More Volunteering

Thursday, March 8th 2012

Volunteering can involve many different tasks.  Yesterday the volunteers were busy tidying up an area of woodland, today they were checking flowers and invertebrates.  Ann, Ruth and Elizabeth waited until the rain stopped before heading out into the reserve to record the the plants in flower.  Primrose, Germander Speedwell, Hazel, Barren Strawberry and Gorse were seen.  There are certain areas of the reserve where Coltsfoot can be found very early in the Spring. 

Several of these places were examined and eventually, Ann and Ruth located it on an island in Risedale Beck.

A detour was made to view some of the smaller ponds and although it was cold, some Smooth Newts were sunbathing in the water.

Also seen were Pond Skater instars.  These young individuals will eat voraciously, and will moult five times before taking on the adult form. 

In the afternoon, Brian and Elizabeth set off to record the invertebrates.  By then the sun was out but the wind was blowing and it was extremely cold!  Consequently the only invertebrates found were the ladybirds huddled together continuing their hibernation.  On return to the Field Centre the recording continued when a Zebra Spider was found inside in the warm!

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