Tag: North East Nature

Exploring North East Nature in 2022 – A Few Highlights

A summary of a fantastic year spent watching, recording, and enjoying North East nature. often in great company.

Well, I had thought that 2022 had been a quiet year on the wildlife front but apparently not, and as ever when it comes to writing these festive round-ups, I again have far too much to discuss. Do bear with me.

Before we get going, however, a huge thank you to the friends who have helped make 2022 such an awesome year for wildlife. If you have shared a tip, nugget of wisdom, or location, or have spent an afternoon rummaging around in shrubbery with me, this means you! Nature definitely is better when experienced together.

Orchids Galore

Now, I usually make a point of seeking out orchids each year, but in 2022, they have taken on a special focus. With the launch of NHSN’s Discovering Orchids project, there was plenty of recording to be done across the North East. This meant lots of visits to the far-flung corners of our region in search of some truly beautiful plants. Indeed, I think I encountered more orchids this year than ever before, including several new species.

From Bird’s-nest Orchids at Allen Banks to fantastic floral displays on Lindisfarne, there was an awful lot to see in 2022. Better still, some of these sightings and those of dozens of other botanists have now been published in Orchids of North East England, available now from NHSN. It was certainly a pleasure to contribute to such a fantastic publication.

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)
Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)
Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata)
Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris)

Urban Botanising

For this city botanist, urban plans have been a real theme of 2022. Just as they are in most years really – I think I may have a problem.

What has been slightly different in 2022 has been the focus on more detailed recording. Back in October, I decided to start work on what I am loosely calling an “Urban Flora of Newcastle”. So far, this has seen 70+ hours spent in the field, 20 tetrads visited and some 2500 records collected of 530 species (and a few hybrids too). A mind-boggling total given the time of year and the relatively low number of squares visited.

I plan to continue work on the flora for the next few years, hopefully writing it up in due course. The diversity of plants in the city never fails to surprise and truth be told, I am finding the whole thing thoroughly addictive.

Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica)
Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata)
Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum)
Peach-leaved Bellflower (Campanula persicifolia)

Ladybird Discoveries

I think that by now, just about everyone knows that I love ladybirds. Searching for them is a little like fishing in that you never quite know what you’re going to encounter.

This year has seen too many exciting discoveries and notable observations to count. So much so that ladybirds have been given a round-up all of their own. You can read it here.

Now that I have the pleasure of volunteering with the UK Ladybird Survey, I’ll certainly be sticking with the spotty blighters for years to come.

Cream-streaked Ladybird (Harmonia quadripunctata)

Noteworthy Plants

As a botanist, the vast majority of my free time is spent looking for plants. This year has been no different and with countless hours spent rummaging a variety of wild and urban areas, there have been a couple of good finds. Two that spring to mind are county firsts in Pale St. John’s-wort (Hypericum montanum) and Sorbus latifolia. The latter came as quite a surprise during a casual wander along the Tyne back in Summer.

Elsewhere in the North East, Forked Catch-fly (Silene dichotoma) was an exciting find at Gosforth Nature Reserve, as was Scots Lovage (Ligusticum scoticum) on Lindisfarne. Trips elsewhere have seen a whole manner of exciting discoveries too at places such as Hareshaw Linn, Alnmouth, and Berwick. Really, it has been a good year for botanising. Hopefully, there’ll be lots more to come in 2023.

Sorbus latifolia
Pale St. John’s-wort (Hypericum montanum)

Dabbling in Bugs

Do any other naturalists out there find they only have a finite amount of brain space for tackling new taxonomic groups? I certainly do! This year, I wanted to change things up a little and begin recording beyond my usual plants and familiar insects. Bugs seemed like an obvious place to start and I am pleased to say that I have encountered my fair share. Aphids have been fun to tackle this year and getting my eye in, I have seen a fabulous array of shieldbugs too. Not least the lovely blue chap pictured below. Add to these a variety of mirids and this new addition to my local biological recording has been most enjoyable if a tad hard to come to terms with!

Meadow Plant Pug (Leptopterna dolabrata)
Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea)
Blue Shieldbug (Zicrona caerulea)

Awards and New Opportunities

Anyone who knows me will know that it came as quite a surprise to win the National Biodiversity Network ‘Newcomer Award’ back in November. Not least because I am unsure of what exactly I have done to deserve it! That said, I am so immensely grateful to NBN for the lovely confidence boost and of course, the nifty profile page here. It really does mean a lot to be recognised for something I have loved since childhood.

This year, I also became an iRecord verifier for the UK Ladybird Survey covering Durham and Northumberland and began helping botanical VCRs in South Northumberland with verification too. Who needs free time, eh? It has certainly been nice to live vicariously through the sightings of others.

A wildflower walk at Silverlink Biodiversity Park

A New Local Botany Group

Oh look, a bunch of happy, smiling botanists!

Pondering the local botanical scene back in October, I came to the conclusion that a new group was needed. One with a focus on both supporting one another and on recording too. Sending out a few feelers, I was thrilled with the turnout with some twenty-eight people coming forward to be involved from all corners of the local area.

Fast forward a few months and several of us have enjoyed a few nice local walks at Walker and Tynemouth. 2023 will surely bring new opportunities and it will be great to get some serious recording done as our small and informal group grows and visits new places.

If anyone would like to join in, do get in touch. More the merrier!

Our new Northumberland Botany Group on a recent trip to Tynemouth

Magic moments

Not everything needs to be about serious biological recording – even if it may seem that way on this blog from time to time. Sometimes it is nice to simply sit back and soak in the joys of the natural world. Thankfully, 2022 provided limitless opportunities to do just that and whether we’re talking seabirds on the Farne Islands or orchids in the depths of County Durham, wonderful experiences have abounded this year.

Oddly, of all the great things seen and heard, it is a butterfly that sticks with me the most. The exquisite Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) shown below landed beside me during a trip to Rothbury back in Spring. A species I have seen only a handful of times, it was superb to spend a good while in its company and I was certainly left with a smile when it departed.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Looking ahead to 2023

While free time seems to grow ever scarcer with each passing year, there are several things I’d like to try (or at least resume) in 2023. In a time-honored tradition on this blog, I’ll be making a few New Year’s resolutions centered on wildlife, recording, and other aspects of natural history. It will be interesting to see how many I can live up to.

  • A big year of botany: working with fellow BSBI recorders, I hope to start work on a new Rare Plant Register for North Northumberland. Equally, I’ll also be trying to organise as many local outings as possible for botanists, beginners and experts alike to meet and share their knowledge. Watch this space.
  • Beginner’s botany: the response to my new series of beginner’s botanical cribs has been amazing. A big thank you to everyone who has taken a look so far. In 2023, I hope to create many more of these to share with budding botanists and hope possibly to record some as videos too.
  • Recording urban flora: true to form, I’ll be spending an increasing amount of time surveying Newcastle’s plant life with the aim of having visited all tetrads twice by December 2023. Hold me to the coals on this one!
  • Getting back into the swing of things: in 2023, I’ll aim to make more of an effort to share finds, discoveries, and interesting titbits online, something that has slipped in recent years. I’ll also be launching a Facebook page to help with this and dare I say it, a YouTube channel too. Hopefully, by doing so, at least one new person might be inspired to look closer at North East nature.

Where to watch wildlife in the North East: Silverlink Biodiversity Park

In a new series of articles, we’ll be taking a look at the best places to watch wildlife in  North East England.

By no means comprehensive but hopefully informative, these posts are intended to provide inspiration on where to visit in the North East to observe and enjoy nature, as well as detailing some of the wildlife you can expect to enjoy at these sites.

Based on the reports and sightings of North East naturalists and personal experience, I hope these posts might provide inspiration when choosing the destination of your next wild walk in the region.

Silverlink Biodiversity Park

A hidden gem in the heart of urban Tyneside, Silverlink Biodiversity Park is a fantastic spot at which to enjoy nature in the North East. Created in 1996 on the site of a former rubbish tip, the site was declared a local nature reserve in 2006.

Boasting a diverse array of habitats condensed into a small area of only 18 hectares, Silverlink supports woodland, hedgerow, wetland and grassland habitats. The latter of which being particularly worthy of a visit during the summer months due to an excess of invertebrates and vibrant plant life.

Invertebrates

One of the defining features of this urban oasis is its invertebrate community. The grassland areas here are particularly diverse and, in summer, hold a notable population of Dingy Skipper butterflies. Other butterflies to be seen here include good numbers of Common Blue, Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Large Skipper; while Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and the three more abundant ‘whites’ are all represented.

On warmer days in June and July, day-flying moths can be very abundant including a thriving colony of Six-spot and Narrow-bordered Five Spot Burnets – the larval casings of which can often be spotted perched atop grass stems throughout the meadow area. Other species seen include Latticed Heath, Mother Shipton and Silver Y.

Silverlink Biodiversity Park is notable locally for Odonata and dragonflies and damselflies on-site include Common Darter, Southern Hawker, Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red, Common Blue and Azure Damselfly. A Lesser Emperor, marking only the second-ever county record, was found at the site in 2019.

The lesser recorded insect groups at Silverlink Biodiversity are equally worthy of attention. Of these, hoverflies are conspicuous and recent trips have revealed species such as Cheilosia illustrata, Scaeva pyrastri and plenty of the eye-catching and abundant Heliophilus pendulus.

Plant life

Botany at Silverlink Biodiversity Park is a real pleasure. For many, it is the sites Bee Orchids that hold the greatest appeal and in good years, many of these beautiful flowers can be seen throughout the sites grassland areas. In damp spots, Northern Marsh Orchid can also be found; while Common Spotted Orchid may appear anywhere across the site.

The grasslands of Silverlink are particularly interesting during high summer when species such as Viper’s Bugloss, Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch and Common Knapweed are in full bloom. There is also a nice area of Quaking Grass, Zigzag Clover and pockets of the quirky-looking Bladder Campion.

Damper, more verdant areas of the site hold small areas of Ragged Robin, Bittersweet, Marsh Thistle and Water Mint, with species such as Water Figwort popping up occasionally and an expansive area of prehistoric-looking Butterbur also present.

Given its urban location, it is also not unusual to find adventive, non-native species at Silverlink and this year alone, I have encountered Oriental Poppy, Globe Thistle and two unusual forms of ornamental Crane’s-bill.

Birdlife

Silverlink is not particularly notable for birdlife but the site still does hold a good range of species. Typical woodland species such as Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Jay can be seen; while Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel can be observed on site. Lucky visitors may also spot Long-eared Owl.

The small pools present on-site hold breeding Coot, Moorhen and Mallard and occasionally host Tufted Duck, Grey Heron and Gadwall. Only once have I heard Water Rail on-site; though with some relatively large sections of riparian vegetation, it is likely they can be seen year-round.

These small ponds demonstrated their potential to pull in interesting birdlife in 2017 when a stunning drake Ferruginous Duck was found on site. More on that here.

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) at Silverlink Biodiversity Park

Mammals

A nice array of mammals can be seen at Silverlink, including Roe Deer, Hedgehog and Red Fox. The small pockets of woodland hold Grey Squirrel; while small mammals seen here include Common Shrew, Wood Mouse and Bank Vole. Rabbits are less plentiful than they once were but remain, and visitors may encounter Weasel and Stoat across the site.

The benefits of ‘curtain twitching’

We all have days when everything feels like just a little bit too much: like myriad tasks are mounting up uncontrollably while motivation [and self-worth] are cascading downwards. Slumps and spells of low creativity as we bemoan mounting pressures but do little to combat them due to persistent, nagging and quite frankly, irritating, doubts. Yes, it has been one of those weeks – fine and dandy at work, and in public, but strangely deflated at home.

For some obscure reason, I have found myself demoralised of late. I wouldn’t go as far as to say “down” but definitely lacking the energy and incentive to do the things I usually love: writing, blogging, even birding. All of which has culminated in prolonged spells of sitting and staring vacantly at my laptop screen. Hoping for the miraculous resurgence of inspiration yet getting nowhere fast, until this morning that is, with a prolonged bout of ‘curtain twitching’.

I had chalked my recent slump up to a lack of time in nature, something I suspect many of us need to function properly as human beings. Perhaps I was correct; although gazing outwards from the window, I quickly came to realise I had been ignorant, and that one need not be galavanting in the countryside to enjoy, and seek motivation from the natural world.

For those unaware, my bedroom window looks out directly on to a busy street – the only perk being the bird feeders tactfully positioned outside in our minuscule yard. These attract a good range of species given our position in central Newcastle: house sparrows (over 70 at times), goldfinches, starlings, woodpigeons, doves, dunnocks and the occasional tit and Robin. All of which I fear I have overlooked in my current self-reflective grump.

Today, the feeders thronged with sparrows – around forty of them – jostling for position and making an ungodly mess, all to a persistent soundtrack of high-pitched chirrups. The testosterone-fueled jostling of the male birds, clad in their dark masks of alternating hues – a sign of dominance, I was once told – bemusing, and the boldness of the entire folk in the face of passing dog-walkers and cyclists, outstanding.

Above the sparrows, a pair of visiting Goldfinches raided the Nyger; appearing almost snobbish as they watched the scrum beneath. On the ground, a plump Woodpigeon waddled through the mass of small, brown birds, dispersing them in its wake as it mopped up fallen fragments of sunflower and wheat. From the pot which holds our now decrepit Cotoneaster, a Dunnock tentatively emerged, far too polite to engage in the frenzy and content to pick off stray morsels from the peripheries.

I confess that it took me a while to realise I was feeling better; mood building as I observed the fray until begrudgingly, I returned to my screen. Now, three hours later, I have obliterated my ‘to do’ list: answering emails, writing a reference, drafting a post for a notable NGO, proofreading a magazine and quickly producing a few snippets of overdue copy. Hell, now I even find myself writing this post – the first piece of genuine writing I have submitted to this blog in weeks.

It really is remarkable what a brief spell in nature can do for you. I should take five, sit back and watch more often – even when commitments render me unable to travel further afield.