On Thursday last I had a walk from Castlefields up to the footbridge at Pomona. A new site for Ivy Broomrape with 5 plants on the towpath, nearer to Castlefields than the ones I saw last year. Where I found last years 1000 plus plants, the plants were well past their main flowering period with just a few still in full bloom. However the numbers present were incredible, literally thousands and stretching for 100 yards or more with occasional breaks. The path is practically devoid of plant-life other than this long stretch of broomrape.
The rest of the walk up from there was pretty depressing with a few Weld and 1 Yellow-wort being the only notable plants. The whole length on the inner side of the path had been obviously sprayed with herbicide probably at the back end of last year judging from the stunted growth of many of the plants.
Opposite the entrance to Pomona tram station and walking back along the ship canal for about 50 yards towards town I was surprised at the variety of wildflowers growing out of the edge of the canal bank. Many Yellow-wort, Common Centaury and Canadian Fleabane with a few Common Cudweed,American Willowherb, Large-flowered Evening Primrose. As it had started to rain heavily again I didn't get chance to explore Pomona more.
In response to the below: did anyone inform Gmeu? It should probably have been allocated site of Biological Importance (SBI) for the rare plants. Even if it wasn't the people responsible are breaking the Wildlife and countryside Act 1981. It is likely Peel own this stretch of canal (surprise) as they own Pomona and ship canal too. It would be worth contacting GMEU and lodge a complaint against the perpetrators.
One bright spot. A few days ago (a few minutes walk from the modern metal footbridge over the canal near Castlefields and heading away from the city) on the towpath of the canal hundreds of Ivy Broomrape by a high retaining wall covered in a non-native ivy and stretching for some distance. I say hundreds -- probably over a thousand, many of them well past their peak but still odd ones with many flowers.
I visited here a few weeks ago to photograph the Deadly Nightshade and was stunned by the work that has taken place destroying what was one of Greater Manchester's most interesting botanical sites. As Ian mentions all the interesting stuff has gone and only a pocket of interesting plants remain at Pomona (though most of these are very vulnerable), it is a crying shame as the walk along the canal was always special for wild flowers and now it is just a desolate wasteland.
From Pamona Dock 500 m past Utd Sir Alex Stand about mile stretch. There has been some improvements here in the form of a new tow path which appears to continue into the horizon and which has obliterated all the rare plants on this stretch and looks like the rest is similar; Losses on this stretch Ivy Leaved Broomrape (Scarce) possible unique site for this plant in GM 95% destroyed and looking like on Monday they will finish the rest, Deadly Nightshade (Scarce) Very rare in GM, no more, Water Dock (Occasional) no more, Blue Fleabane (Occasional) no more, Yellow Wort (occasional) 95% gone few growing out of wall, Bee Orchid (Occasional) formerly 30 plants all gone, Southern Marsh Orchid three plants left, Common Eyebright, could not see any, Common Century could not see any, Hemlock Water Dropwort, could not see any, Common Mullion gone, Garden angelica, could not see any, White Campion, Black horehound, Hop Trefoil, Ramping Fumitory, Common Storksbill, Amphibious Bistort, All former plants here, No damsel flies either which in the past included Banded Damsel. Good Job done then.
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Saturday 13th of June 2015 01:43:06 PM
Surely this is a Wildlife Crime? Sadly it probably isn't. Which organisation is responsible? Barbarians...
From Pamona Dock 500 m past Utd Sir Alex Stand about mile stretch. There has been some improvements here in the form of a new tow path which appears to continue into the horizon and which has obliterated all the rare plants on this stretch and looks like the rest is similar; Losses on this stretch Ivy Leaved Broomrape (Scarce) possible unique site for this plant in GM 95% destroyed and looking like on Monday they will finish the rest, Deadly Nightshade (Scarce) Very rare in GM, no more, Water Dock (Occasional) no more, Blue Fleabane (Occasional) no more, Yellow Wort (occasional) 95% gone few growing out of wall, Bee Orchid (Occasional) formerly 30 plants all gone, Southern Marsh Orchid three plants left, Common Eyebright, could not see any, Common Century could not see any, Hemlock Water Dropwort, could not see any, Common Mullion gone, Garden angelica, could not see any, White Campion, Black horehound, Hop Trefoil, Ramping Fumitory, Common Storksbill, Amphibious Bistort, All former plants here, No damsel flies either which in the past included Banded Damsel. Good Job done then.
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Saturday 13th of June 2015 01:43:06 PM
Walk down the canal from Monton Lighthouse (Yes that's right-Google It) to the Ship Canal Quite sparse but some good finds included Lesser Water Parsnip, Monkey Flower and a adult Parent bug in the Barton Pocket Park. Along the canal Pelitory of the Wall, Common Mallow Skullcap, Gypsywort, and Cotton Thistle.
