This week I have been busy collating my 2021 wildlife records.
I have submitted a respectable 1,121 records for 2021 to the Yorkshire county recorders and West Yorkshire Ecology Service (WYES).
It is in my opinion imperative that bodies like West Yorkshire Ecology Service are kept fully up dated with accurate wildlife records for our wonderful urban wildlife haven. Should anything happen in the future.
The key feature of the (WYES) is to provide informed and authoritative advice and information to the planning authorities in West Yorkshire to help conserve the most significant biodiversity habitats and species.
What has been nice this year is the amount of records I have received for the reserve and local areas.
So I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have sent me records this year.
Leah Poppy who found the Yellow Bird’s nest at Raw Nook described by some as nationally scare.
Geoff and Sue Dunn for their plant records. The Bradford Botany Group for their excellent plant survey at Low Moor Banks.
Julie, at B.B.E for their records . Kat Woolly from YWT for all her fungi records and to all at the YWT for their help and support and anyone else I have missed.
In amongst those records are some pleasing additions to my species lists as well as new breeding records. Those include establishing that the Tree Creeper is now breeding at Toad holes Beck and the finding of two uncommon Lunar Hornet moths at Raw Nook Nr with the possibility that the species may be breeding there.
However, for me the highlight came on the 14/6/21 when I found this beetle opposite in the moth trap at Caldene fields.
Given the beetle has many cousins! it was finally ID by Mr M Geiser of the Nation History museum!
Then followed a debate about the finer ID points of the beetle with other knowledge entomologist in northern Europe!
So a bit of fame for our urban oasis!
So what will be found this year? Well if you do find an interesting wildlife in our recording area please let me know…Thank you.