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Winter on the Haycop

Signs of Spring!

February Snow

January Snow

Birds in Winter

Frosty January

Snow in December

Fungi and Lichen

Plant Galls

December Views of the Haycop

Autumn on the Haycop 2020

Trees and Flowering Plants

Autumn comes to an English Oak tree(Quercus robur)

Acorns on an English Oak (Quercus robur)

Acorns ripen on an English Oak (Quercus robur)

Common spangle gall (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) oak leaves

The common spangle gall on the underside of leaves develop as chemically induced distortions on trees, caused by the cynipid wasp (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum)

Silk Button Gall Wasp agamic generation - Neuroterus numismalis

Neuroterus numismalis is a gall wasp which has two generations each year. The first is sexual and the other agamic (all individuals are female). The sexual generation produces Blister Galls on Oak leaves. The agamic generation causes Silk Button Galls on the underside of Oak leaves as shown in the picture.

Silk Button Gall Wasp agamic generation - Neuroterus numismalis

Oak Apples - the Gall of the Biorhiza pallida Wasp

Oak Marble Gall produced by the Andricus Kollari Gall Wasp

The remains of Knopper Gall produced by the Andricus quercuscalicis Gall Wasp

This gall develops around an acorn

Fallen acorns on a Sessile Oak (Quecus petraea)

Next Year's buds already developing on the Oak

Crab apples

Crown Gall on Goat Willow

Crown gall is a disease caused by the bacterium Rhizobium radiobacter

Rose gall

Hazel Catkins - November

Aspen

Bay willow

Common Beech

Sycamore

Common Hazel - Corylus avellana

Hawthorn

Berries on the holly

Berries developing on Ivy - November

Flowers on Ivy - September

Guilder rose

Berries on the guilder rose

Wild cherries

Blackberries

Bramble leaves

Flowers on yellow buddleia

Lowland heather

Seeds on honesty

Seeds on knapweed

Berries on bindweed

Tree Planting November 2020

Ironbridge Rotary Club Present Tree Saplings to the Haycop Nature Reserve

Adrian Miles receiving new trees for The Haycop Nature Reserve from the Ironbridge Rotary Club. The trees included, hazel, rowan, crab apple & dog rose. We would like to thank the Rotary Club for their kind donation, which will make a welcome addition to our efforts to develop new hedgerows on the site. Left to right:- Adrian Miles (Chair of The Haycop Conservation Group), Ruth Evans (Rotary Club Environmental Officer ),Tony Roden (Rotary Club ) & Peter Nixon (President of the Ironbridge Rotary Club ).

Duke of Edinburgh Volunteer Alex Barrett Planting Saplings near the Bird hide

Ben Roberts Tree planting on the Bridle Way

Dragonflies

Common darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Southern hawker(Aeshna cyanea)

Other Insects and Spiders

Blood bee

This bee is from the genus Sphecodes, the exact species is difficult to identify without the help of an expert. Photo taken in September

Parasitic wasp - possibly Endromopoda detrita

This wasp is very difficult to identify with certainty without the help of an expert. Photo taken in September

Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)

Photo taken in September

Small copper(Lycaena phlaeas)

Photo taken in September

Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

Photo taken in September

Common flesh fly (Sarcophagidae - possibly Sarcophaga carnania )

Photo taken in September

Bluebottle - possibly Calliphora vicina

Photo taken in October

Common Green Grasshopper - Omocestus viridulus

Photo taken in September

Common Green Grasshopper - Omocestus viridulus

Photo taken in September

Sevenspot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

Photo taken in September

Sevenspot ladybird(Coccinella septempunctata)

Photo taken in October

Sevenspot ladybird(Coccinella septempunctata)

Photo taken in October

Ladybird - possibly Rhyzobius litura

Photo taken in October

Ground beetle (possibly Common Sun Beetle - Amara aenea)

Photo taken in September

Ground beetle (possibly Common Sun Beetle - Amara aenea)

Photo taken in September

Possibly Nursery Web Spider - Pisaura mirabilis

Photo taken in September

Garden Spider - Araneus diadematus

Birds

Long-tailed Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Blackbird

Robin

Moorhen

Buzzard

Jackdaw

Fungi

Scurfy twiglet (Tubaria furfuracea)

Also known as the winter twiglet and Redlead roundhead

Silverleaf fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum)

Smoky polypore (Bjerkandera adusta)

also known as Smoky bracket)

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

A bracket fungus

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

A bracket fungus

False turkey tail (Stereum hirsutum)

Silverleaf fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum)

Birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus)

A bracket fungus

Birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus)

A bracket fungus

Lumpy Bracket (Trametes gibbosa)

Pear-shaped puffball (Lycoperdon pyriform)

Also called Sump puffball

Thin walled maze polypore (Daedaleopsis confragosa)

Pear-shaped puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme)

sometimes called Stump puffball

Common earthball (Scleroderma citrinum)

Onion earthball (Scleroderma cepa)

Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)

Yellow-staining mushroom (Agaricus xanthodermus)

Red edge brittlestem (Psathyrella corrugis)

Candlestick fungus (Xylaria Hypoxyfon)

Amethyst deceiver (Laccaria amethystina)

Buttery collybia - Butter cap (Rhodocollbia butyracea)

Jahnoporus hirtus

Clouded agaric

Groups of Volunteers Return to The Haycop

Volunteers Clearing the Meadow Cut - Wednesday 7th October

Throughout the Summer, as individuals and in family groups, volunteers have continued to work on the Haycop. Now, with the arrival of Autumn groups of up to 6 volunteers have been working on clearing the Meadow - following the annual cut.

Volunteers Clearing the Meadow Cut

Sunday 11th October

Volunteers Clearing the Meadow Cut

Sunday 11th October

Volunteers Clearing the Meadow Cut

Sunday 11th October

Volunteers Clearing the Meadow Cut

Sunday 11th October

D of E Volunteers Sowing Yellow Rattle Seeds on the Meadow

A campfire awaiting the arrival of the reception class from Broseley CE School

Tuesday 13th October

A visit from Broseley CE School Reception Class

The children explore the heather patch

The children collecting crabapples

The crabapples they collected will be used to make crabapple jelly

The children at the pond

A campfire in the Woodland School

The children sitting around the fire

The children enjoy a drink of apple juice

The children trying Haycop jam

A message from Children and Teachers: We would like to thank the Haycop team for another amazing session today. Fun apple collecting, eating cooked apples and tasting the yummy Haycop jam on biscuits... all washed down with lovely apple juice. We all had a great time.

Views of the Haycop

The Meadow - following the annual cut in October

The Pond - following clearance in October

A View of the Jetty - October

All Saints Church from the Haycop - October

A view from the South Bank towards the Pond - October

A view of the Meadow from the South Bank

Sign post by the Heath

Woodland Path - October

This path was recently repaired by a working party made up of Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers

Sign Post by the Woodland Path on the Bridle Way - October

The South Bank from across the Meadow - October

The Haycop from Bridge Road - October

A view form Xander's Meadow to the Heath - November

The Meadow - November

The path from the Down Well - November

The heath - November

The Top of the South Bank - November

A view from the South Bank towards the Pond - November

A view of the Meadow from the South Bank - November

All Saints Church from the Haycop - November

The Meadow from the Down Well - November

The Heather Patch - November

Summer on the Haycop 2020

Butterflies and Moths

Male Meadow brown

Meadow brown

Female Meadow brown

Male Meadow brown

Gatekeeper

Ringlet

Small skipper

Large skipper

Large skipper (Paul Wells via Facebook)

Speckled wood

Comma

Small copper

Holly blue

Small white

Green veined white

Small tortoiseshell - underwing

Small tortoiseshell

Small tortoiseshell - wings closed

Red admiral

Peacock

Camouflaged Orange tip caterpillars

Mullein moth caterpillar

Micro moth (Tortricidae) Epagoge grotiana

Other Insects

Common carder bee (queen) on Creeping thistle

Common carder bee (male)

Heath bumble bee

White tailed bumble bee on Marsh Marigold

White tailed bumble bee on birdsfoot trefoil

White tailed bumble bee

Red tailed bumble bee on bramble

Honeybee

Dark European honey bee

Dark European honey bees with Red solider beetles

Dark European honey bee

Digger wasp - Ectemnius cephalotes

Common wasp - Vespula vulgaris

'Tree wasp' - Dolichovespula sylvestric

'Saxon wasp' Dolichovespula saxonica

Small black ant - (Lasius niger)

Large red damselfly (male)

Common blue damselfly (female)

Common blue damselflies

Common blue damselfly

Dragonfly - common darter

Dragonfly - Southern hawker (male)

Dragonfly - Southern hawker (female)

Meadow grasshopper

Common green grasshopper

Horsefly

Flesh fly

Dung-fly

Fly - Dolichopus popularis

Fly -Haematobosca stimulans

Hover fly - Rhingia campestas

Hoverfly - Helophilus pendulus

Hoverfly - Syrphus ribesii

Hoverfly - Eristalis interruptus

Hoverfly - Volucella pellucens

Hoverfly - Cheilosia albitarsis/ranunculi agg

Possibly - Blow fly - Lucilia caesar

Possibly - House fly - Neomyia viridescens

Dance fly - Rhamphomyia sulcata

Cranefly

Black and yellow longhorn beetle

Black longhorn beetle with common red ant

Red soldier beetle

Harlequin Ladybird (invasive species)

7 Spot Ladybird

Lesser Water boatman

Pond skater

Meadow plant bug - Leptopteria dolebrala

Dock bug - Coreus marginatus

Red and black froghopper

Cuckoo spit - froghopper nest

A mossy rose gall - June

The gall contains the eggs and larva of Diplolepis rosae, or "Cynipid gall wasp".

A mossy rose gall - July

Evidence of Holly leaf miner

Snails

Possibly Heath snail - Helicella itala

Moorhen Chicks

Moorehen chicks

Wild Flowers

Woody nightshade

Musk mallow

Dog rose

Foxglove

Fox-and-Cubs (Orange hawkweed)

Creeping thistle

Rosebay willowherb

Great willow herb

Bindweed

Wood elder

Hogweed

Birds-foot trefoil

Nipplewort

Common Groundsel

Red dead-nettle

Common forget-me-not

Grass in flower on the meadow

Yorkshire fog

Cocksfoot

Timothy

Common dock

Great mullein

Ragwort

Greater knappwead

Lowland heather

Seed head Herb-bennett

Seed head on groundsel

Fruit developing on Bramble

Seedpods on Broom

Lord and ladies

Seedpods on Garlic mustard

Seedpods on Bluebells

Seedpods on Honesty

Haws developing on Hawthorn bush

Hips developing on Dog rose

Seedpods on yellow iris

Trees

Acorns developing on the Oak - June

Acorns developing on the Oak - July

Acorns developing on the Oak - August

Hazel nut developing

Ripe seeds on a Downy birch - July

Haws developing on the Hawthorn

Seed pods on an Ash Tree

Cherries developing on the Wild cherry

Berries developing on the Rowan tree - June

Berries on Rowan tree - July

Elderberries

Berries on guilder rose - June

Berries on guilder rose - July

Crab apples developing

Non Flowering Plants

Bracken

Common horsetail

Fungi

Common ink cap

Pavement mushroom

Unidentified mushroom

Possibly Parasola auricoma

Red Cracking Bolete - Boletus chrysenteron

Suede Bolete - Boletus subtomentosus

Angel's bonnet - Mycena arcangeliana

Views of Haycop – June & July 2020

The Pond - June

Meadow from the top of the South Bank - June

Looking toward. the pond from the top of the South Bank - June

Ferns and horsetails on the South Bank - July

Path to Pond below the Down Well - June

The Meadow - June

Signpost at Down Well

A view towards all Saints church - July

The Heath - June

The Heath - July

Ironbridge Road Entrance to the Haycop - June

Rainbow over the Haycop as seen from Dark Lane -July

Spring on the Haycop 2020

Wild Flowers

Native bluebells

Bush vetch

Yellow archangel

Lesser celandine

Greater celandine

Garlic mustard

Green alkanet

Herb-bennet

Herb-robert

Honesty

Wild cherry

Guelder rose

Forget-me-nots

Cow Parsley

Ground elder

Snake's-head fritillary

Snake's-head Fritillary

Dandelion

Cowslip

Red clover

Common dog violet

Goat Willow (Pussy Willow)

Bay Willow

Marsh Marigold

Goldilocks buttercup

Birdsfoot trefoil

Broom

Native Bluebells

Dandelion with Large White Butterfly

Cuckoo Flower (Lady's Smock)

Hawthorn

Holy

Rowan (Mountain Ash)

Stinging nettle (female flowers)

Stinging nettle (female flowers) and Timothy

Ribwort Plantain

Yellow Iris

Dog Rose

Elder

Ox-eye Daisy

Bramble flower with white tailed bumble bee

Trees

An oak tree coming to life

New oak leaves

Male flowers, English oak

'Oak apple' - gall wasp

'Oak apple' - gall wasp, from last summer

Oak sapling

Tree donated by Yvette Greasley and planted by Yvette and Ian Barrett on Monday 11th May on the Bridle Way

Goat Willow

Bay Willow

Common Ash

Rowan (Mountain Ash)

Guelder rose

Elder

Copper Beech

Horse chestnut

Holy

Wild Cherry

Stand of aspen trees

Non flowering Plants

Bracken coming to life

Reptiles and Amphibians

Slow worm - basking in the sun

Fog and frogspawn

Butterflies

Orange Tip

Speckled Wood

Large White

Birds

Pheasant

Mallard

Marsh Tit

Great Tit

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Robin

The Next Generation of Mallards!

Eggs in the nest

Female Mallard sitting on the eggs

Mother and ducklings

Final Working Party Before The Covid19 Lockdown

On Saturday the 14th March, just days before the lockdown was introduced by the Government, the Haycop Conservation Group held a volunteer day to carry out essential work on the Haycop. This included laying wood chip on woodland paths, repairing handrails on the woodland steps and work on clearing the wildflower meadow.

The volunteers take a well earned lunch break on Saturday 14th March