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)