State of Nature Invitation : 16th March

I have been asked to circulate this invitation - please do come!  Please let Katie Aspin (katrina.aspin@rspb.org.uk) if you would like to attend and would like the official invitation (I'm so sorry, I have failed miserably in uploading the scenic invite it to the Blog!) Charlotte

'The South Pennines Local Nature Partnership, working with RSPB and Moors for the Future, invites you to an evening of presentations and discussion about the State of Nature in the South Pennines, on the 16^th March in Marsden.

There will be an introduction to the South Pennines Local Nature Partnership from Robin Gray, Development Manager. The evening will also include presentations from Sarah Proctor (Moors for the Future) and Tim Melling (RSPB) who will give talks on what threats species in the South Pennines face, and what is being done to help.  Tim’s presentation will include a case study of Twite, and an update on the Twite Recovery Project. You will also have the opportunity to join discussions about how we protect and enhance nature in the South Pennines in the future.  

Please feel free to distribute the invite to people who you think may be interested in attending, the more the merrier!'

Katie Aspin
Twite Project Officer (working hours Monday - Thursday)email : katrina.aspin@rspb.org.uk

 South Pennines Local Nature Partnership: The State of Nature 2017
Using modern Red List criteria, which identify species of the highest conservation concern, the State of Nature report published last year assessed 8,000 species. Of these, 15% are extinct or threatened with extinction from Great Britain. The South Pennines is an area of internationally important habitat for rare species, including birds of prey and waders. For example, this is home to the last outpost for breeding pairs of Twite ( our own ‘Pennine Finch’) in England and native species such as the Bilberry Bumble Bee.
What is happening here in the South Pennines to these populations ...and what can we do to help ?
Speakers include :
Tim Melling, Senior Conservation Officer, RSPB
Sarah Proctor, Community Science Project Manager, Moors for the Future.
Links
RSPB State of Nature 

Moors for the Future South Pennines Local Nature Partnership  RSPB Twite Recovery Project

Our next meeting - as usual on the second Tuesday of the month

__________________________________________________________

Our activities don't consist entirely of these interesting talks, we also meet up for walks. They are of differing lengths, which we call ambles, rambles and hikes, and they are open to visitors just like the talks. 

To see our programme click on the "Welcome to Walks, Talks and Joining" tab at the top. This is also available in printed form at Halifax Central Library and various other points throughout Calderdale.

Another imported fungi

DEFRA has found the pathogenic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica in Sweet Chestnut Trees in Devon. Oak trees can get infected but they only suffer superficial damage (we hope) although they can spread the disease.

This is the same disease that arrived in America in 1904 on imported plants from Japan. In 40 years the disease had killed 5 billion American Chestnuts and the tree is now classed as 'technically extinct'.

The hyphae of the fungus produce toxic compounds, including Oxalic Acid. This lowers the PH of the affected tissue from normal 5.5 to 2.8 which is toxic to plant cells.

There are good populations of Sweet Chestnut - Castanea sativa in England, and many centuries old trees in the North of England. Below is a photo of 3 of them at Levens Park, near the Lake District.

Let's hope the containment notices stop the spread of this disease.

                                         Sweet Chestnut Trees

Soil is the key to healthy woodland

In one acre of a typical British woodland system there are:
• 110 tons of trees
• 1 lb of birds
• 21 lb of large animals
• ½ ton of plants
• 1½ tons of fungi
• 4½ lb of small mammals
• 500 lb of earthworms
• 9 lb of beetles
• 50 lb of spiders
• 90 lb of slugs & snails
• 4 tons of bacteria
• 340 lb of protozoa

Or: “Each shovel of soil holds more living things than all the human beings ever born.”

“Soils often have between 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 bacteria per gramme.”

“A teaspoon of forest soil may hold more than 10 miles of fungi and 1 gramme of garden soil can contain around one million fungi.”

Plants, a fungus and creatures around Elland

On cut oak branches, maybe a form of Turkeytail ? More pics on Calderdale Fungi (tab at top.)

Best picture I've got so far of a pair Goosanders which are becoming so numerous. (We saw 5 females with 2 males at Lee Dam, Todmorden last Sunday being very vocal.)

I predicted the Autumn Crocus Crocus nudiflorus leaves might be beginning to show as it has been a mild winter so far. These are at the Park Nook Lock site.

At this site they grow right down the bank towards the River Calder 

After missing it once, we found the other site along the Calder banks at Elland which I discovered     (I suppose re-discovered) a few years ago. They are about 475 metres East from the Park Nook Lock site.

Though it is very grass-like, the white stripe up the inside the stiff, folded leaf shows it is a Crocus.  

This Great Diving Beetle had died in the top pond on Tag Loop at Cromwell Bottom Local Nature Reserve. It was about 3cm (an inch and a quarter) long. Picture of the upper side was blurred. We left it in the water near the edge, so it might still be there.

Common Whitlow Grass Erophila verna at Elland Lock (side nearest the road by the Crematorium entrance.) Previously known in this area only 2 locks down at Cromwell Lock, where it also grows between the cobbles. One of the smallest flowering plants we have.

At the Calderdale Trees Strategy pre-consultation morning last Wednesday where Charlotte our President and I represented the Society, I made a strong case for favouring and establishing totally unobstructed trees allowed to grow with no other trees anywhere near them. This oak is throwing out its lowest branches within a metre of the ground. It is already a perfect climbing tree for kids and hopefully will be for hundreds of years - near Park Nook Lock.  Though tall straight trees in thick woodland are also beautiful, the great thing about trees like this one above is that there are open, sunlit glades around them which are so good for sun-loving plants and creatures.

One sunny afternoon in Todmorden

I saw 7 Roe deer today in woodland only a few minutes from the centre of Todmorden. Ivy is the main preferred food source in winter and this photo shows a stone stoop, which only a few weeks ago was covered in bushy Ivy right to the ground.

You can now see it is eaten away to a definite browse line. Roe seem to be very lazy browsers and don't make much effort above nose level.

                                              Ivy browse-line


Nearby was a good number of Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha austriaca. In fact I haven't seen as many in one place before (there were many others nearby) and all are on decaying Sycamore branches.

Scarlet Elf Cup

 

 

 

For an attractive winter grass, Miscanthus sinensis is lovely with its old seed heads. It is very hardy and needs no managing. It is a good substitute for Common Reed, which does not flower in Todmorden. Originally from Eastern Asia.

 

Miscanthus sinensis

 

 

 

Siskins at Todmorden

There were about 40 females/males about equally mixed of these dainty finches, below Cross Stone Church this morning. There are lots of mature conifers around which they prefer to nest in so it's possible they breed here.

They love these Alder seeds but can be found feeding on Birch seeds as well.

female

male

I once picked up a male at Greetland, probably exhausted, with its crop so stuffed with Birch seeds they were spilling out. I kept it in a cage for a while where it would eat all sorts of small seeds and peanuts. I didn't know it was illegal at the time. I soon let it fly free but I missed its cheery singing for a while. They are known for being attracted to peanuts in gardens, and there was a belief that if the nuts were hung out in a red mesh bag, this would attract them quicker. Nobody seems to bother with this now, but bird habits, and people habits, change.

Our next Talk on the usual Tuesday - second Tuesday in February

Dramatic finale to the evening's murmuration.

I captured this video clip of Starlings at Brighouse this evening, many others had just gone down:

Other observations of the day included: 7 - 8 Meadow Pipits beside Ringby Lane, Ploughcroft.
13 Common Gulls included 3 juveniles at Ploughcroft
Herring gulls among the crows on Swalesmoor, Ploughcroft
Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Shibden Valley despite light snow falling.
Mistle Thrush and 2 Goldfinches in Bradford Old Rd. Claremount.

Starling Murmuration at Brighouse

This large flock of Starlings has been gathering together in small parties to make one huge group to roost together in central Brighouse for at least a few weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA5rKP3rmjY

Thank you to Annie Honjo for posting her video on You-tube.

We were there this evening 4.15 to 5.00pm, along with eleven other people amazed by the spectacle.

A Sparrowhawk appeared twice but didn't seem to catch a Starling, though it was definitely trying!

A spontaneous round of applause went up when the birds finally settled into the trees.

The finale is when the trees appear to suck the flock out of the sky.

If you want to see it, go to the car parks at the bottom of town near the double-towered old flour mill.  

Invitation to help a group interested in Nature on Roils Head Moor

Hi Steve

We have completed a baseline survey of the moor with Chris Sutcliffe
(Calderdale MBC Countryside Officer).

Chris Sutcliffe has recommended the Halifax Scientific Society may be
able to help us complete a more detailed survey.

In the long term we would like to have all the species of wildlife and
plants on the moors listed, in which areas and which seasons, food
webs and food chains etc however, we lack the knowledge to do this.

We have contacted Calderdale MBC to see if the area could be made into
a Local Nature Reserve.

Would the Society be interested in helping us with the survey?

I have attached the survey and a general map of the area.

Regards

Kelly Reid
Secretary

From Steve: this is a large open area above Halifax Golf Club, north of Halifax. 

Do we have a member living near there, who would like to take a lead on this? You

don't have to be an expert on species, just organise an initial visit, show us round, 

keep notes, and correspond  for us with Kelly; that sort of thing.

Celebrating our Woodland Heritage - volunteers needed!

Want to get out into our local woods and help survey them?
During the excellent talk last night given by Craig Best, Countryside Manager of the National Trust, Craig mentioned the project which one of our previous speakers, Chris Atkinson of Pennine Prospects had also discussed with us - 'Celebrating our Woodland Heritage - an Archaeological Survey'.  The surveys are taking place at a number of woods in the area - full details plus dates are given in the link below.  Training will be given.  The surveys have started - so please do have a look now to see if there is a wood near you which you could help survey!

http://www.celebrate-our-woodland.co.uk/archaeological-survey/

The list of woodlands to be investigated during the projects first year are listed below.  In order to fully record the woodland heritage of the South Pennines we need you! Whether as an individual, family, group or organisation we welcome you to get involved, to learn new skills and to enjoy our woodland heritage.

Name	Location	Easting	Northing	Dates of Survey
Hirst Wood	Bradford	412719	438232	6th – 7th January 2017
Hardcastle Crags	Hebden Bridge	397310	430152	11th – 14th January 2017
Knotts Wood	Todmorden	391757	426025	18th- 19th January 2017
Park Wood	Keighley	407143	440977	22nd & 24th January 2017
Castle Clough Wood	Hapton	378756	431342	3rd – 4th February 2017
Callis Wood	Hebden Bridge	397908	426556	6th & 8th February 2017
Middleton Woods	Ilkley	412074	448764	15th – 18th February 2017
Ogden Plantation	Ogden	405798	431077	2nd – 3rd & 5th March 2017
Roddlesworth	Tockholes	366076	421538	8th – 10th March 2017
New Field Clough (Smithills Estate)	Bolton	367469	412492	15th – 17th March 2017
Jagger Park Wood	Low Bentley	413587	428061	20th – 22nd March 2017
Redisher Woods	Ramsbottom	377396	415657	23rd – 25th March 2017
North Dean Wood	Copley	408485	422212	26th – 29th March 2017

If you are interested in attending any of these archaeological events, either for a day or multiple days please contact  Chris Atkinson, Woodland Heritage Officer at Chris.Atkinson@pennineprospects.co.uk for further details.

All equipment such as a hand held GPS for recording the location, recording sheets, pens/pencils, clip boards, tape measures and camera will be provide.

As we will be outdoors and the weather is likely to be cold and probably a bit damp at times, please wear sturdy foot wear and warm/wet weather gear.  A packed lunch and drink is also advisable.  As for the timings, each day of survey will last between 10am and 3pm. 

Lost and found

At our HSS meeting last night at the Library, the follwing were left behind:

• One small thermos flask
• One DVD 'A Bird for All Seasons'

If they are yours, please let me know and I'll arrange to get them to you - or bring them to our next meeting on 14th Feb!

Thank you, Charlotte

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,

This is not local but I'm sure we have all seen photos of this amazing Giant Sequoia with its incongruous and sad road tunnel drilled through it. Well it is now no more, having been blown down by recent storm. Read about it here:-

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/09/508919216/iconic-sequoia-tunnel-tree-brought-down-by-california-storm

"Tunnel trees were created in the 19th century to promote parks and inspire tourism". As if ancient trees were not inspiring enough.

Our first inside meeting of the year !

All welcome to this talk. After it there is a short refreshments break, then the very informal meeting of the society, when we talk about upcoming events, and collect any

 Natural History sightings, etc.  to go in the records. 

We just ask for a small donation to offset the cost of hiring the room.

Don't forget your chequebooks or cash if you are wishing to join or renew your membership.

(See Welcome to Walks, Talks and Joining tab above.)

Brain Fungi

I saw this Yellow Brain fungus Tremella mesenterica, near Foulridge in November. It was growing on a dead Ash twig.

It is very common and only seen on dead wood. I thought it actually fed on dead wood but apparently it feeds on crust fungi, which are themselves feeding on the wood. It is therefore classed as parasitic and not saprobic.

Note the very small fly which is feeding on the 'brain'!

Todmorden Waxwing Update 02 01 2017

Just an update on the Waxwings in Todmorden,numbers built up to 71 ,although the berries have all been eaten on Myrtle Street and most at Lidl car park today 02 01 16 there are still berries in the bus station on a single tree,and near the houses adjacent the  open ground where the old health centre used to be,only saw 2 today,feeding with a few Redwing and Blackbirds,and no doubt they will soon move on as the berries run out, Regards and Happy New Year.

Jan 1st - New Year's Day Walk, bird count and flowering plants count.

Meet us here in front of Clay House, West Vale, Greetland near Elland 10.30 for 10.40.

There is free public parking  in the drive, or just across the footbridge at the junction near the traffic lights.

The route is rough and wet in places so good waterproof boots with ankle support are needed. It is approximately 7 miles, so is a bit of a hike.

A picnic stop will be taken around mid-day, so something damp-proof  to sit on is useful.

Weather permitting, and taking all walkers' abilities into account, we will go through North Dean Woods, up Maple Dean (aka Norland ) Clough, across Norland Moor, and back via a slightly different route through the woods (on the Calderdale Way.) The speed will vary from moderate to stopped, to take in views or interesting wildlife. Back to Clay House about 15.30.

A dramatic sight we pass is the collapsed Copley Bridge, casualty of the Boxing Day 2015 floods. An interesting one is a recently-identified prehistoric standing stone.

This is a regular event, and includes some of the traditional HSS features such as the picnic, stopping to stare and to note things, and the option of a call at a hostelry on finishing if required.

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Report on the Walk:


We got 31 bird species this year ! Notable was a fly-over Peregrine in the woods, it had missing feathers from right inner primaries.

We also found Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. We often get an odd Reed Bunting on the moor, but this time there were several groups around 4 to 8 and up to 15; both sexes.

Previous years totals were  2014 - 18 species, 2015 - 21, 2016 - 26. Interesting how it's going up each year.

Unfortunately we didn't see any flowering plants, but there was one very fine Soft Shield Fern I'd not noticed before.

We also saw a very relaxed herd of six Roe Deer, all does except one buck with his antlers still in velvet.

Number of walkers - very variable, infections and early rain bringing us down to three today !

Amazing bird behaviour

Not a native Heron, but if you look on You-tube under "Heron using bread as bait".
This must put Herons up with parrots and crows in the intelligence league.

Importing Plant Diseases

Apologies for another rather gloomy posting but Nature takes control, despite a general wish for it to go away and stop bothering us.

 

I wrote on this blog some while ago about Xylella fastidiosa, which is regarded as the most harmful plant pathogenic bacteria in the world. The number of species identified as being susceptible has now reached 359.

 

Worryingly for this country the list includes Oak and Sycamore trees. The disease was first discovered in Italy 3 years ago and has since spread to Spain, France and Germany.

Our own Plant Health Inspectors are on the lookout for entry of the disease to this country but since many plant hosts do not show any symptoms, it seems only a matter of time before this country is affected.

This account from Malta, a small island like our own, is very descriptive of what we are up against:--http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20161216/opinion/Olive-quick-decline-syndrome.633992

The final paragraph is prophetic and I quote:--

"Prevention is better than cure, especially when there is no cure all. That would be the day when one can honestly boast of a sound environmental policy. From experience, political action in this regard will only be considered when the social, economic and environmental fabric have bit the dust".

I find this quote from the novel 'Tono Bungay' by H.G. Wells to be apposite:--

"It is like an early day in a fine October. The hand of change rests on it all, unfelt, unseen; resting for awhile, as it were half reluctantly, before it grips and ends the thing for ever. One frost and the whole face of things will be bare, links snap, patience end, our fine foliage of pretences lie glowing in the mire".

Celebrating our Woodland Heritage Surveys - volunteers needed!

Over the course of the next three years Pennine Prospects will be leading a programme of freely accessible archaeological surveys across the South Pennines in order gain a greater understanding of woodland development and management across the region.  Please follow the link below for full details - the surveys will start in January!

 http://www.celebrate-our-woodland.co.uk/archaeological-survey/

Xmas at HSS. All members and friends with their partners invited.

All members and our friends from other societies and CMBC are welcome to attend.

We are downstairs in the Central Library. Our library will be available to refer to as well as the items you may bring for HSS fundraising.

Trees reduce Global Warming -- but only in the tropics

The link listed at bottom of the page, is to a new climate change study that has some very interesting results. I will let you read it for yourself but there are a couple of quotes that are challenging to current thought.

"Apparently, these natural carbon sinks [forests] only do their job effectively in tropical regions; in other areas, they have either no impact or actually contribute to warming the planet".

"You can't just blindly go ahead and reforest and that will tackle climate change," he says, pointing out a key finding in the study. "If you think about conservation groups, they're all talking about planting trees. We should be protecting trees for other reasons."

Does this report undermine some of our assumptions on tree planting?

Find out here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tropical-forests-cool-earth/

A Beetle but not as I thought it

In May 2013 I posted to this blog my photo of what I assumed was a Bloody-Nosed beetle (BNB) Timarcha tenebricosa, which I saw at Blake Dean, Hardcastle Crags.

Following an article about this beetle in the YNU August edition of 'The Naturalist', there was also mention of the Small Bloody-Nosed beetle, T. goettingensis.

So I took another look at my photo and realised I had mis-identified and it is actually the Small BNB T. goettingensis.

I have had this confirmed by the Beetle recorder who said; "There is a record from Hebden Bridge, presumably the Craggs, dated 1879".

I had no idea there were 2 such beetles to choose from but fascinated to learn this Small BNB has remained at Blake Dean for the last 137 years without showing itself to passers by!

BNB's wing cases are fused, so they have to walk everywhere and are consequently sedentary. They produce noxious blood droplets when threatened. Food plant is bedstraw and cleavers.

Twite update

Update on Twite from the RSPB - please share widely :

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/biodiversity/archive/2016/11/30/the-twite-aren-t-alright.aspx