Reading & District Natural History Society

Our 15 strong group headed out from the Red Lion on the outskirts of Basildon for a circular 5 mile trek around the local paths and back roads. The wooded pathways provided a bounty of fungi and bird calls for those patient enough to listen. Only the hamlet of Quicks Green provided a glimpse of civilisation along the way until completing the ascent to the impressive Upper Basildon playing fields and village hall. Blandys Lane led us back to the pub for lunch and a much needed beer. Aside from the fungi the natural history highlights of the day were the sight of a fox on our path holding some prey in its mouth - either squirrel or rabbit; the sounds of Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers; Nuthatches; Red Kites; Buzzards; Goldcrests; Blue Great and Coal Tits; a Yellow Wagtail passing overhead and Swallows gathering prior to their migration. Butterflies were few and far between, but towards the end of the walk there were plenty of fresh Speckled Woods to be seen at close quarters.

Report by Tony Rayner

Continue reading Upper Basildon - 3rd September 2010

The rather cloudy and humid weather didn’t put off the hardier members and we had a total of 12 people along for the Warburg insect walk today. We had a bit of drizzle at one point but generally the weather wasn’t bad and the temperature held up so insects were very abundant.

Butterflies & moths included: Silver-washed Fritillary (very ragged), Essex Skipper (just 1), Common Blues, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Comma (very worn), Peacock, Small Tortoishell, Small White, Yellow Shell, Treble-bar, Common Carpet.

Other notable insects: Volucella inflata (a rather jolly black and orange hoverfly of ancient woodlands), Volucella inanis (a large wasp-mimic hoverfly), Chrysotoxum bicinctum, Pipizia lugubris, Episyrphus balteatus (the marmalade hoverfly), Tachina fera (a large parasite fly), Phasia obesa (a small bug parasitoid), Machimus atricapillus (a medium-sized grey robber fly), Dark bush-cricket, Speckled bush-cricket, Roesel’s bush-cricket (heard only), Common Groundhopper, Field Grasshopper, a False Ladybird (Endomychus coccineus), Tiphia femorata (a black, hairy solitary wasp with orange legs).

Despite (or perhaps due to) the cooler than average conditions there were plenty of Slow-worms and Common Lizards basking on wood piles or under tin sheets.

Some photos from today:

This article will be updated when Rod gives me his list of interesting things

Malcolm Storey led a well-attended walk at The Holies, Streatley on Sunday 15^th August. At the entrance to the woods was a Horse Chestnut whose leaves were brown with the mines of Cameraria ohridella, the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner. Flying in the sunshine along the edge of the woods at the top of the site was a Silver-washed Fritillary. 2010 has been an outstanding year for this species in Berkshire and its range is expanding rapidly. It had been recorded at The Holies for the first time a few weeks previously.

The group then spread out to look at the chalk flora in the valley. Typical flowers included Wild Marjoram, Wild Basil, Vervain, Yellow-wort, Pale Toadflax, Carline Thistle and Autumn Gentian. The commonest butterfly was the Common Blue and a few Small Heaths were also on the wing. A bronze micro-moth with long antennae on a Small Scabious flower was identified as Nemophora metallica and there were several specimens of the distinctive little Lime-speck Pug. A small red and black insect was identified as Corizus hyoscyami, a rhopalid bug.

 The steep south-facing slope at the far side of the site was outstanding for butterflies. Fresh second generation Adonis Blues posed obligingly for the photographers and Chalkhill Blues were still numerous. The little Red Data Book moth Mecyna flavalis was abundant and a single specimen of the attractive little red and yellow micro-moth Onocera semirubella was found. In the short turf at the top were Frog Orchid and Bastard-toadflax. The powdery mildew Erisyphe thesii was found on Bastard-toadflax, making The Holies only the third British site where this mildew has been identified. Malcolm also found galls caused by Albugo tragopogonis var. tragopogonis on Small Scabious - an unusual host for this fungus. The white fungus Coprinus niveus was found on a cow-pat and there was a clump of Fairy Ring Champignons.

Pictures by Rob Stallard and Jan Haseler

Continue reading The Holies, Streatley - 15th August 2010

We are grateful to Sandra Parkinson for welcoming the Society back to Chalkhills, Whitchurch on Thames, for a very successful mothing night on Saturday 7^th August. The site consists of a superb steep south-facing hillside of high-quality chalk grassland (the Local Wildlife Site = LWS) and a grassy valley with woods on either side which runs up east of this from the road at the site of a former vineyard, starting northwards but curving round to the west. .Organiser Norman Hall arrived early and with Sandra’s help set up 4 lights, 2 at the LWS (SU64037785) and 2 half way up the valley, just below the woods on the east side. Lower down the valley, Jan Haseler set up a light over a sheet and a Skinner trap, also adjacent to the woods on the east side. Ricki Bull set up her trap just inside the southern end of the woods, above the vineyard field.

The commonest moth in the valley was, surprisingly, the Straw Underwing and the distinctive little Lime-speck Pug was also present in good numbers. Highlights of Jan’s trap included an August Thorn, a Magpie Moth and a number of Chalk Carpets. Oncocera semirubella, a distinctive pyralid moth and a relative newcomer to VC23, was seen at the Skinner trap, and ultimately 4 examples were recorded in all in the valley. Other visitors included a Dor Beetle and Pipistrelle bats. Hornets were less welcome, and Martin Sell was unfortunate to be stung on his bad ankle. He noted afterwards that he had not tucked his socks into his trousers - members will be advised to do this another time, especially as it also reduces the chances of picking up ticks or harvest mites. Ricki’s trap proved to be very sheltered and a good place for carpets, including Royal Mantle, Pretty Chalk Carpet and Chalk Carpet. Sitochroa palealis, another distinctive pyralid moth, was also recorded here. Norman’s lights in mid-valley produced fewer interesting species, but they were left running overnight and so picked up many more noctuids, including several characteristic autumnal species not seen elsewhere.

The lights at the LWS (also run overnight) were unexpectedly productive. Norman was astonished to find a total of 36 Chalk Carpets in the 2 Robinson traps in the morning. This is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that is said to be uncommon!  There were also 45 Mecyna flavalis, a yellow pyralid moth that was seemingly very rare in Berkshire/Oxfordshire a few years ago, but is experiencing resurgence. Also, many more ‘prominents’ were seen here than in the valley, including Maple Prominent. However, despite the differences in the composition of the catches, the total number of species of macrolepidoptera recorded in the valley and at the LWS were virtually the same.

The evening was attended by 10 RDNHS members plus 5 from the Whitchurch-on-Thames Habitat Study Group. Another 4 came at 09:00 next morning to see selected specimens which had been kept to show them. It was a very enjoyable and interesting event.

Continue reading Mothing Night at Whitchurch - 7th August 2010

Graham Saunders led a bat walk at Greywell on Saturday 31^st July. The evening started with visits to two Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust reserves. A few Marsh Helleborines were still in flower at Mapledurwell Fen and there were drifts of wetland plants such as Meadowsweet, Water Mint, Wild Angelica and Hemp-agrimony. Common Blue butterflies were roosting on long grass stems and an unfamiliar insect was identified as a juvenile Long-winged Conehead. The group then moved on to Greywell Moors, near the headwaters of the River Whitewater. Marsh Fern was abundant, and other sightings included Betony, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Bogbean, Marsh Lousewort and a young toad. Grey Herons flew in to roost in the treetops across the river. The cows which graze on the reserve took a great interest in the proceedings.

As darkness fell, the group set off for the Basingstoke Canal. The first bat sighting was a Serotine over the village street. This is a relatively large bat which roosts in buildings. Greywell Tunnel is an important bat hibernating site. The bat detector indicated that a number of bats were flying close to the tunnel entrance, including a possible Whiskered or Brandt’s Bat. Along the tow-path, Daubenton’s and Pipistrelle bats were detected, with a Noctule over an adjoining field. A young Tawny Owl was being fed by a parent in a tall canal-side oak. The bat detector picked up the chirps of crickets as well as the clicks of bats. At the limit of navigation in the canal is a big turning circle. Torches were directed across the open water here and the bats were watched as they hunted above the canal.

Pictures by Rob Stallard and Jan Haseler

Continue reading Greywell - 31st July 2010

Julia Cooper organised a field trip to the Roundwood Estate near Micheldever on Saturday 24^th July. We are grateful to Mrs Susanna Church for giving the Society permission to visit the estate. It is one of the richest sites in Britain for arable flora and is recognised as an Important Arable Plant Area (IAPA). Farm manager Jon Harley gave the group a brief introduction to the farm, then Harold Makant from Natural England explained how different options of the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme were used on the estate. Some of the fields had cultivated margins and annual plants there included Round-leaved and Sharp-leaved Fluellen, Dwarf Spurge, Stinking Chamomile, Small Toadflax, Long-stalked, Small-flowered and Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill, Dense-flowered Fumitory and Prickly Poppy. Other fields had 6 metre-wide grass margins. These are good for small mammals and hunting Barn Owls. Chalk grassland flowers in the field margins included Common and Greater Knapweed, Wild Basil, Agrimony and Rock Rose. Silver-washed Fritillaries were seen in good numbers along the edges of the fields which adjoined woodland, and other butterflies identified included Common and Holly Blues, Peacock and Marbled White.

An area of the farm which had been designated as set-aside 15 years ago had developed a rich chalk flora. There were plans to harvest seeds from this area to use in some of the grass margins. Another field had a section which had been sown with a wild bird seed mix. More Prickly Poppies were found growing below a rape crop. Very rare, and classified as ‘Vulnerable’, these are smaller than the Common Poppy, with more orange-coloured petals and long, narrow, bristly seed capsules. Some of the rarest plants of the visit were found in a cultivated field margin at a nearby site, including Ground-pine, Venus’s-looking-glass and Narrow-fruited Cornsalad.

Pictures by Tony Mundell, Laurie Haseler and Jan Haseler

Continue reading Micheldever - 24th July 2010

Fresh from an appointment with the physiotherapist, Martin Sell gamely led a joint BBOWT / RDNHS field trip at Walbury Hill and Coombe on Saturday 10^th July, despite an injured foot. It was a walk of stunning views, first northwards across the Kennet Valley, and then into the steep-sided valley around Coombe. The walk started from the east end of Walbury Hill. Small Tortoiseshell was the commonest butterfly, and 3 big orange fast-flying butterflies were identified as Dark Green Fritillaries. Chalk flowers beside the track across Walbury Hill included Wild Thyme, Squinancywort, Small Scabious and Wild Basil. A Humming-bird Hawk-moth was an exciting find. A short diversion was made along the road which crosses the ridge to enjoy the splendid display of flowers on the verge. The pinnatifid leaves of Greater Knapweed could be compared with the simple leaves of Common Knapweed and there were Fragrant, Common-spotted and Pyramidal orchids. Knapweed Broomrape was abundant, with plants in all stages from first spikes to full flowers and then withered brown heads.

The walk continued westwards along the ridge past Coombe Gibbet, then south down the Test Way. Lunch was spent in a flowery meadow in Coombe Wood, with tall blue clumps of Viper’s-bugloss and Silver-washed Fritillaries patrolling along the edge of the clearing. Small Heath butterflies and 6-spot Burnet Moths flew across the meadow. The walk continued back up through Coombe Wood, then dropped down to the beautiful 12^th Century church at Coombe. Bat droppings were spotted inside the church and there was a collection of moth wings in the porch. The walk finished with a steep climb back up to Walbury Hill.

Continue reading Walbury Hill - 10th July 2010

Malcolm Storey arranged a visit to the National Trust’s Sandham Memorial Chapel, near Burghclere, on Tuesday 6^th July. The first part of the evening was spent in the wildflower meadow of the orchard in front of the chapel. Due to the recent hot and dry weather, the meadow was a little past its best, but there was still a good display of Common Knapweed, Yellow Rattle and Common Spotted-orchids and a single Pyramidal Orchid was in flower. A white rose growing in the hedge was identified by its prominent style as Field Rose Rosa arvensis.

Malcolm reported that, in a recent nationwide survey of wax-cap fungi at National Trust properties, the Sandham orchard had topped the poll for the number of species recorded. Michael Keith-Lucas gave a few tips on grass identification. He compared Creeping Soft-grass Holcus mollis, with its ring of small hairs around the nodes, and Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus, and recommended remembering that ‘Molly has hairy knees’ in order to separate the two species. Other grasses in the orchard included Crested Dog’s-tail, Common Quaking-grass, Yellow Oat-grass and Sweet Vernal-grass.

The group then went inside the chapel to admire Stanley Spencer’s wall paintings, which depict battlefield and hospital scenes from the first World War.

Pictures by Rob Stallard and Jan Haseler

Continue reading Sandham Memorial Chapel - 6th July 2010

13 members gathered in hot sunshine on Saturday 26^th June at College Lake near Tring, a reserve of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). The entrance to the reserve is through the new visitor centre, which looks out across the lake. A preliminary search of the water’s edge revealed Lapwings and an Oystercatcher and a pair of Redshanks was seen later in the day. Almost immediately, the first of many Bee Orchids was found beside the path, with the lacy white flowers of Dropwort nearby. The leaves of a group of Mullein plants were showing feeding damage by the distinctive pale blue, yellow and black caterpillars of the Mullein moth.

 Two fields at the reserve contain a superb collection of arable weeds. Each year, one is cultivated while the other is left fallow. The fallow field was alive with insects, including Marbled White, Small Heath and Common Blue butterflies, and Narrow-bordered 5-Spot and 6-Spot Burnet Moths. The cultivated field had a wheat crop which was dotted with stunning deep blue Cornflowers and scarlet poppies. Closer inspection revealed pink Corncockle, deep red Pheasant’s-eye, the tiny purple flowers of Venus’s-looking-glass and the purple heads of Field Cow-wheat. A small white umbellifer was keyed out as Knotted Hedge-parsley and Shepherd’s-needle and Thorow-wax were also found.

 The group then continued further round the reserve, with abundant Pyramidal Orchids and Common Spotted-orchids beside the path. A picnic lunch was enjoyed in the shade of a small wood amongst the seed spikes of White Helleborines. Afterwards, some members carried on round the lake, while others returned along a lower path, closer to the water’s edge. The pale yellow flowers of Dragon’s-teeth were discovered next to the path down to one of the bird hides. Cold drinks and ice creams in the new visitor centre were very welcome at the end of a hot walk.

Pictures by Ricki Bull, Laurie Haseler and Jan Haseler

Continue reading College Lake - 26th June 2010

Janet Welsh led a field trip at Goring Heath on Saturday 12^th June, starting from the former King Charles Head pub. The first part of the walk was in Gutteridge’s Wood. Southern Wood-rush Luzula forsteri, identified by its V-shaped inflorescence, was growing by the roadside, together with Wood Mellick and Wood Millet, while Wood Barley was found further into the wood. The characteristic grey flaky bark drew the group’s attention to a particularly tall and previously unrecorded Wild Service-tree. Nearby, a hole in a dead branch at the top of a tree was being used as a nest site by a noisy family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a youngster with a red cap peered out from time to time. Several Bird’s-nest Orchids and a White Helleborine were in flower. It was a good afternoon for comparing different fern species, with Broad and Narrow Buckler-fern and Scaly Male Fern and Male Fern growing together. A fresh Red Admiral was basking in the sunshine and there was a big patch of Common Cow-wheat.

 The second part of the walk was in an organically-managed field with an interesting collection of arable weeds. The field had been under-sown with clover and was going to be topped the following day. A sea of scarlet poppies waved in the breeze, and the plants below included Weasel’s Snout, Small Toadflax, a Fluellen, Field Pansy and Field Pennycress.

Pictures by Rob Stallard and Jan Haseler

Continue reading Gutteridge’s Wood - 12th June 2010