October News

Although there can be some lingering summery weather in late September, we are definitely into autumn in October. Even so, you may still see the odd butterfly on warmer days; these are likely to be species such as Peacock that over-winter as adults and will be the first to appear in spring. Unfortunately, this is 5-6 months away, so enjoy them while you can.  There are also still some late dragonflies around, in fact i saw a few darters there on Sunday.

Most of the summer migrant birds have now left and we can look forward to the arrival of the winter visitor birds. Usually, the first are flocks of Redwing, which often arrive during the night but can be detected by their thin, high whistle. Often they can arrive in large numbers that are very hungry and can strip berry bearing trees such as hawthorn in a few hours.

The Redwing is slightly smaller and darker than the Song Thrush and easily identified by the red mark under its wing. If you see a flock of thrushes feeding in bushes or on fields, they are almost certain to be Redwings.

As the leaves start to fall, you can see fungi around the site, especially after damp weather. Some of the fungi such as the Birch Bracket fungus can be seen all through the year but is far more obvious in winter. You can see them on the branches and trunks of many dead birch trees around the site. If you are lucky, you may also see the classically coloured Fly Agaric on the woodland floor. This species is poisonous, as are several others so if in doubt, don’t pick them!

Phil Rees

September News

The larger Hawker dragonfly species become more noticeable as we go into September although there are still many smaller Darter dragonflies around.

One of the rarer species on the site, the Migrant Hawker, starts to appear in September. This species is unusual in that the adults are comparatively tolerant of each other whereas the other species are constantly tussling. So if you see several large dragonflies that are flying together, they could be Migrant Hawkers like this one.

There are still some large butterflies about in September, particularly those that will eventually over-winter as adults or those that are migratory and only arrive in late summer here. One fairly common migratory species to look out for is the Red Admiral and, if you are very lucky, you may see a Painted Lady.

Many of the summer birds are now leaving for warmer over-wintering locations. Although their songs make them very obvious when they arrive, they mostly slip away quietly and un-noticed. The main exception to this is the Swallow. On occasions it will be possible to see hundreds passing through. Risley Moss can also be a ‘drop-in’ for birds on passage from more northerly breeding areas so there is always the chance of unexpectedly seeing rare species.

September is also when fungi start to appear. The large white cone-shaped ones you can see along the paths are likely to be Shaggy Ink-caps. This species is edible but, unless you are an expert, do not take them as some species are very poisonous.  Also if you want to learn more about Fungi come to an event in October :

Sunday 9th October  10.00am to 12 noon

FUNGAL FORAY

Bring all the family along and join our local enthusiast on this introduction to mushrooms and toadstools and learn some funky fungus facts and some foraging skills in the woodland.

Places are limited so please book in advance on 01925 824339

Phil Rees

This month is when the main Dragonfly emergence takes place. By far the most common small dragonfly you will see will be the Black Darter, which is a species associated primarily with peaty areas such as Risley Moss. The other species comparatively frequently seen is the Common Darter. One of the best places to see both species is the ‘Wild Flower Patch’ where they regularly perch on the seat and the “Do not pick the Wild Flowers” sign.

The dragonflies are so numerous that they become the main food source for that most elegant small falcon, the Hobby. On a sunny day you can see from the Tower up to 3 or 4 of them flying over the mossland, catching Dragonflies in mid air, in fact last year there were uo to 7 on some occasions.  If you are lucky they may fly really close to the observation tower from where you will get a fantastic view.

There are also some small butterflies (less than 3cm wing span) around. One regularly seen is the moth-like Large Skipper which is found around blackberry flowers. There are two small blue butterfly species on the site, but if you see one, it will probably be a Holly Blue. However, the most common butterfly is the medium sized Gatekeeper, which can be seen all around the site.

Phil Rees

June News

June is the month of the annual Green Safari Day at Risley Moss now to be known at the Risley Moss Summer Open Day, see our events page for details

(http://www.rimag.org.uk/index.php/events/).

The Open Day is a great day out with the opportunity to see a wide range of exhibits and have the opportunity to go on guided walks into areas of the site not usually open to the public.

Although some birds are still singing (especially those that have multiple broods) most are now much quieter as they concentrate on feeding their young and recuperating.  They are more difficult to see amongst the tree foliage despite there being more birds on site at this time of year than any other!  Even those you can see can sometimes confuse. If you see this little bird that acts like a Robin, it is probably a Robin but a young one (the orange / red breast comes later).

As you go around the site, you may also see some white butterflies. These are generally not the Large or Small White, whose caterpillars eat our cabbages and nasturtiums, but are Green-veined White, which do not feed on garden plants. If you see a brown butterfly, it is most likely to be a Speckled Wood. These are amongst the easiest species to photograph because they readily perch low down and return to the same spot.

The Large Red Damselflies that emerged in May are joined by some blue damselflies in June. There are six ‘blue’ species in the UK which are very difficult to separate. Fortunately, only one species, the Azure Damselfly is common at Risley Moss so that is the one you are likely to see. It breeds prolifically in the pond near the Visitor Centre and can often be seen perched on surrounding vegetation.

Four-spot Chaser dragonflies are now appearing in numbers and can be seen anywhere around the site so look out for them. However, the main dragonfly emergence is not until July and August when up to 12 species can be seen.

Phil Rees, June 2016

May 2016 News

Despite the cold wet April weather, the woodland is full of singing birds, including all of the nesting summer visitors. However, they are difficult to see because they are often hidden by the leaves on the trees. It is well worth learning their songs and calls because you can identify up to 20 species without actually seeing any!

The first butterflies and damsel / dragonflies are now appearing. Most of the early butterflies are those that over-wintered as adults such as the Peacock, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.  The bright yellow male Brimstone is particularly noticeable at this time of year. All of these over-wintering species are hoping to mate, after which they will soon die.  However, their offspring will appear in late July and August.

Already, you can see some butterfly species flying that over-wintered as pupae, such as the Speckled Wood. This species has very obvious pale yellow spots on its inner wings. It has multiple broods and can be seen throughout the summer, often seen in sunny spots in the woodland, near flowering blackberries.

The first damselfly to appear is the Large Red Damselfly. It breeds prolifically in the pond near the Visitor Centre and can often be seen perched on surrounding vegetation. If you look very carefully, you may even see one emerging from its larva on the reeds in the pond. Dragonflies will start to appear in early June, so look out for them. The earliest is likely to be the Four-spot Chaser.

(Phil Rees)