This Blog covers nature sightings and related news in the Calderdale area.
It includes all groups - Plants, animals and fungi with links to specialist sites.
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Sunday 25 August 2019

Shibden Valley 18-08-2019

Here are a few close-ups from the Shibden Valley.
Some taken yesterday but most from the Halifax Scientific Society walk on the 18th of August.
A great turn-out, 21 in all.
I for one found it fascinating to have Peachysteve teach us to identify all the plant species we could find in a single kilometre square on the map. Results to follow.
Hope everyone enjoyed the day which became slightly chaotic at times.
I'd like to do a similar route next year and again survey the same map square. 
Sorry we missed out the little talk I had planned,
sketching out the geology of the valley and its exploitation. Maybe next year!



Antitype chi, the Grey Chi moth, resting on a wall at the top of Lee Lane.
You can just see the X (the Greek letter 'chi') on its wing.





A woodland and scrub orchid, the broad-leaved helleborine, a little past its best.
Here's a quotation from the Woodland Trust's website:

'Some species of wasp and bee that are attracted to Broad-leaved Helleborines have been noted as becoming 'intoxicated' after visiting these orchids for nectar - it appears that the flowers can contain a kind of alcohol as a result of a fungus! The bees like it so much, they come back for more, ensuring the flower is pollinated.'


Rough chervil, common in many places elsewhere in the country
but Peachysteve's first record for Calderdale.


Alder tongue, a gall on the developing female catkin caused by a fungus.
The fungus, Taphrina alni, chemically induces the tree to create this structure which it inhabits.
Later, the tongue will become deep red. Spores will be released from it to repeat the life cycle.


Russula virescens, the green brittlegill




4 comments:

  1. Great post Julian, and wonderful walk. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

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  2. Thanks for leading the walk Julian. I was really enjoying it until Meg disappeared. Here is a list of what we recorded along the way, a late Summer snapshot of the local flora.
    Abraham-Isaac-Jacob
    American Willowherb
    Annual Pearlwort
    Autumn Hawkbit
    Barren Stawberry
    Bilberry
    Bittersweet
    Bog Stitchwort
    Broad-leaved Dock
    Broad-leaved Helleborine
    Broad-leaved Willowherb
    Brooklime
    Bush Vetch
    Cat's-ear
    Changing Forget-me-not
    Cleavers
    Colt's-foot
    Common Bistort
    Common Chickweed
    Common Figwort
    Common Ivy
    Common Knapweed
    Common Mouse-ear
    Common Nettle
    Common Orache
    Common Ragwort
    Common Sorrel
    Cow Parsley
    Creeping Buttercup
    Creeping Thistle
    Daisy
    Dandelion
    Danish Scurvygrass
    Fat Hen
    Fennel
    Feverfew
    Fox-and-cubs
    Foxglove
    Fuschia
    Garlic Mustard
    Germander Speedwell
    Glabrous Headed Hawkweed
    Great Willowherb
    Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil
    Greater Plantain
    Greater Stitchwort
    Groundsel
    Hedge Bindweed
    Hedge Mustard
    Hedge Woundwort
    Herb Robert
    Himalayan Balsam
    Himalayan Honeysuckle
    Hogweed
    Honesty
    Honeysuckle
    Hybrid Bluebell
    Hybrid Cinquefoil
    Ivy-leaved Toadflax
    Japanese Knotweed
    Knotgrass
    Large Bindweed
    Lesser Sea Spurrey
    Marsh Cudweed
    Meadow Buttercup
    Meadow Dock
    Mouse-ear-hawkweed
    Nipplewort
    Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage
    Petty Spurge
    Pineappleweed
    Prickly Sow-thistle
    Procumbent Pearlwort
    Red Campion
    Red Clover
    Redshank
    Reflexed Stonecrop
    Ribwort Plantain
    Rosebay Willowherb
    Rough Chervil
    Russian Comfrey
    Russian Vine
    Selfheal
    Sheep's Sorrel
    Shining Crane's-bill
    Short Fruited Willowherb
    Smooth Hawksbeard
    Smooth Sow-thistle
    Sneezewort
    Snow in Summer
    Spear Thistle
    Spear-leaved Orache
    Spotted Dead-nettle
    Sticky Groundsel
    Thale Cress
    Thyme-leaved Speedwell
    Wavy Bitter-cress
    Welsh Poppy
    White Clover
    White Stonecrop
    Wood Avens
    Wood Dock
    Wood Forget-me-not
    Wood Sage
    Wood-sorrel
    Yarrow

    Annual Meadow-grass
    Barren Brome
    Bearded Couch
    Cocksfoot
    Common Bent
    Common Couch
    Creeping Soft-grass
    Crested Dog's-tail
    False Oat Grass
    Marsh Foxtail
    Meadow Foxtail
    Perennial Ryegrass
    Red Fescue
    Rough Meadow Grass
    Sheep's Fescue
    Small Sweet grass
    Smooth Meadow Grass
    Sweet Vernal Grass
    Tufted Hair-grass
    Wavy Hair Grass
    Yorkshire Fog
    Great Woodrush
    Borrer's Scaly Male Fern
    Bracken
    Broad Buckler Fern
    Hart's Toungue
    Lady Fern
    Male Fern
    Pendulous Sedge
    Soft Rush
    Alder
    Ash
    Aspen
    Beech
    Birch Silver
    Black Poplar
    Blackthorn
    Cherry Laurel
    Elder
    Elm Wych
    Goat Willow
    Grey Willow
    Guelder Rose
    Hawthorn
    Holly
    Oak Sessile
    Rhododendron
    Rowan
    Swedish Whitebeam
    Sycamore
    Wall Cotoneaster
    Bramble
    Dog Rose


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  3. Blimey! Did we see mugwort too?

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  4. I can see you read the whole list! Yes we did but the walk took us through two grid squares and this list is just for SE09 27.

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