Peter Smith writes:

Beacon Hill is a well known Leicestershire landmark but on this outing, led by Peter Smith, we followed some less-explored paths around the lower car park to see what wildlife could be found in the middle of January and, if nothing else, to enjoy being out in a rocky, mossy, wooded and wild landscape at a time of year when it can be tempting to keep warm at home.

Swale to hold water back (Photo: Peter Smith)

Close to the car park and café, new ponds and a sinuous swale have been created to hold water on the hill and reduce flooding in Loughborough.  They will also provide varied habitats for wildlife and we noted a backswimmer (Notonecta) coming to the surface for air.  Unsurprisingly for mid-winter, we noted few active insects but later dissection of some distorted Hazel catkins revealed the caterpillars of Nut Bud Moth (Epinotia tenerana) feeding inside.

Nut Bud Moth caterpillar (Epinotia tenerana) (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Continuous tree cover on the lower hill dates only from the 1960s.  The Silver Birches that grew then are now coming to the end of their lives so there is lots of dead wood to provide a home for a range of bracket fungi and colourful crust fungi. 

Crust fungi (Photo: Hazel Graves)

Just off the main track leading to summit, Peter pointed out an impressively large, black “conk” on the side of a birch trunk, which – subject to verification – might be first county record of the Chaga Fungus (Inonotus obliquus), a species noted for its medicinal properties.  

Possibly Chaga Fungus (Inonotus obliquus) (Photo: Peter Smith)

Lichens were putting on a fine display and – although they will be the focus of our next outing – they proved too tempting for some members to resist this time! 

Assorted lichens (Photo: Peter Smith)

We ended our walk at the Native Tree Collection, where examples of all Britain’s 28 native tree species have been planted along a half-mile circuit.

Native Tree Collection (Photo: Peter Smith)

We had hoped to practise identifying the buds in winter but they were mostly well above head height.  However, a Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) still carried berries and we were able to confirm emphatically the opinion of the ID guide that, despite their beauty, the berries have a foul smell!

Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) berries (Photo: Peter Smith)

(Photos at top and bottom: Peter Smith)