Bio Survey (week 2)

Wednesday 8th January to Tuesday 14th January 2014

It's been a slower week on the patch this week but there were still a few bits and bobs to add to the Bio Survey list from the 1km².

Birds:
The highlight of the week was picking up on 2 Lesser Redpolls (1♂) with the flock of c.40 Siskin that were feeding in the Alders at the edge of Stanklyn Wood on Monday 13th Jan.  These were actually the first patch Lesser Redpolls I had recorded all winter!  Other additions to the survey bird list were Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Greenfinch, Jay and Rook.

Fungi:
Three more fungi were added to the 1km² list:  Coral Spot, Holly Speckle and Crystal Brain.

Holly Speckle is a tiny brown/black disco type fungi that grows on dead Holly leaves.

Crystal Brain (Exidia nucleata)

Coral Spot (Nectria cinnabarina)

Holly Speckle (Trochila ilicina)

Click on image to enlarge









Galls:
During a walk around the 1k square on Saturday 11th Jan. I noticed that there were the remains of many Robin's Pincushion galls on the Dog Rose plants along Butts Lane.  Robin's Pincushions are caused by a minute gall wasp called Dipoloepis rosae.  The gall develops on the stems of wild roses during late summer and acquires a reddish colour as it matures and later turns brown.  The grubs inside the gall feed on the host plant throughout the winter and emerge in spring as adults.

Robin's Pincushion

Flora:
During this period, I was able to identify 4 more wildflowers that were in bloom and a fifth by it's seed head.  The four in bloom were Common Field-speedwell (Veronica persica), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) .  The other plant identified was Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum).

Trees:
Another tree was identified within the 1k square in the form of a Hazel which was present just off Butts Lane.

Hazel (Corylus avellana)














Total no. of Species recorded in 1km² = 76