Wham Dam surrounds - east of Naden still has lots of bog asphodel. The small pond c 1/2 mile north of Wham Dam still has lush white water-lilies. Today there were good numbers of common blue and large red damselflies present and several emergent hawkers on the underside of the lily vegetation. A stunning male broad- bodied chaser settled on the rushes next to the pond. In the bog cotton a 1/4 mile up from the Woodhouse Lane cattle grid, found an open area with sphagnum which also had bog asphodel - a new site for me. In the dryer parts, much closer to the Lane, cross leaved heath was extensive.
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Jun 26 5:07 PM, 2013
25th June Just off Ashworth Road, above the Old House Brook, a very expansive spread of comfrey in flower and teeming with bumble bees - a happy site. This included tree bumblebee, which has also been numerous in my garden.
A few small heath butterflies on the wing.
David Winnard said
Mon Apr 29 4:03 AM, 2013
Was pleased to find the extremely rare fungus Bauhinus marginalis growing on bistort leaves today. Have spent a few years looking for it locally but without success, present in two locations today.
Dave
Colin Ramsden said
Fri Aug 10 11:31 PM, 2012
Red Lumb Green Veined Whites - c 30 Small Tortoiseshell c 6 Small Skippers c 6 Small Heath x 1
Colin Ramsden said
Fri Aug 10 3:05 AM, 2012
Naden Valley
Scores of Green-Veined Whites throughout the valley and on Woodhouse Lane. Small Tortoiseshell c 20 Small Heath x 1 Meadow Browns - numerous
Higher Naden Res - Lots of Common Blue Damselflys.
Higher Naden Dam - lots of fresh harebells in the grass.
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Jul 25 2:58 AM, 2012
Rainshore Lodge In the grass c 100 yards upstream of the lodge c 50 common spotted orchids. Many more than there used to be.
Colin Ramsden said
Wed Jul 25 12:24 AM, 2012
Naden A few small tortoiseshells about and a small number of meadow browns. Lots of eyebright and self-heal in the heathy grass at the foot of rocks above the water house and a small spread of what I took to be trailing st johns wort.
David Winnard said
Mon Apr 23 4:35 AM, 2012
Great to meet John Spurgeon here today. Plenty of 'foraging' finds in both valleys during the day;
Pignut Wild Angelica Wood Sorrel Wood Anemone Cowslip Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage Common Mouse-ear Wavy Bitter-cress Large Bitter-cress Water Mint Bistort Bilberry Common Sorrel Wild Garlic Ground Elder
Jelly Ear
Dave
Colin Ramsden said
Mon Apr 23 3:54 AM, 2012
Coal Bank Wood (Naden Brook) Golden saxifrage at it's best Ramsons well established and in flower on the streamside near the Millcroft/ Old House/ Naden Brook confluence.
Primroses in flower, not at the Carr Wood road bridge site but c 150 yards upstream on a vertical, moss covered rock face 40- 60 feet above the stream. Counted c 13 blooms on c 4-5 plants. First noticed them there about thirty years ago but I guess it is an ancestral site of the same age as the road bridge colony. This site has been overlooked in local records.
Holt Wood (yesterday) Orange Tipped butterfly x 3 Small colony of wood anemones in flower
David Winnard said
Sat Mar 3 2:03 AM, 2012
A pleasant walk around some of the fields and woods today;
1 Comma 1 White-tailed Bumblebee
more foraging too, Salad Burnet being the star find, not at all common in Rochdale.
The small pond c 1/2 mile north of Wham Dam still has lush white water-lilies. Today there were good numbers of common blue and large red damselflies present and several emergent hawkers on the underside of the lily vegetation. A stunning male broad- bodied chaser settled on the rushes next to the pond.
In the bog cotton a 1/4 mile up from the Woodhouse Lane cattle grid, found an open area with sphagnum which also had bog asphodel - a new site for me. In the dryer parts, much closer to the Lane, cross leaved heath was extensive.
Just off Ashworth Road, above the Old House Brook, a very expansive spread of comfrey in flower and teeming with bumble bees - a happy site. This included tree bumblebee, which has also been numerous in my garden.
A few small heath butterflies on the wing.
Green Veined Whites - c 30
Small Tortoiseshell c 6
Small Skippers c 6
Small Heath x 1
Scores of Green-Veined Whites throughout the valley and on Woodhouse Lane.
Small Tortoiseshell c 20
Small Heath x 1
Meadow Browns - numerous
Higher Naden Res - Lots of Common Blue Damselflys.
Higher Naden Dam - lots of fresh harebells in the grass.
In the grass c 100 yards upstream of the lodge c 50 common spotted orchids. Many more than there used to be.
A few small tortoiseshells about and a small number of meadow browns.
Lots of eyebright and self-heal in the heathy grass at the foot of rocks above the water house and a small spread of what I took to be trailing st johns wort.
Pignut
Wild Angelica
Wood Sorrel
Wood Anemone
Cowslip
Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage
Common Mouse-ear
Wavy Bitter-cress
Large Bitter-cress
Water Mint
Bistort
Bilberry
Common Sorrel
Wild Garlic
Ground Elder
Jelly Ear
Dave
Golden saxifrage at it's best
Ramsons well established and in flower on the streamside near the Millcroft/ Old House/ Naden Brook confluence.
Primroses in flower, not at the Carr Wood road bridge site but c 150 yards upstream on a vertical, moss covered rock face 40- 60 feet above the stream. Counted c 13 blooms on c 4-5 plants. First noticed them there about thirty years ago but I guess it is an ancestral site of the same age as the road bridge colony. This site has been overlooked in local records.
Holt Wood (yesterday)
Orange Tipped butterfly x 3
Small colony of wood anemones in flower
1 Comma
1 White-tailed Bumblebee
more foraging too, Salad Burnet being the star find, not at all common in Rochdale.
Dave