My first visit to my PWC patch produced a patch tick in the shape of a Rook flying over Parc Taf Bargoed. The only other spp of note was a single Lesser Redpoll (Mike, it was by the house with the feeders overlooking the settling ponds) and 3 Greenfinch.
Several plants were in flower, notably Primrose and Marsh Marigold.
To broaden my knowledge of the natural World I'm targeting seeing 1000 spp+, over all taxa, in the UK this year - so Mark's posts can certainly help point me in the right direction of some new ticks. I managed around 900 last year, at my first attempt, so I'm hopefull I'll manage the kilo this year. As a secondary target, I'm looking for 500 spp within 5km of home - whilst do-able, given my current knowledge/skill level, I think it will take a bit of work. I also want to add 3000+ records onto ishare (doubling my effort from last year)
Although I've a lot of commoner stuff to add in over the next few weeks, I've currently recorded 115 spp with a couple of ticks today, both from Edwardsville Woods.
First, the Liverwort Conocephalum salebrosum (aka Snakewort), the prominant cell lines being the distinguishing feature from the the similar C conicum (Great Scented Liverwort).
and whilst walking home in the rain, a Ghost Slug, Selenochlamys ysbryda.
This is a species with a very south-east Wales dominated range. It was only identified as recently as 2008 from a garden in Cardiff. Unlike most slugs, this is a carnivore, specialising in hunting earthworms. It usually lives underground, but I'm presuming the saturated ground has forced it up onto the surface.
UPDATE - I've had my identification of the Ghost Slug corrected to that of a Worm Slug, Boettgerilla pallens. Not quite as scarce nationally, or as local in distribution as the Ghost Slug, but still rarely recorded as it follows a similar lifestyle to the Ghost Slug.
Several plants were in flower, notably Primrose and Marsh Marigold.
To broaden my knowledge of the natural World I'm targeting seeing 1000 spp+, over all taxa, in the UK this year - so Mark's posts can certainly help point me in the right direction of some new ticks. I managed around 900 last year, at my first attempt, so I'm hopefull I'll manage the kilo this year. As a secondary target, I'm looking for 500 spp within 5km of home - whilst do-able, given my current knowledge/skill level, I think it will take a bit of work. I also want to add 3000+ records onto ishare (doubling my effort from last year)
Although I've a lot of commoner stuff to add in over the next few weeks, I've currently recorded 115 spp with a couple of ticks today, both from Edwardsville Woods.
First, the Liverwort Conocephalum salebrosum (aka Snakewort), the prominant cell lines being the distinguishing feature from the the similar C conicum (Great Scented Liverwort).
and whilst walking home in the rain, a Ghost Slug, Selenochlamys ysbryda.
UPDATE - I've had my identification of the Ghost Slug corrected to that of a Worm Slug, Boettgerilla pallens. Not quite as scarce nationally, or as local in distribution as the Ghost Slug, but still rarely recorded as it follows a similar lifestyle to the Ghost Slug.
A couple of good records there, Martin, and species I've never seen. 1000+ species? Good luck with that; I hope you succeed.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what does PWC stand for? Because for me and Carys Solman, it stands for Pwll Waun Cynon.
Cheers Mark. PWC = Patch Work Challenge - see http://patchworkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you take up the 1000+ species challenge - where do you send these biodiversity records?
ReplyDeletePaul, I enter my records via iRecord, except the birds which go via Birdtrack. I use iRecord rather than SEWBRec system as records are from more than the SEWBRec area.
ReplyDelete