Waxcaps and water walk at Winskill Stones

 Yesterday I had been on a training day on waxcaps with Clair and Steve Hindle and Sarah and Ann (Chair of Yoredale Nats) and  Alister  the manager of the land ..  It had rained very hard.

Today was a sunny afternoon so at 13.50 Doris and I parked at the Car park at Winskill Stones. We had intended to park at the opposite end of the nature reserve, but the road was flooded after yesterday's rain, so we stopped at the main car park.

Doris took the low road and I took the High Road (open field and bank searching for waxcaps). Doris is 93 and with her mobility walker shot off at a great rate of mph.

In the distance you can sea Smearsett Scar (left) and the foothills of Ingleborough and the quarry at Horton beyond.

All though this is a limestone area the ground is saturated with water after the heavy rain yesterday.

South of the road only revealed one - Cedarwood Waxcap

We approached the water - 

I marched through and took a photo of Doris waiting.

Doris waiting.

And Doris took a photo of me
- the water got up to about 6 inches deep.

We returned to the car  (there was not much waxcaps if any on the north side of the road, then decided to explore west, along the road towards Samson's toe.

THe grass in a tiny area next to the nature reserve is not grazed.
The grass is long and will be bad for waxcaps

Meadow Waxcap

Meadow Waxcap

Snowy Waxcap

Yellow Waxcap

Yellow Waxcap

Conical Waxcap=Blackening Waxcap

Mycena pura

Mycena pura

Back at the car park Doris was pretty cold - at least her hands were. 

We drove back towards Settle and I stopped about 200m before the corner at the top of Langcliffe Brow, and Doris stayed in the car. I expected to find plenty of waxcaps on the south (uphill) side here but roamed rapidly around and found none till I came back to the road again where I did find a Crimson Waxcap and a Yellow Waxcap.

I used these waxcaps that evening to make a small display at the Craven Conservation Group talk about Red Squirrels

 

 

Settle Wildflowers 152: Ivy - Eco-explorers - Settle Parish churchyard

 

A white sheet was placed under the ivy (see foreground top left), we bashed the ivy with a stick and looked for insects which landed on the sheet.

October 2nd  - Eco-Explorers at 4pm.

Two  weeks ago we had spread out a white sheet under the holly tree , knocked the branches with a stick and looked at the creatures- insects that fell off it.

That was such a success that we tried it again this week.  We tried horse chestnut tree and holly tree which yield a spider and a fly. We tried a different species - Ivy in flower - and that had lots more under it.

Even a two year old can discover more using a hand lens. - I think this is a record in our group though.

The ivy bush - technically growing in the Settle Carlisle Line Railway land.

I have never noticed the curly ridges on the ivy before.

Fox and Cubs still out in the grassland

You might have noticed our young hero has a white badge with a big S on his arm.

They had been doing the letter S in phonics today at school. 

 At the Sticky bud tree (Horse Chestnut) beside the Church we all had fun discovering Spiders, and Snails and putting String into conkers.

Reflections:-

I had a quick look round but failed to find any FUNGI as we had done two years ago.

People say there are far fewer insects this year. I agree. The fact that we were interested in the wasp - well in earlier years we would have been pestered by wasps all late summer. Not this year with its excessive rain.

I am so grateful for the two families that came. and are keen.

It meant the meeting took place. It meant that I discovered creatures and there in the centre of Settle, below the Settle Carlisle Railway

We have over ten families on our list (maybe 15 or 20 including those who came to summer camp)  but there are so many other activities arranged for children nowadays (one of our regulars has now started gymnastics , others go swimming or to brownies/guides), or parents / grandparents have to work, that very few come. 

Some people say "Arrange another event in the half term holiday" -  but then we discover that nearly every family goes off somewhere else at half term.

--------------------------------------