Dipper and Grey Wagtail were present on the beck outside Dean Clough cafe today, as they often are.
I had never noticed watercress there before. Perhaps it has escaped from the cafe! Also a smaller floating plant, possibly blinks ( Montia fontana.) Water plants are difficult to identify, many being very similar due to convergent evolution. These two could get washed away in times of high water.
Watercress occurs in a field pond at Oats Royd, near Holmfield, and was in great quantity in a ditch at West Vale, east of the garden centre, below the wall next to the main rd., till it was cleaned out. The plants gave shelter to a Water Shrew which could be watched feeding if you looked over the wall. The plants and animal could return.
Coincidentally, there has been a water shrew sighting in a small stream near the pond with watercress at Oats Royd.
I have found a large patch of watercress at Northowram this week,I found a small caterpillar on the watercress which has eluded identification at the moment.?? Is watercress common in Calderdale as I dont think Ive seen it before.????
ReplyDeleteHi Andy
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information.
According to "The Flora of the Parish of Halifax" F.K. Murgatroyd. 1995
Water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)is infrequent in streams, ditches and mill dams: Luddenden Foot; Cottonstones; BoulderClough Lumbutts; Elland.
The exact location would be useful for our records.