Field recording days 2014
Harry Green
Three special field recording days were arranged for the summer of 2014 organised by Worcestershire Recorders and supported by Worcestershire Biological Records Centre, the latter managing the records on their database.
Black House Wood, Suckley, 7th June 2014, central grid reference SO733521.
An ancient woodland site lying on a Silurian limestone ridge. The wood is well-known for a rich flora but records for other groups relatively few in number. An important site for both Small-leaved and Large-leaved lime. Partly planted with conifers in the past. The wood is being purchased by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust as a reserve and the Trust kindly gave permission to visit.
Pound Green Common, Button Oak, Wyre Forest, 5th July 2014, central grid reference SO754789
Pound Green Common is an important heathland site in the process of rehabilitation and recently acquired by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Many thanks for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust for permission to visit.
Grafton Wood, Grafton Flyford, 2nd August 2014, central grid reference SO972560. A visit to a large area cleared of conifers three years previously.
Grafton Wood is an ancient woodland site managed and jointly owned by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation for many years. Three years previously two large blocks of conifers were clear-felled and this visit was aimed at those areas. Many thanks to both owners for giving permission to visit.
The striking feature of all three recording days was rain. It was raining when we arrived at Black House Wood and only stopped for a short period in the afternoon (pictures 01, 02, 03). Despite this over 300 records were sent to WBRC. The rain had stopped when we arrived at Pound Green Common and the day was cloudy with occasional shafts of sunshine. However the vegetation was wet making invertebrate sampling difficult (04, 05, 06). We arrived at Grafton Wood after a night of torrential rain which slowly stopped as we crossed the fields to the wood. Again the vegetation was extremely wet making invertebrate recording difficult (07, 08). By far the wettest recording year we have ever experienced.
The aim of the field recording days is to obtain as many records of as many groups of plants and animals as possible to give a ‘snapshot’ for the day. Whether we succeed in this aim or not depends on who attends on the day and the weather conditions. 25-27 people booked for each recording day 2014 but the weather took its toll and attendance was 14, 21 and 9 people. Nevertheless a good range of expertise was present with over 300 records for the first two days but around half that for the third day.
Images
01. Mick Blythe and Dave Scott Black House wood. Nicki Farmer.
02. Lunch Black House wood. Nicki Farmer
03. Invertebrate sampling with brolly. Nicki Farmer
04. Recorders at Pound Green Common. Nicki Farmer.
05. Recording day 05July2014 Pound Green Common Mike Averill & Dave Scott & Brett Westwood. Harry Green
06. Recording day 05July2014 Pound Green Common, Rosemary Winnall & Brett Westwood. Harry Green
07. Grafton Wood recording day in wet clearfell. Harry Green.
08. Grafton Wood recording day lunch in iron storage container. Harry Green.
