The Tanyptera Project are hosting a free online event tomorrow, North West Invertebrate Recorders Afternoon, with a programme of presentations, including one about the reintroduction of the Manchester Argus (Large Heath) on to Chat Moss. Running from 2-4pm booking is via the link below

North West Invertebrate Recorders Afternoon

-- Edited by dave broome on Thursday 17th of December 2020 07:18:31 PM

dave broome wrote:

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Buglife are hosting a free online event The Importance of Lepidoptera as Pollinators at 10 a.m. on Thursday 26th October, a presentation by Tom Prescott, Senior Conservation Officer at Butterfly Conservation Scotland, approx 45 minutes followed by Q & A. Register through Eventbrite, info on the events calendar at Buglifes website.

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 Very interested, is that meant to be the 26th November, Dave?

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 12th of November 2020 09:36:18 PM

Rather than start an "Other wildlife on TV" thread, thought I'd mention here a little piece at the end of tonight's evening edition of BBC Northwest Tonight on a young man who is raising and re-introducing plant species into the north west. Sundews and Bladderwort in GM were among the plants mention. On Iplayer until 7 p.m. tomorrow night

dave broome wrote:

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The British Dragonfly Society are promoting The Dragonfly Challenge, involving counting dragonflies seen at any waterbody, including garden ponds, on a chosen day between 15th-23rd July

www.british-dragonflies.org.uk

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Might give that a go down at Abram. Had loads last week.

The forthcoming British Wildlife Publishing 'Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland' by Stephen Falk and illustrated by the hugely talented Richard Lewington looks like it should be a good one. Apparently the first comprehensive guide (270 species) in over a hundred years. Available to pre-order at a discount, in hardback or softback, at britishwildlife.com 

-- Edited by dave broome on Saturday 24th of October 2015 10:42:59 PM

A new iRecord app for the recording of Grasshoppers, Crickets and related species is useful, as it includes calls. It's free and doesn't require much memory on your phone or other device either.

Hiya Jon ..... I watched a few frogs spawning up on top of Harrop Edge (Stalybridge) on Friday morning.

They tend to be late every year. Don't get much choice up there ...... these little quarry ponds were still frozz solid last week-end.

Roger.

A few honey bees were active today at the entrance to a hive near ashton-in-makerfield. Is this likely to have been to down to some kind of maintenance by the keeper? There were quite a few dead below the entrance.

On the 27th June myself and Dave Winnard attempted a Greater Manchester wildlife day race for something a little different. Everything could be counted so long as it was positively identified and appearing to be wild or naturalised. If you thought a bird race was tough this was something else as the physical and mental stamina was put to the test. It was decided that the main focus would be the plants as this group holds the most potential diversity for a day's outing. We set the target at 500 species in total.

Starting off in my neck of the woods, Hale Barns, at 4am we had a full hike around the area before moving on to the airport. After a short stop there we went onto Dunham Park, Carrington Moss, Brookhey's Covert and Altrincham Sewage Works, all good local sites for birds as well as flowers. Although we hadn't gone far, quite a few miles had already been covered and it was already noon. Time to head on to Pomona Docks and the adjacent Bridgewater Canal which plays host to a myriad of unusual species found nowhere else in the county. A quick stop at the unusual wildlife site of Southern Cemetery by Chorlton to check the spoil mounds at the rear of the site before we moved onto the Wigan area. Here, we had a long wander around the Wigan Flashes, quick stop at Pennington Flash and then the nearby county jewel of Highfield Moss. It was about 6pm by the time we left this site, a lot later than planned! Prestwich Sewage Works was a must with it's odd collection of coastal plant species, before we had another long hike around Moses Gate CP and the former industrial site of Nob End LNR. Last stop was at Seven Acres CP where in the failing light we picked up a few final plant species bringing the day to a close at 10.30pm.

It's taken a couple of days to finalize the species list but it came to a credible 600 species, surpassing the target for the day. About 450 species of the total were the plants. The gauntlet is set for anyone else who is mad enough to have a crack! A few personal highlights included:

- 10 species of orchid including Bee, Chalk Fragrant, Marsh Helleborine, Pyramidal and Common Twayblade.
- Marsh Fragrant Orchid at Nob End LNR - first confirmed for GM
Chinese and Himalayan Giant Brambles - both introduced but new in my experience.
- Fig-leaved Goosefoot, Shepherd's-cress and Corn Spurrey - at Southern Cemetery.
- Perennial Coneflower, Dropwort, Common Meadow-rue and Pyrennean Lily - at Altrincham ETW
- Yellow-wort, Blue Fleabane, Common Cudweed, Bur Chervil, Deadle Nightshade, Kidney Vetch, Biting Stonecrop, Black Mustard and Hare's-foot Clover - at Pomona and Bridgewater Canal
- Blue Water-speedwell, Viper's Bugloss, White Mignonette, Pale Toadflax and Bladder Campion - at Wigan Flashes
- Petty Whin, Western Gorse, Round-leaved Sundew, Cross-leaved Heath and Black Horehound at Highfield Moss.
- Sea Club-rush and Sea Radish - at Prestwich ETW
- Duck-potatoe and Narrow-leaved Water-plantain - at Seven Acres CP
- A decent show of fungi for June including Giant Puffball, Blackening Waxcap, Chicken-of-the-woods, Yellow-stainer, Blusher, Hazel Woodwort, a large selection of fungal plant pathogens (mildews and rusts etc) plus a potential first for GM in the form of Alder Cramp Balls (Daldinia petriniae) at Wigan Flashes.
- 70 bird species - casually added during the day, including Kingfisher, Yellow Wagtail, Siskin, Green Woodpecker and Lesser Whitethroat.
- Red-eyed Damselfly at Dunham Massey among 7 Odonata species

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 30th of June 2012 12:10:16 AM

A bit further away from Henry's hot spot is the compact Darcy Lever Gravel Pits Bolton. Eighteen species seen at last count I think including Ruddy Darter and Black Darter and few people with dogs. Which is rather nice.

Does anyone know if Sale Water Park is good for dragonflies, or anywhere around that sort of vicinity?
Thanks,
Joe

I agree with Steve, Barlow Tip is always worth a punt. Had Brimstones there last
April, though none in March as memory serves.
Tony.

The only one I recall seeing last year locally (really must keep records !) was at Pennington Flash in May....

Here is a link to distribution records for Brimstone in Lancashire (GM incorporated):

http://www.lancashire-butterflies.org.uk/Dist_maps/Thumbs/brimstone.html

(courtesy of Lancashire Branch of Butterfly Conservation)


-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Tuesday 13th of March 2012 10:10:54 PM

I'm no expert (obviously), but does anyone know where's a good spot for brimstone butterfly? They're one i've always seen on pictures but i'd love to see one in real life!
Cheers,
Joe

There is a population of mink along the river irwell near forest bank,not that far away from monton. They seem to be spreading everywhere.

How big was it Dean? Dave Thacker had a pole cat/ferret cross in the woods (last year I think?) but if it was constantly in the water then worryingly it does sound like mink

Originally posted by Dean Traynor today:

Worsley Golf Course:

weasel type mammal, roaming in and out of pond near 3rd green. soot black with white markings on chest. not sure what it is, any ideas?


__________________

Dave

That brings back memories about Botany Bay and the mosses in the 70's. The gamekeepers in those days didn't mess about, all types of traps and snares were being used and there was always some wildlife hanging on a barb wire fence. The worst thing that I saw was finding a dying Fox caught by his leg in a small gin trap, a terrible death.
I have to admit that any trap I found after finding the Fox were "accidentally fixed" so they could not work again.

Also in the 70's while birdwatching in Norfolk I found a scarecrow made from at least 30 dead Magpies. In the same area I found 3 Larson traps each containing a live Magpie.

They classed as pests and can be killed. Hanging or pegging them up was and is called a gamekeepers gibbet to prove to the land owner how effective they are doing. grim. i have seen them in derbyshire about 20 years ago.

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Monday 21st of November 2011 11:05:37 PM

Steve Atkins wrote:

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Hi Joe,

You might like to read the article on Mountain Hare written by Ken Gartside which is on the GM Local Record Centre website. Mountain Hare

See the section on Life Cycle.

Cheers


Steve

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Thanks steve, I was going to go this month, but i'll probably wait until december.

Last march I watched Mountain Hares in the pennines in their white coat. I was wondering, when do they get the winter colours?
Cheers,
Joe

-- Edited by Joe Wynn on Saturday 5th of November 2011 10:13:19 AM

Dear forum members

Does anyone please know if the adder is found in any parts of Greater Manchester and if so which?
Thanks