Archive 2010 ~ part 2

Newsletter – Autumn – 2010

Chairperson’s Natter

I hope you all will have had a good summer and been able to have come along to some of the events we have laid on for your enjoyment. We certainly have had a very dry spring and summer with some really hot weather at the end of June and into July this year. It will be interesting to find out what this has done for wild life.

Our excellent day at Chambers Farm Wood complex led by Anne Goodall in early June and our moth evening on the last day of July at Irby in Brian Adam’s garden had good weather. Not so for our return visit to Sutton Estates at Stainton-le-Vale with estate manager Chris Dowse in mid-July or the evening walk on Cleethorpes dunes. On both occasions the wind was unseasonable and the rain unwelcome. However all these events were well supported and very enjoyable as our leaders put so much effort into these ventures.

At the time of writing (early August) the Group are planning to send Ted Smith our Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust President congratulations on his 90th birthday on August 24th. We owe a lot to Ted for founding our lovely L.W.T. If you have not yet read his book Trustees for Nature, published in 2007, you should. Hardback copies are still available at only £5. It is very readable telling of the formation not only of our county wildlife trust but also of the national wildlife umbrella structure in which Ted featured.

By the time you receive this, our autumn through to spring indoor programme will be about to start at Grimsby Town Hall. We have some new topics with some new speakers and also some well loved returnees.

Can I just remind you that our group like all others meeting at the Town Hall will have refreshments supplied by the Council so we will no longer benefit from any profit made on tea and coffee.

And oh yes— please do try and support our Christmas Quiz, which Jackie Kirk will be organising on Friday 3rd December at St Pius Church Hall for funds.

Thank you for your support but we could do with more new members so bring them in please.

Jennie Redpath.

Annual Walk in Bradley & Dixon Woods on 24th April.
Leader: Mick Binnion

Around 35 people, including four children, were eager to discover the flora and fauna of the two woods. It was a very nice spring day and the walk started in Bradley Woods.

There was a carpet of Wood Anemones, which are poisonous to cattle and mentioned in Greek Mythology. There were many birds singing, e.g. robin and blackbird. Bird's nests were in evidence. A wren's nest built in hazel bush, but hidden amongst the ivy was pointed out to us, also a long-tailed tit's nest that had been built and then predated before the eggs could hatch out.

The group enjoys the woods

Everyone was enthusiastic and looked at everything pointed out, as well as the extensive knowledge passed on by Mick. Some of the participants were pointing things out, identifying flowers, fungi, and birds' nests. We saw a many-zoned polypore, which is a fungus that can completely cover the bark of a tree.

Around the edge of the wood, pink campion was just beginning to flower. Primroses were in abundance in both woods, also violets were seen near the primroses. An early purple orchid, easily identified by its spotted leaves, was pointed out to us.

Bluebells, celandines, stitchwort, Goldilock's buttercup, found in damp, undisturbed woodland, was seen (but no three bears having a tea party!) Yellow butterfly, brimstone, and blossom on the blackthorn bush (producing berries for sloe gin in the Autumn). Seven spotted ladybirds, were in evidence.

Bumblebees were buzzing around - both buff-tailed and red-tailed. The buff-tailed bumblebee makes its home in mouse holes, which the queen smells out. She looks for the nest and lays her eggs. Having laid eggs in about five nests, she produces workers. The workers collect nectar and then die, and only the queen survives through the winter. It is up to her to regenerate the colony again.

Also found in Dixon Wood, Jack-by-the-hedge, (also known as garlic or mustard pool), and honeysuckle which gives cover for the wrens. The bird's nest orchid does not need to open its flowers, as it is self-pollinating.

There were ferns just in bud and they looked like sticky buds. Orcus mascula always has blotches on its leaves and the flower is upside down when it first comes out. One of the lapland mosses, reindeer moss, (also present in Linwood Warren) takes a long time to grow and likes damp, moist conditions. The spores came down in glacial boulders, from the Ice Age 10,000 years ago. It does not mind the cold but needs the damp and can withstand frost.

One of the fungi identified was King Alfred's cakes. This was identified by eleven year old James Smith. He pointed out it was so named because it is black like King Alfred's burned cakes. There was another large fleshy-like fungus growing, but name not known.

James Smith spots King Alfred's cakes

Some of the birds seen were lesser spotted woodpecker, and chiff-chaff. There were deer in evidence from their footprints in both Bradley and Dixon Woods. Mick pointed out roe deer tracks and prints, which showed how the deer weave in and out, and not just move in a straight line. Unfortunately we didn't see any deer.

Dixon Woods are older than Bradley Woods and both are mentioned in the Domesday Book. The ancient woodland plant dog mercury was seen thriving and is related to spinach, but we were told not to eat it as it is deadly poisonous!

Trees seen in Dixon Woods were Scot's pine and larch, which are important in winter as they do not lose their leaves and give cover for the birds. Larch cones had fallen off the larch trees and were discovered on the ground. Also seen in Dixon Woods, was a tree known as Jew's ear. This is supposedly the type of tree on which Judas hung himself, so that's why it got this name.

After two hours, we all regrouped in Bradley car park having learnt much about the birds, bees, flowers, plants, fungi and age of the woods. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon and as a thank-you, Jane Drinkall presented a bird box to Mick Binnion on behalf of the group, to thank him for his time and knowledge passed on. He said he would put the box up in his private little wood at Laceby.

Mick is presented with a bird box

Julie Harrison

Tetney Blow Wells 2nd May 2010

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust held a guided walk around its Tetney Blow Wells reserve on Sunday afternoon, attended by 25 people, and led by the wardens, Clifford Jukes and Barry Whitehead.

Cowslips were at their peak flowering period but their numbers were low compared to those for previous years, with the best in the eastern enclosure. Although the weather remained fine, a cold northeasterly wind resulted in few birds being seen and no butterflies.

The cuckoo, which had repeatedly made its presence known, 24th – 29th April, was neither heard nor seen. There were also flowers on oak and hornbeam. The presence of a song thrush was indicated by a thrush's anvil on the tarmac drive, with broken remains of the shells of garden snail and banded snail.

Afterwards, many of the walkers enjoyed a hot drink and a piece of cake at church, served by Eileen Jukes and Chris Hill, for church funds.

Clifford's photos ~ click the links to view

1. Blow Well number 4

2. Blow Well number 4.

3. Blow Well number 1 from top of church tower

4. Blow Wells numbers 1 and 2 from top of church tower

Clifford Jukes

Mausoleum Woods Walk

On Wednesday 11th May, 23 people met up with leader Colin Rushby in the car park for the Mausoleum Woods at 6.30 p.m. It was a lovely evening with the sun still shining. I did not know what to expect, apart from 'a mausoleum.' I was pleasantly surprised.

The Mausoleum to Sophia

We set off through the woods, which soon opened out showing a striking mausoleum on top of the mound. We stopped to admire it and read the inscription for Sophia, who died 25th January 1786. It was erected by C. A. Pelham, the family name of the Earl of Yarborough. The same family erected Pelham's pillar.

Colin told us that when he had been on holiday in the Isle of Wight he had seen a statue on the island to one of the Earls of Yarborough, which was erected by the villagers because of their respect for him. From our vantage point Colin asked us to look down to a square of fir trees. This he told us is called 'Cathedral Oaks.' In the middle there are oak trees growing, which are protected by the firs, which keep out the light and help the oaks to grow straight. They will be used, when grown in a hundred years time, to provide timber for repairing in Lincoln Cathedral (hence the name).

We walked down past the Cathedral Oaks and could just see through the firs to the oaks. There were lots of birds singing away to each other, but as a novice I couldn't identify any. I think there were blackbirds as well as lots of others. All around us as we walked along were bluebells, ground ivy and forge-me-nots in profusion.

We passed a lovely rhododendron and another which one of the group said was a bugle, but didn't know which one. I wished I had taken my little Collins Wildflower book with me.

We next came to a walnut tree which had a plaque on it. The tree was planted in 1938 by the Countess of Yarborough and according to the plaque, was the thirty-millionth tree to be planted in Brocklesby and Manby Woods since the start of planting in 1787. It had unusual bark and again I wished I'd brought my Collins tree book with me.

We came next to a temple for Arabella Aufrere. The inscription said that there were many sentiments imbibed from a cultured mind. Imbibing, I thought involved alcohol, so I'm not sure what that meant!

After going through a tunnel, we came to the Hermitage Historic Monument - a folly. Made of mud and wood beams, it had a table made from a tree trunk and chairs inside, which I had a sit down on. My husband wanted to have a go on the rope swing there but wasn't sure if it would hold him!

Jackie enjoys a seat in the folly

There were many magnificent trees including a hornbeam, which was planted in 2004 by the Forestry Commission. We then came further along the path to the Mary Carter Temple Historic Monument. The inscription said that she was "an affectionate aunt whose very amiable character rendered her the delight of every society".

One of the group then identified a chaffinch singing, amongst all the birds we heard. We passed a weeping beech, wood anemone, lesser celandine and arum lily, all identified by different members of the group.

Next was wellingtonia gigantea. This was struck by lightning and a Lancaster bomber came down in flames in March 1945. The entire crew perished and they were named on the plaque (an Australian pilot among the six crew).

We saw many wonderful tall trees, including black pine (pinus nigra) and copper beech. We made our way back to the car park, coming back to the track that we had started on as the light faded.

We all thanked Colin and his wife Norma for a great walk. He told us that we could get a leaflet of all the walks in the Mausoleum Woods from the post office and store across from the car park. I for one was surprised and delighted with what we saw and hope to be going back again soon.

Jackie Kirk

Tetney News 22nd May

N.E.Lincolnshire Wildlife Watch and R.S.P.B. Wildlife Explorers Group met at Tetney on a hot, sunny afternoon to visit the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Tetney Blow Wells Reserve.

This event proved quite popular, with nine children, accompanied by parents or grandparents attending, under the guidance of Group Leaders Clifford and Eileen Jukes and Chris Hill. The children were each given a list of things to look for before starting their walk.

Early on the list was hawthorn, also called may blossom, which was in full bloom throughout the reserve. The white umbellifer, (cow parsley), was also plentiful and later the children were shown cowslip flowers, which were now over and going to seed, and ground ivy with it's strong 'antiseptic' type smell.

The star performer was the cuckoo, which made its presence known throughout, with its call, but managed to avoid being seen. Chiffchaff and sedge warblers were also heard calling. Green-veined white butterflies were plentiful, but only two male orange tips were noticed and one holly blue.

The children were shown red campion and garlic mustard flowers, and soon detected the characteristic smell of the leaves of the latter. The highlight, as usual, was pond dipping with a net, when the catch included leech, various pond snails, freshwater shrimp, water louse, caddis fly larvae and several great water boatmen. All were very carefully returned to the water they came from at the end.

It was a very successful and enjoyable event and future meetings are planned. For further information please phone Clifford Jukes. [ 'Phone number in the hard copy of this newsletter.]

Clifford Jukes

A Walk in Cleethorpes Country Park

On a cloudy morning on 29th May 2010, fourteen adults and five children met bird expert Ray Hume for a guided walk around the Country Park, looking and listening for warblers and other songbirds.

Having previously attended one of Ray’s informative walks, I knew that we would be able to recognise many species of birds. As some birds are encountered firstly by sound, we were encouraged to look and listen for the different birdcalls, which Ray identified for us. Among them were the wren, blackbird, song thrush, goldfinch, and chaffinch, and summer visitors; the whitethroat, willow warbler and sedge warbler, which we were fortunate enough to see.

Ray immediately identified the most elusive bird of all, by its insect-like almost mechanical song, another summer visitor, the grasshopper warbler. This bird remained hidden among the foliage.

However, a pair of great tits was seen to disappear into a hole in one of the buildings in the car park, taking it in turns to feed their young. We all watched in amazement as the parents flew in and out and heard them calling to their offspring. The great tit has numerous different calls, and if we found ourselves struggling to identify a birdcall, Ray told us it might well be that of the great tit.

Collared doves were seen and heard, along with wood pigeons and magpies. Mistle thrushes and young starlings were also spotted on our walk. Gazing up at the sky, house martins and a skylark were seen and heard. A kestrel was hovering over a field, and Ray told us how kestrels could see urine trails of voles, that help them home in on their prey.

As our walk continued around the lake, reed buntings were seen and heard, moorhens, coot, great-crested grebe, mallard and tufted ducks. A mute swan’s nest, with four or five eggs in it, appeared to have been abandoned.

Ray lifted up leaves on hawthorn bushes and found a looper caterpillar, which is good food for blue tits. He explained how the countryside had changed over the years, and how climate change had caused birds to breed sooner, causing an imbalance in nature with food shortages. Migratory birds are struggling and youngsters in the nest attract many predators.

Our walk ended back in the car park, where another treat awaited us in the shape of a great-spotted woodpecker, drumming away on a telegraph pole. We all thanked Ray and were eager to know when he would be doing the next walk. He paid particular attention to the children, making sure they had seen all the different birds, allowing them to use his binoculars, which proved very popular.

Julie Harrison

World Environment Day, June 5th 2010

In association with North East Lincolnshire Council, we represented the Trust at the Wild Day Out at Cleethorpes Boating Lake and Local Nature Reserve.

The weather was incredibly hot and humid. Many information leaflets on 'How to,' Nature Reserves, Events Leaflets, B.B.C. Breathing Spaces Booklets and Membership Information were given out.

I spent five hours in conversation with a multitude of people, many with specific questions, after which my vocal chords were feeling the strain! Although this type of event doesn't directly produce income, it is invaluable as a P.R. tool and creates much goodwill for the Trust. It was a substantive day.

Mick Binnion

On the Dormice Trail

About a dozen of us, mainly Group members took a ride out into the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside to the Chambers Farm Wood complex between Wragby and Bardney on the first Saturday of June.

The group receives a briefing before the walk

The weather was sultry - thunderstorms were to follow that night. Chambers Farm Wood is owned by the Forestry Commission and as its name implies is mainly covered in trees; the policy nowadays being to fell the conifers which were planted after World War Two and to plant British native species e.g. oak, hazel and limes, as here.

This area is very special for the small-leafed lime and it is in this habitat that the dormouse population is increasing after being reintroduced because of climate change, in 2002.

Our guide for the day was Anne Goodall, who lives nearby and runs Ecological Services Ltd. in Lincoln. Anne had been to us in November last year to talk about Climate Change and how we can help wildlife as a result. She mentioned the dormouse so we were keen to see and know about this minute 14 cm. mammal’s (including tail and weighing not much more than 30 grams) habitat and if possible to view one.

Anne gathered us in the Education Centre room and briefed us with maps before we began travelling down forest rides of coppiced limes and hazel of varying ages and getting us to notice the difference in ground cover as the tree canopy develops.

Nest box tubes just under the top wire of fencing and nest boxes put up for dormice were noted. Anne looked in a couple of boxes but to our disappointment, no dormice were ‘at home’ and in the second one a great tit had laid its eggs. These tubes and boxes are monitored once a month.

Wood mice and shrews also use these facilities. Since monitoring started, it has been realised they live up to five years. Dormice can cross paths to reach other areas. They need cold weather from October to May to hibernate and must achieve a weight of about 30 grams to survive without food throughout the winter.

Anne Goodall shows the dormice nests

Anne showed us two nests of these tiny animals made of grasses and leaves. We thoroughly enjoyed other features around us like the Butterfly Garden near the centre dedicated to Joe Duddington, a stalwart nature lover. Blue damselflies and butterflies were darting over the plants and pond. Some of the group went on to tour Little Scrubbs Meadow (a L.W.T. reserve) within the complex and its extension.

Unfortunately not many butterflies were in evidence and just a few pale common spotted orchids. Still later, some of us wandered along admiring a few animal sculptures on top of partly felled trees and sitting for a rest on a log carved into a comfortable settee and etched with animal drawings and then back to reality and the car park.

Some of the group take a well-earned rest

Jennie Redpath

June 10th - Dune and Foreshore Habitat

A stroll on the beach can be quite pleasant, especially on a summer's evening, but it was 'Flaming June!' Our intrepid group set off into the 'tempest' at 7 p.m. Suffice it to say it was 'bracing!'

Fortunately the Dune Slacks were very sheltered in the lea of the buckthorn. The fauna were taking shelter and all well hidden, but we managed to get good sightings and photographs of common blue butterflies, six-spot burnet moth caterpillars and plenty of wildfowl, not least week old cygnets.

After briefing the group about the basic dynamics of salt marsh, embryo, yellow and grey dune systems, the real 'star of the show' was the magnificent complex of marsh orchids. There were over 2,000 in number and a special feature of the area. Sometimes we overlook things right on our doorstep, but for everyone that attended, an appreciation of our coastal habitat was warmly received, a memory taken home and footprints left in the sand.

Mick Binnion

Flower Walk on Nettleton Hill, 3rd July 2010

What a glorious afternoon. Twelve of us spent with Mark Tyszka, our wildlife records officer. We met at the rambler's car park at 2 p.m. in beautiful sunshine, with a little breeze.

To start off we climbed over a stile and walked along the path to the meadow. The area used to be a landfill site but has been taken over by nature. We were met with a wonderful carpet of flowers. There were greater willow herb, clover, campion, bird's foot trefoil and ox eye daisy to name a few.

Mark told us that the ox eye daisy has over sixty names attributed to it, including moon daisy, dog daisy and horse daisy. Did you used to pull off the petals saying, "he loves me, he loves me not" with each one when you were young?

He showed us hedge woundwort and we all examined one and found that it had a square stem. It is one of the mint family which all have a square stem and flowers looking a bit like orchid. In medieval times it was boiled up with milk into a posset to treat asthma.

Bird's foot trefoil was next. Mark said that it has over seventy different names, and belongs to the same family as peas and beans. Because the flowers are yellow and red it is often known as 'eggs and bacon,' and a lady on a following walk I went to at the Blow Wells told me that, in Kent, it was known as 'ladies shoes and stockings.' In medieval times it was known as 'dead man's fingers,' and Mark showed us that the ends had black slightly curved tips to look like finger nails, though we all agreed we were unlikely to have seen a dead body!

We next saw broad leaf dock, which has three-sided seeds. Mark told us that there are many kinds of dock. We then came upon a patch of tall fescue grass. There were at least twenty chrysalis of the six-spot burnet moth on them. Some of the chrysalis had been broken out of and we saw some of the moths, though we could only identify the five-spot burnet moths flying around, which have red under the wings. Mark said that as soon as they break out of the chrysalis they look to mate and we spotted two nearby.

There was a beautiful big carpet of tufted vetch with lovely blue flowers with curly tendrils on the ends. There was also knapweed, which has lots of nectar for butterflies, and white clover. We saw ladies' bedstraw, which was used in olden times to put on ladies beds along with soft rushes, hence its name.

We saw a few butterflies, including a yellow shell moth, a female common blue, and a meadow brown feeding on grass. We next stopped at common spotted orchid. The weather had been very dry so there were not so many. They have pale pink flowers with a purple spot.

Mark is asked a question

Mark showed us a flower and how insects pollinate them by putting their head into the flower and the pollen is transferred to its head and then on to another flower. We then saw common mouse ear, so named as it's hairy leaves look like mice ears.

Next was sorrel. Mark told us that the leaves are edible and in fancy restaurants in France they make sorrel soup. As several in the group asked about plants that we found, Mark was able to tell us about them. The field horsetail extracts silica from the ground and could be used to clean saucepans.

We all bent to watch a grasshopper jumping along, and then saw an orange-tailed bumblebee. Mark said that farmers would not have clover without them. We walked past a bank with rose bay willow herb ready to come out and cowslips, which had now gone to seed.

There was a skipper butterfly and a small heath butterfly, which is pale with a dot on the wing. We next came to a bridge over the beck where there was a great profusion of bramble.

Mark told us a delightful tale about bramble, a cormorant and a bat. The bramble, cormorant and bat hired a sailing ship to sell wool from the sheep. The ship sailed off but didn't return. A long time later they found out that the ship had sunk and that is why the bat hides in the dark away from creditors, the cormorant dives into the water to try to find the wreck and the Bramble snags wool from passing sheep to try to recoup their losses. We were all enchanted with the story.

As we got towards the top of the hill we found an anthill of the yellow meadow ant. Mark said that some anthills could grow very large. Next was ground ivy, also known as ale hoof. He said children used to take it home for ale to be brewed.

We then saw germander speedwell, which Mark said is not common here in Lincolnshire. We heard a skylark, so all eyes were searching until it was seen hovering. They are declining because of the loss of grassland at the right height for them. It is an iconic bird and Mark said that there is a bigger density in Lincolnshire than in some other parts of the country.

We then found centaury, which has pink flowers and likes sandy soil, then ragwort. Mark told us that it is a source of nectar for the cinnabar moth and that it is poisonous to horses, but not to cattle and sheep.

As we got up on the top, Mark told us that Nettleton Hill is the highest point in Lincolnshire. We walked along what used to be sand quarry and under foot felt crunchy from lichen and moss due to the poor soil. Mark said it used to be an Anglo-Saxon camp.

There were lots of trees including aspen, which the Americans call trembling poplar. It was easy to see why; as Mark pointed out the way the leaves were always trembling. The trees were planted here a long time ago and included Italian alder, hawthorn and cherry. I enjoyed sampling the cherries, as did several others in the group, as they are my favourite fruit.

There was a marvellous view across the countryside when we looked out. In the distance to the left we could just make out Lincoln Cathedral. Straight ahead in the far distance some of the group thought they could see Derbyshire Hills, but I did wonder.

One of the group reminded us of her childhood when we saw plantain and remembered making a 'pea-shooter' from the stems. As we walked back, we found comfrey. Mark told us that it is very good for bumblebees, which are very clever. The long tongued ones can reach down inside to get the nectar, but the short tongued ones who can't reach make a hole in the side to get to it.

We also found mallow and musk thistle, which smells of musk. We made our way back past the vents that let methane escape from when it was a landfill site and came back to the road and walked along back to the car park, where we had started. Mark was able to update his records with what we had seen and we all thanked him for a wonderful, very informative afternoon, with time well spent. We look forward to recording with Mark in People's Park in September.

Jackie Kirk

Tetney News 10th July

A small group of N. E. Lincolnshire Wildlife Watch members met with leaders, Clifford Jukes and Mary Orphanoudakis, at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's reserve of Messingham Sand Quarry, just south of Scunthorpe, on Saturday afternoon of 10th July.

The Trust's North West Lincolnshire Warden, Matthew Blissett, took them around this wetland reserve. He explained how the reserve had been formed as worked out gravel pits had been flooded, providing a mixture of habitats including reedbeds and lakes, remnants of heathland and woodland.

As they walked around the reserve, members saw many meadow brown, ringlet and skipper butterflies and discovered a beautifully camouflaged green moth, the large emerald, resting with its wings outstretched on a patch of grass.

Several different dragonflies, including brown hawker, were observed. The familiar orange and black caterpillars of cinnabar moth were seen on ragwort and several six-spot burnet moths were in flight, seeking nectar from flowers.

Some members caught a fleeting glimpse of a kingfisher and everyone enjoyed seeing an avocet with its young, also many common terns. Matthew showed the group an unusual water plant with yellow flowers close to the lake edge called bladderwort. Also seen were other wildflowers including marsh orchid, dune helleborine, ladies' bedstraw, musk mallow, bird's-foot-trefoil, hemp agrimony and common centaury.

Matthew was thanked for a most interesting and enjoyable afternoon. For information on other wildlife watch events contact Clifford Jukes - 'phone number in the hard copy of your newsletter.

New people are always welcome.

Clifford Jukes

Tetney News 11th July

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust held a guided walk around its Tetney Blow Wells reserve on a very hot Sunday afternoon on the 11th July. Three guides, Clifford Jukes, Barry Whitehead and Ian Lee, took the small group around, pointing out features of interest.

Wild flowers, included creeping thistle, marsh thistle, lesser knapweed, tufted vetch, meadow pea, hogweed, yarrow, angelica, meadow sweet, and great willow herb. Two small groups of water violets, not really violets but belonging to the primrose family, were flowering in one of the blow wells. Agrimony and spotted orchids were just reaching the end of their flowering period.

Two hares were just visible in an adjacent field. The hot weather suited the butterflies, with thirty large whites, eight small whites, 33 ringlets, three small skippers, three meadow browns, two small tortoiseshells, a red admiral, a comma and a gatekeeper.

The walkers were glad to rest in the church at the end, where cups of tea/coffee with biscuits or cake were on sale for church funds, served by Eileen Jukes and Chris Hill.

Hall Farm Visit 15th July

Twenty-one turned up for our group visit to Sutton Estates Hall Farm. Chris Dowse, who had been to speak at our meeting in February, was there to meet us. He told us the Sutton Estates has 7,300 acres in three blocks and that will soon increase with the purchase of another farm. They have winter and spring wheat and barley for malting in beer brewing.

Chris Dowse talks to the group before setting off

We all set off in a covered trailer pulled by tractor with Chris telling us more as we went along. They have 120 Lincoln red cattle and 1,200 ewes, which we saw on our way round. Some woodland and some land have been left for wildlife with integrated field margins and 24 metres of clover and seed margins to encourage bumble bee population, which is currently depressed.

These margins contain goat willow and as we went along, we could see the skylark nesting areas left without seed in the surrounding grain crops. There were about five to each field and fascinating to see. Chris told us that they are probably coming out of organic farming due to problems with creeping thistle.

Chris keeps us briefed on the trailer

We stopped several times and at each spot, Chris told us of the work being done. The lake was dredged last summer and is moving water to a depth of fifteen feet. A pond dipping jetty and a bird hide have been constructed near the public right of way. Seven ponds were also created and an eighth one restored in the Waithe Beck valley.

There has been some recent tree planting within the lawn outside the farm office and also on the former Bayon's Manor estate, now owned by Suttons. It is hoped to eventually restore it to its former glory.

The Stainton Estate has one estate manager (Chris Dowse), one stockman, one gamekeeper, five farm workers on tractors and two office staff. It didn't sound a lot for such a big estate but it is obviously well run. We had a slight dip when the wind became stronger and the rain was driving, but it didn't last too long and the trip lasted two and three quarter hours, which were very well spent in finding out all about the L.E.A.F. farm. We all thanked Chris for a great visit and also the tractor driver for taking us round.

Jackie Kirk

Moth Night 31st July.

Brian Adam of Irby kindly invited our group to his garden for a moth night. It was still light as eleven of us arrived. Brian, with the help of his two grandsons, who also attended, had set up his moth trap and also a large white sheet with a bright lamp stood on it.

Brian showed us some specimens that he had caught the night before and kept in his fridge to keep them cool and docile. They included dark arches, peppered moth, yellow underwing and dusky sallow.

While waiting for full dark and the moths' arrival, we looked at his many wonderful wildlife photographs. As it got darker they started to arrive. We saw a lot of silver-Y on his valerian bushes and he was able to collect some and show them to us under the light.

In the moth trap there were several arriving, including a large yellow underwing and a mother of pearl. Brian put the mother of pearl into a collector pot so that we could look at it under the light. This showed us how it got its name as it did indeed shine like mother of pearl. Brian said that it must have had a hard life, as the edges of its wings were rather raggy!

With that, another mother of pearl landed on the sheet next to the lamp, which Brian collected so we could look at it. This one had obviously had a better life, as its wings were perfect!

We were treated to hot drinks and biscuits by Brian's wife, and marvelled at a lovely firework display from a nearby garden. I don't know what the celebration was but the last firework, especially, was spectacular.

We all admired more arrivals, including brimstone, common rustic and ruby tiger, both in the moth trap and on the sheet. The ruby tiger was beautiful and Brian said he would leave the trap out overnight to see how many species would be collected.

Just as we were leaving Brian's grandson came over with a collector pot to show us the pine hawk moth that he was taking to the fridge so it wouldn't become agitated. Tired, but happy we thanked Brian and his wife for their hospitality and a great evening.

The next morning Brian found 47 species in the trap plus escapees, totalling 293 species all together. He said that the highlight for him was the gold spot, as he hadn't had that species before.

If anyone would like a full list of the moths seen and collected please email

j.p.l.kirk@ntlworld.com

and I will send it to you.

Jackie Kirk

Accounts of previous years' events have been transferred to:

NOTE:Although telephone numbers of committe members are included in the hard copy of our Newsletter, I am not including them on this website. It is an open site and I don't want anyone to be subjected to nuisance calls from some of the more dubious web-surfers who might chance upon the site.

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