LONG EATON NATURAL HISTORY

SOCIETY BULLETIN

SPRING 2000

No. 41

CHAIRMAN VICE-CHAIRMAN SECRETARY MEETINGS SECRETARY(Indoor) MEETINGS SECRETARY!Outings) TREASURER

Alan Heath John Blackburn Jeanette Rhodes J & F Blackburn Max Bryce Bob Was ley

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Lo^'-pou/cr binocular microscope

CHAIRMAN » S FORWARD

At the first meeting of the new millennium, it was appropriate that the speaker was Norman Lewis, former Conservation Officer for Nottinghamshire and a founder member of LENS. It was back in the late 70s that Mr Lewis gave an evening class about birds and the students then formed LENS.

The quality of speakers has remained high and we have enjoyed a wide variety of subjects. Mr Lewis's talk about Hedges included the history, origins and the recent decline of these valuable habitats for wildlife due to their threat from modern agricultural methods. Aerial photographs were shown as well as some at ground level to illustrate the various types. Managements methods were discussed and members were told how to date a hedge by the variety of flora associated with them as well as the origin of names.

The diversity of subject matter was illustrated, by the talk given by Dr. Jan Jones on her visit to Antarctica and which included Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. The 'life in the freezer' was graphically illustrated and is perhaps the furthest habitat we have seen and we thank Dr. Jones for sharing her experience with us. By contrast, the talk which followed was more or less on our doorstep when Brian Myring's talk featured Derbyshire.

'The committee are always pleased to hear from members who may be able to recommend speakers on subjects appropriate to cur society as well as venues for summer outings.

Copy of the 'Natural History of Long Eaton & District' (soon to be updated) is already available at Long Eaton Library and a copy will also be given to Erewash Museum. In addition to this,* I have just completed 40 y-~ears of Weather Recording in Long Eaton and a full report of this will also be placed with Long Eaton Library and the Erewash Museum in the near future.

You will notice a strong 'bird bias1 to this edition of the Bulletin and this is testimony to the very good response for bird sightings. The recording of birds visiting your garden and the simple recording methods used by Carole Willan and Crwen Bates illustrate this. Please keep them coming! Owen Bates has provided us with earlier records from her garden going back to 1995 and these will be used for the up-dating of the 'Natural History of Long Eaten & District'

Thanks are extended to Jan Jones for the printing of this Bulletin and thanks are extended to all who have contributed to the running of our society and to the members who have continued to give us their support. Vie look forward to a bright future.

Alan'W. Heath

-1 .-

BIRD SIGHTINGS Michael Morris has supplied the following

2 September

4 September 5 September

1 1 September

30 September

3 October

21 October

29 October

12 December 25 December 27 December

2S December

30 December

31 December

1 January

1999

1999 1999

1999

1999

1999

1999

1999

1999 1999 1999

1999

1999

1999

2000

Grey Wagtail (4) Green Sandpiper (1) Whitethroat (1) Sparrowhawk

Common Snipe

Jay

Skylark (6) Yellow Bunting (3) Reed Bunting (1) Goldfinch (7) Kestrel (1 )

River Derwent Nooning Lane,

near Draycott

Meadow Pipit (5) 40) (1)

Fieldfare (c Sparrowhawk Kestrel (1 ) Teal (4) Great Spotted Woodpecker Goldfinch (2 3) Redwing (2 0)

Hopwell Lane football pitch, Draycott River Derwent near Nooning Lane, Draycott

Old Notts Canal near Balloon Houses between Wollaton and Trowell South bank of River Derwent, Borrowash

Stevens Lane, Breaston i

River Derwent, Nooning Lane, Draycott

(1

Yellow bunting (4) Common Snipe (1) Reed bunting (2) Little Grebe (1) on river Great Blackbacked Gull (2) Sparrowhawk (1) Great Spotted Woodpecker Common Snipe (3) Little Grebe (2) on river

Church Wilne Nooning Lane,

Reservoir Dr a y c o 11

1

Meadow Pi .Jit (22) Grey Wagtail (1) Great Tit (H) Peewits (c 40) Golden Plover (2) Lesser Redpoll

Herring Gull (2) Common Gull (2) Black headed Gull

river bank

East of Hopwell Lane

Erewash sidings School .

east of Toton Long Eaton

'ields, Briar Gate, Lons ^aton

(severa

Goldeneye Goosander T>„] (o ) Mallard (2 Fieldfares

(Drake (Drake

1) 1)

River Lane,

Derwent, Draycott

Nooning

Lesser Little

Black Grebe

(32) backed (1)

Gull (1

Sparrowhawk (1)

-2.-

V

^

14 January 2000

16 January 2000

13 January 2000

20 January 2000

24 January 2000

3 February 2000

4 February 2000

Green Woodpecker (1) West Park, Long Eaton Kingfisher (2)

Jay (H) Coal Tit (H)

Feewit (c 70)

Green Sandpiper (1)

Goldcrest (1) Goldcrest (1) Common Gull (8) Herring Gull (1) Black headed Gulls (many i

Michael Morris, 18 Elvaston St., Draycott

River Derwent by Bus Station, Derby Gypsy Lane, Draycott

Derwent, near Derby City centre

Erewash, east side of Toton Sidings. Hills Estate, Breaston

Draycott School fields at Briar Gate, Long Eaton

BIRD SIGHTINGS

2 4 January 2000

31 January 2000

Reported by Fay Blackburn from the Risley School Reserve

Green Woodpecker (1)

Goldcrest (1) pheasant ( 1M and 2F)

| t ' ••:; -¿te.

WdsSk

i id^^-:^' '^' m a M Ê x m ^ "•%

(Alauda arvensis)

Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) Skylark

BIRD SIGHTINGS

The following birds have been reported by John & Fay Blackburn for Barker's Pond and surrounding trees 16 October 1999 1 Jay

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Blackcaps 1/2 Redwings Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 Redwing 3M and 1F Goosander 2 Redwing 2 Fieldfare 1M and 1F Goosander 1M and 1F Goosander 1M Goosander

1 December 1999

13/15 December 99 16 December 1999 19/20 December 99 24 December 1999 25 December 1999

27 December 1999 29 December 1999 2 4 January 2000

A flock of 10/12 Long Tailed Tits pass through quite often. BIRD SIGHTINGS The following birds have been reported by John & Fay Blackburn from their garden at 30 Ouorndon Crescent, Long Eaton.

27 9 11

16

October November December

December 19/20 Decembe

26

27 6 7 16

December

December January January January

1999 1999 1999

1999 r 99

1999

Í999 2000 2000 2000

1 Grey Wagtail 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Kingfisher 1 Grey 'Wagtail 1 Heron 1 Sparrowhawk (kil! 1 Fieldfare 1 Coal Tit-1 Long-tailed Tit 1 Goldfinch 1 Fieldfare 1 Long-tailed Tit 1 Reed Bunting 1 Reed Banting 4 Goldfinch

(killed a female blackbird)

oeen throughout the winter have been 5 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch, 1 Great Tit.

2 Robins, 1 Wren, ^

The following birds have been reported by Mrs Judy Langford from the rarden at Breedon Street, Long Eaton.

IM Elackcap

4/5 Long- ta i led T i t s

December 28th 1999, January 2, 22nd and 24th 2000

December 2nd and 21st. 1999 and January 1st, l7th and 19th. 2000

-4.-

BIRD SIGHTINGS - ATTENBOROUGH,

L L

e L

Bullfinch (1 pr) Cormorant (30+) Shoveller (20) Heron (2) Canada Goose (137) River Trent

and Thrumpton side bank. Gadwell (12) Mute Swan (16) Greylag Goose (2) Pink-footed Goose (4)

2F)

7th January 2000 John & Fay Blackburn

Coot (many) Moorhen (12) Lesser black-backed Gull Pied Wagtail (2) Grey Wagtail (1) Common Gull (3) Blackheaded Gull (many)

(2)

Wood Duck Mallard Tufted Duck Pochard Gooáander Goldeneye Blackbird Wren Fieldfare

(1) (many) (many) (26) (3M and (2F) (6) (2) (3)

GARDEN BIRD WATCH -

Blue.Tit Robin Blackbird House Sparrow Starling Dunnock Chaffinch Great Tit Greenfinch Collared Dove

Wood Pigeon Magpie Crow Blue Tit Long-tailed Tit

(8) (10) (1) (6) (12)

GARDEN BIRD WATCH -

Wood Pigeon Blackbird Coal Tit Long-Tailed Tit Chaffinch Robin Collared Dove Sparrow Hooded Crow Elue Tit

Reported by Mrs L. Jones, 36 Mount St., BREASTON, Derbys.

Period covers 13 weeks ending 18 December 9 Coal Tit Crow Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mistle Thrush Pied Wagtail Sparrowhawk Heron Redpoll Wood Pigeon Wren

Reported by Rosemary 1o Shaftesbury Ave.,

Wi1s on, Sandiacre - January 2000

In garden and bird table

Great Tit Wren Dunnock Magpie Greenfinch Goldcrest Song Thrush Jackdaw Heron (flying over) Sparrowhawk Goldfinch (4) only seen twice

-5.-

GARDiN BIRD WATCH

Greenfinch

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Reed Bunting

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Starling

Blackbird Robin

Wren

V/ood Pigeon

Ferrai Pigeon

Collared Dove Crow

Magpie / /

Gt. Spotted Woodpecker

Sparrowhawk

- Carole Willan, 12 Riverdale Rd., Attenborough

1999 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

/

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GARDE:: BIR]

Blue Tit

Robin

Blackbird

House Sparrow

Starling

Du n n o c k

Chaffinch

Grea t mz Greenfinch

Collared Dove

Coal Tit

l o n g - t a i l e d TV Goldfinch Crow Magpie Song Thrush Sparrowhawk Woodpigeon Wren B u l l f i n c h Heron

G. B a t e s , 4 Hardy Close , Long Baton - 1999

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun J u l Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/ / / / / / / /

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

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- 6 . -

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FLOWERING PLANT RECORDING IN DERBYSHIRE

Members will recall that flowering plant records sent in to the Biological Recording Centre at Derby Museum over the course of the last four years have served a dual purpose: not only have they contributed to the Derbyshire input into the national 'Atlas 2000' project of the Botanical Society of the British Isles, but also to the data assembly that will constitute the basis of the new Derbyshire Flora that, complete with distribution maps, will replace the 31 year old and out-of-print Clapham Flora. In the recent Newsletter, Alan Willmot reports that final species lists were duly despatched to meet the November 1 deadline and have been gratefully acknowledged. Entry to the botanical scheme is now closed as preparation for publication proceeds apace. New records for use in the local flora will continue to be welcome for at least one more growing season.

For the record, Derbyshire turned in about 2 50,000 new records for the 29 hectads (l0Km squares of the national grid) for which it was responsible, and whereas 500 was the expected number of species per square, in actual fact the average number returned was 614. Five hectads turned in more than 700 species, including our own SK43« But, a few thinly recorded areas remain and it is hoped that members will make a special effort to carry out further observations in the Sawley and Shardlow areas particularly.

Max Bryce

NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES - 1999 Alan W. Heath

Forbes Hole, Long Eaton Toton Washlands, Long Eaton Manor Farm Open Space Morley Quarry, Shepshed Willwell Cutting, Ruddington

TOTAL

VISITS

6 1 1 1 1

10

SAMFLES

1 1 1 1

13

During the year POND SAMPLES were taken from Forbes Hole Main Pond (6) and also the Small Pond (5) together with Toton Weshlands (17 May) and Manor Farm Open Space (28 Sept) In addition, records have been kept of BIRDS visiting the

garden and also BUTTERFLIES. Visits to Morley Quarry, Shepshed included geological

samples and Willwell Cutting, Ruddington with LENS. ^

TOTON WASHLANDS 488/345 pH 8*0 Total Hardness 325 ppro Conductance 333^3 Cyclops, Corixa, Lemna minor, Cypris, Chydorus, Planorbis sp., Chironomus larva, Brown Hydra, Nematodes, Oscillatoria, Penium, Synedra and Fleurosigma A nearby pond also revealed Spirogyra and Ascellus. Whilst at the site we saw a Kingfisher, a few Water Voles and Green Alkanet.

MANOR FARM OPEN SPACE - Old River pH 7"4 Total Hardness 185 ppm

Gerris, Limneae sp., Cyclops, Cyclops nauplii, Oscillatoria, Loxophyllum, Cymbella ehrenbergii, Closterium concavum, Nitzschia sigmoidea, Euglena, Bacillaria paradoxa, Nematodes, Surirella constricta Pinnularia, Peridinium and also Rotifer sp.

~)

EXTRA NOTES : Lime Hawk Moth seen on 24th May at Cerrfield Avenue, Long Eaton in garden by Lime trees. Great Spotted Woodpecker seen in our garden on nuts on 11 December.

FORBES HOLE, Long Eaton - Between 10th March and 5 December a total of 11 samples were obtained,

6 from the Main Pond and 5 from the Small Pond. Both ponds have retained their water. See special list. The MAIN POND showed a total of 43 species which is an in crease of 3 over last year and the SMALL POND showed a total of 37 species which is an icrease of 13 over last year

Full Report for Forbes Hole held by Recorder.

-8.-

WEATHER SUMMARY - 1999 Alan W. Heath

PREVAILING WIND LEAST WIND WARMEST DAY COLDEST DAY WETTEST DAY WETTEST MONTH DRIEST MONTH-' DAYS WITH OVER AN INCH OF RAIN IN 24 HRS TOTAL THUNDERSTORMS TOTAL RAIN

TOTAL DRY DAYS + NIGHTS TOTAL WET DAYS + NIGHTS TOTAL SNOW (level snow in inches) DAYS WITH NEW SNOW ON THE GROUND TOTAL FOG FOG ALL DAY ''BAROMETER Max.

Min. STRONG WIND/GALES

AVERAGE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE AVERAGE/MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES OF 80°F or more

89°F 21°F

WEST SOUTH-EAST August 1st -December 20th -March 9 March November 2 - March 9 and Oct \ 5 28-26 ins (718-5 mm) which is 0-54 ins per week ( 13-8 mm) 461 270 2 l/8th ins. 3 2 1 30-95 Feb 1 28-75 Dec 24 2 - February 4 and

November 28 69-9 F 34-6 F

DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES OF 32 F or less

- 14 - 5 in July 3 in August 6 in September

- 25 - 5 in January 8 in February 2 in March 3 in April 1 in November 6 in December

NOTES : Rainfall is approximately an inch less than last year but is still approximately 4 inches above averag

Recorded at - 6 Harlaxton Drive, LONG EATON

WEATHER SUMMARY -

1999

TEMPERATURE

RAIN /mm

DAYS DRY

NIGHTS DRY

Max.

Min.

Day/

Night

Total

DRY

DAYS + NIGHTS

NIGHTS WITH RAIN

DAYS WITH RAIN

RAIN - inches

WETTEST DAY

THUNDERSTORMS

BAROMETER

Max.

Jan 56

26

42-0

47-7

90-5

14

20 34

11

17

3-56

16

- 30-90

Feb 58

27

24-4

10-0

35-2

15

19

34 9 13

1-39

26

- 30-95

Mar 65

29

59-3

39-1

98-4

17

18

35

13

14

3-87

9 - 30-40

Apr 68

29

43-9

24-2

68-1

15

21

36 9 15

2-68

19

-

30-4

Min.

29-30 29-45 28-90 29-20

FOG

1

-

-

1

FOG ALL DAY

1

"=-

SNOW - Total in Ins.

-

1 5/8

i

DAYS WITH NEW SNOW

ON GROUND

DAYS WITH TEMPS OF

80F OR MORE

DAYS WITH TEMPS OF

32F OR LESS

5

8

2

3

~J

May 77

43

33-3

7-5

40-8

17

25

42 6 14

1 -61

7 1

30-20

29-65

-

Jun 78

44

45-0

18-9

63-9

19

22

41 0 11

2-48

2 1

30-30

29-40

-

Jul 87

49

5-5

23-6

29-1

22

28

50 3 9

1-15

3 2 30-35

29-50

-

Aug 89

41

33-4

11 -6

45-0

19

26

45 5

13

1-77

25?

1 30-30

29-30

-

Sep 83

43

44-4

28-2

72-6

17

17

34

13

13

2-86

20

- 30-20

29-05

-

Oct

66

34

34-2

37-2

71 -4

19

22

41 9 12

2-81

2 - 30-45

28-80

-

Nov 58

30£

21 -3

5-0

26-3

15

22

37 8 15

1 -04 .

26 -

30-80

29-10

-

Dec 54

21

42-8

34-4

77-2

12

20 32

11

19

3-04

25 -

30-40

28-75

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...WEATHER SUMMARY 1999

V -.:

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

A mixed month. Often wet and windy but also mild.

A mixed month with snow on the 8th which had cleared by the next day. Dominance of NW winds.

Wettest month of the year and there was over an inch of rain in 24 hours on 9-l0th. Manor Farm Open Space flooded. Snow on the 6th which had cleared by midday. The third week was the driest.

Quite a wet month. Rather cool In the middle two weeks.

Fair number of wet days and the second week....had rain every day. Thunderstorm in the early hours of the 28th. A few warm days towards the end of the month.

A very wet first week which included a thunderstorm and a hail storm on the 4th. Middle two weeks dry with a few warm days. More rain in last week.

A dry month and very warm in second and last week.

Warmest day of the year on the 1st (89°F) and there was also a thunderstorm on this day. First week was fairly wet and the second week started wet. Except for tie 25th the second half of the month was fairly dry.

SEPTEMBER First half of tie month fine and very warm, especially the first week. Second half of the month rather wet and cooler.

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

OCTOBER Fair amount of rain with an inch in 24 hours on the 1st-2nd. Middle month dry and east winds in the third week.

NOVEMBER Fair number of days on which rain fell but in little amounts. It was the driest month of the year and fairly mild.

DECEMBER A wet month with a fair amount of wind. Last week was cuite cold and the coldest day of the year was on the 2*0th (21 ° F)

This completes 40 years of continuous Weather Recording in Long Eaton.

-12.-