Wildlife Survey Linear Park 23 May 2017

A dozen members of the Dean Green Team took part in a wildlife survey at Linear Park. We split into small groups and recorded the plants, trees, animals and birds. We were looking for butterflies but the overcast day stopped them from appearing although a few moth were seen.

Weather – 16 degrees – cloud cover – wind SW force 2 dropping to 1

One group went beside the ponds and towards the large grassy area.

Plants found:-

Birds Foot Trefoil
Bluebells / Sporadic over the whole site
Bog Iris / Just coming into flower in ponds
Bramble / Abundant
Bullrush / Abundant in ponds
Burdock / Large leaved
Buttercup / Abundant
Cleaver / Also known as Goosegrass
Cow Parsley / In flower, abundant
Daisy / Abundant
Dock / Abundant
Fern / Bracken - abundant
Forget-me-not
Foxglove
Garlic Mustard
Germander Speedwell / In flower, abundant
Goatsbeard
Gorse / In flower
Ground Ivy / Abundant
Harts Tongue Fern
Heath Speedwell / In flower, abundant
Herb Robert
Ladies Mantle
Lesser Trefoil
Mares Tail / Just emerging
Marsh Orchid /
  • Only one next to a pond

Meadowsweet
Nettle / Abundant
Oil Seed Rape / In flower growing along the side of the stream
Pignut
Plantain / Various types, abundant
Red Clover / In flower
Shepherds Purse / In flower
Silverweed / Abundant
Spearwort
Stitchwort / Greater
Thistle / Various types, abundant
Tormentil
Vetch
Violet / Sporadic over the whole site but not many
Water Lilies / Ponds
White Bed Nettle
Wild Aquilegia / Only two
Wild Geranium / In flower
Wild Strawberry / Fairly common
Woundwort
Yarrow

Birds:

Blackbird
Blackcap
Canada Goose / 2 on pond
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Crow
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Greylag Goose / 1 on pond
Gull
House Sparrow
Magpie
Mallard / 2 families with 7 chicks
Moorhen / 2 families with 5 chicks
Pheasant
Robin
Willow Warbler
Wood Pigeon
Wren

Large Trees:

Ash
Conifers / Abundant
Hawthorn / In blossom - abundant
Poplar / Large – planted near pond
Oak / Abundant
Willow / In blossom - abundant

Other species:

Drinker Moth Caterpillar / On leaf
Brown Silverline Moth / Abundant in old bracken
Scorpion Fly
Ant Nests / Abundant
Leaf Hopper spit
Hopper / Red and black
Boar signs / Various diggings – eating Bluebell bulbs

The second group followed the butterfly transects along the cycle track.

Section 1 (from car park)

Plants:

Bittercress / Abundant
Bluebell / Abundant
Buttercup / Abundant
Cranesbill / Clumps
Dandelion / Clumps
Fern / Abundant
Germander Speedwell / Abundant
May Blossom / Abundant
Nettle / Abundant
Red Clover / Clumps
Stitchwort / Abundant
Strawberry / Small clump
Violet / Large clump but very sparceelswhere

Section 2 (through trees)

Plants:

Bugle / Large clump
Daisy / Small clump
Eyebright / Large clump
Germander Speedwell / Abundant
Gorse / Clumps
May Blossom / Abundant
Nettle / Abundant
Silverweed / Clumps
Stitchwort / Abundant
Vetch / Small clump

Section 3 (just beyond sewage works)

Plants:

Birds Foot Trefoil / Small clump
Bramble / Abundant
Buddleia / Large clump
Buttercup / Clumps
Chickweed / Large clump
Forget-me-not / On old ant hill
Foxglove / Abundant
Germander Speedwell / Large clump
Trifolium / Abundant
May Blossom / Abundant
Milkwort / Clumps
Nettle / Abundant
Potentilla / Abundant
Ragwort / Clumps
Red Clover / Clumps
Silverweed / Abundant
Thistle / Clumps
Vetch / Various
Wild Strawberry / Small clump
Yarrow / Abundant

Other species over whole area:

Wren
Garden Warbler
Blackbird
Chiffchaff
Buzzard
Beetle / Orange and brown
Beetle / Green
Cuckoo Spit
Grass Moth
Squirrel
Moth / Orange tip
Moth / 2 small white with brilliant white wing tips
Dead Fox
Muntjack Deer / Heard but not seen
Extensive Boar damage / Signs of Bluebell bulbs eaten

The third group covered the area where we had cleared the ground last year near to the burger van.

Plants found: All abundant except violet and strawberry

Bluebell
Branble
Buddleia
Buttercup / Meadow and creeping
Cleavers / Goose grass
Clover
Dandelion
Deadnettle / red
Dock
Fern / bracken
Field Madder
Germander Speedwell
Gorse
Horsetail
Nettle
Plantain
Ragwort
Silverweed
Thistle
Tormentil
Vetch
Violet
Wild Strawberry
Willow Herb
Woodaven
Yarrow

Other species:

Deer droppings / numerous
Boar droppings / numerous
Heron / Seen flying
Large white caterpillar / By sewage works
Small white butterfly / Violets area by bridge
Silver Grand Carpet Moth / By sewage works
Extensive Boar damage