. Grid reference of sites as follows, Toton Washlands SK496343,

Mayfield Grove Buffer Stop SK492343, Forbes Hole SK495324.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

SMAL

L SKI

PPER

ESSE

X SK

IPPE

R

LARG

E SK

IPPE

R

DING

Y SK

IPPE

R

BRIM

STO

NE

LARG

E W

HIT

E

SMAL

L WH

ITE

GREE

N VE

INED

WHI

TE

ORA

NGE

TIP

SMAL

L COP

PER

BRO

WN

ARG

US

COM

MO

N BL

UE

HOLL

Y BL

UE

RED

ADM

IRAL

PAIN

TED

LADY

SMAL

L TO

RTOI

SESH

ELL

PEAC

OCK

COM

MA

DARK

GRE

EN F

RITI

LLAR

Y

SPEC

KLED

WO

OD

MAR

BLED

WHI

TE

GATE

KEEP

ER

MEA

DOW

BRO

WN

RING

LET

SMAL

L H

EATH

NUM

BER

OF

BUTT

ERFL

IES

2014 BUTTERFLY SPECIES BY NUMBER AT 3 SITES

TOTON WASHLANDS

MAYFIELD

FORBES

Page 42: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

42

Volume 2 Issue 15 Page 42

Week 1 was 1 April and we seemed to miss the start of the season by about 3 weeks so I added a count for week 0. After a sunny start to the year we had a

number of weeks when the cloud cover stopped the butterflies from flying and counts of 0 were received. Mayfield Grove, a problematic site becoming overgrown by scrub and a dumping ground for rubbish still showed the highest butterfly counts due to high

numbers of ringlets. Marbled white and dark green fritillary were new additions to the amazing variety of species on the site. The footpath to Norfolk wildlife space saw high numbers of large skip-pers. Extensive scrub management was carried out at Toton Washlands

2012 Temperature exceeded 50F on 13 days in January

Warmest February 66F on 23rd

Alan Heath has produced a continua-tion of his 50 year report(1960-2009). It covers the 5 year period 2010-2014. Copies are available in the reference section of Long Eaton

library.

Here are the record breaking high-

lights of 55 years of weather record-

ing

Notable weather events

2010 Very cold December.

Noctilucent clouds on 9 July.

2011 Warmest April day

81F on 23rd

Warmest September day

87F on 30th

Warmest October day 84F on 1st

Lowest rainfall 16.11 ins

Wettest April

Warmest May

Coldest August

Highest rainfall 36.10 ins

Local rivers in flood

November and again in December 2012

2013 There were 14 days with tempera-tures of 50F or more in December

2014

Wettest January

Driest September

Warmest Halloween day

292 tetrads ( an increase of 5 times

since 1995). The Ringlet figures are

even more dramatic – 14 localities in

1995, which increased to 32 squares

in the year 2000, and the figure for

2013 was 256 tetrads (an increase of

18 times since 1995 and 8 times

since the year 2000).

Ken Orpe has sent information on

the expansion of the Speckled

Wood and the Ringlet in Derby-

shire-

Speckled Woods were noted at

59 localities in 1995, which in-

creased to 156 squares in the year

2000, and the figure for 2013 was

Speckled Wood and Ringlets in Derbyshire

Ken Orpe

but this was not reflected in higher butterfly numbers, although a good variety of day flying moths were seen including chimney sweeper. The Es-

sex skipper range extended to Toton Washlands. The season that had started early also finished early and the overall counts were similar to 2013.

Marbled white at Mayfield 24

June 2014

Photo credit Colin Benn

Weather Records in Long Eaton 2010-2014

Alan Heath

Long Eaton Butterfly Transects

2013 2014

TOTON 835 769

MAYFIELD 1140 1146

FORBES not done 769

Ringlet

Photo credit

Marion Bryce

Page 43: LNS Wildlife LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Watch · 2015. 7. 23. · Volume 2 Issue 15 LNS Wildlife Watch Spring 2015 LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Friends of

43

LENS Long Eaton Natural History

Society

Membership Renewal Form

I would like to be a member of Long Eaton Natural History

Society

Name ________________________________

Address ________________________________

________________________________

Postcode_________________________

Tel no___________________________

Email____________________________

I enclose a cheque/postal order for £8.00

The annual subscription entitles members to attend meetings at £1.00 per session.

I agree/do not agree that LENS can keep my name on a database.

Please return completed form to the Hon Treasurer, Helen

Knewstubb,

9 Kingsley Crescent, Sawley Long Eaton NG10 3DA

Future events 2015

14th September First indoor meeting

Indoor meetings start at 7.15pm in the Social Activities Annex,

Long Eaton Public Library, Broad Street , Long Eaton. Cost £1 for

members, £2 for visitors. All welcome.

CONTACT:

Alan Heath 0115.9733766/[email protected]

We would l ike to you to join LENS for a number of

conservation act ivi t ies; you wi l l need to bring stout

shoes/boots and or wellies; warm clothes; waterproofs;

flask or other sustenance to keep you going! Pick up a

summer programme at one of our meetings.

Peregrine Falcon at Long Eaton School

December 2014

Photo credit Adrian Orrell

Thanks to all contributors

and Colin Benn, David

Pinney, Alan Heath,

Adrian Orrell, Dan

Widdowson and Marion

Bryce for photographs

used in this bulletin.

Please send pictures and

wildlife news to the Editor,

Marion Bryce

EMAIL ADDRESS:

[email protected]

CONTACTS

Gwen Sandhu nee Ellis 15 Nov 2014

Photo credit Marion Bryce

It is with great sadness we report the

death of Gwen Sandhu, a great environ-

mental campaigner and daughter of Fred

and Ruth Ellis, founder members of LENS.

At the Insect Show she was planning a

family celebration of the life of her father

who would have been 90 in December.

She wanted to know all about his conser-

vation activities as founder Chairman of

LENS and leading working parties for Der-

byshire Wildlife Trust at Risley Glebe dig-

ging a large pond for great crested newt

translocation and also with his wife Ruth-

regularly manning the sales caravan at

Dovedale.

Gwen was involved with Derby Environ-

mental week for some years and main-

tained a strong environmental lobby on

local government activities.

Gwen died 25 Nov after a very short ill-

ness and is a great loss to the world of

conservation.