Windy Again

The weather forecasts in the middle of the week were all giving different information - but most did suggest that today was going to be windy and they were right.  Consequently there was no ringing.  However the bird ringers were out checking nest boxes, as they have been most of this week.

It was sunny but cold, as Sue, Les and Tom were taken to areas of the reserve where there were mosses, lichens and liverworts.  These areas included the fens, moor, willow carr and woodland.  Also investigated were the old willows and Ash trees.  Stops along the way were needed for discussion and identification.

In all, over 72 species of moss and liverworts were identified, with some small pieces being taken for final confirmation of species.  Several of these were new.  We look forward to receiving a list of all the species from Tom.  Lichens were also identified and again some of these were new species.  This Dog Lichen as yet  has no species name.

Thank you very much to Sue, Les and Tom who spent the day walking around the reserve and giving us valuable and interesting information and identifications.

Marsh Marigold is not a flower we see often on the reserve, so it was with great pleasure that quite a large clump was found growing in a wet area of the moor.

 By late morning the sun had disappeared and this beautiful cloud formation was covering the sky - it just  looked like bubble-wrap!