my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[Hoy]

The squammules on the stipe are too dark for cep, Ian. This is Leccinum aurantiacum, the orange oak bolete. A misnomer as it has nothing to do with oak but associates with creeping willow Salix repens.

I am no expert on this but in Norway L. aurantiacum is associated with aspen, oak, birch, sallow, beech..
http://www.risken.no/media/1091/leccinum-hoestsopptreffet-2018-weholt.pdf

[Chris Johnson]

I am no expert on this but in Norway L. aurantiacum is associated with aspen, oak, birch, sallow, beech..
http://www.risken.no/media/1091/leccinum-hoestsopptreffet-2018-weholt.pdf

Hi Both

I've been away so just picked up on your comments. I mentioned creeping willow specifically as I thought that the most likely at your site. However, it associated with most willows and particularly likes aspen and I've seen it with birch.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Chris, there are some more in todays diary. Yesterday was dry with some sun and clouds. The forecast rain held off. I met a fellow naturalist on site and we looked at various habitats. We noticed several house martins and swallows were still here. More grey lag geese and pink footed were arriving. Four Marsh Harriers were seen flushing ducks from the pools. A large gull was roosting on a tree stump in one of the pools. My colleague said it was there the day before and seemed to have a drooping wing. He thought the wing was damaged. A snipe was seen at the side of one pool. Tuesday was rain all day and this had flooded some of the pools which had dried out. A few butterflies were seen including a late Painted Lady. Two Cranes were seen in the distance, they will be leaving soon for the Winter. A small flock of Golden Plovers flew passed us as we were deciding where to go. While going along a track to a wet woodland a Cettis Warbler was heard calling from ditch-side bushes. This loud bird is hardly ever seen on the site but is easily heard due to the intensity of its call.
Before we entered the woodland we heard the roar of a stag and hoped we would not come face to face with the animal. Luckily we did not. Contractors are on site with machinery clearing drains. We came across a flattened Adder along one of the tracks. There was little bird life observed in the wood, perhaps they were keeping a low profile? A single Hobby was seen, still chasing Dragonflies. Dragonflies and Darters are still fairly common, especially in sheltered areas of woodland. It is getting cooler now as soon as the sun goes below the horizon. Some Tansy plants are still in flower, we noticed galls on some of the flowers, probably caused by the gall midge, Rhopalomyia tanaceticola. A good number of Fungi were seen, many not identified by us. We did find a number of dead mans fingers on a fallen willow. Possible Russulas, puff balls and a cep as well as Orange Peel? Autumnal colours are well advanced now but the birch trees are still mainly green.



Autumn colours.



Orange peel fungus?



A silver Y moth.



Puff ball?



Tansy flowers with galls.

[ian mcdonald]

Cep?



Adder, recently flattened by machinery?

Birds noted were, snipe, marsh harrier, hobby, house martin, grey lag, pink foot and canada geese, teal, gadwall, crow, crane, buzzard, long tailed tit, blue tit, bullfinch, chiff chaff, cettis warbler, jay, pied wagtail, stonechat, meadow pipit, swallow, robin, wren, golden plover, blackbird and mallard. Butterflies were, comma, small white, red admiral and painted lady.

[Chris Johnson]

Yes to all three fungi. It's proving to be a good season.

[ian mcdonald]

Last week was too wet for exploring the site, but good for the habitat. Areas which had become damp peat are now flooded again. One of the first birds I saw yesterday was a Great Crested Grebe. They are fairly common on large ponds and lakes in other areas but not often seen on our site. The day started sunny with a light breeze. By mid-day the wind had increased. I went along the Eastern edge of the site and could hear a red deer stag roaring in the distance. Sound carries a long way on the site. I could also hear chain saws. Tree clearance is once again taking place. I decided to walk along a track towards the deer calls, which were coming from a birch covered area and soon found that the track sides were covered in dense bracken. Not wanting to surprise a stag by suddenly appearing close by I began to whistle and shake the metal shooting stick I was carrying. The roaring ceased and I carried on slowly. Reaching another track which was at 90 degrees to the right and well mown, I carried on up this path with more confidence. About 300 yards up the track I saw a late Comma butterfly and stopped to photograph it. Afterwards I turned round and saw a figure in what appeared to be dark clothing. I looked through the binoculars and saw that the figure was a stag which was trotting towards me. It stopped and stood looking at me as if un-decided what I was. It started towards me again for quite a distance and then stopped again. After the stag came towards me for the third time I thought that the animal may have mis-taken me for a rival and decide to charge so I shouted, come on, and it realised what I was and dis-appeared into the dense birch scrub but not before I managed three photos. of the event. I notice from the nearest image that it had twelve points, making it a Royal. I was told that the local stags are larger than the Scottish ones due to them being better fed. I noticed a small flock of Goldfinch feeding on seed-heads further on. I also came across one of the contractors felling the trees. He told me they expect to be on site until the end of November. A male Marsh Harrier flew by low down, hoping to flush small birds or animals. I had a brief glimpse of what looked like a Hobby, late in the year for the species here. A snipe flew up from one of the tracks I was on. Two Jays were calling in the distance and I flushed another from some willow bushes. I noticed a Chiff Chaff or a Willow Warbler in a bush, not easy to identify unless they are singing. A single swallow flew past as I was walking along another track. Four red deer hinds were seen as singles in various places. As I was re-tracing my route on another track, something moved among the tall grass near by. It was a fox and it hadn,t seen me. I took a couple of pictures but it was hidden in the Glyceria, (a tall grass which grows in wet areas). On my way off site I saw about twelve stonechats along the main track. Fungi are doing well this year.





A red deer hind watching from cover.



Fly Agaric.



Fox and cubs still in flower.



Un-identified fungus.

[ian mcdonald]

Another un-identified fungus.





Water chickweed still in flower.



A late Comma.



A stag investigates an intruder into his patch.

[ian mcdonald]

[ian mcdonald]

Common darter.



Alder buckthorn with flower buds.



One of the Stonechats seen.

[ian mcdonald]

A Fox hunting in the tall grass.



You can just see its ears behind the left end of the fallen tree.



Rose hips.

Birds seen were, teal, mallard, great crested grebe, goldfinch, magpie, marsh harrier, tufted duck, hobby? crow, long tailed tit, blue tit, wood pigeon, blackbird, wren, robin, snipe, jay, chiff chaff/willow warbler, swallow, jackdaw, pheasant and stonechat. Four red deer hinds and a stag, one frog.

[Robert]

Hi Ian,

I have been enjoying your postings. 

I do have one question - For how many years have you been going out to your patch?

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Robert, I first visited the site in 1972 with a local naturalist. He had found a bronze age trackway. I used to carry out voluntary work in the local museum and was invited to see the trackway. I joined the local natural history society and we visited the site several times between 1980 and the mid 1990s. I carried out a botanical survey of another local site about 2005-2006. I then decided to survey the present site in 2010. I have been going most weeks since then. I am still finding plants that have not been recorded there before and plants that are appearing in other 1Km. squares. I record plants on a 1Km. square basis because the records will be repeatable in the future. (Providing that maps are not altered). I also keep a look out for birds, animals, butterflies etc.

[Robert]

Hello Ian,

Thank you for sharing your background and experience at your patch. I admire your long-term dedication to the patch. I now have a greater appreciation for your efforts and your written diary. I hope you can continue your efforts and I look forward to your next posting. I am progressing in my studies and application. Maybe in 6 years or so, I will be in a position to ask pertinent questions regarding your activities at the patch, however I hope that I can continue to express my support and encouragement on a regular basis.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Robert. This weeks weather was mixed, with more rain, wind and cooler. Luckily the two days I usually go to the site were dry and mostly sunny, although the wind started by early afternoon making the air cold. I met another local naturalist on site on both days and we went to the south of the site on Tuesday and the North-East today. Many pink-footed geese are flying in, in one area of farmland approaching the site there were about 1000. Smaller skeins were coming in on both days. Stonechats are quite common along one of the tracks. My colleague heard a chiff chaff (my hearing is not as good). A few early Redwing were seen flying over. A goldcrest was seen among birch trees hunting for food. Water rail was heard calling (a Squeek) from a ditch. My colleague heard a siskin calling. A group of snipe flew up from a rushy area, 23 in all. We stayed until dusk on Tuesday hoping to see Short-eared owl. Eventually two were seen high up flying near a Marsh Harrier. My colleague found a Giant willow aphid on a fence. We think this is a first record for the site. Today was a good day for birds. Early on we saw a Marsh Harrier flying with a Kestrel. Then a Buzzard came into view. A dog? fox was seen hunting in grass, possibly the same one as before as it was in the same area. Red deer were heard roaring in the distance. We heard a Cettis warbler calling from an Elderberry bush and went to look. Two flew out of the bush. Cranes were calling a long way off but not seen. We decided to walk along a track where Bearded Tits have been seen and managed to see seven, both sexes. Too far off for decent photos. As we were returning along the track two Sparrow Hawks flew out of a tree next to my colleague. A Lesser Redpoll flew passed us, calling. Later we saw a Peregrine fly across a field, scattering a number of birds. The site staff are busy mowing paths now that they have their machinery back from repairs. Fungi are found on woodland trees and on the tracks, most are not identified by us.

[ArnoldT]

I'd like to thank Ian and Robert for taking me on such a wonderful ride these past months.

I've seen and 'been' to places that have left me in a state of wonder.

Keep up the good work it is much appreciated.