Bio Survey (week 3)

Wednesday 15th to Tuesday 22nd January 2014 (Bio Survey wk. 3)

As expected for this time of year, things have slowed down considerably on the 1km² survey.  That said there was still a trickle of new species added to the list.

Birds:
Two species of birds were added for the 1km² in Wren and Song Thrush.  In fact 2 Song Thrushes were showing well as they fed in the paddock opposite the entrance to the gallops field.

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Mammals:
I finally added Rabbit to the list this week, as they don't seem to be very showy on the patch at the mo.

Invertebrates:
A single invert was added to the survey list in the form of a Harlequin Ladybird that I found hibernating in the leaf litter.

Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

Galls:
Also whist having a furtle about in the leaf litter I found a number of Common Spangle galls.  These had now dropped of the Oak leaves on which they were formed and dropped amongst the leaf litter.  It's within these galls that the larvae of a tiny gall wasp Neuroterus quercusbaccarum spends the winter, emerging as adults in the spring.

Fungi:
Fungi is the most productive area of the survey at the present time with 5 new species identified and added to the 1km²:  Crepidotus fungus s.p., Exidia plana, Hairy Curtain Crust, Peniophora cinerea and Yellow Brain.  I also recorded more White Brain fungus in 3 further locations around the periphery of Stanklyn Wood.  

Crepidotus fungus s.p.

Exidia plana

Yellow Brain (Tremella mesenterica)

Trees:
I also managed to identify 2 more species of tree present in Stanklyn Wood this week in the shape of Corsican Pine and Elder.


So there you have it, this weeks Bio Survey findings. Roll on Spring when things really start to pick up! 

Total no. of Species recorded in 1km² = 87 
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