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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> All other Greater Manchester wildlife sightings -> Out-of-county (other wildlife)
Post Info TOPIC: Out-of-county (other wildlife)
Doc Brewster


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A morning on Newchurch again, cold, windy and totally un-spring-like!

But, a hoverfly only seen once before this year, Epistrophe eligans, was seen near Small Pool.

Species seen before but photographed again were St.Mark's Fly, Alder Leaf Beetle and Common Carder Bee. But slim picking in the cool conditions.

A largish new patch of Wood-sorrel was found near Small Pool, encouraging as the old stronghold is now choked with bramble and other ground cover plants. Huge swathes of Wood Forget-me-Not were seen, again near Small Pool. The single Large-leaved Avens plant now has c.3 flowers whereas the hundreds of Wood Avens plants across the patch are all in pre-flowering stage.



-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 29th of April 2024 09:35:11 PM

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Doc Brewster


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Newchurch am, dull and dry. A good invertebrate day with a really nice plant 'rediscovery'!

The distinctive white-antennae tipped Sawfly Tenthredo livida was near the main track towards the SW corner of Big Pool.

A Green Dock Beetle was near Big Pool Island Cut in a nettle bed. Also in the same area Green Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus), a Broad-nosed Weevil Tanymecus palliatus, and Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata), were found. Pterostichus niger, a ground beetle was in woodland south of Big Pool.

White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) was also in woodland south of Big Pool.

Cucumber Orb Spider (Araniella cucurbitina), a Crab Spider Xysticus cristatus, and Spring Harvestman (Rilaena triangularis) were all found in the nettle bed near Big Pool Island Cut.

Old dessicated Jelly Ear Fungus was found in a small area of woodland near Big Pool Island Cut.

A once common, but noteworthy plant, that was lost due to flooding was re-found not far from its previous site in the bigger woodland near Big Pool Island Cut, namely the 'lesser' Orchid Common Twayblade. About 20 plants were found and so far these are only just emerging but showing signs of the flower spikes already in some specimens.



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Doc Brewster


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Newchurch am, dull and cool.

Still 2 Large Red Damselflies even in cool weather.

Wood Sorrel was in flower near Small Pool and Common Dog Violets were found by the path on the extreme west edge of Gull Pool Woods.



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Doc Brewster


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A Newchurch Common walk am in the sun but still quite cool after a frost last night.

On Shemmy Moss 2 Green Hairstreaks were seen as well as 4 Peacocks.

The first Hairy Shieldbug of the year was near Big Pool Island Cut. Another 2 Green Tiger Beetles were on Shemmy Moss. An Ashy Mining Bee was on Shemmy Moss and was the most unusual amongst all the commoner bee species seen, and was on Shemmy Moss.

The Large-leaved Avens on Shemmy Moss was examined closely and we are 99% certain that the ID is correct. To help in this we also found huge swathes of Wood Avens, in a more wooded situation, along the Whitegate Way opposite Gull Pool and it did look significantly different. Also seen was Greater Celandine on Novia Scotia Lane.



-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 26th of April 2024 05:53:57 PM

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Doc Brewster


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Newchurch Common Patch am in the warm sunshine.

A good butterfly day with six species on the wing. I had my first Holly Blue, a female on Shemmy Moss where 1 Green Hairstreak was seen. Another patch first for the year were 2 Green-veined Whites on Shemmy Moss. Also here were 2(1m) Orange-tips, 2m Brimstones, and a Peacock.

A total of 31 Large Red Damselflies were seen, 29 on Shemmy Moss and 2 on Newchurch Common itself.

A new moth for 2024 was 1 Brown Silver-line on Shemmy Moss, a very early record. Also on Shemmy Moss were 20 Green Longhorn moths in dance display and the top of a silver birch.

All bees recorded were as before but included a nice Grey-patched Mining Bee. The hoverfly Dasysyrphus albostriatus was recorded again. A new fly species was the Dancefly Empis tessellata on Newchurch Common in the NW glade by Big Pool.

A 14-spot Ladybird was on Shemmy Moss, the first away from Newchurch Common proper. A Green Tiger Beetle was watched hunting and devouring ants on Shemmy Moss.

A nice patch of Sulphur Tuft fungus was in Gull Pool Wood.

Recorded for the first time this year were Pendulous Sedge and Cuckoo Flower.



-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 25th of April 2024 02:17:13 PM

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Doc Brewster


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A morning walk on Newchurch Common in sunny but cool conditions.

Another Large Red Damselfly was on Shemmy Moss.

Just 2 Common Heath Moths were seen on Shemmy Moss.

A new bee Vestal Cuckoo Bee (Bombus vestalis) was on Shemmy Moss with a striking tri-coloured tail-end. Another new bee for the year was Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria) again by Shemmy Moss and also on dandelions. Other bees seen were Early Bumblebee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Orange-tailed Mining Bee.

The hoverfly Leucozona lucorum was again photographed. Also seen again were Dock Bug and Green Shieldbug.
 
Large-leaved Avens was seen and IDed by Shemmy Moss but on checking when home it is a rare invasive plant from the USA and would be a first for the region. This means further ID checks will be done! Also in flower on the mosses were Doves-foot Crane's-bill and Common Stork's-bill (although I'd have rather seen a Crane and a Stork!!).


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Doc Brewster


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Another afternoon walk, in the Big Pool area only. Sunny and warm.

The first Speckled Wood of the year was in the NW corner of Big Pool. A female Orange-tip and a Peacock were east of Big Pool in the meadows. Today 2 Scarlet Tiger caterpillars were found. In a nettle patch near the NW corner of Big Pool at least 20 Green Longhorn Moths danced in display in the sunshine.

A single Large Red Damselfly was by the parking area.

A Pine Ladybird was a great find by the main track as was the first Green Nettle Weevil. Three Shieldbugs were found, a Gorse Shieldbug by the main track, a Dock Bug in the NW corner glade and a Green Shieldbug east of Big Pool in the meadows. An Oulema melanopus beetle was again by the track between the pools.

Lots of (at least 15) Gwynne's Mining Bees were at a newly found 'colony' today with at least 5 Flavous Nomad Bees close by, all near the NW corner glade again.

The first 2 St.Mark's Flies were seen mating by the main track.

A Tetragnatha extensa spider was in the NW corner glade.

There were 3 White-lipped Snails on the nettles, the first of the year.

Nettle Rust was found by the main track and Wolf's Milk Slime Mould was near the Pine Belt on a tree stump. A Broom was in flower in the Big Pool north meadow.



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Doc Brewster


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An afternoon visit to Newchurch but only to the NW corner of Big Pool for inverts.

I had 1 Large Red Damselfly, recorded for Newchurch Common rather than Shemmy Moss (like on 17th) so a different data submission for the County Recorder.

One of the main reasons for going was to check my large patch of Alkanet and Comfrey and it proved successful as I found 5 Scarlet Tiger caterpillars. I also found another Green Longhorn moth, this one to be recorded for Newchurch Common as well.

A few other inverts were photographed that were new for the year, all in the NW corner area again. These were the Stonefly Nemoura cinerea, the Dungfly Scathophaga inquinata and the Common Flowerbug (Anthocoris nemorum).

The first Creeping Buttercup was photographed as well as the first Common Comfrey, the former in flower, the latter not yet.

The fungus Pale Bramble Rust (Kuehneola uredinis) was also found for the first time.



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