FSC Nettlecombe Court Nature Review 2014 Compiled by: Sam Tuddenham Nettlecombe Court- Nature Review 2014 Introduction The purpose of this report is to review and share the number of different species that are present in the grounds of Nettlecombe Court. A significant proportion of this data has been generated by FSC course tutors and course attendees studying at Nettlecombe court on a variety of courses. Some of the data has been collected for the primary purpose of species monitoring for nationwide conservation charities e.g. The Big Butterfly Count and Bee Walk Survey Scheme. Other species have just been noted by members or staff when out in the grounds. These records are as accurate as possible however we accept that there may be species missing. Nettlecombe Court Nettlecombe Court Field Centre of the Field Studies Council sits just inside the eastern border of Exmoor national park, North-West of Taunton (Map 1). The house grid reference is 51o07’52.23”N, 32o05’8.65”W and this report only documents wildlife within the grounds of the house (see Map 2). The estate is around 60 hectares and there is a large variety of environment types: Dry semi- improved neutral grassland, bare ground, woodland (large, small, man –made and natural), bracken dominated hills, ornamental shrubs (lawns/ domestic gardens) and streams. These will all provide different habitats, enabling the rich diversity of wildlife found at Nettlecombe Court. Nettlecombe court has possessed a meteorological station for a number of years and so a summary of “MET” data has been included in this report. Map 1- Nettlecombe court (maps.google.co.uk) 2 Nettlecombe Court- Nature Review 2014 Map 2- Nettlecombe court detailed boundaries map Meteorological summary average daily rainfall dropping to just 0.68mm in July. The average daily max temperatures Month Ave Daily Max Ave Daily were 16.6, 17.2, 20.2 degrees Celsius for May, Temp (oC) Rainfall (mm) June, July. The heat peaked at 23.5 degrees January 8.9 7.5 Celsius on 4th, 5th and 6th July. Temperatures February 9.2 10.2 remained high throughout August and March 10.7 2.3 September with rainfall still low. Despite the April 14.4 3.0 increase in precipitation in October but we May 16.7 4.1 had the warmest Halloween on record. June 17.2 2.4 July 20.2 0.7 List of species found August 20.1 4.5 September 19.0 0.4 Trees October 19.5 5.3 Bay Willow - Salix pentandra November 12.2 7.0 Black alder - Alnus glutinosa December 9.2 4.5 Blue spruce - Picea pungens Checker tree - Sorbus torminalis The year started with a very wet January and Cherry Laurel - Prunus February with averages of 7.5mm and laurocerasus 10.2mm of rain per day, respectively. The rain Common juniper - Juniperus communis peaked on 4th February with 31.5mm in 24 Common Yew - Taxus baccata hours. This led to significant flooding of the Ginkgo - Ginkgo biobla rivers and streams around Nettlecombe with Hazelnut- Corylus avellana water levels higher than normally expected. Indian Bean tree- Catalpa bignonioides This turned into a very hot, dry summer with 3 Nettlecombe Court- Nature Review 2014 Kohukohu - Pittosporum tenuifolium Clustered bellflower - Lawson cypress - Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Campanula glomerata Monkey Puzzle- Araucaria araucana Common bistort - Rowan - Sorbus aucuparia Polygonum bistorta Sessile Oak - Quercus petraea Common Calamint - Silver birch - Betula pendula Clinopodium ascendens Spotted Laurel - Aucuba japonica Common daisy – Bellis Sycamore - Acer pseudoplatanus perennis Tulip- Liriodendron tulipifera Common dandelion – Taraxacum officinale Wayfaring tree - Viburnum lantana Common Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna Wild cherry - Prunus avium Common Holly - Ilex aquifolium Common ivy - Hedera helix Grasses Common jasmine - Jasminum officinale Common lilac - Syringa vulgaris Annual meadow grass - Poa annua Common mallow - Malva neglecta Buffalo grass- Anthoxanthum odoratum Common mullein - Verbascum Thapsus Creeping soft grass - Holcus mollis Common nettle - Urtica dioica Great Manna grass - Glyceria maxima Common rockrose - Helianthemum Orchard grass - Dactylis glomerata nummularium Red fescue - Festuca rubra Common rush - Juncus effuses Tufted grass - Holcus lanatus Common Sage - Salvia officinalis Common sea lavender - Limonium vulgare Ferns Common stitchwort - Stellaria graminea Common tormentil - Potentilla erecta Harts tongue - Asplenium Compact rush - Juncus conglomerates scolopendrium Creeping Crowfoot - Ranunculus repens Lady fern - Athyrium filix- Creeping thistle - Cirsium femina arvense Male fern - Dryopteris Filix- Crocosmia - Crocosmia x mas crocosmiiflora Cowslip - Primula veris Flowering Plants Dog rose - Rosa canina Dog violet - Viola riviniana Autumn hawkbit - Leontodon autumnalis European Pear - Pyrus communis Alkanet - Pentaglottis sempervirens Field rose - Rosa arvensis Barren strawberry - Potentilla sterilis Field sorrel - Rumex acetosa Birds-foot Trefoil - Lotus corniculatus Fireweed - Chamerion angustifoliumv Black elderberry - Sambucus nigra Flatweed - Hypochoeris radicata Blackberry - Rubus Fruticosus Garden loosestrife - Lysimachia vulagaris Buddlea – Buddleja Ground ivy- Glechoma hederacea Bulbous buttercup - Ranunculus bulbosus Fuchsia – Fuchsia ‘mrs popple’ Bullate Cotoneaster - Cotoneaster rehderi Garden Thyme - Thymus vulgaris Canarian ivy - Hedera canariensis Garlic mustard - Alliaria petiolata Candy tuft - Iberis sempervirens Garnett's pittosporum – Pittosporum garnettii Century plant - Agave americana Germander speedwell - Veronica chamaedrys Clear sky – Passiflora caerulea Granny’s Bonnet – Aquilegia spp. Ground Ivy - Glechoma hederacea Hairy birds foot trefoil - Lotus hispidus Hardy Fuchsia - Fuchsia magellanica Herb Robert - Geranium robertianum 4 Nettlecombe Court- Nature Review 2014 Hog’s Fennel - Peucedanum Thistle - Cirsium spp. officinale Thyme leaf - Veronica Hogweed - Heracleum serpyllifolia sphondylium Tutsan - Hypericum Honeysuckle – Abelia spp. androsaemum Horseshoe vetch - Larger bindweed - Hippocrepis comosa Calystegia sepium Japanese rose - Rosa White clover - Trifolium rugosa repens Kiwi vine - Actinidia kolomikta Wild strawberry - Fragaria vesca Marsh orchid - Dactylorhiza incarnate Willow herbs - Eplilobium spp Marsh Thistle - Cirsium palustre Wood sorrel - Oxalis acetosella Meadow buttercup - Ranunculus acris Woodspurge- Euphorbia amygdaloides Mopheads - Hydrangea macrophylla Yarrow - Achillea millefolium Mother of pearl - Phlox paniculata Yellow archangel - Lamium galeobdolon Mouse ear hawkweed - Hieracium pilosella Mexican orange – Choisya spp. Oxlip - Primula elatior Moss Pasific night – Coprosma hutpac Peppermint - Mentha x piperita Rough stalked feather moss - Brachythecium Pond water starwort - Callitriche stagnalis rutabulum Ragwort - Senecio jacobaea Springy turf moss - Rhytidiadelphus Red Clover - Trifolium pratense squarrosus Red-veined Doc - Rumex sanguineus Ribwort plantain - Plantago lanceolata Rock rose – Cistus spp. Butterflies Rose of Winter - Camellia japonica Comma - Polygonia c-album Rough hawkbit - Leontodon hispidus Gatekeeper - Pyronia tithonus Self-heal - Prunella Large white - Pieris brassicae vulgaris Meadow Brown - Maniola jurtina Scarlet Pimpernel - Painted Lady - Vanessa cardui Anagallis arvensis Peacock - Inachis io Shasta Daisy – Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta Leucanthemum lacustre x Small tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae maxiumum Small white - Pieris rapae Shrub ragwort - Brachyglottis compacta x Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria laxifolia Shrubby cinquefoil - Dasiphora fruticosa Moths Silver queen – Pittosporum tenuifolium Silver ragwort – Senescio cineraria ‘silver dust’ Beautiful hook tip – Laspeyria flexula Silverweed - Potentilla anserine Blood Vein – Timandra comae Bright Line, Snowberry - Symphoricarpos albus Brindled Beauty – Lycia hirtaria Sorbaria- Sorbaria spp Brown Eye – Lacanobia oleracea Spear-leafed Orache - Atriplex prostrate Brussels Lace – Cleorodes lichenaria Spear leaved Willowherb - Epilobium Brussels Lace – Cleorodes lichenaria lanceolatum Buff Arches – Habrosyne pyritiodes Star jasmine - Trachelospermum jasminoides Buff ermine – Spilosoma luteum Stonecrop – Sedum spp Buff Tip – Phalara bucephala Strawberry Saxifrage - Saxifraga stolonifera Burnished Brass – Diachrysia Sweeps brush - Luzula campestris chrysitis Sweet briar - Rosa rubiginosa 5 Nettlecombe Court- Nature Review 2014 Cabbage moth – Mamestra brassicae Setaceous Hebrew character – Xastia c- Small Common Footman – Eilema lurideola Shoulder Striped Wainscott – Mythimna Common Marbled Carpet – Chloroclysta comma truncata Small Angle Shades – Euplexia lucipara Common Quaker – Orthosia cerasi Small Square Spot – Diarsia rubi Cinnabar – Tyria jacobaeae Spectacle – Abrostola tripartita Confused – Apamea furva Streamer – Anticlea derivatay Dark Arches – Apamea monoglypha Shuttle Shaped dart – Agrotis puta Delicate – Mythimna vitellina Sycamore – Acronicta aceris Dotted Border Wave – Idaea sylvestraria Treble line – Charanyca trigrammica Early Grey – Xylocampa areola Triple spotted Clay – Xestia ditrapezium Elephant Hawkmoth – Deilephila elpenor True Lovers Knot – Lycophotia porphyrea Fan Footed Wave – idaea biselata Twin Spot Carpet – Perizoma didymata Flame – Axylia putris Twin Spotted Quaker – Orthosia munda Flame Shoulder – Ochropleura plecta Uncertain – Hoplodrina alsines Garden Tiger – Arctia caja V.pug – Chloroclystis v-ata Great Prominent – Peridea anceps White Ermine – Spilosoma lubricipeda Grey Arches – Polia nebulosa nigrum Heart and Dart – Agrotis clavis Willow beauty – Peribatodes