It’s been a busy few days…Firstly I attended a meeting on the 8th of August at Dealburn Road with members of YWT and Bradford council to discuss in the main the future of the site. There were some very encouraging comments coming from the council about the prospect of the site remaining a wildlife site and even enhancing the site’s bio-diversity.
My aim was to explain how my biological records have illustrated the ecological importance of this urban site which is only 4 miles from Bradford city centre. To illustrate this point even further Andrew Cutts from Bradford council found some larvae of a possible Alder leaf beetle Agelastica alni as we were walking the site….If confirmed it would be an excellent record of this uncommon Beetle which is expanding it’s range.
The recent influx of Painted lady butterflies into the UK has brought this beautiful butterfly to our area with 3 ( possibly 4 ) at Dealburn Road on the 8/8. Two at Caldene fields and 1 at Raw Nook on the 10/8. So keep an eye out in your gardens…
Part of the second arrival of Painted Lady butterflies…looking in excellent condition
And some good news on the Dragonfly front with a female Southern Hawker egg laying at Caldene fields on the 10/8….But perhaps the best news is following the recent heavy rain….it’s back
The pond at Raw Nook NR….but I fear it will drain away again in the next week or so…
Whilst waiting for the Six-belted Clearwing moths to arrive at Dealdburn road a few days ago I was drawn to a tiny insect on a blade of grass. As I took a couple of photos the insect jumped onto my hand.
I quickly realized the insect was a nymph Cricket Sp but no idea which. Research revealed a Long winged Conehead Bush cricket. I contact Orthoptera UK and they confirmed my sighting and stated that the species has only arrived in Yorkshire during the last few years and Dealburn road is a new site for the species…
Then today I visited the site again to try and attract the Six-belted Clearwing moth but forgot the lure….I wonder if it’s age…However, bizarrely as I am near the bottom of the site a Banded Demoiselle Damselfly landed in front of me and moved off S/W…never recorded the species before in the Low Moor/Oakenshaw area…
The Clearwing moths ( Sesiidae ) are active by day but very elusive. Recently sex pheromones lures have come onto the market where a male (if in the area of the lures ) arrives thinking a female is in the locality, thus giving the observer a chance to record these uncommon/rare moths.
I did my research and found that the Six-Belted Clearwing is found in grassy areas with it’s food plant of Bird’s foot trefoil. DEALBURN ROAD!
So I bought a lure and today at the site I found what I hoped was the best location and as the yellow Trefoil blew in the wind I hung the lure up….
Within about 20 minutes not one but three Six-Belted Clearwings came in. Brilliant news…
I now need to prove that the species is resident at the site as the lure can attract a male from a distance away so further surveys will take place. Yorkshire Moths status for the moth is National Status: Nb. Local Status: Rare and local resident.
Went to my daughters house in Birkenshaw last night. Parking the car in the drive and my eye was caught to a small brown butterfly on the house wall.
Amazingly the butterfly was a very worn White-letter Hairstreak..
Now there was an report a good number of years ago of someone seeing a WLH on an Elm tree at Raw Nook NR.
I have since searched and searched over the years for this uncommon elusive butterfly at Raw Nook NR but to no avail….but this sighting…well it’s given me renewed optimism.
Ever moth-er’s heart is lifted when they find a beautiful Hawkmoth. I have been waited for a Hawkmoth at Caldene fields for a couple of weeks now but then on Sunday, just like waiting for a bus….two come along.
Well the day had finally arrived our big 24 hour Bio-Blitz with the YWT and the sun was in all its glory. The main aim was to find and record as many species of flora and fora in Toad holes Beck and Raw Nook NR within a 24 hour period as well as enjoying the local bio-diversity. In addition there were various organised activities throughout the day.
I personally set off at 11 am and wandered into Raw Nook Nr to look for butterflies to record. On the way I saw at 2 Painted Lady butterflies….brilliant but there was more to come at Raw Nook Nr as I found a Small Heath butterfly….
A site first!!! with the nearest colony been at the Dealburn Road site at Low Moor.
More butterfly news came when the YWT conducted a guided plant and tree walk and found a further 2 Painted Ladies. All these butterflies looked very pale and worn suggesting these migrants had traveled a long distance.
The day seemed to fly by and it wasn’t long before there was a group gathering for the pond dipping session at 5.30pm.
The event was well attended with children’s faces beaming with excitement as they caught and identified (With the help from Sarah from the YWT) numerous pond creatures.
Excited children at the pond dipping ( Some adult also wanted to join in the fun!! )
After my tea I returned to YWT gazebo to be met with big smiling faces…..
Peter Gurney ( YWT officer) had been walking up a small path at Toad Holes Beck where against all the odds he had found a Bee Orchid which has never been recorded before at the site…Brilliant news Peter.
An excellent count of 25 people turned up for the YWT’s Bat Walk at 9 pm and the bats certainly didn’t disappoint…
It was then time to put out my moth trap to see what species of moths we could record. We also went into Raw Nook putting a sugar/alcohol mixture on some of the trees and watched and recorded various moths feeding…Well…what else would you want to do at 3 am in the morning!!!!
The moth trap was finally opened at 7 am and it was a real delight to note how many people were interested in these wonderful insects.
At 8 am the moment everyone was waiting for the opening of the small mammal trap laid down by experts from the YWT.
Wood mouse
Brilliant… 2 Bank Voles and 3 Wood mice (which is a new species for our group) were caught. The rodents were then released back to their homes by some very… excited children..
It was now 9am and I was shattered…but just had enough energy to conduct a Bird song Walk. However, coming back through Toad Holes Beck a member of the YWT shouted ‘ Tree Creeper ‘
Now hands up Martyn I thought no way…I have only 2 records of this rare visitor and both are in autumn…But she was right a stunning adult Tree Creeper..Well done!!!
As yet myself and Peter Gurney have not formulated all the records but my guess would be over 200 species were identified and logged with at ‘least’ 4 new species for our recording area. Further details to follow.
A big ‘Thank You’ to Sarah Goldsmith and Peter Gurney from YWT for all their hard work in making the event such a success.
Today I went to look for the Bee Orchids at Dealburn road wildlife site. After a little searching I found an amazing 24 of these beautiful Orchids.
Many are still to bloom so they should be on show till around early July. If anyone would like to see them please email me for more information at http://mvi.priestley @blueyonder.co.uk.
Also there was a further surprise when I saw a Painted Lady butterfly fluttering by…another Painted Lady was also seen later on at Caldene fields. This follows on from a small influx that have come into the country….so watch out they may be some near you..
Well! some exciting news to report…firstly a date for your diary…
The 29th of June…which is the day of our BioBlitz (An event in which volunteers work together to find and identify as many species as possible)
But it’s not only about identifying species….The event has been organised in the main by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust ( thanks Sarah..) with plenty of exciting activities for everyone. So come along with the family and do some pond dipping, find out why birds sing, and the bat walk was brilliant last year…so come along and enjoy the wonders of an urban oasis….
EPSON MFP image
And the second exciting news is our groups new emblem .
A new Ladybird was added to our list on the 1/6 when I found a tiny 14 Spot Ladybird at Caldene fields.
It was very nearly overlooked due to it’s size and I had to photograph it on a piece of material so it would show up!
A stunning Eyed Hawk-moth was at Caldene fields on the 2/6
And today at Raw Nook Nr I found a Micropterix aruncella a very tiny micro moth which is a site first.
Sadly the pond at Raw Nook NR despite recent rain has not filled up or managed to hold any water…which is a real blow to the bio-diversity of our area. To illustrate this point I have recorded only 1 Damselfly at Raw Nook NR this year to date…..usually good numbers can be recorded.
And finally our group for a long time has wanted a motif to represent the group and our kind friends at the YWT (with our input) have come up with 3 excellent designs….The final design is…..well just a couple of thing to sort out first and then I’ll be ”JUMPING ” with joy to reveal all…
Last year Clare our chair person arrange a workday with employees of the Yorkshire Building Society at Raw nook NR.
Some helped dig up sapling Silver Birches which were encroaching into the heathland.
Whilst others helped clearing small patches of vigorous grasses from the meadow ready for the seeding with yellow Rattle. So why Yellow-rattle, well it is an annual wildflower that thrives in grasslands, living a semi-parasitic life by feeding off the nutrients in the roots of nearby grasses.
So establishing Yellow-rattle is an excellent way of controlling grasses and increasing a nectar rich wildflower meadow. Well….did the YBS boys and girls complete their task and get the Yellow-rattle seeds to germinate?
Yellow-rattle just starting to appear ( MARKED IN RED)
Yes they did…all the areas cleared now have small numbers of Yellow-rattle seedling growing…
So in about another week they should all flower and thanks to YBS our local insects will have plenty of nectar to feed on…
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