Heading South

At the beginning of February I headed down South to Carlisle to attend  the British Lichen Society AGM and a field trip to Carlisle cemetery. I found it more interesting than it sounds!  I was right out of my comfort zone though as many of the lichens were not ones I knew as it is a limestone area (and up here is mainly granite). Individual lichen species have preferences for the pH (acidity/alkalinity) of the surfaces they grow on and I am more familiar with the acid loving ones that like granite, pine and birch.

Carlisle cemetery was enormous and keen lichenologists can spend hours on one gravestone as there is so much to see. Here is a fairly typical sight!

I also managed to fit in a visit to Carlisle Cathedral - a wonderful place- both outside with intricate carvings:

 and inside with a star studded ceiling:

After the weekend, I headed further South to North Cheshire which was where I was brought up.  I did some casual lichen recording but it was mainly in car parks as I was there to see family.

Lichens on a car park sign

The area is too polluted for there to be many lichens. There are only two species on this sign, and they both seem to like the white paint more than the blue. Maybe it has a rougher more reflective surface? 

In contrast, here is a Newtonmore lamppost which has lots more species which I will talk about in another post.  Does that make it a post about a post?

I visited one of the areas I used to play out in as a child.  These were fields next to Brookfield House  (history link). Here is a portion of a (redrawn) 1844 tithe map of Cheadle which covers the area where I was brought up and which I have hanging on my wall. Some of the names are wonderful.  I lived near  Juny Greaves and Great Horse Stones which is a bit more romantic than the later name of Oak Road!

The fields (Mare Croft) and the house were owned by a series of wealthy manufacturers but in 1945 it was gifted to the council. The fields used to be like parkland but most of the edges were now covered in brambles and scrub, so not as I remember them. The green shaded area (messuage, orchard etc) was  a well kept garden with aviaries which we would regularly go and visit. ( I had to look up the meaning of  messuage and it is "a house together with its land and outbuildings.")

Now part of this is used by the council to store building materials and the rest is a bit of a jungle. I walked through it and found a plant that I did not recognise, now growing wild but presumably once part of the garden.  It turned out to be Viburnum rhtidophyllum, Leatherleaf, and it did indeed have leathery leaves and a furry underside. I sent the record to the BSBI county Vice - recorder who told me it was only the third record for Cheshire. 

Viburnum rhytidophyllum

Next time - the lamppost!

The Smooth and the Prickly

 I am a member of the HBRG (Highland Biological Recording Group)and an item in their latest newsletter caught my interest so I will quote it in full.

Recording Slow-worms in the Highlands and Islands

Cally Ullman-Smith, a researcher from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust, will be presenting an online talk on the findings of the 2024 Slow-worm Survey. Despite being a relatively common sight in many Highland areas, slow-worms remain under-recorded in the UK. This survey, spearheaded by Cally, aimed to fill gaps in data by engaging volunteers and citizen scientists to report sightings and habitat details. The talk will explore the patterns revealed by this unique approach, highlighting the value of community contributions to understanding slow-worm distribution and the habitats they rely on. As well as looking at the lives of these amazing creatures. Donations to the High Life Highland Countryside Ranger Service.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 · 7:30 – 9:00pm GMT

Book your tickets here.

It reminded me of the one time I have seen a Slow Worm, which was back in 2019 on the Speyside W near Loch Bogach which is opposite Loch Alvie on the other side of the railway.

A Slow Worm

It isn't a worm or a snake, but a legless lizard and you can see its scales in the photos. It obligingly was slow enough to let me video it. 

Very unprofessional videos (just my phone), but I was thrilled. So that deals with the smooth part of the heading.

The prickly part was the reason I was out there - to see a Welted Thistle (Carduus crispum) which had been seen near Alvie Church.  I had never heard of this thistle, let alone seen one, so I went to take a look.  It likes less acid soil so is not common up here.  It basically just looks like a very prickly thistle. So I won't be offended if you find it less interesting than the Slow Worm!

Welted Thistle