This walk was led by Hazel Graves who has written this report.

The Section had previously visited this site in August 2021 when the weather was much wetter.  On this occasion we had fine weather but very little sunshine to lure the flying insects out.  There was a great deal of concern about the lack of rain as many of the flowers supporting nectaring insects were already in seed. 

We spent a fascinating time searching the willows, oaks, alders, hawthorns and blackthorn trees and bushes for a wide variety of galls and some leaf mines.  Eight species of wasp galls were photographed on oak trees plus Marble Gall Andricus kollari. I also noted when looking at photos on NatureSpot posted by another member of the group, that Blister gall, the sexual gall of the wasp that causes asexual Silk Button Galls had been found. Robin’s Pin-Cushion Gall caused by the wasp Diplolepis rosae was also found on Dog-rose. Willows also support a good range of galls.  We found three sawfly galls, Euura proxima Willow Redgall Sawfly on narrow-leaved willows such as Crack Willow, Euura bridgmanii and Euura pedunculi Willow Gall Sawfly on broad -leaved willows (sallows) such as Grey Willow.  Altogether 20 species of galls were found. 

Silk-button Gall (Neuroterus numismalis f. agamic) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Some leaf mines were found, one caused by an Agromyzid Fly Agromyza alnivora on Alder, distinguished from moth leaf mines by the double row of frass.  New for me and pointed out by one of the group was the sawfly Profenusa pygmaea mine on Oak. 

Leaf mine of the Agromyzid fly (Agromyza alnivora) on Alder (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Others in the group had a particular interest in birds and a list of 14 species was obtained. A buzzard was also seen towards the end of the trip when some of the attendees had already left. Unfortunately the sand martins which had been so in evidence on our previous visit had either not used the artificial bank this year or had failed at breeding or already left. Further research needed there.  

Our botanical interest on this trip was mainly simply enjoying and noting the presence of some colourful and interesting species. We admired the splendid stands of Purple Loosestrife around the pond edges. We found Agrimony which can be separated from Fragrant Agrimony at this time of the year by the grooves on the seed-heads. Some of the grassland had not yet been mown so contained large clumps of Meadow Vetchling and Tufted Vetch. 

We found a young toad, saw and photographed Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly which we could identify and other species of dragonflies zipping around the ponds, not stopping long enough to be identified.  

I was particularly charmed by the Shieldbugs found on this trip.  We found a female Parent Bug brooding a group of recently hatched nymphs with the empty eggshells still around them. We found a Hawthorn Shieldbug nymph and also a mating pair of Red-legged Shieldbugs. 

Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Our lichen list was quite short as that was not the priority of the naturalists on this trip with so much else to see – lichens are good for winter days when there is so much less to see.  However a group of young ash-trees were discovered virtually covered in lichens with no exposed bark between.  We found one tree with several clumps of Ramalina fastiagata, one of the few lichens whose common name truly reflects its appearance – Fanfare of Trumpets.

Fanfare of Trumpets (Ramalina fastigiata) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Spiders were represented by a Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis, and it is always fun to see the aptly named egg sacs of the Sputnik spider Paidiscura pallens.

Egg sac of the Sputnik Spider (Paidiscura pallens) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

We had not enough time for the complete circuit planned but before we left a group of us headed towards the stand of the non-native Early Goldenrod, Solidago gigantea, which I had visited on previous occasions and being a late flowerer is a good source of food for August insects.  I was dismayed to find that this clump of plants, normally chest high, was on this occasion only knee high and very sparse and dismal looking – no doubt the effect of the drought.  Previously I have seen it buzzing with insects but the only two found was a hoverfly, probably Tapered Drone Fly - Eristalis pertinax and a very flighty Hornet which wouldn’t keep still for photography.

A full report will be published in the newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Hazel Graves)

The walk was led by Russell Parry, and this report was written by Russell, Peter Smith and Alan Bevington.

This was a joint event between members of the Natural History Section led by Russell Parry and members of the Hamilton Residents’ Association (HRA) who met to explore the wetlands of the relatively unimproved Melton Brook floodplain that marks the northern boundary of this part of Leicester. 
To set the scene, Russell explained that the area between the Hamilton estate and Melton Brook (designated as flood plain and hence unlikely to be built upon in the foreseeable future) provides an important example of the wet grassland which is now sadly a rarity in Leicestershire.
He also emphasised that in addition to the semi-natural floodplain there is a potentially valuable second (artificial) wetland on this part of the estate. The award-winning Hamilton Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)  is a complex of small pools (balancing ponds), drainage channels and artificial wetlands which protects the Hamilton estate from flooding, by holding back water during downpours and subsequently slowly releasing it down drainage channels.

Flowering plants
The SUDS system held a good display of wetland plants notably Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Great Willow Herb (Epilobium hirsutum).
On the Melton Brook flood plain itself Russell spotted in passing 70 vascular plant species, the most notable of which were:-
•    Fool's Parsley (Aethusa cynapium), and Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica) (which is far from common and had not been recorded previously in this monad).
•    Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium), Common Duckweed (Lemna minor), and Purple Loosestrife (which were last recorded here in 2012). 

Invertebrates
The wetland habitat not only has its own flora but is home to a large number of invertebrates that enjoy the same conditions. 

Cicadella viridis (male) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Cicadella viridis (female) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Among them we found dozens of the strikingly coloured leafhoppers Cicadella viridis, as well as nymphs and adults of Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers (Chorthippus albomarginatus) and Long-winged Cone-head Crickets (Conocephalus fuscus).  A short search among the flowers of the abundant Purple Loosestrife also revealed the specialist Loosestrife Weevil (Nanophyes marmoratus) which is rarely recorded.   

Loosestrife Weevil (Nanophyes marmoratus) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Significance of this event
This outing was a new venture aimed at making the expertise and enthusiasm of Natural History Section members available to a wider audience through a local community group. It was enjoyed by both groups of participants: - indeed Russell thought that it was the most successful and useful outdoor Section meeting that he had ever attended, not least because it provided the opportunity to help the local people appreciate that 'next door' they have one of the finest remaining wetlands in the city. 

A full report will be published in the newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Peter Smith)

On 28th June Alan Cann led a visit to Jubilee Walk, an old railway cutting at Leire. This site, which some members had not visited before, has a rich flora but sadly has suffered from the attentions of the tidy brigade, with much gardening and introduction of cultivated plants. Although it was not the hottest day of the heatwave, the temperature was nudging close to 30C - not normally the best time for insect watching. The sheltered site, formerly a haven for many insects, is slowly being overgrown by trees, although these did provide some welcome shade on such a hot day. A number of good plant finds were made, such as Wild Liquorice, Astragalus glycyphyllos, but the highlight of the visit had to be the many butterflies. Most notable were a large group of Green-veined Whites, Pieris napi, extracting moisture and minerals from a remaining patch of mud under one of the road bridges. This sight gave the outing an Amazonian feel, not something always experienced on Natural History Section walks. 

Russell Parry inspecting Wild Liquorice (Astragalus glycyphyllos) (Photo: Alan Cann)

  

Two views of the reserve (Photos: Pouran Khodabaksh)

  

Alder Sawfly (Eriocampa ovata) larva (Photo: Simon Bennett)

Common Candy-striped Spider (Enoplognatha ovata sensu lato) (Photo: Pouran Khodabaksh)

A full report will be published in the next newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo: at top: Pouran Khodabaksh)

This walk was led by Russell Parry. He has written the following report with additions by Peter Smith.

Castle Hill Country Park is a fairly recent addition to the City of Leicester’s green spaces. Part of its function may be to shelter nearby housing estates from the constant traffic noise of the A46 dual carriageway which slices its way through the entire park.  There was never a castle here but some earthworks at the top of the park mark the outline of a former monastic grange that belonged to the Knights Hospitaller.  On our visit, they were hard to discern beneath a sea of Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) in full flower.

The meeting’s focus was to discover how the site had changed from farmland. There has been much planting of copses, including a plantation rather close to the impressively aged ‘Great Oak’, which is developing the ‘stag’s-horn’ appearance one might expect of an approximately 300-year-old Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur). Between these copses are expansive grasslands, which must have been ‘improved’, and are now slowly beginning to increase in diversity, although this will probably not receive the ‘cut and collect’ treatment needed to achieve their full biodiversity potential.

A meadow to the north-east of King William’s Bridge was probably landscaped during the construction of the A46, and has some diversity developing on its steeper slopes. The bark of a young Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) at the meadow’s south-western end was liberally coated with the Asterisk Lichen (Arthonia radiata). Sadly the very dry Spring had severely reduced the water levels in the three ponds at the north-east of this meadow, but the group still enjoyed watching both male and female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies (Libellula depressa). It was also good to find here a colony of Meadow Rue (Thalictrum flavum) although this may well have been planted.

Adder's Tongue Fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) (Photo: Dave Nicholls)

One of the botanical highlights of the meeting was to re-find the Adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum) which had only been discovered a month beforehand by member Isabel Raval. This was in a damp meadow close by the Rothley Brook, and certainly indicates a lack of ‘improvement’ to this particular area of previous pasture. And the other botanical highlight was Peter Smith’s spotting of a reasonable sized colony of Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) in fairly short grass by the path leading from the underpass to an area marked “Fish Pond” on the OS map. Fortunately there was clear evidence of ‘scub bashing’ here.

Green Drake mayfly (Ephemera danica) (Photo: Dave Nicholls)

Sawfly (Allantus cingulatus) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

As expected at this time of year, there were many other invertebrates in evidence.  Here is just a selection – mostly recorded by Dave Nicholls – to demonstrate the range of groups seen: Common Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis); the soldier beetle (Cantharis livida); the bug (Rhopalus subrufus); Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni); Cocksfoot moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella); Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens); a Legionnaire fly (Beris chalybata); the Footballer hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus); Green Drake mayfly (Ephemera danica); the sawfly (Allantus cingulatus); Great Pond Snail (Lymnaea stagnalis) and Oak-apple gall (Biorhiza pallida f. sexual).  Although birdlife was not a major feature of this walk, we were pleased to hear the songs of Whitethroat (Curruca communis) and a probable Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin).

A full report will be published in the next newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Peter Smith)

Peter Smith led the walk and has provided the following report.

We visited Loughborough’s Outwoods just as the bluebells were just coming into flower, spreading their blue haze and sweet scent while the trees above were mostly still bare.

Soon after leaving the car park, we stopped to enjoy the abundance of birdsong.  Robins (Erithacus rubecula) and Chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus collybita) were everywhere and, among other species, we heard several Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), a Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) and the diverse calls of Nuthatch (Sitta europaea).  Later in the walk, we were treated to a Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) in good voice, which was the first of the year for some members of the group.

While we were focusing mainly on the tree-tops, the afternoon’s star species landed at our feet.  We were quickly able to identify this distinctive creature as the Red-breasted Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma thoracicum), which is attracted to dead animals but then preys on the other species that also visit them.  Among a small selection of other insects out early in the year, there were a great many mining bees (Andrena sp.) excavating nesting holes alongside the paths. 

Red-breasted Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma thoracicum) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Beside the Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), we admired the flowers of Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) and a few Wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella).  Great Wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica) was abundant in some areas and we also found the first record of Hairy Wood-rush (Luzula pilosa) in this locality.  Broad Buckler-fern (Dryopteris dilatata) was unfurling its croziers all over the wood and we found some specimens of Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant) growing alongside one of the shallow drainage ditches.

Most of the wood was clear-felled between the wars and the Sitka Spruce trees (Picea sitchensis) were probably planted at that time.  The growing tips of one of them carried the intricate structures of old “pineapple galls” created by Adelgid bugs but a further visit in summer will be needed to look for occupied galls and identify which species they are home to.

An old pineapple gall created by Adelgid bugs (Photo: Peter Smith)

A full report will be published in the next newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) Peter Smith)

Peter Smith writes as follows.

On one of those March afternoons with bright sunshine but a cold wind, a group of members followed a loop along the Grand Union Canal and the meadows of the River Sence, taking in the charming churches of Newton Harcourt and Wistow.  Our guide was Ivan Pedley, who was keen to share his enthusiasm and deep knowledge of lichens and much else besides!  In the churchyard of St Luke’s, we noted how the limestone gravestones were heavily encrusted with lichens, compared with the few that will grow on the more acid slate.  It was also clear on the roof and below the nameplates on certain memorials how the run-off from lead, copper and zinc suppresses the growth of all but a few tolerant lichen species.

A limestone gravestone covered in lichens (mostly Verrucaria species) (Photo: Peter Smith)

As in most of our region, the trees and hedges along the canal towpath were densely covered with lichens that thrive on high levels of nitrogen from agricultural fertilizers and vehicle emissions: the vivid orange of the Sunburst Lichen (Xanthoria parietina) on Blackthorn twigs and a mosaic of Lecidella eleachroma and Lecanora chlarotera on the smooth bark of Ash.

Xanthoria elegans, which has survived in outer space! (Photo: Peter Smith)

At Wistow, we learned the sad story of St Wistan, before Ivan showed us species that we share with some of the most extreme environments on the planet: Lecanora polytropa has been found on Himalayan summits and Xanthoria elegans has survived for 18 months in an experiment on the outside of the International Space Station.

Sweet violet (Viola odorata var. dumetorum) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Aside from lichens, the churchyard at Newton Harcourt was full of a demure Narcissus, which appeared to be the native species N. pseudonarcissus (presumably introduced).  There were Sweet Violets (Viola odorata) by the canal, including some white ones which our two County Recorders identified as the variety dumetorum.  Blackcap and Yellowhammer were singing early in the year.  Few insects were active in the cold weather but your reporter noted a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) searching for a nest site and recorded the small, four-spotted ground beetle Bembidion quadrimaculatum among the ants on one of the church walls.

The beetle Bembidion quadrimaculatus (photo: Peter Smith)

A full report will be published in the next newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo at top: Peter Smith)

Richard Moriarty writes:

Twelve members of the Natural History branch assembled at Stoke Dry car park, Eyebrook Reservoir for an afternoon walk led by Hazel Graves.We had dry weather with an overcast sky and a slight breeze coming from the East. Not ideal conditions for bird watching, which was our primary purpose, but by the end of the afternoon we had a list of 41 species and some nice views of birds both on the water and in the surrounding fields.
We started off with a brief introduction to the history of the reservoir given by Richard Graves.
We initially spent some time in the car park observing several species of duck on the water with nice views of Teal, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Mallard and Tufted duck all in their smart late winter plumage. We then set off on a short leisurely stroll to the northern end of the reservoir.
We immediately started noticing large numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover that were put up by a passing Red Kite and were wheeling around in the sky- probably one or two hundred in total. We had several sightings of kites during the afternoon. Also lurking in a hedge were two Treecreepers which surprised us as no one had seen them in this type of habitat before. Perhaps we were noticing a new subspecies - a Hedgecreeper!
Further along the road a couple of Stonechats were easily visible perched characteristically on top of bushes by the side of the water. A small flock of Starlings were also busy on the banks of the reservoir probing the grass for insects with their typical robotic like gait.  We spent some time looking further out on the water hoping to see Smew or Scaup, both of which have been spotted recently here but sadly to no avail. We did however find several other species of duck including Shoveler, Shelduck and a Pintail. At the north end of the reservoir on the mud were the mixed Lapwing and Golden plover flocks that were largely stationary facing into the prevailing wind. We made our way up to the bridge and spent some time observing several species of tit (mainly blue tit and great tit) on the feeders there. We also had good views of a Kestrel close by in a tree that gazed back down at us with an inquisitive eye.
A group of about ten Dunlin were noticed actively probing the mud amongst the lapwing flock and there also were two Lesser Black Backed gulls and several Black Headed gulls.
We started to head back to the car park against the bitingly cold easterly breeze but were rewarded with views of 2 species of geese in the field – Canada and Greylag along with a pair of Mistle Thrushes prospecting the ground for food. On the way back the cry went up - “Barn Owl” and sure enough the ghostly form of this enigmatic bird was seen quartering the field on the far shore for a minute or so before disappearing behind a bush.
A nice way to finish for some but being a bit of a straggler I got into conversation with a regular visitor to this neck of the woods and he assured me that Smew were indeed present. After a few moments we had our prize- a lovely drake bird in its beautiful white plumage with a black mask. This was my first view of one so I spent some time enjoying the moment.

Sixteen of us met at Cossington Meadows on a cold, grey afternoon for a walk that focused on birds, but also recorded a variety of lichens as well as a leaf mine and a fungus.

We set off clockwise from the entrance, walking along the river past the scrapes, which were very full of water after the recent flooding. At the first there were a variety of ducks and other water birds, including a fine male Pintail (Anas acuta). A flock of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) flew in, accompanied by a single Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis).

Male Pintail (Anas acuta) (Photo: John Tinning)

Both Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) were on the scrapes, and were caught together by John Tinning in the photo below.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) (Photo: John Tinning)

Several Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) and five Goosanders (Mergus merganser) flew overhead, while two Redwings (Turdus iliacus) and a Great-spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) were in trees on the other side of the river. As we turned east towards Tern Pool, a Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti) was singing from the reedbed.

Tern Pool was busy with Tufted Ducks (Aythya fuligula) and a single male Pochard (Aythya farina) asleep on the water. The birds on the Upper Marsh pool included a Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) and a single Common Gull (Larus canus) among a flock of Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus).  The total count of bird species at the end of the walk was 41.

As well as the birds, Hazel Graves and Peter Smith recorded a plant gall, a leaf mine, ten lichens and three fungi.  Lesser Celandine (Ficaria vernae) was seen in flower.

Erythricium aurantiacum, a lichenicolous fungus (Photo: Peter Smith)

A full report will be published in the Spring 2025 newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photo of Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) at top: John Tinning

Hazel Graves writes:

The visit to Leicester Abbey Park on Saturday afternoon 14 December 2024 was led by Russell Parry, an experienced botanist, who had a few “goals” in mind that he wanted to share with us and for us to help him with identification.  Abbey Park is a good winter destination as the paths are firm, and is also suitable for those of us with mobility problems.

Twelve members were present, and Russell, who has a detailed knowledge of and interest in the changing flora of the City of Leicester, commenced the afternoon by showing us seedlings of Himalayan Honeysuckle Leycesteria formosa, becoming naturalised in some of the less formal areas of the park.

Himalayan Honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa)

Russell’s next destination was a planted pine tree, suspected to be Bhutan Pine, Pinus wallichiana. Some of the botanists on the trip joined Russell in keying out the pine and did in fact confirm the suspected ID. The distinction from Black Pine Pinus nigra and Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris, which have needles in pairs, were the bundles of five needles. Other distinguishing features are the banana shaped, white resin stained, pendulous female cones up to 15 to 20 cm long, usually clustered at the apex.  This species is widespread but occasional in Britain where it is usually found as a planted tree.

Russell’s next goal was to measure the circumference of a London Plane, Platanus x hispanca.  This required two people to hold the measuring tape! The circumference was 507 cm. School children use the simplified formula “circumference divided by 2 gives approximate age”.  This would give an age of about 250 years for this specimen which seems unlikely at this site as Abbey Park was created from marshy ground in the 1880s. If it was part of the early planting this would make it more likely about 150 years old.

Russell then took us to the ancient walls near the café and the Abbey ruins.  These have a firmly established colony of Wallflower, Erysimum cheiri, with some plants in flower. This flower, native to Greece, is an archaeophyte meaning that it has been naturalised before 1500 AD.

The walls also had other well-established plants, for example Globe Thistle Echinops agg., not identified to species.  Also in evidence was Winter Jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum, a native of China and infrequently recorded in the wild in our counties.  Fox & Cubs Pilosella aurantiaca, was present which Russell said he had never seen growing from a wall crevice before.

Ivy-leaved Toadflax Cymbalaria muralis (photo above), was also present.  This is an alien neophyte having arrived in the wild since 1550, originally from rocky habitats in southern Europe.

A range of other plants and trees was seen as well as waterbirds and a Buzzard, Buteo buteo, overhead. An unusual gall was noted, Cauliflower Mite Gall Aceria fraxinivora. These galls are irregular, woody encrustations, formed on the ash flowers, green at first and gradually turning to brown and black, which remain on the tree for up to two years. They were present on the Ash tree near the bridge.

Cauliflower Mite Gall (Aceria fraxinivora) on Ash

A full report will be published in the Spring 2024 newsletter, which is available to members.

(Photos: Hazel Graves)

The walk started off with a rarity close to the dam: a Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), which had been on the reservoir since Wednesday and already attracted a lot of visitors.

Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)

The Long-tailed duck nests in pools and along coast in the Arctic tundra and is normally seen off the coast during the winter, so an inland bird that stayed in the same place for a few days was very welcome.

We walked anti-clockwise round the reservoir, and most of what we saw was birds, though we also spotted a number of flowering plants and some insects.

One of the pieces of colour that we found on an otherwise dull day was berries, in particular the berries of White Bryony (Bryonia dioica) and Bittersweet or Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara). There were also plenty of Ivy (Hedrea helix) flowers with Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris) on them: one of the few insects we saw during the afternoon.

White Bryony (Bryonia dioica), Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), Redwings (Turdus iliacus) and Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago).

Winter thrushes were present in trees to the east of the reservoir, where we saw both Fieldfares (Turdus pilaris) and Redwings (Turdus iliacus) together with Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), White/Pied Wagtails (Motacilla alba) and a Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea).  At the north-east end of the reservoir we saw nine Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) on the edge of the reedbed, where a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also showed itself briefly.  In total we saw 37 species of birds.  A full report including a list of species of all taxon groups will be published in a forthcoming newsletter.

(Photos: Simon Bennett)