Our last volunteer session included some pond dipping to guage the overall health and the variety of species of each pond. The pond dipping went really well although we only had time to look at two ponds. Volunteers enjoyed the event even though the rain kept on coming down. We found a really good number of crawly-looking things, some of which were actually identified. Even the BBQ went well in the continuous rain - thanks to Vera and Mick for organising this. Notes - Pond Dipping - Survey on 6th July 2019. Two ponds were surveyed and the surveys were carried out by volunteers using nets around the edges of the ponds to capture samples. Any specimens recovered were, where possible, identified. The identification was to the level of commonly used names, which in some cases would have represented a group, but no attempt was made to identify individual species. There was no attempt to estimate the number of any one species that may have been present. Some invertebrates were seen which could not be identified. Pond Number 1 - The large Top Pond. Groups which were identified:- Tadpoles, which were very common throughout the pond edges and numerous where there was pond weed. We found tadpoles at a number of different stages, and of different sizes, which would suggest that we were looking at tadpoles from both frogs and toads. Dragonfly larvae, a small number were recorded Alderfly Larvae, a small number were found Water Beetle, again a small number were found Back swimmers, a small number were found Water scorpion, a small number were found Water stick insect, a small number were found Pond skaters, these were seen in reasonable quantities. Water spiders, some of these were found, but not sure if this identification is correct. Leeches, small numbers of these were seen at the edges near the pontoon. This range of invertebrates would suggest that the pond is moderately healthy. The water was not quite clear, but did appear to be clearer than it has been. Pond Number 3 - Smaller pond on the side of the large boardwalk. Groups which were identified:- Newts, there were large numbers of newt tadpoles and it is likely that these were both smooth newt and great crested newt tadpoles. Dragonfly larvae, these were also very common with significant numbers found. Backswimmers were found in small numbers Small mussel-type shells were also found. We only had a short time surveying this pond, but it was obviously very different from Pond No. 1 - much more pond weed and other aquatic plants. The water was significantly clearer and from the small number of species that were found it would suggest that this is a healthier pond. John Macdonald, July 2019
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We had a walk around New Lount Nature Reserve at the end of a volunteer session recently - we saw as many common spotted orchids as last year, but we also found a large number of Bee Orchids (photo). This is the first time these have been recorded at New Lount for over 20 years, although they have been quite common in the past - which is a great sign for the site.
We have had some great progress recently with building outdoor furniture during our Wednesday workshop sessions at the Rangers's Snibston base, Many thanks to our excellent skilled volunteers!!
Saturday's Plant Sale at New Lount was very well attended and raised £417, a very similar to last year. Between the two plant sales, the group will benefit from a total income in excess of £1,000, which we will be using for training, protective ware and the replacement of tools.
These annual Plant Sales have become popular with the local community and as well as raising essential funds for the group, they also attract local residents to the sites. Our sincere thanks to all the individuals and local businesses that help and support us every year. A massive THANK YOU and well done to our fantastic volunteers who attend workshop sessions on Wednesdays at the Rangers' workshops at Snibston who make a range of items for the group and our 2 sites - bird boxes, storage boxes, sandmartin homes, display boards, benches etc. Below is their latest bench, completed earlier this week and appearing soon at a nature reserve near you!
Early warning of this year's plant sales! This is a major source of income for the group - all money made is used to buy more tools for the volunteers; saws, rakes, strummers etc. Could YOU help us by growing a few plants from seed, growing a few cuttings or letting us have unwanted plants?....
Every year, we get a visit from Richard Iliffe and Tom Hering from the Leicestershire Fungi Study Group who very kindly survey the many species at New Lount. - this year's was done a few days ago on the 17th of October. It is good to hear that the Fungi Group were so happy with all the work we have done! "It was nice to see you at New Lount on Sunday morning. The site never lets us down and we had our best list of records for the year so far, Few are particularly unusual, but Scleroderma cepa, the Onion Earthball, is quite rare and New Lount is the only site in Leicestershire where we find it. It never ceases to amaze me that a former colliery site should produce so many species that normally only grow in unimproved high quality grassland, like the waxcaps and club fungi. I just cannot account for this, though I have heard of similar occurrences in South Wales. So many thanks to the volunteers who had cleared the area – the timing of this work was perfect for our visit." Full list:
Amanita muscaria - Fly Agaric - With birch Annulohypoxylon multiforme - Birch Woodwart - On birch wood Auricularia auricula-judae - Jelly Ear - On fragment of birch wood Clavaria acuta - Pointed Club - In grass Clavulinopsis helvola - Yellow Club - In grass Clavulinosis laeticolor - Handsome Club - In grass Clitocybe nebularis - Clouded Funnel - On litter Coprinellus disseminatus - Fairy Inkcap - On stump Daedaleopsis confragosa - Blushing Bracket - On willow trunk Erysiphe alphitoides (holomorph) - Mildew - On oak leaves Ganoderma applanatum - Artist’s Fungus - On stump Geoglossum umbratile - Plain Earthtongue - In grass Gliophorus psittacinus - Parrot Waxcap - In grass Hygrocybe conica - Blackening Waxcap - In grass Hygrocybe mucronella - Bitter Waxcap - In grass Hygrocybe reidii - Honey Waxcap - In grass Hygrocybe virginea - Snowy Waxcap - In grass Inocybe acuta - Pointed Club - With birch Inocybe fuscidula - With birch and others Inocybe rimosa - Split Fibrecap - With birch Inocybe sindonia - With birch Kuehneromyces mutabilis - Sheathed Woodtuft - On fallen wood Lactarius glyciosmus - Coconut Milkcap - With birch Lactarius pubescens - Bearded Milkcap - With birch Lactarius torminosus - Woolly Milkcap - With birch Leccinum scabrum - Brown Birch Bolete - With birch Lepiota cristata - Stinking Dapperling - In grass Lycoperdon excipuliforme - Pestle Puffball - In grass Lycoperdon pyriforme - Stump Puffball - On buried stump Melampsoridium betulinum (uredia) - Rust - On birch sapling Mucilago crustacea - ‘Dog-sick’ Slime Mould - On low vegetation Mycena leptocephala - Nitrous Bonnet - In short vegetation Mycena pura - Lilac Bonnet - On soil Mycena rosea - Rosy Bonnet - On soil Panaeolus foenisecii - Brown Mottlegill - In grass Paxillus involutus - Brown Rollrim - With birch Phragmidium mucronatum (uredia) - Rust - On rose stem Phragmidium violaceum (telia) - Bramble Rust - On bramble leaves Piptoporus betulinus - Birch Polypore - On fallen birch trunk Psathyrella microrrhiza - Rootlet Brittlestem - In grass Rhytisma acerinum - Sycamore Tarspot - On green sycamore leaves Russula cyanoxantha - Charcoal Burner - With birch Russula exalbicans - With birch Acleroderma cepa - Onion Earthball - With birch and others Scleroderma verrucosum - Scaly Earthball - Under mixed trees Trametes versicolor - Turkeytail - On fallen trunk Tricholoma fulvum - Burch Knight - With birch Tricholoma scalpturatum - Yellowing Knight - With birch Xylaria hypoxylon - Candlesnuff Fungus - On stump Xylaria polymorpha - Dead Man’s Fingers - On birch stump |