Going Batty! By Pauline Rutherford MBNA

Autumn is a very good time of year to go bat detecting as the juvenile bats are more independent and can be left for longer in the roost and the adults can feed more freely, plus as the days are shortening you don’t have to stay up all night to see them! Find an open area with trees and hedges around the perimeter and a pond or lake as insects are attracted to water, along a river or the edge of a woodland is ideal. In South Yorkshire the commonest bats you are likely to see are common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus, noctule Nyctalus noctula, brown long-eared Plectotus auritus and daubentons Myotis daubentonii, but there’s always the chance of some of the rarer bats too. Our first bat evening was at Wombwell Woods, an area Kevin and Rachel Hinchcliffe are familiar with, and there are two ponds giving us the chance of seeing Daubentons. It was a warmish evening and had been dry and sunny through the day – perfect to bring out insects for the bats to feed on. The first bats out were the two pipistrelle species, doing a figure of eight around the edges of the trees and over the water. It was good to see them as the light was diminishing as they weaved around very quickly, dipping and diving after the insects. The peak frequency for these is 45 kHz for the common and 55 kHz for the soprano. This was soon joined by the brown long-eared although this was difficult to hear, it is known as the “Whispering Bat” as it has a very quiet, fluttering sound at 35 kHz. Later in the evening the noctule was heard, at about 35 kHz with its distinctive ‘chip chop’ sound. The noctule is usually the first bat to hear as it tends to hunt at dusk, often seen flying around with swifts as they fly off to roost. The daubentons we didn’t see although Steve, Mark, Kevin and Rachel had seen them a few evenings before typically hunting over the water. Their echolocation is between 45 and 50 kHz. This bat hunts in a different way to the others as it is usually very low over the water, using its tail to scoop the insects before transferring them to its mouth – quite a clever manouvre. In between watching and listening to the bats we saw some lovely examples of plant galls – artichoke and apple, some fungi – common puff balls and sulphur tuft, and plenty of slugs and snails including a leopard slug. To end the evening, after hearing owls all night, we were rewarded with a very well behaved tawny owl sitting on a branch as it called to its parents for food! The second evening was at Hoober Stand in Wentworth, and having done bat detecting here several times we knew it was a good area. The weather was against us as it was very damp and misty, although still quite warm with lots of insects flying around. Five of us braved the weather and by the time we got to Hoober it had stopped raining and the bats were already circling around the monument. Common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle at first, then a lone noctule and a whisper of a brown long-eared. Hoober Stand is built on a quarry and there is evidence of this in the form of a cave which makes a perfect hibernacula for the bats, and with Kevin’s very bright torch we could see quite a way into the cave. After about an hour we thought we had seen the best of them and headed back to the car where Roy almost trod on an adult male toad, and with closer inspection around the path there were several smaller toads, another good end to the evening’s bat watching. With that we decided (carefully!) to retreat to a place of liquid refreshment in the form of the George and Dragon on Wentworth Main Street, where sampling of the local brews was imperative! Our last evening’s bat detecting was at Broomhill, close to Old Moor and being in October the nights were drawing in, so it made sense to have a meal in the Old Moor Tavern first! As we arrived there was an enormous thunderstorm with rain so hard and fast it was stotting off the ground. One poor couple chose the wrong time to

South Yorkshire Branch Newsletter

Autumn 2014 Editor Pauline Rutherford MBNA Issue number 8

get out of their car and come into the pub, trying to shelter under their inside-out umbrella! However it didn’t last long and by the time we had finished our meal it had stopped raining, and as it had been a warm day we were hopeful for some bats. Kevin started by telling us all about the flight identification of the bats and how to look for roosts in trees, and then armed with bat detectors we headed into the field soon hearing the soprano and common pipistrelle. We also heard noctule and brown long-eared. As it was early in the evening and still dusk we were able to watch them flying around the trees, exactly as Kevin had just described to us. In summary we had three good nights watching bats in different habitats – in woodland with ponds, around a monument and in a field circling the edges of the trees. It’s always good to get out in the evening and see and hear these nocturnal creatures much better than watching X factor on TV!

Nature Notes by John Dibbs

In the last month or so, the South Yorkshire countryside has transformed itself in colour. In our local woods, the brilliant, vivid, intense and deep rich yellows, orange and reds of autumn leaf colour replaced the luxuriant, prolific and myriad of greens seen in the leaves of our deciduous trees from spring through to the end of summer. Leaf fall carpeted the ground and mushrooms and toadstools seemed to emerge suddenly overnight, flourishing on the rotting vegetation and in decaying leaf litter. Autumn provided a banquet. Before the hard times of winter eventually set in, all kinds of animals fattened up on foodstuffs provided by nature (berries, fruits, fungi, nuts and seeds are packed with vitamins and sugars). An impressive sight at RSPB Old Moor this autumn was when an unidentified bird of prey startled a Leash of five hundred plus Golden Plover from Wath Ings. As they panicked and flew high wheeling around in the sky, the sun caught the plumage of these plovers as they twisted and turned, until the danger of the hunting raptor passed. Imagine King Solomon on the horizon with his 500 trusted personal bodyguards carrying their 500 golden shields. The site would be spectacular as the sun blazed in reflection off the shimmering gold. These shields were sending a message to all who saw them; I guess the unsuccessful hunting raptor got some kind of message from the flight of Golden Plover.

Acer in full colour by S. Rutherford Hebeloma Incarnatulum by S. Rutherford

Now we are experiencing what may be our bleakest season of the calendar year. Winter can be harsh and quite tough for our native fauna. Food supplies are eagerly sought, and equally important when foraging for nourishment, the daylight hours are much shorter in length (a negative for wildlife). With 6.2° C being the accepted minimum temperature by botanists and agriculturalists for cereal, vegetable and herbage growth to take place in temperate Western Europe, many plant species seize a rest from growing. Some of our fauna becomes inert - they hibernate to conserve energy. Nature, however, does not come to a standstill. I like to go on nature rambles in Ecclesall Woods, Millhouses Park, Sheffield General Cemetery and Salmon Pastures (the latter two being little gems well within the city boundary) to look at the trees, hedgerows and numerous types of habitat. I cannot fail to observe buds on last year’s growth of trees, shrubs and bushes furled up ready for the next season - spring. Look carefully on footpaths made by walkers in woods and fields for tracks in the damp earth and for traces of imprints and other signs of animal movement, especially after a light fall snow. Good prints in snow or a hard frost will introduce us to trail patterns and the gait of a particular animal. Look out for other signs that indicate where a

mammal has defecated, urinated or had a scratch against an insentient object. Birds will be chiefly busy darting around trying to find enough nourishment to keep them going through, what at times can be, severe weather conditions. We can help by providing sustenance for them. Instead of deadheading plants therefore removing the seeds, leave them. Teasels will attract certain members of the finch family. Urban gardens and the rural areas look lifeless. Dead plants protect the soil and provide shelter for plants that have germinated and other growing plants from frost helping them to survive until spring. The seeds and acorns scattered amongst leaf-litter and in the soil beneath, will be in the throes of starting to grow. These locations are also alive with ‘creepy crawlies’ – the expired vegetation still has important work to do – plant and leaf-litter protects the soil and allows mini-beasts and worms below the surface to continue making humus-rich loam through the bleak winter.

Golden Plover in Flight by S. Rutherford Goldfinch feeding on teasel by S. Rutherford

Returning to a winter stand of trees, a wood can also seem inanimate. The deciduous trees appear to be in their birthday suit, the birds are hushed. It is as though the natural world has given the impression that it is deceased (not unlike the Norwegian Blue Parrot). But take a closer look. As already stated, new leaves and flowers are furled up inside the buds on twigs and branches, waiting to burst out in springtime. Take an even much closer look at the tiny crevices and cracks in the bark (indeed, in woodpiles, latticed fences, ground level outside window sills and walls, in particular dry stone walls). These are all weatherproof – winter homes for earwigs, beetles, harvestmen, lacewings, ladybirds, other tinier insects and certain moths. Not all trees, shrubs and bushes have shed their leaves. In the area of the Wentworth Garden Centre that we, the local group investigates and studies, Steve, our forward thinking chairperson, has been and continues still to do so, create mini-habitats for diverse species of wildlife to thrive. Many are secreted away from the general public so that they remain undisturbed and can flourish for our future safaris to employ, explore and scrutinize. Conifers and the Evergreens such as Ivy and Holly retain their leaves in winter. Holly trees are either male or female; berries are found only on the female trees. Ivy berries are an important source of nourishment for wildlife as are the holly berries. Conifers have thin needle-like leaves. These pine needles loose less water than the flat deciduous leaves, this helps the coniferous trees to survive the wintry weather. Birds and mammals too, can be seen. Many birds are silent in winter, but the very aggressive and territorial Robin sings continuously all year round defending its terrain. A noisy feeding party of mixed flocks of finches, the Tit family, Gold crest and Tree creeper flitting around in treetops foraging for food is ‘a site for sore eyes’ at this time of the year. Common avian winter visitors from Europe include Brambling, Fieldfare and Redwing. Snow Bunting and Waxwing are examples of scarcer; I think exotic treasures that can also turn up. Resident birds, for example, members of the thrush family, Starling, Bittern, Long-eared Owl and Woodcock have their numbers swollen due to the arrival from northern Europe of their cousins escaping the bitter weather and maybe a crash in winter food supplies. Grey Squirrels start their courting ready for breeding. Observe them pursuing each other on the woodland floor, up the trunks and along the bare boughs and branches of the trees. In the denuded treetop, the untidy nest (called dreys) of the squirrel can be seen. With many small birds and mammals struggling to survive due to the weekly drop in air temperatures, the brick-red coat of the Red Fox stands out against most background features whilst scavenging for the unfortunate animals that have succumbed to the brutal weather. Back in my home county, if I am fortunate, each winter I can see four species of deer in the wilds of deepest Worcestershire.

Our local groups sister location to the WGC, RSPB Old Moor, is a pretty good venue to observe winter geese, wildfowl, waders, gulls and birds of prey. Many of these birds visit us to escape the harsher climes of northern latitudes, feasting in the food-rich habitats that Britain has to offer. Stretching for considerable distances over the skies of the UK in autumn, are skeins of noisy wild geese. Some species of these flocks over-winter nearby, and can be found feeding in local fields and roosting in the shallow lagoons. Wildfowl is in abundance, with the male ducks having a tendency to be more colourful than the females. This makes identification of each species easier. With a bit of good fortune we might hear the evocative calls of Bewick’s and Whooper Swans. Is this really wishful thinking on my part? I do believe, however, that over the years the odd one or two have been recorded in the Dearne Valley. These Arctic breeders are considered to be the embodiment of winter birding. Flocks of waders feed in the shallow water of the scrapes, lagoons and Ings. Associated with large numbers of the commoner species of gull are the much rare Glaucous and Iceland, and the early evening roosts are worthy of investigation. Raptors move down from the uplands of northern Britain to the milder lowlands that prove to productive feeding grounds. They hunt over the Old Moor and other wetlands in the Dearne Valley; particular species to look for are harriers and falcons. Day flying owls too can be seen. A sure sign that these birds of prey are around is when the other birds, always the wildfowl, waders and LBJ’s (little brown jobs), fly up in panic. My esteemed friend Mark assures me that RSPB Old Moor is a decent place to be present after a bout of nasty weather conditions have passed through northern England. The winter weather can drive in ‘tasty’ and unusual birds seeking a safe haven from the elements. From the protection and comfort of the hides, these birds are easy to observe.

Frosty tree by P .Rutherford Snow drops in Spring by P. Rutherford

I look forward to the soon to come days when the weak winter sun rises higher in the sky gathering strength, and I can feel the warmth from the increasing daytime temperatures permeate through my body to warm my ageing bones. Spring will soon be upon us. The warmer weather and longer daylight hours will awaken and show new forms of life that have been very slowly growing beneath the soil. There will be bird song – seriously noisy in spring – the dawn chorus. Queen bees will emerge from their torpid sleep and be out and about searching for suitable sites to form new colonies. Buds will burst into blossom and the spring flora will be in full bloom giving some trees and bushes a frothy appearance. I look forward to clusters of snowdrops in January and hazel trees with catkins from February onwards. As early as January, the bubbly jelly, frogspawn, appears in initially cloudy clumps, as opposed to the strings of toad spawn. Also eagerly anticipated in late spring, are the carpets of bluebells in Ecclesall Woods, and, if a breeze is carried through the woodland and catches the scent given off by these delightful flowers, it is a fragrant gift – heaven sent. Excuse the pun. To conclude, the previous season will just be a memory of inclement weather and the short daylight hours either side of the winter solstice – December 21st, that is, mid-winter’s day.

BNA meeting 9th August - Insects and Newts: By Mark Dudley The group absent of a few regulars, probably due to the holidays were marched down to a patch of grassland behind Wentworth church. Even the curiosity of Bob and Chris to the Small Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata) distinguishable by the heart shaped leaves and hairless fruits did not halt Steve from reaching his destination. So with the newly purchased sweep nets in hand the group split into smaller groups and began to search for insects as the nets where swept from side to side through the grassland. Grasshoppers fell silent, Bees buzzed away and Butterflies fled. Steve gave a little talk about how the hedges at the side of the field were perfect for shelter for these creatures and with some strong gusts that morning that's probably where the butterflies were as only a solitary Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) was seen. I did find a Hoverfly from the Helophilus tribe basking in the sun on a Willow leaf but it flew away when I tried to capture it in a specimen pot, it's those big eyes they have. With the coffin pots in Bob's bag Steve marched us back to the Garden Centre for identification of fauna caught. Roy got out his new insect book by Paul D. Brock and plenty of Chinery books materialised as the groups split to identify their bounty. There were two grasshoppers a Meadow (Chorthrippus parallelus) and a Common Green (Omocestus viridulus); two flies although only one was identified Suillia variegata and a caterpillar which was identified as being the larvae of a White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda). I stayed back that afternoon, mainly because the title had newts in and my sister hadn't seen them. So after refreshments of coffee and a cream scone, yum, we went around the gardens. Wow in total I collected 10 different species of Hoverfly a record for me in a day, as well as the regulars the Marmalade fly (Epishyrus balteatus) and Tapered Drone fly (Eristalis pertinax) I captured 5 new specimens including the Batman fly (Myathropa florea) and both specimens of the Snout Hoverflies Ringhia campestris and Rhingia rostrata. The latter being the southern species, identifiable by the bluish thorax, and more brightly coloured face, legs and scutellum orange-yellow rather than dull brown. I just wish the rest of the group had been with me. Oh I also found a couple of Old Ladies in the Bear Pit, a first for the garden centre, no John it wasn’t Jane & Pauline. Editors Note – Are you being cheeky.....!

Rare Snout Fly Photo: Kevin Hinchcliffe Common Snout Fly Photo: de .M.Chevriaux http://aramel.free.fr/INSECTES15terterter'.shtml - source of the Common Snout fly

Batman Hoverfly Photo: Mark Dudley Old Lady: Photo Jillian Dudley

View from a Comfy Chair by the Chairman You may have noticed that in the programme for next year there are some meetings on and around the North East coast. It will, of course, be a great way to advance our knowledge of the coast and bring a new area to us that we may not have thought of for ourselves. This may seem a long way to travel especially when the Yorkshire coast seems so much closer, however, as it is more of a straight road up to the North East it takes about the same time to get there as it is to go to Bridlington. There is another reason for these visits and that is to help start another BNA group. Mark, John, Pauline and I have already been out with a group of people in the Whitley Bay area who have expressed an interest in what we do and we had a great day rock-pooling and looking around a local Dene with them. Obviously we will not be able to all go up there every month but if we can car share and everyone can make one or two visits with us, I will guarantee the area will not disappoint you. As for the programme of events in our local area I am looking forward to the New Year with more input from other group members with new subjects for us all to get stuck into (I am sure you must get sick of my voice) and of course the visit by June Chatfield in December. As for this newsletter we have the conclusion to John’s brilliant three part work on lichens, Pauline and Mark with accounts of some of the recent walks and another fascinating article by Nora on her grasses, rushes and sedges course that she recently attended; I am sure we will all congratulate them on these pieces of work when we meet up with them. And remember that Pauline is always looking for articles to publish here; it is a great way to develop your natural history skills.

Grasses, Sedges and Rushes Course at Preston Montford July 2014 by Nora Boyle

Last year Steve Rutherford asked us all to take on an area of study which we could share with the rest of the group, with the intention of sharpening our identification skills. I, along with Ann and Trevor Bailey, was allocated Grasses, Sedges and Rushes. So, with the intention of taking this challenge seriously, I decided to enroll on a weekend course at the Field Studies Council Centre at Preston Montford, in Shropshire. It was most decidedly the best thing to do. I can now say that, amongst others, I can recognize “floppy flacca” and “hairy knees “! By that I mean I know the identifying features of Glaucous Sedge, Carex flacca, affectionately known as floppy flacca because the lower spike droops and Creeping Soft grass, Holcus Mollis, known as hairy knees because of the hairy nodes on the culm.

Carex flacca Holcus mollis

Having taken a closer look at the 3 groups beforehand, for the Field visit with the BNA group earlier in July, I was in a good position to converse with the others and the tutor without sounding as though I knew nothing! Several of the students worked for organizations which conducted surveys and so were there as part of their job study and were very keen!

The course managed a great deal in a short time. From Friday teatime to Monday teatime we spent time in the classroom learning what to look for in the identification of the three groups, and time out in the field putting our new found knowledge into practice and seeing first hand which species grow in different habitats. Preston Montford is ideally situated for a walk in the nearby meadows and round a local pond allowing us to find several species without even driving anywhere. The other locations we visited were Colemere (heathland), Sweeney Fen, Wildmoor Pool and Llanymynoch Quarry (limestone), in order to see a variety of species in their natural habitat and to collect specimens to press back in the classroom. Brenda brought her collections to show us how to make a professional job!

Colemere Sweeney Fen

The tutor, Brenda Harold, is an experienced Botanist who has been leading the course at Preston Montford for four years. She is also the director of an online Identifying plants course. She has her own approach to identifying species and with a sense of humour she did her best to convey her expertise in such a short time. Basically what she was trying to tell us was first how to recognize individual species as being either a Grass, a Rush or a Sedge.

Wildmoor Pool Llanymynoch Quarry

A very simple way to decide whether you’re looking at a grass, a sedge or a rush is to look at the stems then apply this rhyme. Sedges have edges, rushes are round Grasses are hollow, what have you found?

(However rushes are divided into True rushes which have round stems and Wood rushes which have flat stems so it’s not infallible!) Also when you get your eye in, other identifying features will help you decide which of the three groups you are looking at.

Typical grass: Meadow Foxtail, Alopecurus pratensis Typical Sedge: Galingale, Cyperus longus Typical Rush: Soft rush, Juncus effusus

Then, using previous experience and knowledge decide which genera an individual belonged to and only then use the keys to determine the actual species. As we already know, having to use a key from the very beginning is difficult and time consuming so if you have some idea of what genera you might be looking at, it’s easier either to use the key for that group or to check out the possibilities from the descriptions in any of the books i.e. Hubbard. For instance, if you know you’re looking at a brome you can then go to the “Key for Bromes" in Rose. However, before doing that, Brenda advocated looking at the pictures which, in some cases, helps you to work with the descriptions to narrow it down even further. Learning diagnostic features with an experienced Botanist is invaluable and means you don’t have to check out every part of the description in the book which can be quite long and complicated. Not only that but some parts of the description are impossible to use at certain times of the year. For instance, if the description involves counting the stamens this obviously can only be done when the flower is open. We did key out two grasses from the beginning using the New Flora of the British Isles 3rd Edition by C. Stace just to give us the experience but it wasn’t the easiest of things to do.(we did know what they were to begin with and that made it a little easier!) We used Stace because recently some of the grasses have had their names changed and books like Rose and Hubbard use the old names. I don’t think we’re talking about many but Brenda said if you are a recorder you should be using the latest names e.g. Barren Brome was called Bromus sterilis, now it’s called Anisantha sterilis. I think there was a good balance between classroom work and field work with lots of hands on examination of specimens brought into the classroom so that we could be familiar with what we were looking for when we went out in the field. I think I have learned a lot and would definitely recommend the course for anyone wishing to increase their knowledge of the subject. Only time will tell how much I remember in terms of recognizing species by sight and what exactly to look for in terms of identifying features to confirm suspicions! Since completing the course I have created an A5 book of pressed grass, rush and sedge specimens labelled with some of the most obvious diagnostic features. The book is intentionally small so that I can carry it with me when intending to concentrate on the identification of the three groups. Consequently, in most cases, I have only pressed

the flower head and where possible an example of a leaf with a ligule. In the case of some very short species I have included the basal leaves and root area i.e. Juncus bulbosa.

Nardus stricta, Mat grass Juncus Bulbosa, Bulbous rush

The pressed specimens include some species which are quite distinctive and so looking through them at the beginning of the season will serve as a reminder. Of course we only looked at a small number of species of each family but I know much more now than before I embarked on the course. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the FSC centre and the tutor, although this was the last time Brenda intends to work at Preston Montford. She will however be doing the same course at one of the other centres. Other tutors offer a similar course.

Recommended Books (I would suggest looking at a copy before you buy) Francis Rose: Colour Identification Guide to Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns of British Isles and NW Europe. Hardback, fairly large book mainly for reference and study rather than a field guide. Editor’s note: - Nora takes specimens and puts them in a notebook with details for identification; this is an excellent idea, one we could all use and learn from.

LICHENS by John Dibbs In the penultimate month of this year, a Saturday morning or two fieldwork sessions have been planned for introductory work concerning the study and identification of lichens. The completed three part article will have, with a bit of luck, prepared any local group member who may waver at the idea of studying these simple slow growing and interesting plants. The paper is in three parts. Part 1 (Spring edition newsletter Nº 6) dealt with what is lichen and what it is not; a description of the said plant; the naming of lichens and finally, the habitats in which lichen thrive. Part 2 (Summer edition newsletter Nº 7) was concerned with the economic benefits from lichen; that lichen harm plants is a phallacy; and the place of lichens in the food web and as a human food resource. Part 3 below refers to how I became involved in the study and co-delivery of some of the identification sessions at the Wentworth Garden Centre, RSPB Old Moor and any other location. Hopefully, some fellow members may be inspired to concentrate on a particular aspect of natural history and, as Pauline states one of the objectives in the very first issue of the local group newsletter (Winter 2012/2013) paragraph 3, optimistically “our group members will be encouraged to build on their skills so they can lead their own short walks and share their knowledge and expertise with us all”. Pauline goes on to state “perhaps we may even produce a few more experts who can follow Steve’s lead and become recognised for their skills within the BNA by becoming MBNAs themselves”.

LICHENS – Part 3 The reason writing this article is the result of an approximately 90 second conversation with Steve in the not too distant past. Due to an invitation from Pauline for BNA SY branch members to attend a mini-leaving ‘do’ entitled “Steve’s Freedom” on Thursday 24th October last year at RSPB Old Moor, I duly wrote the date and time down in my diary and decided to attend and include a day bird watching on the reserve. This mini-leaving celebration was prior to official leaving presentation from the said bird reserve. I attended the former gathering. (I must say, lovely coffee and cakes plus the good company of several branch members). After the soiree, Steve offered me a lift into Sheffield as far as the Northern General Hospital later in the afternoon where he was heading to collect Pauline who works there. The brief (and I mean, very brief) conversation about my interest in lichens occurred just as we approached the NGH. All was well until an e-mail ‘shot’ from Pauline, dated 17th November, when I noticed my name along with Mark Dudley and Di Farrar (don’t panic Di, all will be revealed a little later), that we were invited to lead a couple of sessions entitled ‘lichens, mosses and ferns’ in October and November of this year. The invitation read, “it’s a chance to pass on your skills that you have learnt but also to discover and learn new things together, and you don’t have to be an expert”. Up until this date, I would casually observe lichens in whichever environment or habitat that I happened to be visiting. Not once did I carry one of my FSC A5 laminated field guides, or indeed, make field notes. These observations were just an interested and momentary look at the lichens as I walked around. On reflection, I felt flattered to be asked. After an initial panic of a matter of minutes, confidence was restored when I realized that the sessions would be co-led, that a rudimentary knowledge and interest was needed (it would be a learning and fun exercise for all who participate) and above all, Mark was named as a co-leader. Seeing his name brightened up the idea of being more involved with the local group as I had already met Mark in the RSPB Sheffield local group. Recently, of course, I have got to know Di. So, all is well in that department. An up-date, however, of the co-leaders for the autumn lichen, mosses and fern forays now names Kevin, Mark and Roy and me in a variety of combinations – so Di, there is no need to enter the realm of consternation.

Four pictures of Scottish Lichens “Living Art” Photos by S. Rutherford

My actual interest began in the summer of 2012, when I joined an organized geological history walk around Sheffield General Cemetery (off Ecclesall Road). The FoSGC organize an annual highly educational geology walk around the burial ground itself, entitled ‘Rock Around the Cemetery’, led by Peter Kennet. This is to locate natural stone and geological features and learn about the processes in creating the rocks found there. Also you are introduced to the different types of rock in the form of gravestones, monuments and buildings etc. Peter did mention the large numbers and varieties of lichen evident on the many types of natural stone and the bark on trees, twigs etc. The old brain started to tick over, that an investigation and study of the lichen in the SGC might be an enjoyable and informative exercise for me to get my teeth into. The cemetery is a treasure trove for the study of the many aspects of natural history. Above all, it is a 10 minute ‘bus ride from my home in Millhouses, and it could well become (to quote Bill Oddie) my ‘local patch’, certainly for regular bird watching excursions and to put a little time by for lichen study and anything else that grabs my curiosity. Well needless to say, the SGC has become one of my local patches, but the bird watching occupies all of my attention. Also, since joining the BNA and participating in the SY local group programme of field events and the MBNA timetabled agenda organised and tutored by Steve, I have not found the time to fit in a lichen safari to the cemetery. (No complaints in this department Pauline and Steve – I love my time spent with our jolly and happy band of budding Attenborough’s). I did, however, in anticipation of my proposed study of the lichen found in the SGC, purchase a good quality Field Hand Lens and a portable Fieldscope.

I have enjoyed researching the world of lichen. Botanical words and phrases from my GCE days in the ‘Swinging 60s’ have reappeared. New biological words and maxims have been encountered; hence the definitions appearing in parentheses after each scientific term in the article (for my benefit) when I re-read this account entitled ‘Lichens’. The scientific names will, for me, prove quite a daunting prospect when I co-deliver, or indeed, at a later date solely lead a session. It is not like bird watching. The recognition and pronunciation of such avian species as Robin, Mute Swan or Blue Tit does not create a problem, whereas Scoliciosporum chlorococcum and Haematomma ochroleucum require a good quality hand lens for identification and articulation of the named specimens does not readily trip off the tongue. I have read somewhere in the last 12 months that the German and French lichen hunters are now giving common names to lichen. This is to encourage a younger generation (who keep away from this group of simple plants – the Latin puts them off) to study and become involved, so that when the senior lichenologists retire or expire, there will be enthusiasts and maybe future scholars to replace them. When I mentioned this to Steve Clements (National Trust Senior Fungi Recorder on the Longshaw Estate in Derbyshire and formerly the SNHS Fungi Recorder), he said the same is true of mycology – again the German, Swiss and French mushroom and toadstool hunters are giving common names to many of their fungi. Encouraging the younger generations to become engaged in natural history seems to be proving a problem. Most of the natural history field meetings, workshops and indoor events that I am involved in, almost all of the age make up is senior in years. At a Sheffield local group RSPB indoor meeting last year entitled ‘Biscay and Picos – 4 go mad in Spain’, the presenter Jeff Clarke said that the particular ferry service that he uses regularly, travelling from the UK to Spain across the Bay of Biscay, there were no groups of British youngsters involved in sea watching not only for ocean-going birds but also cetaceans. The only thing that gave him heart was that on board were organised parties of young French and Spanish people specifically there for porpoise and whale watching. Encouraging a younger generation to become actively involved in the natural world seems to be a nation-wide cause for concern.

Beautiful trees in Rotherham and Barnsley. By Steven Rutherford MBNA

The natural history of woodlands and hedgerows have been well studied in Britain with publications such as Trees, Woods and Man by H. L. Edlin, Woodland Birds by E. Simms, Hedges by E Pollard, M. D. Hooper & N. W. Moore and Woodlands by Oliver Rackham all from the New Naturalist Library. Trees can, however, be easily overlooked when looking at the natural history of an area; it’s just that they are so big and obvious that most of the time it is easy for the naturalist to note the name of the tree and then spend the rest of the time looking for other things on or around the trees rather than giving the trees a second look. And yet the trees give structure to the scenery as well as being so important to the natural history of an area and are so much more than the sum of its parts of roots, trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, buds and flowers. Also a tree that is left to live a full and natural life so it can propagate, grow old and then finally die and decay is becoming more unusual with the offending tree usually cut down and the

wood removed efficiently from the site. I have my own favourite trees that draw me to them for all sorts of reasons and so would like to share some of them with the reader and give the reasons why they are special to me. I have also chosen to write this article in a very non scientific way to reflect the emotive side of being a Naturalist and hopefully express how I feel when I meet these huge organisms. The trees that I have chosen themselves, on first impression, may not seem to have great value as they are neither unusual species, or most of them, of any great age; their value to me is therefore twofold, in the fact that I will go out of my way to look at them (just because something is common does that take away its beauty?) and also that some of them may not be around for too many years as they are in vulnerable positions or are at the later stage in their life.

Wych Elm in Thorpe Hesley Churchyard Rotherham.

The churchyard of Holy Trinity Church in my home village of Thorpe Hesley has a mix of trees of a similar size and age being mainly common lime with English oak and sycamore. There are then a few saplings of cherry, ash, hawthorn and wych elms of various ages; all of the conifers have recently been removed except a particularly good example of a Japanese white pine that adds to the arboreal interest of this area and three Irish yews. The tree chosen to profile here is the oldest of the wych elms with the cats-tongue rasp from the leaves and the large but delicate winged seeds that show through the spring and then litter the churchyard like confetti. My attraction to this tree is, however, through the winter months and shows the growth and history of this particular specimen. When seen the structure gives a comic impression of a goal that could hold the unbeliever of the parish until submitted into the fold. This natural looking jail was created by the tree being cut to ground level at an early stage then being left to grow in this coppiced way. This cutting down of the tree and being left to grow happened to other trees in the churchyard, mainly sycamore, but have not left this fun shaped growth of this elm that continues to make me smile. Like the English elm the wych elm is susceptible to Dutch elm disease, however, the English elm will reproduce freely by the use of suckers where as the wych elm relies solely on seeds to propagate and therefore it takes longer to re-establish within an area. It is always a sad time when trees are lost to former strong holds and it is not just the wych elm here that is vulnerable, with the spread of ash dieback and threats to the oaks and Scots pine in Europe, the damage to horse chestnut and other threats to our trees the monitoring of our local tree population is looking more and more important.

Hawthorn trees at Wentworth Church Rotherham.

The pretty village of Wentworth is worth a visit for its own sake with its houses with stone roofs, the magnificent stately home of Wentworth Wood House with a longer façade than that of Buckingham Palace and being surrounded by a park and beautiful countryside dotted with the curious follies left from when the owners of the “Big House” were a force within the British Aristocracy. The path that leads down to the church from this house was there by design so the gentry could saunter down to the church on a Sunday morning while being able to exchange pleasantries with the local work force. Down one side of this pathway is a small copse of mixed trees that include common lime, holly, sycamore and ash while on the other side there is a line of widely spaced sycamore and common lime separating the path from the adjacent field. Also along this path there are a few fine mature trees that stand out from the others including a sycamore in a paddock that was struck by lightning more than thirty years ago, and the opening cleft that has been left by that strike is now regularly used as a home for a little owl family. There is also a large copper beech that blazes with colour in the summer sunshine, a very fine hornbeam next to the New Churchyard and a large yew growing next to it with another opposite in the Old Churchyard. Any one of these trees could have been included as one of my favourite trees; I have chosen, however, a group of ten hawthorns that have been set out on the triangular section of grass as one approach the church on this path and have been planted out in an open formation; and there they have been allowed to grow to maturity. The effect of this on the aspect to the church is very pleasing but why these trees were planted on this opening triangle when so many other trees could have easily eclipsed the diminutive hawthorns for size and presence is hard to think. The result, however, is a delicate and light area that does not distract the viewer from the impressive sight of the church while also allowing easy access and an almost playful feel to the area for the visitor. It is in winter, once again, more so than summer that shows a different side to the planting of this stand of trees and the foresight of the planter comes to bear. For it is when the leaves have fallen that the beauty of the bark and the twists and turns in the growth of the individual trees is seen. The structure and grace of these quite ordinary trees lifts them to a higher standing than any other hawthorns that I have come across. Just as a foot note to the hawthorn story one of

them blew down this winter and this is the second to be brought down by the winter gales in recent years, others look as if they too may be vulnerable to these high winds so this tail may be an important record to this unusual planting of these trees.

Hawthorn Trees at Wentworth London Plane at Wentworth

Photos by S. Rutherford

London Plane Wentworth Garden Centre.

Also within the village of Wentworth is the large independent garden centre and almost my second home with formal gardens that includes some interesting trees. When visiting this garden centre it is noticeable how well laid out the car park is with trees to help create a cool microclimate for the cars left there in the summer months. The planting is repeated throughout this area consisting of whitebeam, rowan, cherry and a fastigiated form of hornbeam giving the later the typical “ace of spades” shape. Of cause the whitebeam, rowan and cherry are good for attracting birds to their fruits in the winter and insects to the flowers in the spring and summer. On the west side of the car park near the entrance is a line of common lime with one magnificent mature English elm. On the opposite side of the car park is a row of nineteen mature horse chestnuts that have a look that they may have been pollards at some time. This row of trees separates the parking area from the formal gardens with other interesting planting of trees including an old hornbeam hedge and a maze of yew giving birds like linnets, robins and song thrushes nesting opportunities, with then laburnum trees and different Acers giving vibrant colours in the spring and then autumn and an interesting London plane. The London plane is not an unusual or important tree in itself; with their extensive planting in towns and cities making them a common tree and allowing thousands of people to walk past them every day throughout the British Isles without giving them a second glance. This particular tree has, however, been recorded as a “notable tree” by the Tree Registry in recognition of its size and age.

The Oak Trees at RSPB Old Moor Barnsley.

This predominantly wetland reserve has few large trees but there is an old and very mixed hedge that runs from the main buildings out to what would have been part of the grazing area for the cattle when this site was an active farm. This hedge boasts some wonderful fruit trees that must have been planted accidentally by the farmers over the years by discarding the remains of their afters as they walked back to work with a tasty apple, pear or plum. The two trees in this tail are pedunculate oak and stand a little way off the end of this hedge but were a part of that hedgerow originally. They are now being linked again to that old hedge with the planting of new hedging trees by the RSPB. This point at which the oaks stand indicates the start of Green Lane that leads to Wath Ings bird hide and has up to one hundred thousand people passing each year to view from this birding Mecca. The oaks also seem to be a focal point for old and new visitors to the reserve as the start to the main attraction. It is also a focal point for the birds as there are so few large perching points to display from apart from our chosen pair. Through the summer months I have watched whitethroats, blackcaps and chiffchaffs all singing from here, while in the winter

goldcrests, waxwings, fieldfares and even firecrests have kept me entertained; through the summer nights bats are buzzing around these trees and use one of them as a nursery roost. There is also a magic here on warm summer evenings; as the sun eventually starts to set thousands of insects hatch out in these oaks and as they swarm up out of the trees it looks as if the trees are on fire as the insects ascend in swirling streams of what looks like smoke from a chimney.

Oak Trees at Old Moor Photo by P. Rutherford

Fern-leaf Beech Huddersfield Road Barnsley.

Some trees can have a wow factor because of their dramatic setting or shape giving them great impact; others may be rare or even endemic to that area, as we have seen here some may be a local focal point or be of importance to the whole of the surrounding ecology. With this tree it is none of the above – it is just the fact that it is there! It stands in the garden of three newish blocks of flats close to the town centre of Barnsley on the busy Huddersfield Road. Even this is unusual in as much as the other buildings on this road are showing their age by being blackened by the towns industrial past, and the other trees planted in the gardens on that road are the usual sycamore, holly, horse chestnut, cherry, elder or privet with the inevitable modern conifers. There is also a line of London plane along the footpath on the opposite side of the road. I could understand if this tree was a common beech, but why a fern leaf beech? Its impact to the tree observer is obvious; it makes me stop, look and wonder, but is that obvious impact there for the other people on Huddersfield Road that pass by? I think not; as I said earlier - on first look, it is quite ordinary – all it takes is a second look with some knowledge of trees to smile and give a nod of appreciation to the person who planted this tree as something a little different.

Coming up…….. December 6th AGM at Wentworth Garden Centre December 14th June Chatfield returning to do a mosses & liverworts workshop. A full and packed 2015 Programme with some old favourites – watch this space! Copy date for the winter newsletter is January 23rd – so come on get writing I NEED YOUR ARTICLES….PLEASE! Email prutherford161@btinternet.com