The Natural History of Warwickshire: Fauna & Flora (1 Viewer)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Adders in Warwickshire
Are there still Adders in Warwickshire, in recent years there are no proven records for Adder in Warwickshire. A request to Warks bird yahoo group put up a few leads however contacting today George Burton Warwickshire Reptile & Amphibian recorder up to today's date, Adder in Warwickshire has not been confirmed, I have seen 2 photo's taken on mobile phone's thought to be Adders by the picture takers but were both grass snakes.
In North Warks this year I have had a few sightings of grass snake including a juv at RSPB Middleton lakes and also from widespread locations and a couple of sightings of the legless Lizard the slow worm in Hartshill Hayes CP.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Warwickshire Butterfly recorder Keith Warmington is now recieving records of migrant butterflies, Painted Lady and Red Admiral. Some Red Admiral can survive in mild winters by hibernating, however the last 2 winters would be very difficult unless one hibernates in a warmer place like a porch.
Clouded Yellow has already been recorded in Warwickshire this year by birdwatcher Alan Dean at Fisher's mill.
Any sightings can be entered on the Warwickshire Buttelfly website however you need a six figure grid refrence to add a sighting.

Regards, John

 

[MrBruce]

Adders in Warwickshire
Are there still Adders in Warwickshire, in recent years there are no proven records for Adder in Warwickshire. A request to Warks bird yahoo group put up a few leads however contacting today George Burton Warwickshire Reptile & Amphibian recorder up to today's date, Adder in Warwickshire has not been confirmed, I have seen 2 photo's taken on mobile phone's thought to be Adders by the picture takers but were both grass snakes.
In North Warks this year I have had a few sightings of grass snake including a juv at RSPB Middleton lakes and also from widespread locations and a couple of sightings of the legless Lizard the slow worm in Hartshill Hayes CP.

Regards, John

Last summer I spent many days searching sites in the rugby area and found 1 grass snake just north of the leicester road. Saw plenty of common toads and frogs, but nothing else of amphibian or reptillian nature.

 

[Matt Griffiths]

Hi John,

Great idea this thread. Hope there's a lot more posts to come...

Quite a few joe public near me reckon they've seen Adders at Earlswood, but I've only ever seen Grass Snakes. If Adders are ever found in the county, I wonder whether news should be suppressed, due to persecution or people catching them for captivity?

Lots of Ladybirds in one small area of my patch today, with 74 Two-spot counted including a couple of melanistic individuals.

Matt

 

[djludlow]

Dont know about Adders but Slow worms are present in the southwest of the county.

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi John,

Great idea this thread. Hope there's a lot more posts to come...

Quite a few joe public near me reckon they've seen Adders at Earlswood, but I've only ever seen Grass Snakes. If Adders are ever found in the county, I wonder whether news should be suppressed, due to persecution or people catching them for captivity?

Lots of Ladybirds in one small area of my patch today, with 74 Two-spot counted including a couple of melanistic individuals.

Matt

Thanks Matt,
An excellent habitat for Adders in VC38 Warwickshire is Sutton Park that of Heathland and woodland edge. Adders did occur here in the past however no records again for many year. A re-introduction scheme would be a bad idea at this NNR under it's present status. The park is regulary visited by numerous dog walkers some with 7 -8 dogs. Any inquisitive dog will not repond to an Adders's warning and can be bitten, the Adders venom can kill a dog, which has happened at the Prestbury Hill Butterfly reserve in Gloucestershire.
Regarding Beetle records the County Recorder is Steve Lane and Steve is keen for Beetle records. [email protected] a number of beetles can be identified by photo's and I have put some photo's in which were identified by Steve as rare or very in Warwickshire.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Orchids
June is the time to see Orchids in North Warwickshire, with the most Commonly seen being the Southern Marsh Orchid with 1 site holding 100 plus flowers. Common Spotted Orchid not so Common in north Warwckshire with small groups noted. Bee Orchids also in small numbers and I viewed 3 plants today at RSPB Middleton lakes on Fisher's mill meadow, there is also Grass Vetchling in flower here. In North Warwickshire VC38 we know 1 site for Pyramidal Orchid. However Pyramidal Orchid likes Limestone, North Warkwickshire being mostly acid, so Pyramidal Orchids will be found in South Warwickshire. South Warwickshire has more vareity of Orchids, on a visit to Draycote meadow on 21/5/11 I saw Green-winged Orchid in flower.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Orchids
June is the time to see Orchids in North Warwickshire, with the most Commonly seen being the Southern Marsh Orchid with 1 site holding 100 plus flowers. Common Spotted Orchid not so Common in north Warwckshire with small groups noted. Bee Orchids also in small numbers and I viewed 3 plants today at RSPB Middleton lakes on Fisher's mill meadow, there is also Grass Vetchling in flower here. In North Warwickshire VC38 we know 1 site for Pyramidal Orchid. However Pyramidal Orchid likes Limestone, North Warkwickshire being mostly acid, so Pyramidal Orchids will be found in South Warwickshire. South Warwickshire has more vareity of Orchids, on a visit to Draycote meadow on 21/5/11 I saw Green-winged Orchid in flower.

Regards, John

After mentioning Common Spotted Orchid was not so Common in North Warkwickshires I found a site today containing 1 Bee Orchid, 1 Southern Marsh Orchid and 381 Common Spotted Orchid.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Butterflies
Ringlets are on the wing now and widespread sightings being reported . The next flight period should be Small Skipper altough the inexperieneced have already recorded Small Skipper but highly likely to be Large Skipper.
The migrant Hummingbird Hawk- moth now being reported in Warwickshire with one being seen in a Hartshill garden North Warwickshire yesterday.

Regards, John

 

[garywilkes]

I have a some-what strange non-bird related request. I was wondering if anyone, whilst out birding, had noticed any areas where it's possible to pick wild fruits and berries etc. I'm aware of a few good blackberry picking sites and today I came across a nice cherry tree near my home. I live in Kingsbury, North Warwickshire.

Just a thought, I wonder if anyone can provide me with any locations!?

Gary

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi Gary,
Do you have transport. John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Hi Gary,
Do you have transport. John

Hi Gary,Thanks for your reply to my private e-mail that you have a car. You can purchase a book called food for free by Richard Maybe for less then £10 from Amazon, which deals with edible species from the wild. Near your area you have RSPB Middleton lakes, Kingsbury wood ( however for official access a permit is required from the commadant at Swinnerton camp staffordshires because this is a military site linked to Kingsbury Rifle Ranges. You also have Sutton Park and Hopwas wood, regarding fungi you need a good level of knowlege with these although there are only a minority of poisonous one's some look very like the edible ones. I will sent a fungal foray calander to your private e-mail.
In the Hartshill area I have been seeing a few wild Strawberries.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Butterflies
Small Skipper are on the wing now. John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Beetles
A picture of a Beetle taken at Sutton Park today 20/6/11 and sent to Warwickshire Beetle Recorder Steve Lane, was identified as a Welsh Chafer Hoplia philanthus a Beetle that is spreading and this is the first record for Sutton Park. Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Orchids
We know 3 sites now for acid Noth Warwickshire containing Pyramidal Orchid 1,1,4 at each site, however Pyramidal Orchid likes Limestone. However former site for Pyramidal Orchids at Hartshill, details ( Roger Shilton, former warden Hartshill Hayes CP). Hartshill is unusual in North Warwickshire in having naturally occuring bands of Limestone and others areas of limestone uncovered by quarrrying where on one side of the quarry you will get Fox Glove (Acid liking plant) and the other side Salad Burnet (lime liking plant).
The site holding 4 Pyramidal Orchids is in the Tame Valley, where years ago Coal burnt at Hams hall power station produced PFA Puverised flyash which is strongly Alakaline. Ladywalk and Whitacre Heath NR are full of this and other areas in the Tame Valley, no doubt other industries create Alkali areas to.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Butterflies
White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary being reported now in small numbers but the main emergence is yet to arrive.
Warwickshire Butterfly conservation website
20/6/11 Snitterfiled bushes Silver-washed Fritillary and 3 White Admiral. Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Trees
Warwickshire not a noted County for Woodland and even less so after the event of dutch elm disease. However a Wild Pear tree at Cubbington woods measured by Steve Falk head of Natural History at Warwick museum was found to be 1 of 3 known in Warwickshire and this specimen was the largest in the country, however it was also found that this pear tree was on the route of the London to Birmingham High Speed Rail link.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Moths
2/7/11 Birder and moth trapper Bob Booker trapping in Holbrooks Coventry VC38 last night caught a Small Marbled moth a rare Immigrant. Which was confirmed by David Brown Warwickshire moth recorder after seeing a photo put onto Wawickshire moth's group website. David Stating this was a first County Record for Warwickshire.
Bob was very pleased and very suprised describing his garden as being nearly all concrete and slabs.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Moths
1/7/11 Warwickshire Bird recorder, Jonathan Bowley saw a Scarlet Tiger on a meadow at Moreton Morrell Friday.
David Brown receiving this information today replies further evidence that this moth is spreading to south and mid Warwickshire. When published David's book the larger moths of Wawickshire only shows 4 records of this moth in Warwickshire.

Regards, John

 

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Butterflies
White Admiral seen today in Hartshill Hayes wood by former warden Roger Shilton, White Admiral being scarce in North Warwckshire with only the other regular, but with small numbers seen is Kingsbury wood.
Roger has recently seen 2 Painted Lady also in Hartshill.

Regards, John