Yealm Bioblitz Report Compressed.Pdf

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Life on the Yealm Initiative Report on the first 6 months of activities

Newton and Noss Environment Group

Written by John Green & Chris McGimpsey “I saw several lines of children going to and from visits. They were all having a great time. There was a lovely sight under the tree outside on Friday when a lady was sat in a chair with 20 enthralled children around her.” Raymond Wergan

, Yealm estuary, July 2018

Lee Bay Bioblitz 2017 Eggs of the Atlantic bobtail squid Sepiola atlantica Photo by Dave Fenwick The Life on the Yealm initiative

With its seagrass beds, creeks, sea cliffs and ancient woodlands, the Yealm estuary is a haven for a diverse range of species. The Marine Biological Association of the UK (MBA) chose the estuary and the parish of Newton and Noss to host its 10th BioBlitz, as part of a local initiative to celebrate the area’s wildlife. The Life on the Yealm initiative has involved providing training and activities for school children, teachers and the local community. Steered by the interests and aspirations of local residents, events have been organised by the MBA with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Yealm Waterside Homes, the Royal Society of Biology and Plymouth Radio. The Yealm BioBlitz, held on 13th & 14th July, was the focal point for the initiative, enabling participants of all levels of expertise and ages to take part in a wide range of fun, educational and scientific data collection activities, which helped to identify and record the wide range of species living in the area. This report provides an overview of the activities arranged over the Spring and Summer of 2018, including the findings from the BioBlitz. There is a great deal of enthusiasm for arranging more events which instill a deeper appreciation of the local wildlife. An event in October 2018 showcasing photos of wildlife living in and around the Yealm will be followed by future events to engage the wider community. To keep up-to-date with Life on the Yealm initiative, visit the Facebook page: @lifeontheyealm

Bella Leal, Summer Bella Summer Leal, 2018

Yealm estuary Photo by School activities Children from two local schools, Newton Ferrers Primary School and Yealmpton Primary School, took part in a series of activities during Spring and Summer 2018. An introduction to the Life on the Yealm initiative, involving an assembly for all of the classes in the schools, was followed by training on wildlife survey techniques for children in Key Stage 2. Field trips were then arranged for two classes from each school to visit the Yealm, enabling the children to explore the habitats and to undertake survey activities.

Both schools then took part in the Yealm BioBlitz, with 49 children from Yealmpton Primary School and over 130 children from Newton Ferrers getting involved in bug searches in the school and local church grounds, exploring pitfall traps, revealing moths from a light trap, using pooters to look at small bugs and sweep netting to find what is living in the grasses, as well as exploring the estuary.

Follow up events were held in the schools in the Autumn Term to consolidate the learning and report back on the findings from the BioBlitz.

A Continuing Professional Development event provided teachers from both schools with training on species identification and survey techniques that are appropriate for primary school children.

A presentation about the Life on the Yealm initiative was also given to members of Ivybridge Community College’s Environment Group.

Community training A series of events was organised for members of the local community, providing training on wildlife identification and survey techniques, including:  An informal walk along the shore of the Yealm Estuary, including a focussed survey for non-native species.  Fun wildlife survey techniques for all ages in Brookings Down Wood using pooters, sweep nets and shaking bushes to see the bugs that fell onto large white sheets.  Woodland assessment technique training in Brookings Down Wood with an ecologist providing a training session on a ground flora assessment tool for woodlands.  Training workshop and field trip surveying and identifying the Yealm’s tidal shore life, and exploring the different habitats present along the estuary.  Wildlife and habitat survey technique training at Newton Down solar farm.

Yealm BioBlitz

Hundreds of local people and experts from across South West England took part in the Yealm BioBlitz in Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo on Friday 13th July & Saturday 14th July, searching for the wildlife that lives in and around the Yealm estuary. The main objective was to engage the local community to instill a deeper interest in the precious local habitats, whilst obtaining a snapshot of the species present.

A large programme of activities was arranged for children and adults of all ages, including whale and dolphin watching, reptile, butterfly, bug and fish surveys, stream dipping, moth trapping and dusk walks looking for bats, owls and glow worms.

The survey area included a range of habitats, including ancient woodland, a coastal path and cliffs, areas of managed park, as well as sand/mud and the rocky shore. It covered all publically accessible land in the parish of Newton and Noss, the high water mark of all parts of the Yealm estuary, the mouth of the estuary and 500 metres out to sea. Recordings from private land, including gardens, were eligible if submitted with the landowner’s permission, as long as they were not of species which had been introduced recently for gardening or farming.

A total of 855 species were identified during the survey which took place from 10am on Friday 13th July until 3pm on Saturday 14th July. Around 420 people took part, including approximately 200 school children.

“The bioblitz was a wonderful opportunity to meet other experts, educate children and adults on the wonder of moths and a real adventure with camping overnight while moth traps ran in a nearby wood. Recording Olive Crescent, a moth never before seen in Devon was a real bonus.” Barry Henwood

Barry Henwood, Brookings Down Wood, July 2018

Olive Crescent Trisateles emortualis Photo by BioBlitz activities

Base Camp

Over 300 people visited the Base Camp at the WI

Hall in Newton Ferrers during the Yealm Fenwick Dave BioBlitz. There were numerous activities for school children, run by Paul Naylor, Teresa Jumping plant louse

Trioza centranthi Photo by Naylor who is the author of Benny the Blenny, Juliette Jackson, the Marine Conservation “I was lucky enough to be there when the Society and other volunteers. Microscopes were chap was showing Tardigrades under the available for all to use throughout day and there microscope - absolutely fascinating. I had were opportunities to meet experts, including read several pieces about them, but never an inspiring expert on tardigrades. seen one before.” Anthony John

Throughout the BioBlitz an information desk provided participants with survey forms, timetables, maps and micro-lenses for taking close-up images of wildlife. Volunteers were on the data desk day and night to enable people to bring their records and photos for inclusion in the survey.

“I thought the BioBlitz was wonderful. Seeing so much enthusiasm from experts and participants was brilliant.” Nicky Tewson

, NHBS Oli Haines

Yealm BioBlitz Base Camp Photo by

Cetacean watch and seabird spotting A mini-bus driven by volunteers took people four kilometres from the Base Camp to the coastal path in

Noss Mayo for a headland bird and cetacean watch. Wergan Raymond Seals and dolphins are often seen from this part of coast, but none of the 17 people who took part Six spot burnet

Zygaena filipendulae Photo by spotted any sea mammals on this occasion. However, numerous species of birds and butterflies were recorded in amongst the gorse and bracken.

Shore safari

The shore safari took place on the mud-flats of the

Yealm at Wembury Point. Mud flats are very important Wain Asher environments as they provide habitats for wading birds and they act as a carbon sink to counter-act global Comma

Polygonia c-album Photo by warming. These mud flats are home to a wide range of organisms, including the invasive Pacific Oyster which

is becoming a dominant species in the Yealm.

Fish survey - seine netting Seine nets were used to catch and record fish species near to the Harbour Office at Yealm Steps. Around 20 McGimpsey Chris people took part in identifying eight fish species found

in the shallows. This contributed to the total of 33 Photo by Photo by Chris McGimpsey by Photo Chris species of fish that were recorded in the Yealm during the BioBlitz, including the Common Dragonet, Pollack,

Sand Goby, Snake Pipefish and Twospotted Goby. psey Members of Seasearch dived near the mouth the Yealm estuary at Western Ebb Rocks and there were divers searching the Yealm estuary channel.

“What's under your feet?” bug search Photo by McGim Chris Nicky Collins, a local primary school science teacher, ran a session with a group of people looking at what lives in the soil. By digging up a small patch of Gypsy Meadow the group found worms and beetles, though far fewer than were expected, perhaps due to the very dry summer which may have driven creatures to dig Fenwick Dave themselves in deeper than usual. Barkfly found on Holm Oak leaves

Ectopsocus briggsi Photo by Stream dipping The small stream flowing through Gypsy Meadow was the venue for a stream dipping session. Being reasonably fast flowing and lightly tumbling over a stony bed, a ‘riffle’, the water was well oxygenated, enabling it to support a healthy diversity of life. By looking at the presence and absence of a few macroinvertebrate groups, a small team gained a quick and reasonable assessment of the water quality – which was suggested to be “good”.

Crabbing competition “As the sun began to lower it was time for the crabbing competition. Conveniently situated on a pier by The Ship Jack Jack Sewell Inn at Noss Creek, this event sure was popular with the locals! The aim of the game was to catch the biggest crab Common shore crab and, along the way, survey the population of the Green Carcinus maenas Photo by Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas) around the pier. Children were wet-suited up and were not afraid of swimming off with their bait to find the best spot. After depositing their bait, they quickly swam back to the pier to reel in their catch. A twist on the mark- capture-release method was used, where the marking consisted of a dab of lipstick on the carapace of an unsuspecting crab. Bacon was flung as bait, children were dripping on the recording sheets and lipstick found itself on most peoples’ fingers and t-shirts. This organised chaos was much loved by all. As this was a BioBlitz however, other species were recorded too, such as the sea slater (Ligia oceanica).” Kat Clayton, NHBS

Dusk walk: bats, owls, glow worms & other night creatures Common and soprano pipistrelles, Natterer’s, Daubenton’s and greater horseshoe bats were all recorded by the 25-strong group who enjoyed the 7 kilometre dusk walk along the coastal path and through coastal woods.

, NHBS Oli Haines

Dusk Walk, Coastal Path, Noss Mayo Photo by Midnight shore walk

A midnight trek to Cellars Beach with UV torches revealed sights not normally seen during daylight hours, including fluorescing crystal jelly. A team of 30 people Sea slug took part in the survey which revealed candy striped flat Rostanga rubra worms, nudibranchs, pipe fish, bobtail squid and a shore Sewell Jack by Photo crab munching on a limpet.

Dawn bird walk At 6am on the Saturday morning, 35 adults and children assembled for a bird walk along the upper reaches of the estuary at Puslinch. Despite the guide being unable to Compass jellyfish

make it, most participants enjoyed the early morning Chrysaora hysoscella Sewell Jack by Photo walk in the sun, with enthusiastic children eager to get close to the birds that were present.

Plankton netting Another early start to collect plankton from the estuary, Privet hawkmoth which was brought back to the Base Camp to view under Sphinx ligustri Photo by Raymond Wergan Raymond by Photo the microscope. The phytoplankton and zooplankton found revealed the most species which the resident expert had seen collected during a BioBlitz. Around 30 people viewed the specimens and discussed the finds.

Moth reveal The morning moth reveal outside the WI Hall was the Buff-tip

highlight of the BioBlitz for many people, with over 80 Phalera bucephala Sewell Jack by Photo different species of moth on show, including the furry twig-like buff-tip and several that looked like leaves. The stunning shapes, camouflage and variety were enthralling.

Lovely lichens and beautiful bugs Slug prints Arion rufus Photo by Raymond Wergan Raymond by Photo

A group of children took pooters and magnifying glasses to look for bugs in the church grounds. Accompanied by an ecologist, they became so engrossed that at the end of the session they did not want to leave. Western Green Lizard

Lacerta bilineata Wergan Raymond by Photo Ancient woodland walk

“On Saturday, we joined in an Ancient Woodland walk. Ancient woodlands are those which have existed since the early 1600s and are the UK’s richest land-based habitat for wildlife. Our aim was to spot as many different types of trees and plants as possible, so off we went armed with our recording sheets. Our walk took us through the beautiful Newton Woods

running alongside the river Yealm. Fiona, our guide, set Sutcliffe Stu the younger children (and some adults) the task of collecting as many different leaves as possible which Slow worm were gathered in a pile. We spotted leaves from cedar, Anguis fragilis Photo by ash, pine, oak, and a host of smaller plants including a nettle which was collected by one brave child. (There were, alas, no dock leaves to be found, triggering a discussion on why, in nature, you often find both poison and antidote growing next to each other). Some unusual finds included wild strawberries, and a herb named Robert.

It was a delightful walk, helped by the brilliant weather MikeLonghurst and congenial company. Unfortunately, as the walk Hairy shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum overran, we were forced to turn back at the halfway Photo by point. We will be returning to Newton Woods to complete the walk at a later date!” Soma Mitra-Chubb, NHBS Marketing Coordinator

Shore walk Candy striped flat worms, nudibranchs, pipe fish and bobtail squid, just a few of the highlights found along the shore. A group of parasitic gnathiid isopods were found to be nibbling on the pectoral fin of a common eel. And there were some beautiful pictures taken of rostanga rubra, a species of seaslug which eats sponges, taking on their bright orange colour to blend in and hide from their prey!

Estuary ecology squelch!

Three teaspoons of mud from the Yealm estuary has more bacteria than there are people on the planet. The 20 people who took part in the estuary ecology event were entertained by this and many other interest facts, though perhaps some of the children preferred squelching. BioBlitz data collection and results

As well as public engagement activities, one of the main aims of a BioBlitz is to list the species found.

A recording form and map were provided to everyone who wanted to take part and participants were provided with access to ID guides, magnifying lenses for mobile phones, other magnifiers, trays, nets, specimen pots, buckets and microscopes. All forms needed to be signed by an expert in order to validate the records, or they could be submit ted via the iNaturalist app, a smartphone tool that allows people to add species records with photographs. This new tool was utilised by a few of the local experts and the data team, speeding up the data entry process.

The MBA data team was at the Base Camp throughout the BioBlitz, taking records, photographs and voucher specimens. All data that was verified by an expert, or included a supporting image or specimen, was passed to the National Biodiversity Network and archived in the Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats. It is available free of charge to anyone on request.

A total of 1,646 records were obtained with 855 unique species identified from a wide range of taxonomic groups. Of these, 18 are Messenger Peter UK BAP priority species and 38 are

new records for the Yealm area in the Photo by National Biodiversity Network Atlas. These recordings are just a snapshot of the wildlife that lives in the area during the year. For example, adders, dolphins, otters, seals, rays and deer have all been seen swimming in the Yealm estuary over the past year, however, none were recorded during the BioBlitz. BioBlitz species highlights

Locally found water bears, also known as eutardigrades, provided participants with a view into their microscopic world. With long, plump bodies and scrunched-up heads, they

are almost indestructible. Fenwick Dave Water bears The rare olive crescent moth was recorded for Eutardigrade the first time in Devon, only being resident in Photo by one or two scattered deciduous woodland areas in the south of England. And greater horseshoe bats flew by during the dusk walk. The European spiny lobster, also known as crawfish, with its heavily armoured body and

small hook-like claws was also recorded.

Visit http://www.mba.ac.uk/bioblitz for a full

species list and additional information about Fenwick Dave the event. Brown seaweed “I was fascinated by the Pacific Oyster and Myriactula stellulata Photo by how abundant and widespread this invasive species has become. I was partially

interested in how they clustered together and arrogated into large reefs.” Christopher McGimpsey

“ My favourite find was an elegant young snake pipefish.” Douglas Herdson Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas Photo by McGimpsey Chris

Peter Messenger Peter Peter Messenger Peter

Snake pipefish Sea hares Photo by

Entelurus aequoreus Photo by Apylsia Media and press articles

BBC Radio Devon interviewed Jack Sewell from the MBA and several local residents about the BioBlitz for their Saturday morning show which was broadcast during the BioBlitz. Life on the Yealm competitions

We are grateful for the very generous donations of books and pictures from NHBS, Wild Nature Press, Teresa Naylor and the National Marine Biological Library for competition prizes. The winning entries were displayed and presented with their awards at the Life on the Yealm showcase event in October 2018.

Wildlife Photo Competition There were over 100 entries submitted into the four categories of the Summer 2018 Yealm Wildlife Photo competition for adults, on teenagers and under 12s, and also for the best non-photographic

representation of wildlife using audio/video or any other Leal Bella medium. All photo entries needed to be taken in the Yealm Estuary catchment area, the mouth of the Yealm Estuary, or Eurasian blue tit anywhere within the Parish of Newton and Noss. Cyanistes caeruleus by Photo

School competition Children from Newton Ferrers Primary School and Yealmpton Primary School were invited to create an Illustrated Wildlife Map of the Yealm, showing the local wildlife and habitats that are important to them. Over 100 children entered. BioBlitz competitions In addition, several other competitions were running during to the BioBlitz, including: 1) Guess the number of species: The individual with the nearest guess of the number of species recorded by 4pm at the end of the BioBlitz was the winner. 2) BioBingo: Find the species shown, cross them off and get a line or a full house to win! Life on the Yealm on Social Media

For more information follow: #lifeontheyealm Acknowledgements Thank you to all of our sponsors, supporting organisations and volunteers who helped to organise and run this year’s events.