The Heath-snail at Lower Winskill 6 Sept

This rather gloomy evening found four of us from  Craven Conservation Group  searching at twilight for the Heath Snaill - but we found some .. and realised the habitat was short grassland on south facing slopes.

Awesome Secrets of UK Snails and Slugs in Settle and Dentdale.

And not only UK Slugs.. but Spanish ones too!  .. but more of that below.
Visit to Dentdale on 9 Sept 2017 by YNU and CCG

It's ten years since national snail expert Adrian Norris, and Yorkshire Naturalists Union Recorder led  Craven Conservation Group along Giggleswick Scar (6 May 2007) where we discovered the Heath snail.

And 11 years since we visited the Hoffman Kiln and found 27 land species! - more than 1/10th the British fauna.  (I rediscovered the speech I had written for Craven Speakers Club about Snails which recounted that expedition.. I'll put that up later)

2017 found us on two more snails trips (three if you include New Year's Day.)

A couple of lichen pictures have strayed in ..

I am already whelmed. Ten Tips for Time management from Chris Birch

Chris Birch gave a good speech at Craven Speakers Club at Skipton in autumn 2017. He gave it to illustrate the "list" format for making a speech.

But it was such good advice I write it here:-

1. Ruthless priorities
        One Route, One direction
2. Schedule your time
3. Put aside two hours with nothing scheduled in it.
4. Chaos is a terrible thing (I forget what this title meant)
5. Leave some problems unresolved
6. Have a "Don't Do" list
7. Have Humour: Remember to say "I am already whelmed" - Don't get overwhelmed.
8. Use the energy - How?
9. Think of the gas law (Any gas fills the available space)


Well I have achieved and understood number 4. These points were written on a piece of paper. Now they are filed in this blog, and the piece of paper is in the bin.

Happy day everyone.

Have a Whelmed Day.

;)

New Year Plant Hunt 2018

On Monday 1 Jan 2018 at 10 am three members of Craven Conservation Group   went for a walk / route march to visit the highlights from previous years. David Fisher, Ann Craven and I. We found 22 species in flower. 

I sent in the results that evening to BSBI and felt happy that on Day 1 of the New Year I had achieved something.

You can see our results (and everyone else's in UK) here: https://nyph.bsbi.org/

 This Lesser Burdock is not in flower, but by the time (at Dave's suggestion, thank you Dave) I had examined it, it had left its hooked involucral bracts on my coat, bag and red pompom hat. Huh.

See it was a somewhat moist day.

The  Red Valerian was really struggling to be seen in flower.

The churchyard supplied its usual daisies.

Yes, a small plant of Thale cress.

Once onto the industrial estate we found a large area with 
Rue-leaved-saxifrage (though none in flower elsewhere)

Further along in the lorry park a driver
told us about Dog Daisies.. and we found two.

Senecio viscosus - Sticky Groundsel

Thanks Dave, Ann (and briefly Chris Taylor) for taking part.