Today 14 February was my first proper visit to Stainburn, last year I did not start recording here till late May 2019, so I am looking forward to recording here for the year.
Last year I found so many wild flowers I have never seen before, butterflies and insects love the place. This year I will record the birds, trees, Bryophytes (mosses and lichen) which so far have been a bit of a struggle to name. The best way forward is to just get the "Family" name right.
I was very excited and lucky to see a Green Woodpecker, other birds recorded today were...
Robin, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Coal tit, Great tit, Blue tit , Treecreeper,
Red kite, Carrion crow, Skylark, Common gull, BHG and kestrel.
There is more than one kind of Cladonia ...276 species! and I think I have recorded a few different ones here today.
Cladonia is a genus of moss-like lichens in the family Cladoniaceae. They are the primary food source for. reindeer/caribou. Cladonia species are of economic importance to reindeer-herders,
 |
| Peltigera/ Dog Lichen |
Polytrichum is a genus of mosses — commonly called haircap moss or hair moss — which contains approximately 70 species that cover a cosmopolitan distribution. (Less common vernacular names include bird wheat and pigeon wheat.) The genus Polytrichum has a number of closely related sporophytic characters.
This one might be ......
RED CREST [Lichen]
BRITISH SOLDIER
Cladonia cristatella
This long fire road has a dike that runs along the whole length of it, the tree below is at the far end. In summer Orchids grow the whole length of this stretch. Its one of the best areas to see Butterflies and Dragonflies. Often there is Deer wandering around this part.
Flowering currant shrub (Ribes sanguineum)
(new one for list)
According to renowned British garden designer David Domoney, a shrub is defined as a woody plant that is smaller than a tree and generally has a rounded shape. The main difference between the two is that a shrub has several main stems growing from ground level, rather than one trunk.
 |
| Hard fern (Blechnum spicant) |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
| Goldcrest |
 |
| Treecreeper |
 |
| Coal tit |
Moor land at the far end of the forest, Skylarks were singing.
 |
| Pond |
This has to be my favourite place to sit and have lunch, in summer there are butterflies and Dragonflies. You can see right across the valley.
 |
| Cotoneaster escaped tree |
 |
| Green woodpecker |
 |
| Lichen, Cladonia |
 |
| Fungi, Common Puffball |
Worm
Blue-grey worm (Octolasion cyaneum)
Habitat
Found in pasture and arable land, gardens and woodlands. Lives in the topsoil.
Diet
Eats soil
Size
Typical size of adult is 10cm
Characteristics
The body from the first segment to the saddle is partly or entirely pale in colour
Can vary from faint blue-grey to a pale rosy pink colour
Distinct yellow tail (last four or five segments)
May have a lilac blue line on the upper surface
What a glorious set of photos :) It looks a super place to visit and see wildlife and a great idea to go throughout the year and see it in different months and seasons :) I look forward to following your future visits and seeing what you see. A really great post Amanda :)
ReplyDeleteThanks RR, it is such a wonderful place. On the surface it might not look much to most people but once you start looking it is packed with wildlife. It's one of the only places we get Nighjars breading during the summer moths. I hope to see them this year. Will keep you posted of events throughout the year.
Delete