Field Trips 2024
Croxteth 13 April, Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April,
Croxteth 13 April, Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April,
Croxteth 13 April 2024
Steve Cross led sixteen members on a tour of this Liverpool Country Park, despite the muddiness of the paths. The highlight of course was the apomictic Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus in its only Merseyside and vc59 site. Ranunculus auricomus L. in BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. The population, at SD40929441, had increased to around 45 plants though only a few so far in flower and it has been known in this area for over 150 years. Other highlights were flowering American Speedwell Veronica peregrina and Blinks Montia fontana. Pignut Conopodium majus was hard to find in the lawn below the limes.
We could do comparisons of three buttercups (Meadow, Creeping and Goldilocks), five speedwells (Common Field, Ivy-leaved, Thyme-leaved, Germander and Wood), two Arums (italicum and maculatum) two Dogwoods (Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea), two Docks (Wood and Broad-leaved) and four willowherbs (Broad-leaved, American, Hoary and Great).
The colourful shows of mass flowering of Lesser Celandine, Ramsons, Garlic Mustard, Primroses and Hybrid Bluebells was admired, though we only saw a couple of flowering Common Dog Violet.
Trees included Field Maple, Scots Pine, Beech, Wych Elm, Holly, Oak, Ash, Birches, Elder, Bird and Wild Cherries, as well as exotic species such as Monkey Puzzle, Lawsons Cypress, Horse Chestnut and the new-leaved Dawn Redwood. We had a close look at the flowers on London Plane and Yew. Introduced shrubs and trees included Berberis species, Rhododendron ponticum and big tree species already in flower, Aucuba japonica and Cherry Laurel. Red Currant was in flower by the Alt.
Wood Dock could be seen widely as var. viridis (normal form) with the red-veined garden form var. sanguineus by the college but there was just one lot of Wood Anemone. The Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum was in flower and fruit in the usual place, Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum flowers were found and there were plenty of Narcissus and Hybrid Bluebell.
The “Garden Weeds” were Hairy Bittercress, Wavy Bittercress, Shining Cranesbill, Petty Spurge, Thale Cress, Shepherd’s Purse, Creeping Thistle, Sticky Mouse-ear, Groundsel and Herb Robert. The Garden Plants included Creeping Comfrey Symphytum grandiflorum, Lady’s Mantle, Spurges, Stinking Iris (with its beefy Bovril smell), garden form of Wood Forget-me-not, and purple and white forms of Fritillary. The grassland species included Common Sorrel, Sweet Vernal Grass, Field Woodrush and Springy Turf Moss Rhytidadelphus squarrosus.
The naturalised species of bamboo, Broad-leaved Bamboo Sasa palmetta (very common) and Arrow Bamboo Pseudosasa japonica (occasional) were at Aintree Wood (apt name on Grand National Day).
At the Ponds we had Silverweed, Water Dock, Wavy Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam seedlings, Yellow Iris, Hard, Compact and Soft Rushes, Pendulous Sedge, Duckweed Lemna sp. (seemed to be Common and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta which has only been in Britain since 1977), Common Alder, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Meadowsweet, and young, red Water Lily leaves.
A mystery plant in Mull Wood, just in leaf, was pondered over and using a photo ID app produced an answer of Giant Bellflower Campanula latifolia, with which we later concurred.
Mull Wood contained plenty of Enchanter’s Nightshade, Wood Speedwell, Raspberry, and male flowers on the Dog’s Mercury.
The liverwort Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea covered a couple of dead Rhododendron branches, Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata was by the Hall and Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss Hypnum cupressiforme was abundant throughout. Cartilage Lichen Ramalina farinacea was on a sycamore tree along with the moss Bryum capillare.
Bird highlights were seven Ring-necked Parakeets flying over and many singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, as well as calling Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Nuthatch. On the ponds were Mallard and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk and Long-tailed Tit were also seen.
Invertebrates included Common Shining Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, two male Tawny Mining Bee, a male Orange Tip butterfly, 7-spot, 14 spot and Harlequin Ladybirds, Alder Leaf Beetle, Holly Leaf Miner and a Nomada bee. The pipes at Myerscough College covered in algae again had the fascinating feeding patterns of snail feeding.
Fungi found included Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum and a tree covered in Turkeytail Trametes versicolor. Ramsons Rust Puccinia sessilis was on both Ramsons and Arum and the Hybrid Bluebells had Bluebell Rust Uromyces muscari (= Uromyces hyacinthi).
Photos and text Steve Cross
Steve Cross led sixteen members on a tour of this Liverpool Country Park, despite the muddiness of the paths. The highlight of course was the apomictic Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus in its only Merseyside and vc59 site. Ranunculus auricomus L. in BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. The population, at SD40929441, had increased to around 45 plants though only a few so far in flower and it has been known in this area for over 150 years. Other highlights were flowering American Speedwell Veronica peregrina and Blinks Montia fontana. Pignut Conopodium majus was hard to find in the lawn below the limes.
We could do comparisons of three buttercups (Meadow, Creeping and Goldilocks), five speedwells (Common Field, Ivy-leaved, Thyme-leaved, Germander and Wood), two Arums (italicum and maculatum) two Dogwoods (Red-osier Dogwood Cornus sericea and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea), two Docks (Wood and Broad-leaved) and four willowherbs (Broad-leaved, American, Hoary and Great).
The colourful shows of mass flowering of Lesser Celandine, Ramsons, Garlic Mustard, Primroses and Hybrid Bluebells was admired, though we only saw a couple of flowering Common Dog Violet.
Trees included Field Maple, Scots Pine, Beech, Wych Elm, Holly, Oak, Ash, Birches, Elder, Bird and Wild Cherries, as well as exotic species such as Monkey Puzzle, Lawsons Cypress, Horse Chestnut and the new-leaved Dawn Redwood. We had a close look at the flowers on London Plane and Yew. Introduced shrubs and trees included Berberis species, Rhododendron ponticum and big tree species already in flower, Aucuba japonica and Cherry Laurel. Red Currant was in flower by the Alt.
Wood Dock could be seen widely as var. viridis (normal form) with the red-veined garden form var. sanguineus by the college but there was just one lot of Wood Anemone. The Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum was in flower and fruit in the usual place, Garden Grape-hyacinth Muscari armeniacum flowers were found and there were plenty of Narcissus and Hybrid Bluebell.
The “Garden Weeds” were Hairy Bittercress, Wavy Bittercress, Shining Cranesbill, Petty Spurge, Thale Cress, Shepherd’s Purse, Creeping Thistle, Sticky Mouse-ear, Groundsel and Herb Robert. The Garden Plants included Creeping Comfrey Symphytum grandiflorum, Lady’s Mantle, Spurges, Stinking Iris (with its beefy Bovril smell), garden form of Wood Forget-me-not, and purple and white forms of Fritillary. The grassland species included Common Sorrel, Sweet Vernal Grass, Field Woodrush and Springy Turf Moss Rhytidadelphus squarrosus.
The naturalised species of bamboo, Broad-leaved Bamboo Sasa palmetta (very common) and Arrow Bamboo Pseudosasa japonica (occasional) were at Aintree Wood (apt name on Grand National Day).
At the Ponds we had Silverweed, Water Dock, Wavy Bittercress, Hemp Agrimony, Himalayan Balsam seedlings, Yellow Iris, Hard, Compact and Soft Rushes, Pendulous Sedge, Duckweed Lemna sp. (seemed to be Common and Least Duckweed Lemna minuta which has only been in Britain since 1977), Common Alder, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Meadowsweet, and young, red Water Lily leaves.
A mystery plant in Mull Wood, just in leaf, was pondered over and using a photo ID app produced an answer of Giant Bellflower Campanula latifolia, with which we later concurred.
Mull Wood contained plenty of Enchanter’s Nightshade, Wood Speedwell, Raspberry, and male flowers on the Dog’s Mercury.
The liverwort Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea covered a couple of dead Rhododendron branches, Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata was by the Hall and Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss Hypnum cupressiforme was abundant throughout. Cartilage Lichen Ramalina farinacea was on a sycamore tree along with the moss Bryum capillare.
Bird highlights were seven Ring-necked Parakeets flying over and many singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, as well as calling Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Nuthatch. On the ponds were Mallard and Moorhen. Sparrowhawk and Long-tailed Tit were also seen.
Invertebrates included Common Shining Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, two male Tawny Mining Bee, a male Orange Tip butterfly, 7-spot, 14 spot and Harlequin Ladybirds, Alder Leaf Beetle, Holly Leaf Miner and a Nomada bee. The pipes at Myerscough College covered in algae again had the fascinating feeding patterns of snail feeding.
Fungi found included Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum and a tree covered in Turkeytail Trametes versicolor. Ramsons Rust Puccinia sessilis was on both Ramsons and Arum and the Hybrid Bluebells had Bluebell Rust Uromyces muscari (= Uromyces hyacinthi).
Photos and text Steve Cross
Sankey Valley, St. Helens 20 April 2024
Barbara Allen led a large group of twenty-four from the car park to explore the woods and waterside habitats of the Sankey Valley. We followed the usual route alongside the canals and the Blackbrook via Stanley Bank Mill then northward towards Carr Mill Dam. The lovely sunshine was enjoyed as we sat on a grassy bank overlooking the fishing pool.
Plant highlights were the masses of spring woodland flowers such as Ransoms, Lesser Celandine, and native Bluebell, and the more localised patches of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Enchanter's Nightshade, Wood Anemone, Wood Speedwell and Wood Dock. Scarcer plants included Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major (by the railway viaduct) and Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia.
The car park area was examined first with Marsh Marigold and Giant Hogweed of note as well as the usual trees, shrubs, grassland and ruderal plants. Planted Hedge Bedstraw and Oxeye Daisy were also found. Nice insect finds were Tortoise Beetle and Dock Bug. We then headed to the path next to the St. Helens Canal where one lone Sweet Violet was still flowering and Black Horehound leaves had us foxed for a little while and there was an Elder had an interesting yellow-mottled leaf caused by a virus.
At the Blackbrook Wharf Pond Lesser Pond Sedge was in abundance along with Wild Angelica and old stems of Purple Loosestrife. By Stanley Mill we found Teasel and Common Figwort.
The area around the East Lancs Road and railway viaduct was rich with Yellow Pimpernel, one patch of Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, Pignut, Barren and Wild Strawberries, Common Dog Violet, as well as the Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia and Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major. Garswood Old Road by the dam had flowering Sticky Mouse-ear, Cut-leaved Dead-nettle and Hedge Mustard.
The pond unfortunately was full of New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii with Duckweed Lemna sp. Other watersides had Hemlock Water Dropwort, Wavy Bittercress, Great Willowherb, Reedmace, Brooklime Veronica beccabunga, Yellow Iris, and Water Mint. Large Bittercress, Water Cress and Water Starwort were not yet in flower.
Trees and shrubs included Wild Cherry, Field Maple, Beech, Ash Oak, Wych Elm, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, Blackthorn, Apple, Osier, Snowberry, Dog Rose and Honeysuckle.
We could check out the various flowering speedwells Thyme-leaved, Ivy-leaved, Germander and Wood. A white form of Wood Forget-me-not really stood out. Some Hazel leaves had some red coloration (anthocyanins) in the centre and are frequent in young leaves (think young Sycamore leaves) and are thought to be protection for the young tender plants.
Also found were Tutsan, Wood Avens, Hybrid Bluebell (three colour forms pink, white and blue), Red Campion, Himalayan Balsam, Creeping Cinquefoil, Lesser Swinecress, Herb Robert, Green Alkanet, Hedge Woundwort, Dotted Loosestrife and Welsh Poppy (orange).
Monocotyledons found included Hard Rush, Remote Sedge, Pendulous Sedge and Wood Sedge.
Ferns were abundant with plenty of Dryopteris - Male, Scaly Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns, also Hartstongue, Bracken, Soft-Shield Fern and by the East Lancs Road Black Spleenwort. Horsetails numbered four - Field, Marsh, Great and probable Water. The exotic Fern alongside the Blackbrook is thought to be the Holly-fern- Fortune's Holly-fern Cyrtomium fortunei, though the House Holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum is very similar.
Lower plants noted were the mosses Spring Turf Moss, Common Pocket-moss Fissidens taxifolius, Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme and Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum. Two liverworts were found on a smooth barked tree - Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea and Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilatata. Stonework along the waterways had Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum.
Birds Singing Blackcap (5), Chiffchaff (3), Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird Great Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Lost Mallard ducklings were in the car park area, a Canada Goose was on a nest and a Moorhen already had young. Two Great Crested Gebe were on Carr Mill Dam. The only mammal finds were Grey Squirrels in the woods and mole hills by Carr Mill Dam. Tadpoles were in the fishing pool.
Insect highlights included Ashy Mining Bee Andrena cineraria, a Nomada Bee and Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis and two species of Tortoise Beetle Cassida vibex and a probable C. rubiginosa. We also found, Green Shieldbug, Buff-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebee queens, Phyllobius Weevils, Ground Beetle Pterostichus madidus, 14-spot Ladybird, a couple of Alderfly (almost certainly Sialis lutaria), leaf mines of moth Stigmella aurella on bramble leaves and at least seven male Orange Tip butterflies. Also seen were single, Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and three Speckled Wood. Three woodlice species were under a log - Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber and Common Pygmy Woodlouse Trichoniscus pusillus agg.. The blackish spider under the East Lancs Road was Shaded Orbweaver Metellina merianae and there was also a Flat-back Millipede.
Fungi were hard to come by, though we did find the rare rust on Greater Burnet-saxifrage Puccinia pimpinellae at the rusty-orange aecia stage. Tony Carter identified Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus agg., small black Disco Mollisia clavata on bramble, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca, Sheathed Woodtuft Kuehneromyces mutabilis in several places, Arum Rust Puccinia sessilis on Ramsons and Bracken Map Rhopographus filicinus on old bracken. On Nettle, unsurprisingly, were Nettle Rash Leptosphaeria acuta and Nettle Pox Calloria neglecta. And after he had gone, we also found Bluebell Rust - Uromyces muscari or U. hyacinthi (depending on your British or European taxonomy), Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon
and Broad-leaved Dock had fungus Ramularia rubella.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Barbara Allen led a large group of twenty-four from the car park to explore the woods and waterside habitats of the Sankey Valley. We followed the usual route alongside the canals and the Blackbrook via Stanley Bank Mill then northward towards Carr Mill Dam. The lovely sunshine was enjoyed as we sat on a grassy bank overlooking the fishing pool.
Plant highlights were the masses of spring woodland flowers such as Ransoms, Lesser Celandine, and native Bluebell, and the more localised patches of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Enchanter's Nightshade, Wood Anemone, Wood Speedwell and Wood Dock. Scarcer plants included Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major (by the railway viaduct) and Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia.
The car park area was examined first with Marsh Marigold and Giant Hogweed of note as well as the usual trees, shrubs, grassland and ruderal plants. Planted Hedge Bedstraw and Oxeye Daisy were also found. Nice insect finds were Tortoise Beetle and Dock Bug. We then headed to the path next to the St. Helens Canal where one lone Sweet Violet was still flowering and Black Horehound leaves had us foxed for a little while and there was an Elder had an interesting yellow-mottled leaf caused by a virus.
At the Blackbrook Wharf Pond Lesser Pond Sedge was in abundance along with Wild Angelica and old stems of Purple Loosestrife. By Stanley Mill we found Teasel and Common Figwort.
The area around the East Lancs Road and railway viaduct was rich with Yellow Pimpernel, one patch of Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, Pignut, Barren and Wild Strawberries, Common Dog Violet, as well as the Three-veined Sandwort Moehringia trinervia and Greater Burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella major. Garswood Old Road by the dam had flowering Sticky Mouse-ear, Cut-leaved Dead-nettle and Hedge Mustard.
The pond unfortunately was full of New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii with Duckweed Lemna sp. Other watersides had Hemlock Water Dropwort, Wavy Bittercress, Great Willowherb, Reedmace, Brooklime Veronica beccabunga, Yellow Iris, and Water Mint. Large Bittercress, Water Cress and Water Starwort were not yet in flower.
Trees and shrubs included Wild Cherry, Field Maple, Beech, Ash Oak, Wych Elm, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, Blackthorn, Apple, Osier, Snowberry, Dog Rose and Honeysuckle.
We could check out the various flowering speedwells Thyme-leaved, Ivy-leaved, Germander and Wood. A white form of Wood Forget-me-not really stood out. Some Hazel leaves had some red coloration (anthocyanins) in the centre and are frequent in young leaves (think young Sycamore leaves) and are thought to be protection for the young tender plants.
Also found were Tutsan, Wood Avens, Hybrid Bluebell (three colour forms pink, white and blue), Red Campion, Himalayan Balsam, Creeping Cinquefoil, Lesser Swinecress, Herb Robert, Green Alkanet, Hedge Woundwort, Dotted Loosestrife and Welsh Poppy (orange).
Monocotyledons found included Hard Rush, Remote Sedge, Pendulous Sedge and Wood Sedge.
Ferns were abundant with plenty of Dryopteris - Male, Scaly Male and Broad-Buckler Ferns, also Hartstongue, Bracken, Soft-Shield Fern and by the East Lancs Road Black Spleenwort. Horsetails numbered four - Field, Marsh, Great and probable Water. The exotic Fern alongside the Blackbrook is thought to be the Holly-fern- Fortune's Holly-fern Cyrtomium fortunei, though the House Holly-fern Cyrtomium falcatum is very similar.
Lower plants noted were the mosses Spring Turf Moss, Common Pocket-moss Fissidens taxifolius, Cypress-leaved Plait-moss Hypnum cupressiforme and Swan’s-neck Thyme-moss Mnium hornum. Two liverworts were found on a smooth barked tree - Bluish Veilwort Metzgeria violacea and Dilated Scalewort Frullania dilatata. Stonework along the waterways had Common Snakeskin Liverwort or Great Scented Liverwort Conocephalum conicum.
Birds Singing Blackcap (5), Chiffchaff (3), Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird Great Tit, Wren, Dunnock, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. Lost Mallard ducklings were in the car park area, a Canada Goose was on a nest and a Moorhen already had young. Two Great Crested Gebe were on Carr Mill Dam. The only mammal finds were Grey Squirrels in the woods and mole hills by Carr Mill Dam. Tadpoles were in the fishing pool.
Insect highlights included Ashy Mining Bee Andrena cineraria, a Nomada Bee and Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis and two species of Tortoise Beetle Cassida vibex and a probable C. rubiginosa. We also found, Green Shieldbug, Buff-tailed and Common Carder Bumblebee queens, Phyllobius Weevils, Ground Beetle Pterostichus madidus, 14-spot Ladybird, a couple of Alderfly (almost certainly Sialis lutaria), leaf mines of moth Stigmella aurella on bramble leaves and at least seven male Orange Tip butterflies. Also seen were single, Green-veined White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and three Speckled Wood. Three woodlice species were under a log - Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus, Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber and Common Pygmy Woodlouse Trichoniscus pusillus agg.. The blackish spider under the East Lancs Road was Shaded Orbweaver Metellina merianae and there was also a Flat-back Millipede.
Fungi were hard to come by, though we did find the rare rust on Greater Burnet-saxifrage Puccinia pimpinellae at the rusty-orange aecia stage. Tony Carter identified Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus agg., small black Disco Mollisia clavata on bramble, Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum, Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca, Sheathed Woodtuft Kuehneromyces mutabilis in several places, Arum Rust Puccinia sessilis on Ramsons and Bracken Map Rhopographus filicinus on old bracken. On Nettle, unsurprisingly, were Nettle Rash Leptosphaeria acuta and Nettle Pox Calloria neglecta. And after he had gone, we also found Bluebell Rust - Uromyces muscari or U. hyacinthi (depending on your British or European taxonomy), Candlesnuff Fungus Xylaria hypoxylon
and Broad-leaved Dock had fungus Ramularia rubella.
Text and photos Steve Cross
Following photos by Tony Carter