21 June 2023 - Eco-explorers visit Auswick Beck - 30 Days Wild

(Due to the success of this visit out next meeting on Wed 5 July will also be to Austiwick Beck, again meeting at 4pm at Austwick Play area down the track opposite town Head Lane.)

21 June:-

Settle Eco Explorers had a lovely time at Austwick Beck this afternoon. We looked fro creatures in the water. We saw tiddlers - or at least their shadows in one place, and found a caddis larva and some shells.

 

Mo used the FSC fold out Grasses sheet to help identify this Crested Dog's-tail grass.

We found two caterpillars

We found this caterpillar. I asked Terry Whitaker what it might be and he said "I am fairly certain it is a bright-line-brown-eye caterpillar but as it's not the final instar I can't be 100%" 
See link to  Bright-line Brown-eye on butterfly Conservation Website

On the way back we noticed the Giant Bellflower (Campanula latifolia) just coming out.

And a healthy patch of Good King Henry.   Chenopodium bonus-henricus.  

 The family Chenopdiaceae: See Wikipedia:-  Food species comprise Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Good King Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus), several Chenopodium species (Quinoa, Kañiwa, Fat Hen), Orache (Atriplex spp.), and Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides). The name is Greek for goosefoot, the common name of a genus of plants having small greenish flowers.

Our last Eco Explorers Walk this term will be on Wednesday 5 July at 4pm. We will return to the same spot, parking at Austwick Play Area., opposite Townhead Lane at the NE of the village.

Over the Summer Holidays we plan to have two "Day camps" up at Lower Winskill Farm on 15 and 16 August 2023.  Look out for more news of this. - See pictures of the Day Camps we held in 2022