W h i t e A d m i r a l

Newsletter 94 Summer 2016

Suffolk Naturalists’ Society C o n ten t s

E di to r ia l Ben Heather 1 Butterfly Recording - 2011- B i ll Sto ne 2 2015 Distribution Maps First records for Barrel Jellyfish G en B r o a d 3 i n Su f f o lk Beach Bonkers Kate Osborne 5 B ee - ginners luck Colin Lucas 6 A New Excavation at Knettishall Caroline Markham 7 H ea th Growing Up Wild Kerry Stranix 10 Bee House Observations Peter Etheridge 12 Suffolk’s Veteran Trees Richard Stewart 13 The Return of the Polecat M us te la Martin Hancock 15 p u tor ius to Su f f o lk The Pogge, Hooknose or Armed Jerry Bowdrey 20 B u llhea d Rust Fungi and other Small Stuff Neil Mahler 21 Wildlife Diary (January to July) Trevor Goodfellow 23 SNS AGM and Spring Members G en B r o a d 26 E v eni ng The Starlet Sea Anemone Jenni Fincham 29

The Dawn Chorus Rasik Bhadresa 32

ISSN 0959-8537 Published by the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH Registered Charity No. 206084 © Suffolk Naturalists’ Society

Cover Photo: Ichneumon Wasp by Ben Heather SuffolkThe Naturalists’ Society

Newsletter 94 - Summer 2016

Welcome to the Summer issue of the White Admiral newsletter. A big thank you must go to all those who have contributed copy, on a wide range of topics, to this issue. Please start thinking about anything that you would like to contribute towards the Autumn issue - I can be contacted using the details below. Please can I draw your attention to the advert in the centrefold of this newsletter. The new Suffolk Dragonfly Atlas is now available to buy both online from the SNS website and in person from Ipswich Museum. The book, edited by Adrian Parr and Nick Mason, serves as a timely update to the previous Suffolk atlas produced in 1992. It uses maps, photos and written accounts to reveal the changes in the distribution of Suffolk Odonata. The book costs £10 if collected from Ipswich Museum or £12 (including postage & packaging) if ordered online. For more information please see here: http://www.sns.org.uk/pages/Dragonflies.shtml. In other news, if you haven’t heard already, the Suffolk Biological Records Centre has had a slight re-brand over the Spring and is now called the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service (SBIS). The change of name reflects the absorbing of the Biodiversity Partnership and its officer into the record centre. To reflect the change SBIS has also updated and re- branded its website and url and can now be found at www.suffolkbis.org.uk. The updated pages also now feature a news and events feed that can be used to see what has happened recently and to highlight what events are coming up.

Editor: Ben Heather Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service,

c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3 Q H [email protected]

White Admiral 94 1 Suffolk Butterfly Recording - 201 1 -2015 Distribution Maps

Distribution maps have been received and represent 1025 prepared for 34 species that have Suffolk tetrads where butterflies regularly occurred in Suffolk have been recorded. An average of during the five year recording 14.6 species per tetrad was period 2011-2015. (Rarities have achieved. (NB. Suffolk has 1089 not been included, Chalkhill Blue Tetrads in total). All these maps has been excluded due to site are now published online at the sensitivities and more data is link below. required for the introduced Brown Bill Stone - County Butterfly Hairstreak in Central Ipswich). Recorder The maps are based on records

201 1 - 2015 Distribution Map

View the species maps here: http://goo.gl/3b0P5r

2 White Admiral 94 First records for Barrel Jellyfish in Suffolk

Barrel jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo Most of the UK records on the were recorded twice off the Suffolk National Biodiversity Network coast in January 2016. These are (NBN) database are from the west extremely interesting finds as the coasts of England, Wales and previous nearest records were from Scotland and the south coast of Yorkshire and Kent. This immense England. The closest records to jellyfish is also known as the Suffolk are from Scarborough to dustbin lid or frilly mouthed the north and Margate and jellyfish and is a favourite food of Folkestone in Kent to the south. the leatherback turtle. The distribution of this species is the northeast Atlantic, the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas and the southern Atlantic Ocean off South Africa. The barrel jellyfish is the largest jellyfish found in British waters. It can grow to an enormous size, with a thick dome shaped bell up to 90 cm in diameter and weighing up to 35 kilos, although it is more commonly seen at half that size and weight. Small barrel Jellyfish photographed by Jerry The jellyfish is variable in Bowdrey on Sizewell Beach January 2016. colour from pale whitish On 12th January, an Aldeburgh or yellow to shades of green, blue fisherman (Alby Clements) pulled pink or brown. The species is a barrel jellyfish in with his nets 2 unlike other jellyfish as it has only miles directly east of Aldeburgh. the eight thick arms underneath Then, later the same month, on and no trailing tentacles. The arms 29th, the naturalist Jerry Bowdrey are covered in frilly tissue where found the remains of 3 or 4 badly they meet the body, hence the damaged barrel jellyfish on the name ‘frilly mouthed jellyfish’. The beach near Sizewell power station. frills are actually small dense

White Admiral 94 3 Barrel Jellyfish in action off Mudeford, Dorset. Credit: Stephen Hodder

National Biodiversity Network map showing British Beaches”! However, despite current records for the Barrel Jellyfish their dustbin lid size and Rhizostoma pulmo mainly to the west and south appearance, they feed only on tiny of the British Isles plankton and their sting is tentacles which are used to catch extremely mild to humans. They prey and pass them into the usually drift in deep ocean waters, hundreds of small mouths which but sometimes come inshore to they surround. The species is feed on plankton blooms. identifiable from the large size, The full grown living jellyfish looks four pairs of very large oral arms magnificent swimming in the sea on the under-surface and the lack as can be seen from Stephen of marginal tentacles. Hodder’s fantastic underwater Barrel jellyfish have usually made photograph off the Dorset coast. the news when they have stranded on Welsh or south west beaches, Gen Broad - Marine County for example in the Daily Mail Recorder online in June 2015, with the headline “Alien Invaders Hit

References: Sabatini, M. 2004. Rhizostoma pulmo Dustbin-lid jellyfish. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. (eds) Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available from: http://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2027

4 White Admiral 94

Clockwise from top left: Bryozoan fossil and shell; Sponge and attached egg cases; hag stones, sea glass and flints; sea mat of bryozoan on seaweed; Brittle star and handful other bits from Felixstowe beachcomb; hornwrack.

Kate Osborne has launched Beach Bonkers to carry on the beachcombing work she started when working as Project Officer for the HLF project ‘Touching the Tide’. Throughout the 2016 summer holidays she will be leading beachcombing walks in Felixstowe and Southwold as well as taking the beach to summer carnivals and festivals. If you can’t get to the beach why not contact her and she’ll bring the beach to you! All events can be found at www.beachbonkers.org.uk

White Admiral 94 5 B ee - ginners luck

On 16th June last year, I I emailed the Suffolk aculeate incidentally netted two bees at recorder, Adrian Knowles, about Captains Wood whilst setting out the records and he replied saying some bottle traps for beetles. that he had caught a specimen of Previously, I had often found bees A. florea on the 18th June 2015 very difficult to identify but the from the Shotley peninsula. He new book by Steven Falk, “Field also confirmed that the most Guide to the Bees of Great Britain northerly published record until and Ireland”, has changed that. last summer was just north of Using the book the bees quickly Southend. keyed out to Lasioglossum sexnotatum and Andrena florea. So far so good! However, checking the distribution of these species led to some doubts creeping in. Lasioglossum is a seriously rare bee although it does appear to be present in south-east Suffolk. Andrena florea, whilst also a scarce species did not appear to be found north of the Thames estu- ary. Oh dear, obviously mis-identifications by an inexperienced observer. I decided to take the bees to an identification workshop run by Steven Falk and was surprised to find the original identifica- tions were instantly confirmed. The Andrena specimen in particular caused a good deal of excitement amongst the bee aficionados.

6 White Admiral 94 So this is another species that the Field Guide will lead to more appears to be moving northward enthusiasts starting to record bees over the last few years. The bee as their mobility should lead to collects pollen exclusively from some more interesting discoveries White Bryony Bryonia dioica – rather like dragonflies.

which is plentiful in Suffolk so it is And as my two captures show you

interesting to postulate where the certainly don’t need to know what bee may end up. Has it crossed the you are doing to find something

river Alde yet? Does it occur in interesting!

Steven Falk

- Norfolk? If it turns out that a Steven Falk has a superb collection reasonable population of A. florea of photos at https://www.flickr.com/ is becoming established in East f e m al e ) photos/63075200@N07/collections/ Anglia it will be very exciting to The photo galleries can be used in track the colonization. conjunction with the book to aid The fact that the bee seems to have identifications. He photographs a

escaped capture from the whole of wide range of so the site is Andrena florea ( the east coast of Essex suggests to well worth a look even if me that there aren’t many hymenoptera are not your thing. observers there, as presumably any records would have been Colin Lucas published. Perhaps the publication of excellent modern guides like

A New Excavation at 12.04.2016

The periglacial patterned and the relationship between them. ground at Knettishall Heath is It is written up in White Admiral some of the best and most no.86. This had to be mainly extensive in and, with backfilled, but in April 2016 the the help of opportunity arose to create a larger (SWT), GeoSuffolk has opened up a trench using an excavator SWT section across one of the vegetation had on site. At TL945804, just a stripes for public viewing. In 2013 few metres from the original dig, it we hand dug a small exploratory is 8m long exposing a cross-section trench in one of the stripes, of one of the sandy troughs which investigating the chalk and sand run downhill towards the River

White Admiral 94 7 8 White Admiral 94 Ouse here. Repeated across the the sand has ‘sunk’ down into the slope, these alternate with chalky brecciated Chalk/diamicton stripes, forming patterns expressed beneath. These showed as rounded in the vegetation they support. features in the horizontal base of Relics of a colder climate some tens the trench and, tested with a stick, of thousands of years ago, they most extended down a further indicate a preserved ancient land 0.25m. However, one was a further surface. 1.15m deep, possibly more. Could The excavation is 1.2m deep with this be a secondary solution pipe in brecciated white Chalk exposed in the Chalk, initiated by water its base and a biscuit-coloured pooling in the base of the trough? chalky diamicton in places. The The trench has been left open and trough is filled with medium- is arguably the best patterned grained orange sand containing ground exposure in East Anglia at some shattered flints. The present - the contrasting orange structure of the trough closely sand and white Chalk create a resembles the one near Grimes stunning display with the Graves, 17km to the north west relationship between the two (this is now quite degraded, but clearly discernible. The SWT was illustrated by R B Williams* reserve has open access here (but when freshly exposed in 1964 and don’t wander too far into the is also featured in our leaflet ‘In adjacent area where skylarks nest) Breckland with GeoSuffolk’). Its so please do pay it a visit. base is about 1m below the surface With thanks to Peter Allen for with several lobes extending down discussion of these features on the into the Chalk. These have been day. interpreted as ‘drop’ structures initiated in the supersaturated Caroline Markham mobile layer above permafrost –

* Williams RGD 1964. ‘Fossil Patterned Ground in Eastern England’, Biul. Periglacjalny, 14, 337-49.

Contributions to White Admiral

Deadlines for copy are: 1st Feb (Spring issue), 1st June (Summer issue) and 1st Oct (Autumn issue) The opinions expressed in White Admiral are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society.

White Admiral 94 9 Growing Up Wild

Suffolk Wildlife Trust has But it is evident from the Trust’s launched a campaign called experience with volunteers, staff ‘Growing Up Wild’, asking people and close work with communities to send their memories of growing that there is a wealth of untapped up in the Suffolk countryside. stories in the region; whether it is With backing from the Heritage swimming lessons in rivers, Lottery Fund, the Trust is trying climbing trees or just running wild to create a unique memory bank of until tea time. These tales and images will clearly demonstrate how children in the county have al- ways grown up with a largely out- door life. The campaign will also paint a vivid picture of the lost Suffolk that the Trust is striving to restore; a Living Landscape of flower-rich meadows, furzy

Sally and Jenny Hardwick, 1960s

people’s childhood experiences of nature that can then be used to inspire families to spend more time in the county’s wild spaces. In all, the Trust is aiming to collect at least 100 people’s stories of Suffolk’s summers and winters- gone-by, which will then be pub- lished and shared on their website. While changes in the physical landscape, or declines in species, have been well documented, the oral history of people’s lived experiences of wildlife and wild

places remains largely anecdotal. Jill, Linda and Susan Harris (Jane Eade’s mum)1950s

10 White Admiral 94 Geoff Kennett

commons and expansive wetlands. The timing of the campaign, which It hopes the memories captured will see stories being shared by during ‘Growing Up Wild’ will BBC Suffolk and on the Trust’s allow people to see how the Suffolk reserves is also important. Recent countryside used to be and research has suggested that the illustrate the changes that have last 40 years has seen children be- taken place since World War II. come increasingly separated from Hopefully not only will this inspire nature. people to get outside, but it will A national YouGov poll, encourage them to take action for commissioned by The Wildlife wildlife where they live. Trusts in 2015, revealed that 57% of parents thought their children spend less time outdoors than they did, while 37% of children had reportedly not played outside by themselves in the past six months. Evidence suggests that contact with nature is good for children, it makes them happier, healthier and more creative. ‘Growing Up Wild’ is designed to present a wild childhood in a new way to increase young people’s contact with the natural world. Stories can be sub- mitted at suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Kerry Stranix

White Admiral 94 11 Bee House Observations

A couple of years ago I made the their back legs with a lot of wing bee nest house above. This was put fluttering, some of them were in position late winter and in entering recently opened holes, spring was beginning to be whilst others sat with their heads occupied, mainly by mason bees, at the entrance. with one leaf cutter bee. I think the As I watched, what appeared to be leaf cutter bee was predated as I a freshly hatched bee moved up to couldn’t find it this spring. the entrance of a hole and As soon as the weather warmed up was immediately seized by the this year, I noticed a lot of flight waiting male. They both fell activity around the box and together to a bench underneath initially thought that it was all where they immediately mated. about the bees using the soft wood I am certain the female had of the logs for nest material. recently hatched as whilst However, I later found that in watching I hadn’t seen any females addition, they all appeared to be flying around. male bees, and whilst several were Peter Etheridge digging out the soft wood, which they appeared to be doing by using

12 White Admiral 94 Suffolk’s Veteran Trees

Until I took part in a parish survey Many other details were requested, of Suffolk veteran trees I didn’t related to the tree’s condition and realise just how many there were. I surrounding habitat. From the selected three parishes close to three parishes I recorded a high where I live, namely Westerfield, total of 92 veterans. All those in Playford and Rushmere. Westerfield were oaks but the Essentially the technique was to other two parishes included poplar, measure the girth of each tree at lime, elm, beech, Scots pine and an human chest height and if it enormous garden Wellingtonia at measured 4.2 metres or more it Rushmere. was a veteran tree. My equipment What I also discovered was how was a notched piece of board, thick little effective protection these string marked at the 4.2 distance amazing specimens have, even if and a big lump of Blutac to stick covered by a Tree Preservation one end to the trunk. This Order (TPO). It will be interesting procedure wasn’t as easy as it to see how many of the sounds; some trees were at road processional old oaks stretching level but down in a steep ditch on from Westerfield to the edge of the other side, others couldn’t be Ipswich survive the Northern accurately circled because of thick Fringe housing development. I growths and thankfully I detected have had verbal assurances from a a nest of wild bees before I got too council officer but he wasn’t close to a large oak at Playford. prepared to put these in writing. In other European countries trees of particular cultural and/or historic significance are protected by what we would define as Ancient Monument status. In national terms the three most celebrated concentrations of ancient trees are at Windsor Park, Richmond Park and the ‘grey, gnarled, low-browed, long-armed, deformed’ oaks of Moccas Park, as Francis Kilvert described them. In Early Sunlight in Christchurch Park Suffolk, I am particularly familiar

White Admiral 94 13 Veteran Oaks in Staverton Thicks with three areas. The first is on the privileged to be escorted around edge of Foxhall and Ipswich, along the Thicks, on a FWAG walk, by a path accessed from Foxhall road, the late Oliver Rackham, that opposite the Nuffield hospital. great expert on veteran trees. Here there is a fine row of tall and Many of these oaks are hollow, stately oaks. The second is just a forming a cylinder structure that few hundred yards from where the proved surprisingly resilient in the ‘White Admiral’ is produced. In 1987 hurricane. Only a few on the Christchurch Park, Ipswich, there periphery were toppled. Some are many veteran oaks and incredibly tall hollies add to the chestnuts, supporting a wide richness of this site and there is a variety of wildlife from the footpath passing through the main drumming of great spotted area of old trees. However I prefer woodpeckers in early spring to the to sit for a long time with my back summer shimmering of purple against the wide trunk of an hairstreak butterflies high in the ancient oak, letting stress and oak’s canopy. Even older is a yew troubles go, slowly relaxing and tree, close to the Fonnereau road trying to become assimilated into entrance. Many Suffolk church- the place. Then imagination can yards have old yews, a magical start to take over, perhaps going tree dating back to pagan beliefs back to the old hunting ground and often predating the Christian mentioned in the Domesday Book, settlement. or forward a few hundred years to The third is definitely the most a time when these surviving trees atmospheric and of national were in their infancy. importance - Staverton Thicks Richard Stewart near Butley. I was one of many

14 White Admiral 94 The Return of the Polecat Mustela putorius to Suffolk

The Polecat monitoring is the ability to be able became extinct to distinguish ‘true’ Polecats from in England hybrids. The chart on the next over 100 page illustrates some of the key years ago differentiators. due to re- The blackest ‘true’ Polecats will lentless per- probably survive better in the wild secution. It and therefore the lighter ‘blonde’ has been said Polecat-ferrets might be expected that the Polecat to gradually disappear as more was the most hated ‘true’ Polecats spread eastwards. mammal ever. Their liking Mustela putorius distribution map for poultry and their pungent stink when trapped did not do their PR much good. The last survivors retreated to key strongholds in Wales and remote parts of Scotland where lower human populations and game intensity gave them some respite. Surveys conducted by the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) over the last 23 years however have noted the gradual return of the Polecat to its former ranges and the latest survey for 2014/15 shows a relatively strong presence in Suffolk. Whilst the latest VWT survey has

now concluded, the Suffolk K e y Mammal Group is keen to continue  R e d = 19 8 6 -1 9 9 6 monitoring Polecat distribution in  Orange = 1997 -2 0 0 6 Suffolk. As Polecats have spread,  Yellow = 2007 -2 0 1 6 interbreeding with ferrets has For the current list of data sources used for this map see produced hybrids (Polecat-ferrets), here: https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000005129 and a major challenge of

White Admiral 94 15 Suffolk Dragonflies

Edited by Nick Mason and Adrian Parr

Photo: Broad-bodied Chaser Mark Robinson - Wildlife Trusts Images Back in 1992, the SNS published Howard Mendel’s book “Suffolk Dragonflies”. This excellent publication did a lot to advance our understanding of the county’s Odonata, and also helped cement Suffolk’s role as a key player in the British arena. While changes to the UK’s dragonfly fauna had been relatively gradual up until that point, a very great deal has, however, happened since then.

Changes in land usage and in water quality have taken place, and the emergence of climate change as a major ecological factor has also had a dramatic impact. The time was thus right for a new look at the state of the county’s dragonflies. After a period of intensive fieldwork over 2008-2014 the results are in, and a new book on Suffolk dragonflies is now available.

The book confirms that major changes have indeed taken place since 1992, with most species fairing well. A number have, indeed, shown some quite spectacular increases in range and abundance. No less than eight new species have also been recorded from the county since the time of Mendel, with three of these now breeding (two in fact being recent colonists to Britain). In contrast to these increases, just a few species seem to be doing less well. The new book is strongly recommended to all of those with an interest in the county’s dragonflies, and to those curious as to how Britain’s wildlife is responding to recent ecological shifts.

Now Available!

 Order Online £12 (inc p&p) www.sns.org.uk

 In Person from Ipswich Museum £10

Reproduced by kind permission of The Vincent Wildlife Trust

DNA analysis is further adding to A few basic facts about the Polecat: our understanding of the purity of it is a member of the mustelid the Polecats genetic makeup. group of mammals. It is nocturnal. If you do see a polecat please take There is no delayed implantation picture of the head, paws and full and March is the main mating body (if possible) and please be month. The gestation period is 42 very careful on busy roads if you days and litters range from 5 to 10. are recording a Road Traffic Life expectancy in prey rich areas Accident (RTA). is 4 to 5 years. Unfortunately many Polecats are Hopefully we will be more tolerant found as RTAs. It is not that they of Polecats in the future. It is have no real road sense, but rather afforded some protection as it is they are opportunistic foragers and listed on Schedule 6 of the 1981 roadside kills provide a ready Wildlife and Countryside Act. As larder – ‘Tarmac Tapas’ as Johnny predators they have a key role to Birks calls it. play in regulating modern

18 White Admiral 94 All photos by Martin Hancock ecosystems and with their main The return of the Polecat is a prey being rabbits (85%), they are remarkable conservation success welcome on my smallholding story. Welcome back to Suffolk! anytime. Preventative measures Martin Hancock such as the use of electric fencing can assist in preventing predation on domestic fowl.

Key References:  The Polecat by Johnny Birks, Whittet Books, ISBN 978 1 873580 98 1  The Distribution and Status of the Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Britain 2014- 2015, Elizabeth Croose, The Vincent Wildlife Trust http://goo.gl/4emv8v

You can now log polecat records on Suffolk Biological Recording Online (SuffolkBRO). The Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service has created a bespoke public recording form for the Suffolk Polecat Survey where you can log your sightings, making use of the helpful online recording tools available to users of SuffolkBRO. The survey homepage can be found at the link below.

Ben Heather - SBIS

http://www.suffolkbis.org.uk/polecatsurvey

White Admiral 94 19 Agonus cataphractus L .1758 - The Pogge, Hooknose or

Armed Bullhead

Length c.9cm - Photos by Jerry Bowdrey

On the morning of March 30th immature individual, the average 2016, a walk along the strandline adult measuring 12-15cm in from Sizewell northwards, revealed length. the remains of a large number of This species inhabits shallow seas marine organisms along the from 5 to 200m deep and spawns strandline. between February and April. The Amongst the usual starfish eggs are unusual in that they take (Asterias rubens), Sea mouse from 10-11 months to hatch. (Aphrodita aculeata), mollusc Reference to the MarLIN website shells, cuttle bones (Sepia offici- www.MarLIN.ac.uk/species/ nalis) etc., was an unfamiliar fish. detail/1992 (accessed 7.vi.2016) The body was completely covered shows that the Pogge is widely by keeled bony plates, the distributed around the British underside of the head bearing coastline including the North Sea. short bristles with two small horns Jerry Bowdrey on the snout, these characters combining to give it an almost dragon-like appearance. Reference to Muus and Dahlstrøm (Collins guide to the sea fishes of Britain and North-Western Europe, Collins, 1977) showed that this was a young Pogge, also known as a Hooknose or Armed Bullhead, a member of the bony fish family Agonidae. Its length of c.9cm suggested that this was an

20 White Admiral 94 Rust Fungi and other Small Stuff

Probably not since Arthur Mayfield what turned out to be, a Juniper and the Ellis’s have we seen much shrub (Juniperus communis) about the micro fungi in Suffolk, so growing in his garden at Bury St I guess it is time I did these rather Edmunds. complicated fungi some justice. The quality of the photos were not I am prompted by an email sent to ‘top notch’ so I couldn’t enlarge me recently from Rob Parker (Ex them to fit the whole screen. County Butterfly Recorder) Therefore, I struggled to come up containing some photographs with an answer - I could not be taken with his mobile phone of certain that it was even fungal. something strange growing on, Thankfully, Jonathan Revett remembered seeing a photo similar to this in an old issue of ‘The Mycologist’ magazine, produced by the British Mycological Society (BMS), and it was a rust fungus going by the striking name of ‘Tongues of Fire’ or ‘Burning Bushes’ (Gymnosporangium clavariiforme). We normally think of Rust fungi as growing on leaves or small fledgling plants and looking just like rust. However, in this case the fungus was growing on wood and at a stage called the spore horns which look like a series of little orange coloured ‘tongues’. Earlier, I mentioned Rust fungi are rather complicated, and that is because they can have up to five different types of spore in the life cycle of any one Rust species and they all have alternative hosts - in Burning Bushes Fungus by Rob Parker the case of G.clavariiforme the

White Admiral 94 21 Pseudopithyella minuscula by Neil Mahler alternative host is Hawthorn Hymenopsis typhae - the latter (Crataegus spp.) being classed as a ‘Fungi There are 157 records on the Imperfecti’ and again, both Fungal Records Database for seemingly new to Suffolk. Britain and Ireland and Ellis My flat and finances will not allow recorded three sites in Suffolk (two me to have details of every fungus at and one site known in the UK so David is at Mendlesham). sending dried samples off to Kew Mention should also be made of for confirmation. David Strauss who has been Not to be outdone, I too have been diligently recording ‘small stuff’ in busy and a few months ago I found the tetrad near his home at a tiny discomycete fungus growing Brundish, near Framlingham. on decomposed Leyland Cypress (x Recently, David had found Cupressocyparis leylandii) litter in Puccinia caricina var. magurii a garden at Aldeburgh called which would appear to be a new Pseudopithyella minuscula - new Rust for Suffolk. He has also found to the UK. two small Ascomycete fungi going Neil Mahler - County Fungi by the scientific names of Recorder Aporhytisma urticae a n d

Reference: Orange ‘Tongues of Fire’ on Juniperus communis by Tom Preece. Mycologist, Vol.9, Part 2, May 1995.

22 White Admiral 94 Trevor Goodfellow’s Wildlife Diary (January to July)

In January, I had a tip-off that the extremely bumpy track to short eared owls were often seen at and drive all the way Adventurer’s fen, Burwell, so I around to the heath from popped in to have a look but no Cavenham village. The day was sign of any. Not to be defeated, I hot and the heath was creating a returned to the adjacent Wicken massive heat haze which distorted fen and walked through to Burwell the inevitable long range photos fen, again no owls but a stonechat but I did at least see a stone which I had not seen before. I had curlew, wheatear and stonechat. another tip-off about a pair of Oh how I longed for summer, as I raven at National Trust’s Ickworth am an lover, with only Park but I missed out on them too. birding to pass the time so by May The ranger said, ‘you should have I was ready to scout around. Eager been here yesterday’, I am fed up to improve on my green hairstreak with hearing that line. butterfly photograph, I set out to In April I responded to another tip- find one. This should have been off (you thought I would have easier, I went to the King’s forest learnt by now): stone curlew and four times and various other wheatear at Cavenham heath. I supposed sites for them, but no thought, ‘I know where that is, we luck. used to swim in the river as kids’ May was expedition time to but the passage of time had taken Welney (Wildfowl & Wetlands its toll, the bridge over the river Trust). After a good time there last had long gone and I was December I felt that a different restricted to carry on season could give varied interest. by foot, but how Cuckoo, Cetti’s, reed and sedge far? I decided warbler, great white egret and to retreat avocet all photographed well. On a l o n g the way home – well ok a little detour to Stilton near Peterborough where I had seen red kites in the past. This did not disappoint, as ten kites circled and posed for the R ed K i te camera.

White Admiral 94 23 Glossy Ibis (left) & Common Lizard (right)

In June, I photographed Glossy and spotted around twenty or so ibis at Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s marbled white butterflies. (SWT) Micklemere, Cetti’s warbler Pakenham woods near home at SWT , deserved a visit but I recorded only Nightingale at Ramparts heath two silver-washed fritillaries – I and confirmed the orange conch just hope that the extensive micro aeneana logging mission is not going to was still at SWT Black Bourn harm their life cycle or that of the Valley Reserve (formally Grove white admirals Farm). here.

Next stop was to RSPB

Strumpshaw to see the swallowtail butterflies which was a success, spotting around twenty of them, with sightings of marsh harrier, eyed hawk moth and sounds of grasshopper warbler, Cetti’s

washed Fritillary (opposite)warbler and bittern. On the way - home I called in to Redgrave & S i l v er Lopham fen which came up trumps with lizards, marsh harrier, hobby, and sounds of water rail. Later on I went back to Ramparts heath My July and found: forester , large Minsmere visit and small skippers and lots of was a hot and dusty one. I arrived small heaths. to see the sand martins busy and July is when I think summer continued to walk the marsh route, started. I called in at Devil’s dyke quickly encountering pantaloon

24 White Admiral 94 Kingfisher (left) & Silver -studded Blue (right)

digger bees (so I was informed) silver-studded blue, then another, being surveyed by a very then a grayling, then a mating pair enthusiastic ranger (the ‘adder of silver studded blues, fabulous! lady’). As I approach the beach, it ‘TAXI!’ how could I beat that? I felt was evident that there were more so ‘money supermarket’. Later that than just a few other visitors week I squeezed in a visit to which almost distracted and spotted a me as a bittern flew white admiral. I was so pleased past and a while later, after just returning from a 2 hour just before a ‘coach walk through waist-high weeds party’ walked up, just to not see a white letter there was a family of hairstreak or much else other than bearded tits, wonder- lizards and a holly blue at Lineage ful! The next hides wood near Lavenham. were busy but I Later on in July I tried out SWT managed to see black- in the hope of a tailed godwit, golden purple emperor sighting but plover, little ringed plover, ruff although it was a pleasant walk and redshank. On the way home I and quite a few butterflies showing called in to Westleton heath. A nice considering the windy weather, no habitat I would have thought, luck so I will wait for the Butterfly although I had previously been and Conservation trip to SWT Bonny spotted nothing. A stonechat wood on the 17th. family showed and bless my soul a

White Admiral 94 25 SNS AGM and Spring Members Evening

Around 30 people had the study to test if nesting by Suffolk opportunity to enjoy a wide array dormice is the same as SW of talks for the Spring Member’s England dormice made a Evening after the AGM on 14th fascinating discovery – that Suffolk April at the Cedars Hotel in dormice have a unique haplotype. . Adrian Parr is not only County Simone Bullion, County Mammal Dragonfly Recorder, but is also Recorder, gave a captivating talk active at national level, sitting on describing hazel dormouse the British Dragonfly Society Muscardinus avellanarius Odonata Records Committee for monitoring in Suffolk over the past Migrant Dragonflies. He described 15 years. Suffolk lies on the north- the changing fortunes of some of eastern edge of the range of the the species to be covered in the hazel dormouse in the UK and new Dragonfly Atlas. This their distribution appears to have beautifully illustrated book by contracted during the last 100 Adrian Parr and Nick Mason, years. The monitoring has focused updating Howard Mendel’s atlas on discovering the extent of the published 25 years ago, was

remaining populations. A new published in early July and costs

Haplotype distribution

- Slide from Simone’s presentation

26 White Admiral 94

Scarce Chaser Population

- Slide from Adrian Parr’s presentation

only £10 (see page 16). There have Adrian cited such tantalising been many population changes names as Cat-eared Flatworm, since then. For example, the Scarce Water Cricket, Welshman’s Button Chaser population has done well; (a type of fly), the Green Drake the Variable Dragonfly has moved Mayfly and finally moved on to one its stronghold to the Waveney of his favourite groups - Daphnia. Valley; and a new species, the Adrian is the national and Suffolk Willow Emerald, has become verifier for daphnia and illustrated common since it was first seen in how easy it is to identify Daphnia the UK at Felixstowe in 2007. obtusa with its bulbous chin, large Adrian Chalkley, County Freshwa- ‘nose’, combs and small antennae. ter Invertebrates Recorder, gave a Rob Parker is Conservation Officer short talk about the freshwater with the Suffolk branch of species likely to be found at Tiger Butterfly Conservation. He Hill Local Nature Reserve in described the 2014 invasion by the advance of the 7th May Bioblitz. Scarce Tortoiseshell (or Yellow-

White Admiral 94 27 Slides: Above - D a phni a ob tus e, Adrian Chalkley. Below - 2015 Butterfly Recording Blackspots, Rob Parker.

28 White Admiral 94 legged Tortoiseshell) from Europe. Movement was first noticed in 2012 from the Ukraine to Sweden, then in the and they were first sighted in the UK in 2014. They were recorded first in Norwich, then Minsmere, going on to around 19 sightings in 8 counties from Kent to North Yorkshire. The sightings continued until 2015. Rob encouraged more

people to get involved with Volute image from Bob Markham’s presentation recording butterfly species – it can be done in your own garden and the records will be invaluable! Bob Markham, from GeoSuffolk, 1837 (Edward Charlesworth): gave a fascinating illustrated talk ‘Speaking of this volute, Parkinson about the volute of Harwich – a says, “the most rare shell of this marine gastropod from 8 million genus found in this island is the years ago. This was first fossil volute of Harwich”…. mentioned in Occurrence of Voluta Gen Broad - SNS Secretary lambertini on the Suffolk Coast in the Magazine of Natural History

The Starlet Sea Anemone

The starlet sea anemone its coastal lagoon habitat is often (Nematostella vectensis) is now a surveyed in contribution to species of principal importance for designated site monitoring of SACs the purpose of conservation of and SSSIs. Some of the important biodiversity under the Natural En- attributes monitored in coastal vironment and Rural Communities lagoons are salinity, extent and Act 2006, listed as Vulnerable on biotopes – thus allowing me to the IUCN Red List, and protected draw on this knowledge and under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife comment on some of the proposed and Countryside Act 1981. It is actions for Suffolk made in the rarely surveyed for, on its own, but 2003 Saline lagoon BAP.

White Admiral 94 29

on the Suffolk Coast

N. vectensis Fig.1 Sightings of

The monitoring, as mentioned, is reducing coastal habitats no large ongoing and reported under Article reduction in range can currently be 17 of the Habitats Directives. As seen. There has not been a focus on this work follows NE protocols for the monitoring of brackish ponds of marine monitoring many of the the as recommend- records are being submitted to ed. There has been progress made Marine Recorder rather than the on the estuary and brackish ponds Suffolk BIS, and will make their of the Alde-Ore, where N. vectensis way onto the NBN gateway as the has been found (Abrehart & results of ‘Natural England Marine Jackson, 2013). Monitoring Surveys’. Reintroduction studies carried out N. vectensis was found in Benacre in Norfolk in 2010 by Natural to Easton Bavents lagoons SAC England were inconclusive in and Orfordness to Shingle Street assessing the possibilities of SAC (Bamber, 1997). The current reintroduction due to the range and habitat distribution can difficulties of including a control be in the figures, with sightings site and further work needed. More from 2012-2014 from Alde, Ore and positively, N. vectensis has been Butley Estuaries SAC, Orfordness seen in rivers, ditches and pool to Shingle Street SAC, Benacre to across coastal and estuarine sites Easton Bavents lagoons SAC and in recent years. This wider habitat Minsmere to Walberswick SPA range combined with its mobility (Figure 1 and 2). There appears to could provide some resilience to be some shifting of range within the loss of the coastal lagoon the sites but despite the threat of habitat shown in recent

30 White Admiral 94 F ig .2 S i g ht i ngs o f f o ngs i ht g i S .2 ig F

N. ve ct ens is is ens ct ve N.

th Suf l Cost t oas C olk ff u S he t n o

monitoring. This may be due to the the Suffolk saline lagoon BAP, biology of the species which is regarding the starlet sea anemone; known as an estuarine and coastal we have seen continued monitoring generalist elsewhere rather than of this species through saline the lagoonal specialist we believe it lagoon monitoring which goes some to be here (Tarrant, et al., 2015). way to meeting the monitoring The managed realignment of objectives of the BAP, recordings of coastal habitats is a hot topic and many sightings will be made there may be more creation of available through NE’s marine these habitats in the future which monitoring reporting, researching could benefit N. vectensis. As far reintroduction would need further as I’m aware there is currently no work and species specific policies species specific policy, other than and habitat creation is currently its licensing. unexplored. To conclude the brief update of the Jenni Fincham progress behind the suggestions in

References: Tarrant, A. M. et al., 2015. Current directions and future perspectives from the third Nematostella research conference. Zoology, pp. 135-140. Abrehart T.R. and Jackson R.L. 2013. An NVC of the Alde‐Ore Estuary SSSI, Suffolk. An ecological survey including floral and fauna observations undertaken for Natural England by Abrehart Ecology. Bamber, R., 1997. Assessment of saline lagoons within special areas of conservation, s.l.: English Nature.

White Admiral 94 31 The Dawn Chorus

Despite the inclement weather we have had The hail, the sleet, the arctic spell And of a sudden an incidental Mediterranean bout One phenomenon has been constant Regularly early each morning as the light gathers The sound of the birds has been reaching a crescendo Songs of all kinds of birds merging together In amongst them one can decipher Calls of blue tits, great tits, green finches, blackbirds and The loud and clear distinctive song of the song thrush All it would appear delighting in the new day Amongst the chirps and chatters and twitters One hears the loud and mighty rising ‘teee’ and falling ‘cher’ Teee cher, teee cher, teee cher of the Great Tit Then amongst the chorus enters the sonorous and Boisterous and repeating high-pitched whistles of the Song Thrush And from somewhere on the top of a tree The slow richly melodic song of the garden Blackbird Joins the throng of vocalisations and from the right Enters the characteristic, one could make these out anywhere The energetic disjointed sequence of notes of the Chaffinch The identifying double note (an easy give away) Chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff enters the chorus And in the distance the Woodpigeon makes its mark Starting with a flat ‘cooh’ and a rising ‘coo’ Cooh-coo, cooh-coo, cooh coo, cooh The contemplative and melodic song of the robin is easily heard And from very nearby, a fast warble and trill of the wren As if not to be forgotten makes its presence felt All of them it would seem expressing the joy of the new day

By Rasik Bhadresa

32 White Admiral 94 Suffolk Naturalists’ Society Bursaries

The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society offers six bursaries, of up to £500 each, annually. Larger projects may be eligible for grants of over £500 – please contact SNS for further information. Activities eligible for funding include: travel and subsistence for field work, visits to scientific institutions, scientific equipment, identification guide books or other items relevant to the study. Morley Bursary - Studies involving insects (or other invertebrates) other than butterflies and moths. Chipperfield Bursary - Studies involving butterflies or moths. Cranbrook Bursary - Studies involving mammals or birds. Rivis Bursary - Studies of the county's flora. Simpson Bursary - In memory of Francis Simpson. The bursary will be awarded for a botanical study where possible. Nash Bursary - Studies involving beetles. Applications should be set in the context of a research question i.e. a clear statement of what the problem is and how the applicant plans to tackle it. Criteria: 1. Projects should include a large element of original work and further knowledge of Suffolk’s flora, fauna or geology. 2. A written account of the project is required within 12 months of receipt of a bursary. This should be in a form suitable for publication in one of the Society's journals: Suffolk Natural History, Suffolk Birds or White Admiral. 3. Suffolk Naturalists' Society should be acknowledged in all publicity associated with the project and in any publications emanating from the project. Applications may be made at any time. Please apply to SNS for an application form or visit our website for more details www.sns.org.uk/ pages/bursary.shtml.

Order your copy of the Dragonfly Atlas here: www.sns.org.uk/pages/Dragonflies.shtml SuffolkThe Naturalists’ Society www.sns.org.uk

Stoat taking kits by Hawk Honey at Lackford Lakes

The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, founded in 1929 by Claude Morley (1874 -1951), pioneered the study and recording of the County’s flora, fauna and geology. It is the seed bed from which have grown other important wildlife organisations in Suffolk, such as Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) and Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group (SOG). Recording the natural history of Suffolk is still the Society’s primary objective. Members’ observations go to specialist recorders and then on to the Suffolk Biological Records Centre at Ipswich Museum to provide a basis for detailed distribution maps and subsequent analysis with benefits to environmental protection. Funds held by the Society allow it to offer substantial grants for wildlife studies. Annually, SNS publishes its transactions Suffolk Natural History, containing studies on the County’s wildlife, and the County bird report, Suffolk Birds (compiled by SOG). The newsletter White Admiral, with comment and observations, appears three times a year. SNS organises two members’ evenings a year and a conference every two years. Field meetings are held throughout the year often in conjunction with other specialist organisations. Subscriptions: Individual members £15.00; Family membership £17.00; Student Membership £10.00; Corporate membership £17.00. Members receive the three publications above. Joint membership with the Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group: Individual members £30.00; Family membership £35.00. Joint members receive, in addition to the above, the SOG newsletter The Harrier. As defined by the Constitution of this Society its objectives shall be: 2.1 To study and record the fauna, flora and geology of the County 2.2 To publish a Transactions and Proceedings and a Bird Report. These shall be free to members except those whose annual subscriptions are in arrears contact: 2.3 To liaise with other natural history societies and conservation bodies in the County 2.4 To promote interest in natural history and the activities of the Society. For more details about the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society contact: Hon. Secretary, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QH. Telephone 01473 400251 [email protected]