LENS LENS Long Eaton Natural History Society Wildlife Wildlife Group Watch Autumn 2018 Volume 2 Issue 22 TRENT MEADOWS Inside this issue: Friends of Forbes Hole 2 Pioneer Meadows Eco 2 LENS at DaNES 2 Friends of Forbes Hole 3 Rotary Club Fun Day LENS at Elvaston Brownfield Sites 4 Garden Bird Observa- tions Mugginton Walk 5 Oakwell Brickyards 6 Monsaldale Walk 7 Anchor Cave Ingleby 8-9 Pond Dipping Manor 10 Aston on Trent 11-12 Trowell Marsh Moths 13-14 ButterflySandiacre Records Marsh 1523--1625 ButterflyIdentiplant Transects 1726 -28 MHFA Community 1719 Long Eaton Isolation Hospital 1907 Photo credit Picture the Past Event Wilne Toad Rescue 17 Local residents and Wildlife Groups supported a proposal to grant Local Nature Reserve (LNR) status to Trent Meadows in Long Eaton. It is a valuable open space for the local community, visitors and nature conservation in a wildlife-rich area in the green corridor of Future events 18 the River Trent. It is also the former site of the Long Eaton Smallpox Isolation Hospital Contact details which was built in 1895 on Mr Claye's field, called "The Honeypots". The field has been reclaimed for nature and the only clue today, is the remains of the old ash tree which can be seen in this old photograph from the internet. Declaring it a LNR helps protect the site for nature. Trent Meadows will be the tenth Local Nature Reserves in Erewash. LENS at Cotgrave Festival LENS Marion Bryce and Derek Brumbill enjoyed a sunny outing Take part in the at Cotgrave annual Family Fun day. There were over 40 stalls. BTO Tawny Owl We had to set up our own gazebo and then we sat back and calling survey enjoyed the show. The Beeston Pipe Band started the day with pipes and drums. Dynamique Dance invited children to dance https:// with them to the themes of Unicorns and Paw Patrol. The Mayor www.bto.org/ of Rushcliffe, Mrs Maureen Stockwood, judged photography, volunteer- baking and miniature gardens competitions. We enjoyed meet- surveys/project- ing Karen Hicks from DEFRA although her rescue African spot- owl/tawny-owl- ted eagle owl was taking an all too lively interest in our mam- mal display. We were also able to catch up with the restoration calling-survey plans of the Grantham Canal Society. Then we met Peggy Hutchinson with her home-made wine stall and she gave us a recipe for rhubarb wine that has been unkindly described as ‘rocket fuel’. LENS at Cotgrave Festival 16 June 2018 Photo credit Marion Bryce 1 www.lensweb.wordpress.com Friends of Forbes Hole There’s something rotten at Forbes remove sycamore and ash Hole! 2 rotboxes, made by Ian saplings and dig out Kynaston of Stafford University, bramble. The beach area has have been installed. They look like been extended to the delight bat boxes but they are water tight of visitors to the site. Flood- oak boxes filled with oak chippings ing curtailed this work which and holes drilled through the top halted during the breeding to let water in. They were devised bird season. by Ian as part of his MSc studies of veteran trees. Realising he couldn’t Photographers came to pho- grow a veteran tree in a one year tograph the hairy dragonflies project he devised this method of which have been added to a artificial veteranisation. The idea is list of x species for the site. to encourage hoverflies, beetles and other insects to colonise the A new information board is box just as they would colonise rot to be erected at the entrance holes in veteran trees. This in turn and it is hoped the bench will should attract more birds to the soon be replaced. nature reserve. Derek Brumbill fits Rotbox The Friends of Forbes Hole Forbes Hole 3 March 2018 The Friends of Forbes Hole are- meet every Monday at 10 am working to recover the meadow, in the car park NG10 1FX Photo credit Marion Bryce LENS at Pioneer Meadows Eco-event June 11 was a gorgeous sunny day Frog tadpoles/ developing froglets for the eco-event at Pioneer Mead- 10 (many froglets observed emerg- ows Local Nature Reserve, organ- ing from the pond near the waters ised by Jaimey Richards of Erewash edge), Water stick insect 2, Pond Borough Council. Two schools were slater 2, Caddis fly larvae (cased invited, Dallimore Primary School sp.) 5, Water mite 2, Greater water and Kirk Hallam School. We arrived boatman 1, Pond skater 2, Pond early so had a walk around the snail 1, Ramshorn snail 1. reserve with Jaimey, helping to Other sightings were common spot- identify the wild flowers which ted orchid, southern marsh orchid, have flourished since the grass betony, butterflies: speckled wood, cutting regime was relaxed. meadow brown, common blue, large LENS were asked to facilitate pond skipper, brimstone and ringlet. dipping and although we had nets Dragonflies, four spotted chaser, and trays etc this was really hard broad bodied chaser, large red, blue work, the pond has a gravelly tailed and common blue damselfly. bottom and very little pondside At the end of the day we were Dave Gell and Stuart Gilder at Pioneer vegetation or water weed. After a treated to a willow weaving session Meadows Eco-event 11 June 2018 few hours keen searching we came by Alistair Hayhurst of Underwood Photo credit Marion Bryce up with the following list: Crafts. LENS at DANES Summer Exhibition This was held at Shipley Country LENS made a buzz with a bumble- Park in a committee room just big bee making activity. First the enough to hold 6 stalls. Felicity participants chose their favourite and Julie supervised the ever pop- bee then copied the bee ‘bar code’ ular pond animal display with by wrapping coloured wool around microscopes using water from the alder cones. With the addition of Shipley Park Pond. It was full of plastic wings and a realistic flying daphnia, mayfly nymphs and they action provided by a sallow whip, even found a small stick insect. the bees were flying off the There were a couple of stalls sell- production line. There was a good ing invertebrates such as large throughput of clients eager to stick insects and land snails. handle the insects and to take part DaNES Dave Budworth presided in the two insect hunts that were over a moth trapping display with led by Darren ‘The Pied Piper’ some unusual specimens which Clarke on this lovely sunny day. had been trapped in Dorset and the New Forest including Rosy Danes Summer Exhibition 22 July 2018 Footman and Black Arches. Neil Photo credit Marion Bryce Ward’s insect loop provided video 2 www.lensweb.wordpress.com entertainment. Friends of Forbes Hole Free! Nature Fun Day felt for weatherproofing. Suitable sites 10am-12noon Saturday August were found on some relatively upright 11th Nest box building trees by the railway path and things Nature Trail, Bumble-bee Detec- went rather well. 8 nestboxes were tives & more installed. Having looked at various methods of installation of nestboxes it You can’t help but have fun when seemed that an extra lath screwed Stuart is around. Wonderful onto the back which is then screwed weather, good company. Can you onto a suitable tree is the best beat it? The early starter was Roe method. At a height of 3 meters and who did a quick litter sweep facing between North and East so the around the site. Then Stuart ar- rain from the Westerlies keeps out rived to put up the nature trail and there is not too much heat from signs. Marion and Marion put up a the sun. If we glue on some large banner and a table in the car park metal washers to keep squirrels out it with Nature Trail leaflets and other is job done! Thank you very much to edifying literature including Bum- all who came to assist on the day. Forbes Hole Open Day 11 Aug 2018 ble Bee Detectives. Then Derek Photo credit Marion Bryce and Norman headed off to finish The Friends of Forbes Hole meet every off building the bird boxes on the Monday at 10 am in the car park meadow, stapling on some roofing NG10 1FX LENS at Rotary Club Fun Day What a windy start to the Rotary The bare branches of a tree, this was Club Fun Day, the Free Family Fun soon festooned. Pat Ancliff had made a Day organised by Barbara James of tree fruits quiz which had two levels of the Long Eaton Rotary Club held on difficulty, Pat also brought in a 3 mys- Wednesday 15th August 2018. tery objects, a green walnut, a knopper gall on an acorn and an ash Gazebos were flying at the Events seed gall caused by a mite. Field on West Park, but with guy ropes and stout pegs the billowing We were so busy we didn’t have time canvas was tamed and we were to visit the other stalls. able to set out our stall. I don’t know which was the most popular, Thanks to Marion Bryce and Penny the Insect Lucky Dip, Know your Newton who entertained the constant Insects Quiz or Make Your Own stream of children who were so eager Dragonfly? to participate, and their parents who could be proud of their knowledge. Erewash Tree Wardens set up on the stall next to LENS. Send a At 4pm as the Raffle was drawn and message to a tree was a secret the event closed the sun was still LENS at Rotary Club Fun Day 15 August 2018 wish written on a leaf shaped shining but the wind was still seeking.