No. 198 1 April – 30 June 2010 Editorial Panel: Helen Ikin, Steve Woodward, Jim Graham. Hon. Sec. Judy Johnson, 27 Sandalwood Road, Loughborough, Leics. LE11 3PR (01509-214711) RECORDS OF RARE OR UNUSUAL SPECIES If a species has not been found in the county before or is rare in the county, the sighting usually needs to be confirmed by a second person, ideally someone familiar with that species. A good photograph may be acceptable as conclusive evidence if it shows the distinguishing features of the species. The verification panel may not be able accept the IN THIS EDITION record if there is no actual evidence or corroboration of the sighting. CLASSIFIED RECORDS Each group of organisms, such as Woodlice, Ÿ Mammals Page 2 Fungi or Craneflies, has a County Recorder who is keen to help with identification and verification or Ÿ Birds Page 3 can suggest someone nearer who can help. Several County Recorders are LNC members. Ÿ Fish Page 8 Unusual species should be reported as soon as Ÿ Reptiles and Amphibians Page 10 possible to the relevant County Recorder so that Ÿ there is a good chance of the organism still being Dragonflies & Damselflies Page 11 at the site. In groups, such as insects, where it is Ÿ Butterflies Page 12 possible to collect a specimen, the actual insect may be shown to the County Recorder. It may be Ÿ Moths Page 14 possible to confirm the sighting without killing the insect and it can then be returned to the site. Ÿ Other Insects Page 18 To find the County Recorder for a group, or Ÿ Other Invertebrates Page 23 someone else who can confirm the record, contact Ÿ one of the Heritage editors or Gareth Price, the Flowering Plants & Ferns Page 24 Community Ecologist at the Leics. & Rutland Ÿ Other Plants of Interest Page 24 Environmental Records Centre (LRERC) which is housed, at present, at Holly Hayes in Birstall. Ÿ Galls Page 25 This quarter we have an instance of the sighting Ÿ Fungi Page 25 of a dragonfly that has not been recorded for the county - the Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva. As only Ÿ Lichens Page 25 one observer saw the insect, we cannot use the Ÿ record but keep a look-out for this species on Mosses and Liverworts Page 25 rivers and gravel pits in the county next year as it Ÿ Weather Page 26 is extending its range and is sure to be with us again soon. Ÿ Acknowledgements Page 27 Helen Ikin LNC Heritage Edition 198 Page 1 CLASSIFIED RECORDS Barkby Thorpe, Kirkby Mallory, Ulverscroft NR, Manor Park at Twycross, Dishley, Eaton, MAMMALS Swithland, Aylestone Meadows and Knighton Tunnel. JMS has seen none, in the Eaton area, In the latest Mammal Society Handbook of with myxomatosis this quarter. Mammals some of the common names of species have been changed, so this quarter the scientific names are used as well as the new common names. Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Dead Hedgehogs were reported from Park Road in Loughborough, East Park Road in Leicester, the A46 near Anstey and near Desford Station. Live specimens were seen in Mill Close at Birstall, Mountsorrel, Frisby on the Wreaks, visiting GF’s Scraptoft terrace occasionally each month and at least two coming nightly to HBH’s Loughborough garden to take peanuts. Rabbit © Jim Graham Mole Talpa europaea Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Molehills were noted at Pignut Spinney in Loughborough, Kirkby Mallory, Wymeswold, HB has only seen two hares this quarter at Little Meadow NR, Manor Park at Twycross, Swithland Stretton and Quenby. He comments on their and Watermead CP. rapid decline in the last decade. A letter in The Times suggested that the increase in Buzzards Allotment holders in Birstall trapped one, may be a cause but it is probably due to a which was burrowing under potatoes. number of factors as Hares were in decline Bats were noted over gardens in Eaton, two before the Buzzard population explosion. Hares areas of Loughborough, Quorn and Scraptoft. were noted at Stathern, near Garthorpe - a half SFW has sent in some more specific bat records grown leveret, in a field near Burrough Hill on from Ulverscroft NR where RS using her the Wednesday morning walk in April and two “Anabat” detector was able to record and at Woodhouse where they have not been seen analyze the calls of Soprano Pipistrelle for some time. Pipistrellus pygmaeus (55 kHz) and Common The Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis is Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus (45 kHz). certainly not in decline and has been recorded The calls of the same two species were from Great Bowden, Tur Langton, Birstall, picked up in Birstall by GP with her Bat Box 3 Ulverscroft NR, Grace Dieu Wood, a detector and Daubenton's Bat Myotis Loughborough garden, Scraptoft and Quorn - daubentonii was also heard near White Horse eating the flowers of a Himalayan Musk Rose. Bridge in Birstall. GP has checked with Jenny A vole was seen scuttling across a road at Harris that these records were feasible. Garthorpe by JMS - moving too fast to be sure HBH sees four or more bats regularly in his of species. Loughborough garden and they are roosting A Common Rat Rattus norvegicus was behind the wall tiles on the house. taking advantage of bird feeding stations in a The Club bat detector is still available for garden in Newbold Verdon. members to borrow. GF has had a Wood Mouse Apodemus Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus are as sylvaticus visiting his Scraptoft terrace during plentiful as ever and were reported from April and June and found a decapitated corpse Scraptoft – 14 or more, Rothley, Buddon Brook on a nearby lawn – the head was nearby! PHG Meadows in Quorn, Dishley, East Goscote, had a dead one in his Quorn garden and two LNC Heritage Edition 198 Page 2 corpses were found in Grace Dieu Wood on 15 Surprisingly, there were only four separate April. pairs of Greylag Geese mentioned and only one with young, this being at Cossington Meadows The only House Mouse Mus domesticus where there were five goslings on 19 June. By record was from HB's house in Leicester where contrast there were around a dozen Canada one was helping itself to birdseed in the shed Geese nests noted, some producing up to eight and two were seen around the bird feeder. young. The majority of the nests were in the Sightings have ceased since the resident cat took north west of the county. On 5 May a Barnacle an interest. Goose was found at Thornton Reservoir with six Fox Vulpes vulpes (apparently no longer white farmyard geese! called Red Fox which always seemed a lovely What were probably the same two Shelduck descriptive name, although this name is used in were seen at Wanlip and Lockington throughout the caption of a picture in the Handbook). JH has April but there were no reports of breeding. Foxes regularly visiting his Loughborough garden, including one that is nearly black. Also in Loughborough several have been seen around the Roydale Close area. Birstall foxes were noted on two evenings and we have had sightings in Swithland and Ulverscroft NR. There have been droppings or strong, distinctive smell of fox at Watermead and Sheet Hedges Wood and Kirkby Mallory We have a single record of Stoat Mustela erminea – one seen by JMS on the verge of the Branston to Knipton Road. Weasels Mustela nivalis were seen crossing Shelduck © Jim Graham roads near Burrough Court on 7 April, at Of the numerous sightings of Mandarin Garthorpe on 26 April, and on Piper Drive in Ducks the majority were at Cropston Reservoir Long Whatton on 8 June. where there was a maximum of seven on 14 Badger Meles meles April. Others, usually in twos, were at Bradgate Park, Swithland, Charnwood Lodge and Dead Badgers were noted on Joe Moore’s Lane Ulverscroft. Individual Wigeon were still around in Woodhouse parish, Stathern Hill and the area in April and May although there were Waltham on the Wolds. Live ones were leaving 70 at Cossington Meadows on 8 April. The last signs of activity in Swithland, Burrough Hill, and reported was a pair at Cropston Reservoir on 17 Ulverscroft NR and one was spotted foraging in May although a “dodgy” male was with a female Mill Close, Birstall on two occasions. Mallard there well into June. Although there A Fallow Deer Dama dama was spotted in were lots of double-figure counts of Gadwall at Swithland Wood – a large buck, which had suitable sites along the Soar Valley, the probably escaped from Bradgate Park. maximum being 19 pairs at Cropston Reservoir, the only breeding success seems to have been Helen Ikin at Cossington Meadows where there were four BIRDS females with 11 young on 19 June. Wanlip and Cossington had well into double figure counts Almost all the records of Mute Swan were of of Teal during April with 60 at Wanlip on 11th. nesting birds or pairs with young cygnets. The The last two birds were seen at Kelham Bridge largest number of adults together was 15 at on 27 April but there was a record of two at Syston and most suitable stretches of water Cossington Meadows on 19 June. There were appeared to have at least one nest mostly only a few double-figure counts of Mallard, hatching six to eight young. almost all of these were at Cropston Reservoir where 79 was the highest number recorded. LNC Heritage Edition 198 Page 3 However pairs were noted at all suitable sites only records being one at Watermead Park, two and around a hundred separate ducklings over Swithland village, one at East Goscote and fledged.