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Please note that there has been a minor change to the proposed meeting at the Beaver enclosure at The Pludds in the Forest of Dean. Please also note that it is essential to book a place if you intend to join us. Check the event page for further details.

There is always a risk that field meetings in the Severn floodplain may be affected by floodwater, but the flooding at Coombe Hill has receded considerably over the past few days. Participants will be able to view the area from public footpaths, now free of floodwater, though still muddy, so that wellingtons or very stout waterproof footwear, are essential; a walking stick is also highly recommended. Good numbers of wintering waterbirds are still present, together with the first sign of summer migrants.

14 members took part in a walk around part of Alney Island nature reserve which lies between the east and west branches of the Severn at the western edge of Gloucester city; temperatures were a little higher than the previous few days in part due to the cloud cover and a partial thaw overnight. There were though still areas of frozen floodwater, large patches of ice on the grassland and on the footpath & cycle track; much of the water under the trees and shrubbery in the flooded woodland nearest to the by-pass was frozen over.

In spite of the chill and frozen floodwater a respectable list of 22 species of birds were recorded, among them Teal (Anas crecca) estimated at 60 birds, 2 Gadwall (Anas strepera), 5 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), 2 Wigeon (Anas Penelope), 1 each Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) and Moorhen ((Gallinula chloropus), 2 Cetti’s Warblers (Cettia cetti) singing, a very obliging Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), a small party of Long Tailed Tits (Aegithalos caudatus), 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopus major), a single Redwing (Turdus iliacus) and a few other common / garden species.

A few varieties of fungi were noted, unidentified large brackets on a Poplar, small Scarlet Elf Cups (Sarcoscypha austriaca) and Yellow Brain Fungus (Tremella mesenterica). Member Tony Hardware also managed to find a new fungus species for Gloucestershire on the Populus nigra trees, Peniophorella guttulifera, a rare resupinate basiodiomycete fungus, tending to grow only on Populus, but also found on Salix. Tony advises there are only 18 only other UK records for this species.

The cattle used for conservation grazing were present at the western end of the site and were the only mammals encountered though there was some discussion regarding what mammals were resident, used the site or had been recorded on site. These included Reeves’ Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Otter (Lutra lutra), Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), Stoat (Mustela erminea) and others.

One member, who we will not embarrass by naming her did a sterling job of litter picking all the way around, a great effort, much appreciated, well done!

Andrew Bluett

13^th January 2024

Sherborne National Trust estate falls largely into three habitats – tenanted arable farmland, water-meadows and woodland/wood-pasture.  Having walked round the second of these last year, eleven of us met to walk around the wooded part; given Storm Darragh the previous week, we wondered what we might find.

The walk started at the top of the hill with wood-pasture and a mixture of Beech, Lime species and Ash grouped in shelterbelts and an avenue of mature trees.  There were small flocks of Redwing and Starling moving around, and skulking Wren and Chaffinch.  We’d already heard a Green Woodpecker from Ewe Pen car-park without managing to locate it.  At a larger open field we came upon a loose herd of Roe Deer numbering about 20, coming into and out of view from the dead ground as we passed by.

When we moved into the wooded Pleasure Grounds, Yew and Elder became more prevalent, also some Box, and we found Jelly-ear fungus and Nectria (Coral Spot).  Later. other fungi included Witches’ Butter, Velvet Shank and King Alfred’s Cakes.  Nuthatches were occasionally heard as were Goldcrest, and, briefly, a Bullfinch. 

A large fallen Ash showed some of the damage the storm had done.  The tree was otherwise healthy but had been snapped off close to its thick base.  Further on an even larger Beech had been uprooted and had brought down a nearby conifer; although the Beech was sheltered in the woodland interior it had a noticeably shallow root system.

Sherborne Broad Water lies at the bottom of this hill.  It was originally ornamental but now left wild and eventually feeds into the Windrush.  Here we found about 60 Wigeon.  These were difficult to count as a large flock was spooked by something and wouldn’t settle – normally the Sherborne Wigeon will graze on the grass and then lift off only as far as the water if disturbed.  We were alerted to two Little Grebes by their call, and then saw a Kingfisher perched by the weir. 

The walk back produced a Marsh Tit in a village garden and a plantation of Larches in Ragged Copse.  Surprisingly for this area it was a morning without a Red Kite.

Andy Lewis

The results of the GNS 2024 Photographic Competition are now available to view using the links below. The finalists in each category were shown in the Zoom meeting which took place on Wednesday 18th December, the winner in each category will go forward for a vote to decide the overall winner at the GNS AGM at The Folk, Westgate Street, Gloucester on Wednesday 26th March 2025.

The Finalists – View PDF

The ‘Best of the Rest’ – 

Part 1 – Any Species in its Environment – View PDF

Part 2 – Behaviour & Interaction – View PDF

Part 3 – Plants & Botanicals – View PDF

Part 4 – Habitats & Landscapes – View PDF

Part 5 – Portraits – View PDF

Part 6 – Fun & Amusing – View PDF

Our thanks go to all of the entrants for submitting a wide range of excellent photographs and our congratulations go to the category winners.

All being well we will be running the competition again in the coming year, so bear that in mind when you are out and about in 2025 and photographing the fascinating wildlife and environment in Gloucestershire and beyond so that you are ready to submit entries when we appeal for them next November.

by Mike Smart

“The meadows of the Severn floodplain are of interest to naturalists for different reasons at different times of year. The suite of hay meadows at Ashleworth and Hasfield Hams, on the west bank of the Severn opposite Wainlodes Hill, have been recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England for their wintering waterbirds and their ditch flora. Part of the site is a nature reserve purchased in the 1960s by the late Peter Duddridge (a former active member of GNS, who gifted the land to the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust – GWT), part is made up of land owned and farmed by the Hasfield estate and other landowners. The nature reserve can be conveniently surveyed from several hides overlooking the main reserve field along the road from Ashleworth to Tirley; other sections can be accessed by public footpaths.

“Winter visits to the Hams are conditioned by the state of flooding, which can often make the Ham Road impassable: autumn 2024 has started very wet, with one major flood in late September (during which the Severn broke its banks and flooded the whole of the area) and a second flood episode in mid-October; the latter has subsided during the dull anticyclonic weather of the last two weeks, so the area was easily accessible to the dozen or so GNS members who met on the morning of Saturday 9 November. Wintering ducks are very much a feature of both Ashleworth Ham and its sister GWT reserve at Coombe Hill on the east bank of the Severn, only three miles or so away as the duck flies. Recent studies by GNS members have shown that the ducks that winter in the Ashleworth and Coombe Hill sectors of the floodplain tend to stay on the spot once they arrive, moving round to other sites like Longdon Marsh in south Worcestershire if the floods become too deep for them to feed; there is little or no evidence to support the old theory that these ducks move between the floodplain and the Severn Estuary Special Protected Area. This year, many of the ducks moved to Longdon during the heavy flooding of September and October, but with subsiding water levels have moved back to the Gloucestershire sites. On 9 November, duck numbers on the wetland areas of the reserve were relatively low but will no doubt increase as the winter advances, as more birds arrive from breeding grounds in central and northern Europe: perhaps 60 Teal and 15 Wigeon, the latter coming from as far as western Siberia, as demonstrated by ringing recoveries. Other ducks present were about 100 noisy Mallard and a couple of Gadwall (probably locally bred). Four Little Grebes were of particular interest, inobtrusive divers, rarely seen in large numbers, and their presence something of a mystery; were they a family party that had bred on the spot and not been noticed (which seems a likely explanation)? Or were they incoming migrants from further afield? It was rather a surprise to find, on consulting the reference sources, that little is known about the migrations of this species; because it is so difficult to catch; only a tiny number have been ringed over the years, and there are very few ringing recoveries to show their movements – the BTO website mentions only 42 recoveries, which must be a record for a relatively common bird. The other noteworthy waterbird on the reserve was the equally discreet and inobtrusive Water Rail, which called from the vegetation.

“Another item of interest was the botany of the site. In November one would not of course expect to find flower-rich hay meadows in full bloom, but two plants, Trifid But-Marigold and Reed Canary-Grass, attracted members’ attention after a very wet spring and summer. Trifid Bur Marigold has a yellow flower and is attractive to pollinator insects; it flowers in autumn and has fiendishly designed seeds with hooks that catch onto any passing animal or the clothing of anyone rash enough to venture through a patch of it; their clothes become covered with these little seeds, which are difficult and tedious to remove and are the origin of the alternative name of Devil’s Beggarticks. The plant grows on bare ground and flowers in autumn; this year there are vast patches of it around many pools and ponds, so thick that it discourages wintering ducks that feed around the edges of the water. Reed Canary-Grass is the plant which replaces the Common Reed in this section of the hams: strange as it may seem, this area of the Severn floodplain is simply too wet for reeds, though they occur in other parts of the Severn Vale; reeds cannot survive the long periods of deep flooding which are regular here, so are replaced by Reed Canary Grass which invades the wetter meadows, and is not palatable to cattle, hence not appreciated by farmers.

“A walk through the footpaths crossing the Hams enabled the meeting to appreciate the flat landscape with long vistas and hedges dotted with willows and oaks. The willows were particularly fascinating because of the shapes into which they grow when pollarded – old, gnarled boles which provide nesting holes for Redstarts in spring, some of them with such a heavy load of fast-growing branches that the trees may crack under the weight, giving the name of Crack Willow; in times past the thick off-cuts were used as fence posts, thinner branches for making wattles to fence in cattle; other species of willow were grown in cultivated osier-beds (local name “persh”) and used and for basket-making. These older uses have vanished nowadays and cutting back the luxuriant growth is a real headache for land-owners; there must surely be some way the high fertility of these willows could be profitably used? At this time of year, there are no animals out in the wet meadows, too wet for arable crops, which is why traditional farming practices involve taking a late summer hay cut as the meadow vegetation develops, with cattle (and nowadays very often sheep) grazing the aftermath: a system which provides a wealth of interest from the ornithological and botanical point of view, not to mention support for a host of invertebrates like dragonflies.”

We are currently finalising details of proposed field meetings for the Autumn / Winter season; a reminder of the next meeting together with further proposed meetings follows. Please note that these meetings will appear in the event listings once further details have been confirmed. For the time being the information below should enable you to put dates in diaries for any of the meetings that are of interest to you.

Ferns in the Tintern area with Olga Krylova – Sunday 6^th October 2024, meet at 11:00 am at the Tintern Abbey car park, Tintern, NP16 6SD; Grid Ref. SO 532 001. (There is a charge of £5 for the car park). The walk will take place around the Wye Valley woods, one of the most important ancient woodlands in the UK, where fern species including the complex Scaly Male-fern group, Dryopteris affinis agg. are an important part of the woodland flora. Bring food and drinks.  The meeting will be finished by 4.00pm.

10^th October 2024 – Woodland Management with Alan Waterman at Nine Wells Wood in the lower Wye Valley, 10 am to 1.00 pm.
9^th November 2024 – Waterfowl and Waders with Mike Smart at Ashleworth Ham, 9.30 am to 12.30 pm.
15^th November 2024 – Fungi with John Holden at Chase End Hill near Malvern, 10.20 am to 12.30 pm.
21^st November 2024 – Conifers with Barry Embling at the Cyril Hart Arboretum, Speech House, Forest of Dean, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.
3^rd December 2024 – Geology / Fauna and Flora with John Moseley at Huntley Quarry, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.
19^th January 2025 – Alney Island in Winter (primarily birds) with Andrew Bluett, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm (subject to the area Not being flooded.!)

Winter Birds in the Cotswolds, date and further details to be confirmed.

by Alan Waterman

This was a Bioblitz type of walk originally set up to look particularly at the fungi it being that time of year but as it turned out we only saw about 4 different species. There was a very impressive bracket fungus growing on a dead Beech tree. There being no Fungi experts it was identified as a Ganoderma species, probably applanatum, commonly known as Artist Bracket but not 100%. Close by was the common Tametes versiclour and we also saw some puff balls, a Lycoperdon species. Initially we visited a pond which had a large amount of Crassula growing across it and was in need of some major clearance, the problem with this invasive species is that once it colonises you will never get rid of it so you have a job for life. The pond also had some marginal Flag Irises and Purple Loosestrife which no doubt look quite attractive in Spring and Summer. The woods were populated largely by mature Oaks with some Sycamore, not so many wildflowers out at this time of year but we did see come Enchanter’s Nightshade, Woundwort , Lemon Balm and Thyme-leaved Speedwell in flower, other plants were Dogs Mercury, Wood Avens, White Dead Nettle, Black Bryony and  Herb Robert.  Juliet spotted some  Small Balsam in the wood? ‘I only came across it when I was mooching about after tea, but it was very abundant in the north west corner of the wood at least. That was probably the most unusual plant I saw’.

On the far side of the woods were open fields with a nice wide headland, from here we had views across open country and saw Buzard, Marsh Harrier and Red Kite, growing amongst the grasses along the headland were quite a few Red Bartsia plants also still in flower. The full Bird list compiled by Mike Daw is as follows.  

Wood Pigeon

  Nuthatch

  Blue Tit

  Great Tit

  Goldcrest

  Robin

  Buzzard

  Wren

  Long-tailed Tit

  Marsh Tit

  Marsh Harrier

  Red Kite

  Jay

 The day was dull and not so warm so we did not see any Moths or Butterflies but Guy Meridith was on hand and identified t many species often by virtue of their leaf mining activity. In the afternoon Guy stayed on and did pick up a few Butterflies as the day warmed up. Here are his records.

Moths

Checklist no., Scientific name, Common name(s), UK status, stage(s) observed, typical UK larval food(s)

Nepticulidae

4.014   Stigmella catharticella   Buckthorn Dot / Buckthorn Pigmy   Local   (larval mine)   Buckthorn

4.015   Stigmella anomalella   Rose Dot / Rose Leaf-miner   Common   (larval mine)   Roses

4.034   Stigmella tityrella   Small Beech Dot / Small Beech Pigmy   Common   (larval mine)   Beech

4.042   Stigmella plagicolella   Blue-shot Dot / Scrubland Pigmy   Common   (larval mine)   Blackthorn, other Prunus sp.

4.056   Stigmella speciosa   Beautiful Sycamore Dot / Barred Sycamore Pigmy   Common   (larval mine)   Sycamore

Tischeriidae

10.001   Tischeria ekebladella   Oak Blotch-miner / Oak Carl   Common   (larval mine)   Oak, Sweet chestnut

Gracillariidae

15.028   Parornix anglicella   Hawthorn Parornix / Hawthorn Slender   Common   (larval feeding signs)   Hawthorn, Wild service tree

15.039   Phyllonorycter quercifoliella   Common Oak Leaf-miner / Common Oak Midget   Common   (adult)   Oak

15.040   Phyllonorycter messaniella   Ilex Leaf-miner / Garden Midget   Common   (larval mine)   Oaks, Beech, Sweet chestnut, Hornbeam

15.043   Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae   Common Thorn Leaf-miner / Common Thorn Midget   Common   (larval mine)   Hawthorn, Pear, Quince

15.052   Phyllonorycter corylifoliella   Hawthorn Leaf-miner / Hawthorn Midget   Common   (larval mine)   Rosaceous trees & shrubs (f. betulae Birch)

15.063   Phyllonorycter maestingella   Beech Leaf-miner / Beech Midget   Common   (larval mine)   Beech

15.089   Cameraria ohridella   Horse-Chestnut Leaf-miner   Common   (larval mines & adult)   Horse Chestnut

Plutellidae

18.001   Plutella xylostella   Diamond-back Moth / Diamond-back   Migrant   (adult)   Brassicas

Depressariidae

32.031   Agonopterix alstromeriana   Hemlock Moth / Brown-spot Flat-body   Common   (adult)   Hemlock

Choreutidae

48.001   Anthophila fabriciana   Nettle-tap / Common Nettle-tap   Common   (adult)   Nettles

Crambidae

63.031   Udea ferrugalis   Rusty-dot Pearl   Migrant   (adult)   Herbaceous plants

Geometridae

70.100   Colostygia pectinataria   Green Carpet   LC   (adult)   Bedstraws

Erebidae

72.002   Rivula sericealis   Straw Dot   LC   (adult)   Grasses (False brome, Tor-grass, Purple moor-grass)

72.003   Hypena proboscidalis   Snout   LC   (adult)   Common nettle

Butterflies

Pieridae

58.007   Pieris rapae   Small White   LC   (adult)   Wild Crucifers, Brassicas (Cabbages), Nasturtium

Nymphalidae

59.023   Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral   LC   (adult)   Common nettle

59.026   Aglais io   Peacock   LC   (adult)   Common nettle

59.031   Polygonia c-album   Comma   LC   (adult)   Common nettle, Elms, Hop

 Juliet was on hand and made this list of Lichens which is shown below.

The Lichen list, from within the wood and from the boundary wall.

Juliet was on hand and made this list of Lichens which is shown below.There’s nothing exceptional on it, though several are rarely recorded so would appear rare on the maps.

On the trees
Alyxoria varia
Arthonia didyma
Arthonia radiata
Candelaria concolor
Candelariella xanthostigmoides
Coenogonium pineti
Diarthonis spadicea
Diploicia canescens
Glaucomaria carpinea
Graphis scripta s. lat.
Hypogymnia physodes
Hypotrachyna revoluta s. str.
Lecania naegelii
Lecanora argentata
Lecanora hybocarpa
Lecidella elaeochroma f. elaeochroma
Lepraria incana s. lat.
Melanelixia subaurifera
Myriolecis sambuci
Opegrapha vulgata
Parmelia sulcata
Parmotrema perlatum
Phlyctis argena
Physcia adscendens
Ramalina farinacea
Ramalina fastigiata
Xanthoria parietina
Telogalla olivieri
Vouauxiella lichenicola

On the boundary wall
Acrocordia conoidea
Bagliettoa calciseda
Bagliettoa parmigera s. lat.
Caloplaca aurantia
Caloplaca dichroa
Caloplaca flavescens
Caloplaca flavocitrina
Catillaria lenticularis
Circinaria calcarea
Lathagrium auriforme
Myriolecis albescens
Protoblastenia rupestris
Thelidium decipiens
Thelidium pyrenophorum
Verrucaria nigrescens f. nigrescens As we returned two Muntjac deer were spotted in the woods close to the buildings, and our visit was finished off with a welcome cup of tea or coffee and some chocolate biscuits. Many thanks.

It’s that time of year again; GNS are inviting entries for the members 2024 photographic competition. The finalists will be exhibited in the New Year and the winners announced, probably as part of the AGM which will be due as usual in March. 

Now is the time to look through the photographs you’ve taken in the past year, or maybe will be taking in the next few weeks of Autumn and consider entering them. The closing date for entries is 30th November 2024.
 
The entries will be judged anonymously, and should be entered in the following categories; there will be a winner in each category and an overall winner –

• Any species in its Environment – plant, animal, bird or invertebrate in the habitat in which it lives, searches for food or breeds. 
• Behaviour and Interaction – activity between two members of the same species or perhaps between individuals of different species.
• Habitat and Landscape – Woodland, grassland, waterscapes or just a fantastic view.
• Plants and Botanicals – Anything classed as a plant, lower plant, botanical, non-animal species.
• Portraits – Anything from the natural world in portrait form.
• Fun and Amusing – anything funny, amusing or unusual.

The general rules –

• All photographs should be digital images (pdf, jpeg, tiff, or similar) and sent by e-mail or via We Transfer / Drop-Box (or similar) to Andrew Bluett, the membership secretary, at gnsmembership@btinternet.com. If you have difficulty delivering the photos, contact us for help. 
• Each photograph should have a title, or the name of the subject together with which category you wish to enter it in.
• Photographs should preferably, though not exclusively, be taken in or close to Gloucestershire.
• If you are not sure of which category to enter photographs in, we can decide that for you and place it in the most appropriate category. Equally, if we think a photograph is entered in the wrong category, we may choose to move it to a different / more appropriate category.
• Photographs should be about the natural world, so no studio pictures, pets, captive animals or birds, ‘foreign’ garden plants etc.
• You may enter up to 3 photographs in any category, and may enter as many categories as you wish.
• Copyright will remain with the photographer, but GNS reserves the right to exhibit, display or use the photographs in print form or on our website.

This is a members only competition – however, if you are not a member but would like to enter, please join us first via the membership page of the GNS website at this link – Membership – Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society (glosnats.org)

If you have any queries, please contact us at gnsmembership@btinternet.com

On Sunday 28 July seven GNS members met at Persh Farm, Maisemore, at the invitation of the owner, Greg Chamberlayne, to look at the three flood meadows along the River Leadon, just before its confluence with the Severn. This was an unusual field meeting, in the sense that it was carried out at the invitation of a landowner who has recently carried out conservation measures and wanted records of items of natural history interest in the area. By coincidence one of the GNS participants had known the site in the 1950s and 1960s (hence before the flood-banks were installed along the Leadon in the 1960s). The name of the farm is also worth underlining: “persh” is a local word for an osier bed, once managed for production of willow rods for making baskets, hurdles and fences; the name of Pershore comes from the same root.

The three meadows along the Leadon regularly flood in winter (the flooding can be seen from a distance from the A417 when driving from Hartpury towards Maisemore and Gloucester) and under recent environmental legislation, grants have made so that they remain wet in winter. The meadows remained flooded for most of last winter, attracting surface-feeding ducks and egrets; this spring Shelducks, Mallard and Coot nested successfully.  At the time of the GNS visit, water had been released from the meadows, so the main focus of the visit was botanical. The main birds of interest were at least three soaring Buzzards and a Redstart ticking in the hedges; other birds recorded were: Grey Heron, Red-legged Partridge, Blacc-headed Gull, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow and Raven, plus the ubiquitous Wood Pigeons, all trying to make us think they were Peregrines. Three Brown Hares were playing in the meadows. Butterflies noted included; Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock and Marbled White.

As in so many other meadows in the Severn and Avon Vales this year, the vegetation on these fields was affected by very heavy flooding from October 2023 to April 2024. Many typical water meadow plants were present, though flowering later than usual. Among the plants were attractive stands of Purple Loosestrife, much larger stands than usual of Triffid Burr-Marigold, plants of Marsh Woundwort, Flowering Rush and Amphibious Bistort in wetter areas, with (among others) Creeping Yellow-cress, Tufted Vetch and Water Speedwell – a whole lexicon of wetland plant names! One intriguing plant was a sedge, with several specimens present, probably False Fox Sedge, rather than the rarer True Fox Sedge; we await the verdict of the society’s botanical experts: there was ultimately general agreement that the plant was indeed the commoner False Fox Sedge Carex otrubae.

Many thanks to Greg for the invitation to visit the site; it will be of great interest for GNS members to keep monitoring developments at this interesting site.