A group of 8 left Bradford on a fine, dry day to re-visit this delightful reserve. We had last planned to go there in April 2020 ! En route we picked up Margaret at Stone Trough plus Sue & Steve at Pool Bank. A toilet stop was made at the large CP close to Mother Shipton's Cave, Knaresborough.
The reserve CP was surprisingly full & it took a measure of expertise from Julia to manouevre the mini-bus into a space. We later came across several working parties & possibly it was their vehicles that had filled up the parking area. When the sun shone it was most pleasant but each time it clouded over it felt decidedly chilly.
On our way to the big hide, where we planned to have lunch, there was plenty of woodland bird interest; Goldcrests, Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaffs & Blackcaps. We also spotted a female Brimstone, a Holly Blue & a male Orange Tip. Julia registered a Bee Fly. Cowslips made for a spectacular display in some of the grassy fields. Most of the water birds seen were on the lagoon in front of the main hide; Shoveler, Shelduck, Lapwing, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal, a couple of Avocets, lots of BH Gulls & a pair of Little Ringed Plovers. Without Sue & her powerful camera we would not have been able to differentiate them from the commoner Ringed Plover. The golden eye ring was the key diagnostic feature we were able to make out from her best effort.
Little was seen from the remaining two hides apart from Reed Buntings, a Kestrel & tit species. The bird feeders appeared to be largely empty so the large number of species I saw there in Feb (incl Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammer & Marsh Tit) had clearly gone elsewhere. Thirty plant species recorded by Alice incl. Green Alkanet, Cherry sps, Crosswort, Spurge sp & Water Horsetail. Bluebells were only just emerging.
Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell & a male Brimstone also turned up in the afternoon. The few fungi seen were Blushing Bracket, a Psathyrella species I thought was most likely Clustered Brittlestem (but Psaths are notoriously tricky to ID without microscopy) & a small cup fungi spotted & photo'd by Sue. The latter was at the base of old reed at the edge of a small pond. If there is only one species of cup fungi found growing on reeds I may be able to identify this!
We left for home at 15:30. Thanks to our two drivers Julia & Kevin.
See the photos here.
John Gavaghan
After consulting with the Mid-Yorks Fungus Group 'Myriosclerotinia curryana or M scirpicola' are the most likely. They are parasitic on reeds/rushes & typically found at the base of these plants. They both have a small stem but we could not get close enough to see underneath. The former has been recorded recently from Askham Bog so this species would be the favourite.