The Wharfedale Naturalist

Review of the year 2002
Volume 57

Membership: Ordinary Members, 283; Life members, 4; Total 287.
Numbers up by 11 on last year and the highest membership since 1985 (295)

Programme
May 2002 to March 2003

Microscope Meetings
Held on first Tuesdays of the month, 7.30pm at the Clarke-Foley Centre

Coffee Morning
The Annual Coffee Morning and Nature Gift Sale was held on Saturday 2 November 2002, 10am to 12 noon, at the Clarke-Foley Centre, raising funds for Conservation Projects.

Foreword

Busy! Busy! Busy! That certainly describes the past 12 months in this Society. Looking back over my diary shows that we have organised no fewer than FIFTY meetings, talks, walks, and other events, plus a number of working parties. This includes a new venture - our Society Holiday in Norfolk and I'm pleased that it is being followed by another in Barra during 2003; I hope that holidays will become a regular feature of our programme in future years. Full coaches went on our summer outing to Teesdale (Hannah's Meadow and Bowlees) and to the Bird Fair at Martin Mere in November.

Another innovation has been the series of 'Specials' (special interest walks with guest speakers) which have featured the Valley of Desolation project at Bolton Abbey, the red kites at Harewood and deer rutting at Studley Royal, with more to come. The Working Parties were instituted by Peter Riley, initially for the Otley Gravel Pits Reserve (soon to be called the Otley Wetland Nature Reserve) but such was the support that work is being extended to the Sun Lane, Burley and Ben Rhydding Gravel Pit sites. Although still in its infancy, the Otley reserve is becoming a valuable wildlife haven for Mid-Wharfedale (otters included!) and we have nominated Peter Riley and Nevil Bowland to represent the Society on the Board of Trustees to be set up during 2003. Harry Jevons organised a series of Birding Field Days (to slightly more distant venues) joining Joyce's Botany Field Days, David's Geology Field Days and John Hobson's interesting and varied programme of microscope evenings. Many thanks to them all.

To some extent this full calendar was a catching up operation after the frustrations of the foot and mouth outbreak but it also demonstrates the vitality that exists within the Society that this number of events were not only organised but also, with few exceptions, well supported - over 100 people regularly attending winter meetings. We must thank our Syllabus Secretary, Lesley, for all her hard work - as I write she has just completed the programme up to March 2004 and I can promise you many more treats in store!

The detailed reports by our Recorders in this publication only hint at the amount of valuable work that they do in collecting and collating all the records of species seen in our large area. We must thank them all for this, but WE particularly thank Joan Duncan and Joyce Hartley who are retiring after many years as Botany Recorders. We are pleased that they will be succeeded by Nicky Vernon, assisted by Heather Burrow. We also sincerely thank John Ward who has watched the weather for us since shortly after Ilkley U.D.C. sped recording, and Peter Riley, Ornithology Recorder, who are both stepping down. Julie Tight and Richard Bly are welcomed as new Weather Recorders and John Flood will record the birds.

We are now, finally, starting to get to grips with computerising our records. This has been delayed by problems with the computer programme (and lack of spare time!) but now a new version, 'Recorder 2002' has been produced which is much better, even if still not ideal! We plan to test the system out by trying to get our 2002 records computerised and fed through to the North & East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre at York, which is the Local Record Centre for the National Biodiversity Network.

Finally I must thank all Committee members not mentioned above, particularly Mike Atkinson, our hard working Secretary (my e-mail Inbox would be much the poorer without him!), all those who help at Coffee Mornings and with preparations for the Dinner etc., and, most importantly, all of you for your support.

Don Barrett

Editorial

Here is our second volume under the new title of The Wharfedale Naturalist, and a bumper number it is too. Hope you like it. We draw your attention to Mike Atkinson's article about reserves and conservation areas that are not only becoming more numerous in our locality but also are attracting more of our attention and time. The Grass Wood Working Party has been toiling for years and the Society thanks them warmly for putting in so much effort. The Society would also like to thank those who have turned up in large numbers at Otley Wetland ('Gravel Pits') Nature Reserve and also at the Sun Lane 'Old Tip Field' in Burley, both of which still need further management work. It is possible Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits may also need volunteers in the future so a big thank you to all those who are getting involved.

DL & JD

Conserving our local natural heritage - the good news

In the few miles of our patch from Middleton, Ilkley and Addingham to Burley there are now no fewer than nineteen conservation sites, protected by Bradford Metropolitan District Council! Now, when I was a boy I wasn't aware of any nature reserves or protected areas at all in the whole of Britain. It was before there were national parks. The field study centre at Dale in Pembrokeshire had probably got going by then, and perhaps also the one at Juniper Hall on the North Downs. Other than that, the natural world had to fend for itself and cope with its ' predator' - you and me, without any additional protection. Since then we have had a war and a Common Agricultural Policy and we have ploughed up most of the meadows, grubbed up nearly all the hedgerows and drained most of the moors, for reasons which seemed good at the time. As a result, our land is now nothing like it was in the 1930s. We think of it as a richer land but in so many ways it is also an impoverished one. But things are changing.

Four years ago Bradmet formally approved a nature conservation strategy Nature and People. International, national and regionally important sites were identified across the District. There had been a major survey in 1990-91 and our Society had been involved. It was before I came to this area but I know many members remember taking part. Last year Bradmet finally added 'Bradford Wildlife Areas' as a 'third tier' to its existing conservation protections. This development is of direct interest to us. Here is a run-down of what this little area can now boast.

SPAs, SACs, and Triple SIs The South Pennine Moors, including Rombalds Moor, is a European Community 'Special Protection Area' (SPA). These areas are regarded as important throughout Europe and beyond. The South Pennine Moors are listed and protected on account of their bird populations of Merlin, Golden Plover, Curlew, Peregrine and Twite. The European Commission has provided funding for conservation work. These areas are also candidates for the status of 'Special Areas of Conservation' (SACs) under world-wide international treaties, far beyond Europe. They form if you like, a 'first tier' of protected sites.

In this 'first tier' too we can include 'Sites of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSIs or 'Triple SIs'), designated and regulated by our UK Government through English Nature. They were protected from development under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and are now even more strongly regulated by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (the 'CROW Act'). Ilkley Moor is in this list too. It is the only SSSI in our bit of Bradmet. These levels of protection are pretty rigorous. Slightly less safe is a kind of 'second tier' of 'Sites of Ecological or Geological Interest' (SEGIs).

SEGIs These are sites of regional importance across West Yorkshire. Bradmet would consent to development in them only if a national plan required them to do so. Bradmet has designated 21 SEGIs altogether, and three fall within our patch - Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, Middleton Woods and the River Wharfe.

The new 'Third Tier' Those protections were all in place by 1998. The new action Bradmet took last year was to add a further 152 'Bradford Wildlife Areas', of which we have 14. Under the Bradford Metropolitan District Council Unitary Plan listing a site in this third tier will count as a 'material consideration' if anyone makes an application to develop it. The weak point is that landowners will not be required to protect these sites from an action that does not require planning consent. Our 14 'third tier' sites are, in Ilkley, Briery Wood/Heber's Ghyll, Crabtree Ghyll, Hollin Wood, Owler Park, Panorama Wood, Hollin Hall, and Ilkley Cemetery. In Addingham and Addingham Moorside there are Lumb Gill Wood, Far Bank, Steg Holes and Low Mill. There is also White Crag Plantation, the edge of which just peeps over the watershed from Airedale and into our territory. Finally, but not least, in Burley there is the disused railway and the Sun Lane former tip.

The Situation Today, world-wide Since World War II most of the equatorial forests have gone and some of the seas have been fished out. Species have been made extinct. Mountains have been eroded, seas are rising and deserts are being created. We are still doing all this. But, as our local experience shows, some light has dawned. The 'Earth Summit' at Rio de Janeiro in 1992 set in train a commitment to conservation at government and intergovernmental level which has fed down through and given an enormous boost to the EC, national governments and local governments, like our Bradmet. It provided an enormous fillip to the existing efforts of small people and organisations that had 'seen the light' and were already hard at work. The amount of money and the number of people who can be paid for conservation is now huge in comparison to what it was before the 1990s.

Work still to do There is still work for us to do, however. People, who are now happily paid to conserve, need to know what it is they need to conserve, and people like us and societies like ours have an enormous contribution to make because of what we know and what is in our records. Indeed, nobody else knows what we know and can do what we can do.

And there has to be a continual watch on folk who perpetuate old habits of self-indulgence. Trees cut down, hedgerows destroyed, sites ploughed, can in a matter of mere minutes set back all the good intentions of major conservation bodies and the most powerful government agencies. Many people are not persuaded that our relationship with the Earth and its natural life is critical for the long-term survival of man on the planet.
Lady Thatcher had it right when she said, 'we are here on Earth not as owners, but only as tenants, and with a full repairing lease, at that'. We need to leave to our children and grandchildren an Earth as rich as the one our fathers and mothers left us.

I personally liked David Attenborough's finish to his TV series 'The Private Life of Plants': 'No plants - no animals - no life on earth'. Life is a chain and we are on the end of it. Saving the plants is the first step towards saving the rest, and in the end saving ourselves. Let's keep our eyes open and make sure that all the plans and good intentions are not undermined by our fellow ' predators' who may not understand the dangers in what they do.

Good for Bradmet that they are on the case. Anne Tupholme is a member of their Biodiversity Action Plan group (BAP). David Howson and I take turns on the Harrogate BAP which takes in the Washburn valley. We have a number of good entrées into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. We need to be ready to act up strongly at all points, and to support, cajole and arm-twist our local authorities over whatever they may be able to do in the future.

Mike Atkinson

Postscript - Breaking News Bradmet has just announced that it will be beginning a management programme for Panorama Wood, one of the 'Third Tier' sites. They are proposing to take out some young Sycamores, and ring-bark some old ones which will be left standing to create dead wood habitats for a variety of creatures. Some of the invasive Bracken, Rhododendron and Japanese Knotweed will be removed. See 'Ilkley Gazette', 23 January 2003 or contact Ilkley Parish Council.

Learning to fly

The summer afternoon found me sitting in the garden, back to the sun, facing the house and engrossed in a book.

A sudden shrill whistling made me look up. A house martin - it had to be - it was. The whistler was above me, gliding, flying, swooping and climbing with superlative ease, but what took my attention was the audience on our roof. Perched on the edge of the guttering were five young house martins. How they arrived there I did not see, but why they were there soon became obvious. The parent bird had decided it was time they learnt to fly. The decision had been hers not theirs, the unhappy looking youngsters were huddled together on the rim of the metal trough giving every impression of having been forcibly marched to their present position from a nearby nest by a determined Mother.

Anthropomorphic? Not at all, there was no mistaking what was happening. The parent continued to fly round and round, sometimes gliding, sometimes swooping then soaring but all the time calling to her offspring as if telling them "This is what you do, now watch me." Occasionally they did, but a lot of the time like inattentive children they looked around at the scenery, or downwards at the long drop between them and the ground.

Eventually the adult bird flew back and landed alongside the brood. It really was a case of "Right, now you try." Five sets of claws tightened on the guttering but no-one moved. "OK, I'll show you once more" and off she flew to give a repeat performance. Then came her second landing and the order "Now off you go." The nestlings only huddled closer, gripped even harder, and tried to ignore her - but Mum had had enough. Putting her streamlined body behind each youngster in turn she proceeded to push the protesting fledgling off the roof and into the air. Tiny beaks opened wide with a protesting squeak of "I can't do it!" but to no avail. For a second or so the bundle of feathers fell earthwards before the wings opened and flapping madly the young house martin gained height and discovered that mum was right - it could fly. By the time she reached number five the little creature was in a state of panic. It was the youngest, the last to break out of the egg! Could it wait another few days? No! So down it tumbled slightly further than the others before finding mum was not an ogre after all. It could use its wings.

By now the first to be launched had crash-landed back in the gutter righted itself and turned to perch on the rim again. Hard luck! The parent bird made her way back to where it sat somewhat breathless, and once more shoved it off into space. Each returning youngster received the same treatment, but this time the wings functioned sooner and the flying was more accomplished.
I counted three launchings per fledgling. By the third one they had mastered the art more or less, even the youngest, and dived and swooped with the best of them whistling as they went. Could they have been cries of "Watch me Mum - Waaatch." Or is that being anthropomorphic? I'm not so sure!

The final roof landings were still untidy but a definite improvement on the first. Then after a short rest the adult bird set off followed by all five of her offspring. It was a lovely sight, a mass of streamlined bodies with their elegant shiny blue-black feathers. They headed in the direction of the river where the evening swarms of flies were rising. There I presume, they learnt the next lesson, how to catch your own food when on the wing. The babies must have been hungry after all the exercise, which is a good incentive for trying, especially if your parent bows out of providing stuff for you.

It has been several years since our house boasted a house martin's nest and I miss our delightful visitors How do we get them back?

Pamela Braithwaite

Looking for the brown whitespot

In 1795 Willliam Jones, a prosperous wine merchant and distinguished watercolourist, painted a hitherto unknown small butterfly, which he called the Brown Whitespot, from Scottish specimens. Although the name was soon changed to Northern Brown Argus(NBA), it was finally recognised as a distinct species only in the 1960s! In 1828 a similar butterfly was discovered in Durham, and later in small scattered colonies across the North of England including the Yorkshire Dales. Only very recently has it been established by genetic analysis that these butterflies are also predominantly NBA, although with traces of the very similar Brown Argus found further South.

The Wharfedale Naturalists Society has recorded NBA in most years since 1968, but usually only on the classic site of Bastow Wood and also near Threshfield. Often only a few insects have been seen each year. Conservation of NBA colonies is considered to be a high priority by Butterfly Conservation (BC).

2002 was different. BC's Regional Officer for the North of England, Dr Sam Ellis, had secured an English Nature contract to advise on the conservation of NBA sites in the dales. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority through Tim Thom were keen to help, and the WNS, BC's vice-county 64 expert Terry Whitaker and Royanne Wilding from the Upper Wharfedale Field Society, all lent a hand. The campaign started with a Spring meeting at the Authority's HQ at Corvedale hosted by Tim, where we learnt to our surprise that an enthusiast based in Scotland, Peter Summers, had over the years found many sites in Wharfedale although some had not been visited recently.

Royanne takes up the story:
'Enter Sam Ellis, a tall weathered lad, who is so keen on the NBA he did his PhD on them. He wanted to monitor all sites where his special butterfly had been recorded to see if they were still there, and then devise a conservation plan. A number of people volunteered to help him and we met to discuss recording methods.

We agreed to use a line transect - walking a measured distance through the recording area and counting the butterflies seen in a 5 metre strip to either side of the imaginary line. We had to note the size of the area covered by rock rose and measure the height of the sward. Heath Robinson stepped in here with a handy gadget comprising a piece of dowel - marked with felt tip pen in centimetres and a circle of hardboard with a hole in the centre. This disc slides down the dowel until sped by the vegetation.

We were also going to count eggs. Not your ovoid presentation that finds its boiled way to the breakfast table, but pinhead sized white dots on the rockrose leaves. The great thing about these tiny eggs is that they stay still - and I've had lots of practice looking for small things in vegetation - mostly other people's contact lenses.

The planning went well, I was raring to get out there and start recording, but there was one hurdle to cross - we had to gain permission from landowners, at which stage the dreaded term Health and Safety came up. As if we aren't all responsible adults, able to take care of ourselves. Sam hastily said that if there was anything dangerous in an area, he'd do that site. We eyed the jug of boiling hot coffee on the table between us and wondered if we should seek insurance - it made more sense to drink the coffee, so we did.

Sadly, Insurance, Health and Safety won - Sam was not allowed to use us as volunteers unless he was heavily (and expensively) insured for any accident we might incur.'

On 23rd June about 20 people joined us on the WNS walk through Grassington to the heights of Lea Green and then onward to Bastow Wood. Sam Ellis kindly came along and shared his knowledge. The day was cloudy and fairly windy, but rain free, and there were sufficient sunny spells to tempt the butterflies out.

Soon after entering Lea Green the whole party crowded around Sam as he showed us the first NBA of the day. Mountain Pansies were present in some numbers amongst the prevailing Rock Rose, and several heard the Skylark. As we approached the shelter of the stone wall around Bastow Wood several more NBA were seen, a Common Blue and a couple of Small Heath.

Entering the wood we saw a few Birds Eye Primroses, and being sheltered from the wind the party settled down on a grassy bank to eat their lunches whilst butterflies flew around. Over 30 NBA were seen in the wood, together with a couple of Large Skipper, which are not common up the dale, and a Red Admiral that settled up a tree.

We were fascinated when Sam showed us the minute white egg of the NBA butterfly on the upper surface of a rock rose leaf. In the afternoon most of the party wended their way back to Grassington through Grass Wood and the meadows beyond, noting a Blackcap on the way.

Following the walk, Royanne and I agreed to help by recording on important sites, independently, not working for Sam. He went ahead with his survey as planned by taking on a full-time assistant, and Terry also provided valuable help. Most of Sam's survey was undertaken in the last two weeks in June, during which time the weather was quite mixed, hindering the butterfly counts.

Royanne set up and walked a transect through Lea Green and Bastow Wood until the end of July, Rosemary and I recorded and photographed on our usual sites, over the same period, and walked miles to find and traverse four sites that were new to us, one of which Sam had discovered during the survey.

In 2002 we amateurs learned much more about the butterfly and its food plant, including how to distinguish those well-sited rockroses with a quality of leaf good enough for the female to lay and so sustain a breeding colony. Now we are waiting with some impatience for next season, hoping to examine some of the other sites Sam found, and to explore the area even further.

It is now clear that Wharfedale is a key region for the survival of the English NBA, and that the two sites where the WNS usually records are the most important in the dale. Now we need to set up a transect to monitor the Threshfield site in a similar way to Bastow Wood.

Sam is now busily writing up his report, which should be published later this year. This will identify most of the sites where the NBA presently breeds, from Langstrothdale and Littondale down to Grassington. The requirements of the insect, and how these may be maintained, should now become clear.

Hopefully this will provide the impetus to protect the fragile flower meadows and ensure a good future for the NBA in Wharfedale.

References
The Aurelian Legacy. M A Salmon. Harley Books 2000
The Millennium Atlas. J Asher et al. Oxford UP 2001
The Journal of the Upper Wharfedale Field Society - edition No. 23

DP Howson & R Wilding

Flycatcher neighbours

The WNS Nature Notes column in the Ilkley Gazette is now an established feature and brings in some interesting phone calls. Sometimes people ring with queries, but sometimes they have interesting information. One such informant was Mrs Andrews from Coniston Cold who rang to tell us about a pair of spotted flycatchers which for two seasons in succession had nested and reared young just outside her back door.

I've always been particularly fond of spotted flycatchers - one of the most engaging of our summer visitors. With its upright stance and wonderful aerobatic hunting technique, it's readily identifiable even at a distance. It's been in decline lately so it was good to hear of this breeding success, and I was delighted to be invited to see the nest.

I remember seeing flycatcher nests before - one in the Virginia Creeper over the main door at Woolley Hall near Wakefield and one in a tangle of Honeysuckle over a cottage back-door in Scotland. Obviously this is a bird which doesn't object to human comings and goings, but always before there had been plenty of cover. Mrs Andrews' pair had built their nest in a hollowed-out coconut shell, usually used to put out food for the resident robin, against the bare stone and close beside a busy backdoor and often open kitchen window. This year they had reared two broods in this exposed position. We're hoping for a return next year!

Jenny Dixon

A study of the macro-invertebrate fauna of Spicey Gill, a stream rising on Ilkley Moor

This paper by Marjorie Andrews was published in The Naturalist in 1991 and is reprinted as a tribute to her life and as Recorder for Caddisflies for the Society. It shows a perfect piece of research carried out between October 1988 and November 1990, with monthly records. The results are beautifully displayed in ten illustrative graphs, a map and a table of the invertebrate fauna she found which include caddis, mayfly, stonefly, blackfly and midge larvae.

Much work has been done on the fauna of rivers and streams. In Yorkshire, Percival and Whitehead led the way, through their studies of the invertebrates of the rivers Wharfe and Derwent (1929, 1930, 1935). Several workers explored the fauna of Welsh mountain streams. A landmark was the publication of a synthesis by Hynes (1970) of works on life in running water world-wide. Continuing research resulted in the production of the keys used here.

This study aims at identifying the macro-invertebrates of a stream, Spicey Gill, Ilkley, to assess the sizes of the populations of the important species throughout the year, attempt to explain their variation spatially and temporarily, and also if possible throw further light on the life histories of some of the species present.

Spicey Gill (Figure 1) is formed by the confluence of a number of tributaries, some draining peat, others draining the underlying Millstone Grit. It is a stony stream, little more than 1 m in width and up to 0.5 m deep, flowing down the heather moor in a steep-sided gully. The vegetation of the moor was recently described by Cotton and Hale (1989). On leaving the moor, the stream continues to flow in a deep gully between gardens on the steep hillside, beneath overhanging deciduous trees. The stepped profile of the Millstone Grit underlying the whole area has caused the formation in the stream of a number of quiet pools and chutes, and two waterfalls. The stream finally flows across the valley bottom to join the River Wharfe between Ilkley's two bridges (GR 44/115.482).

Station 1 (alt. 275 m, GR 44/108.464) is a little below the confluence of the tributaries forming the stream. At Station 2 (alt. 207 m, GR 44/110.468), Spicey Gill crosses a marine band, then flows steeply down to the outskirts of Ilkley. Station 3 (alt. 130 m, GR 44/113.474) is at the bottom of a garden in a road leading to Ilkley town centre. Station 4 (alt. 100 m, GR 44/113.477) is just above the point where the stream disappears under the main road to Skipton.

As far as possible, each station was visited once each month to collect invertebrates and to test the pH of the water. Since the use of quantitative methods in Spicey Gill is almost impossible, a semi-quantitative method was adopted. Invertebrates were collected from 30 stones. Two tins of 130 ml capacity were filled with sand or gravel and an identical third tin filled with moss, lightly pressed down with fingers. Debris was collected into a polythene bag, size 180 mm by 230 mm, which was half filled, leaving room for tying. Collecting was usually completed from about 10 m length of stream, but after a spate, it was sometimes necessary to go as far as 100 m to collect gravel and debris. Invertebrates were sorted from the samples, and identified using keys by Eddington and Hildrew (1981), Elliott, Humpesch and Macan (1988), Hynes (1977), Macan (1959) and Savage (1989). Case-bearing caddis larvae (Trichoptera), except for Agapetus fuscipes, were bred out and the adults identified using the key by Macan and Worthington (1973). For A. fuscipes a new key by Wallace et at. (1990) was used. pH was determined using BDH universal indicator. This simple method gives only approximate readings, but is adequate for the purpose of showing the effect of spates. Invertebrates not required for further study were returned to the stream. This procedure was continued for two and a half years.

At Station 1, the pH fluctuates. During a period of dry weather the water is nearly neutral (c.6.5), but generally within two weeks of heavy rain or snow it becomes acidic (4.0) because of the extra water entering the stream from the peat. At the other three stations, with only occasional exceptions, the water remains near neutral (7.0). This most likely results from the presence in the stream bed of particles of calcareous materials which originate either in the marine band or in the glacial drift on which much of Ilkley is built. It is possible also that run-off from gardens affects the pH of the water at Stations 3 and 4.

Figure 2 presents a summary of rainfall and pH at Station 1 in 1989.

In spring and autumn at Stations 1 and 2, outbursts of filamentous green algae, desmids and diatoms occur, and throughout the year there is much paniculate detritus. At Stations 3 and 4 in autumn and winter, vast numbers of leaves accumulate in the water, forming a substrate for the growth of fungi and bacteria, thus providing abundant food for herbivorous invertebrates.

TABLE 1
Composition of the fauna at the four stations. The figures given are the most collected at
any one time. Some species found only once are omitted

Table 1 lists the invertebrates found in the stream. The Plecoptera (stoneflies) form an important constituent of its fauna. Stoneflies are univoltine (one generation per year). They fly early in the year. Egg hatching and growth of larvae spread over several months, so that in summer the larvae are microscopic in size, are hiding in gravel or moss, and are rarely found.

Figure 3 shows the numbers of stonefly larvae found at each station for each month in 1989. The principal species found were Amphinemura sulcicollis, Protonemura praecox, Nemoura cambrica, and Leuctra hippopus.

Figure 4 indicates variations in population sizes of these four species at all four stations together in 1989. A similarity in the pattern of population sizes throughout the year is clearly demonstrated. Diagrams 4a and 4c show a March increase in numbers of larvae of A. sulcicollis and N. cambrica. Such a spring increase has been explained as resulting from a renewed hatching of eggs after the very adverse conditions of winter spate (Hynes 1970).

Of the mayflies (Ephemeroptera) only Baetis rhodani is common, and because of its long flight period, the larvae are found from February to November. B. rhodani is a bivoltine species (two generations per year) found at all four stations, though in numbers decreasing with increasing altitude. Spring flying adults emerge in April and May. Their eggs hatch in June and July, and the second emergence occurs in August. The eggs of the autumn adults give rise to overwintering larvae, the majority of which are washed down in winter spates. At Stations 3 and 4, a few larvae of Rhithrogena semicolorata, Heptagenia lateralis and Ecdyonurus dispar also occurred. These are univoltine and overwinter as larvae. Their well-grown larvae were found in spring and early summer.

Figure 5 summarises the results of collections of Trichopteran (caddis fly) larvae at all four stations in 1989. At Station 4 only, thousands of larvae of Agapetus fuscipes occurred. Other case-bearing caddis larvae decreased in numbers with increasing altitude. They are represented by Drusus annulatus, Micropterna sequax, Potamophylax cingulatus, P. latipennis and Odontocerum alhicorne. Caseless caddis larvae were most abundant at Station 3, where Rhyacophila dorsalis, Plectrocnemia conspersa, P. geniculata, and Hydropsyche pelluciduta occur. The paucity of caddis larvae at Station 1 is most likely related to the frequent spates and episodes of acidity, which also cause a washdown of mayfly and stonefly larvae even if they are acid tolerant. A sudden drop in numbers of stoneflies and mayflies may indicate emergence of adults. A comparable fall in numbers of caddis larvae does not occur because there are nine species which emerge over a period of eight months.

A few small members of Veliidae (Hemiptera Heteroptera) were noticed on the surface of quiet pools all the way down the stream in June and July. These may have been early instars of Velia, as the adults of Velia caprai were collected in August and September, at which time as many as 100 were seen together in one pool. Larvae and adults of several species of beetle (Coleoptera) were taken, the most frequent being dytiscids and haliplids. The only conclusion that could be drawn from these collections is that beetles occur chiefly in moss and debris. No preference for shade was noted. At Station 4 the stream flows more slowly, and widens to enclose two small islands. Some of the invertebrates found here do not occur in the upper reaches. Figure 6 relates to invertebrates that occur only at Station 4, where Potamopyrgus antipodarum (=P. jenkinsi, snails) Ancylus ftuviatilis (fresh water limpets), Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda, shrimps) and Agapetus fuscipes are found. In summer 1989 during a period of rapid reproduction, vast numbers of P. antipodarum, A. fluviatilis and A. fuscipes of various sizes were found. There were so many that their numbers were estimated from counts on ten stones, and numbers rounded to the nearest 50, 100 or 1,000. In 1990 only P. antipodarum occurred in comparable numbers. Since A. fluviatilis and A. fuscipes feed exclusively on algae on the stones in the stream, it seems probable that the algae did not recover sufficiently in 1990 to support large populations of these species. P. antipodarum consumes algae, dead leaves and moss, and is not affected in the same way.

Hynes (1970) showed that annual variation in population sizes of fresh water invertebrates is not uncommon, and Hunter (1961), in a 9-year study of a stream in Sd.

A feature of the fauna of the stream is the predominance of herbivores, which include most of the stonefly larvae, the mayfly larvae, the case-bearing caddis larvae, the snails and limpets. The carnivores include the stoneflies Isoperia grammatica, the caseless caddis larvae, R. dorsalis and Plectrocnemia spp. which feed on other small larvae. Velia feeds on spiders (Arachnida), emerging midges (Chironomidae), stoneflies and mayflies (Savage 1989). Several larval and adult water beetles (Coleoptera) are carnivorous, as also are the leeches Glossiphonia complanata and G. heteroclita which feed on P. antipodarum. Some of the dipteran larvae are carnivorous. Many are eaten by other carnivores. Apart from the dipteran larvae, only small numbers of these carnivores are found. Because of their vast numbers, dipteran larvae - Simulium (blackfly) and chironomids (midges) - are important though inconspicuous constituents of the fauna of the stream.

The ecosystem of the stream is simple. There are relatively few species of invertebrates and no fish. Occasionally water birds are seen, e.g. dipper (Cinclus cinctus), and grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea). The macro-invertebrate fauna is comparatively varied, and on the basis of the presence throughout the part of the stream studied of more than one species of stonefly, and of at least sixteen other species, the stream is judged to be clean and free from organic pollution (Hellawell 1978). Calcareous material is frequently added to naturally acid waters in order to neutralise the acidity. The purpose of this is either to make the water safe to supply to establishments which have lead water pipes, or to increase the invertebrate fauna and so improve fish stocks. In Spicey Gill, it seems to be the granules of calcareous material in the gravel that neutralise the water, and this would suggest that the amount required to be added for this purpose is small.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I acknowledge with thanks the help of Mr R. H. Booth who produced the manuscript, including charts and diagrams, the Parks and Gardens Department, Ilkley, and Mr and Mrs G. Bowen for access to their garden. Mr Bowen also discussed the first draft. Mr S. Davidson drew the map. Prof. G. Fryer constructively criticised the manuscript. Dr. P. D. Hiley gave generous help throughout. I also had help from Lydia Booth, Mr A. Norris and Prof. M. R. D. Seaward.

REFERENCES
Cotton, D. E. and Hale, W. H. G. (1989) Vegetation changes on Ilkley Moor 1964-1984. Naturalist 114: 109-114.
Edington, J. M. and Hildrew, A. G. (1981) Caseless Caddis Larvae of the British Isles. Scient. Pub. Freshwat. Biol.
Ass., Ambleside.
Elliott, J. M., Humpesch, U. H. and Macan, T. T. (1988) Larvae of the British Ephemeroptera. Scient. Pub. Freshwat.
Biol. Ass., Ambleside.
Hellawell, J. M. (1978) Biological Surveillance of Rivers. Water Research Centre, Stevenage.
Hunter, W. R. (1961) Annual variations in growth and density in natural populations of freshwater snails in the west of
Scotland. Proc. Zoo. Soc. London 136: 219-253.
Hynes, H. B. N. (1970) The Ecology of Running Waters. Liverpool Univ. Press, Liverpool.
Hynes, H. B. N. (1977). A Key to the Adults and Nymphs of British Stoneflies (Plecoptera). Scient. Pub. Freshwat. Biol.
Ass., Ambleside.
Macan, T. T. (1959) A Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates. Longman, London.
Macan, T. T. and Worthington, C. J. (1973) A Key to the Adults of British Trichoptera. Scient. Pub. Freshwat. Biol.
Ass., Ambleside.
Percival, E. & Whitehead, H. (1929) A quantitative study of the fauna of some types of streambed. J. Ecol. 17: 283-313.
Percival, E. and Whitehead, H. (1930) Biological survey of the R. Wharfe II. Report on the invertebrate fauna. J. Ecol.
18: 286-302.
Percival, E. & Whitehead, H. (1935) An ecological study of the invertebrate fauna of a chalk stream. Anim. Ecol. 4: 58-78.
Savage, A. A. (1989) Adults of the British Aquatic Hemiptera Heteroptera. Scient. Pub. Freshwat. Biol. Ass.,
Ambleside.
Wallace, I. D., Wallace, B. and Philipson, G. N. (1990) A Key to the Case-bearing Caddis Larvae of Britain and
Ireland. Scient. Pub. Freshwat. Biol. Ass., Ambleside.

Marjorie Andrews
with acknowledgements to
The Naturalist ,Vol 116, 1991: Quarterly Journal of the Yorkshire Naturalists Union.

Otley Wetland Nature Reserve

The Otley Wetland Nature Reserve has recently been established on the site of the old Gravel Pit workings on the north side of the River Wharfe near Otley Town Centre. Extraction ceased here in 1996 and the Reserve has been established with the assistance of Leeds City Council and Hansons, the extraction company. The latter will retain an 'aftercare' presence on site for a period of five years after which they will no longer have any interest in the site. The Reserve is on private land (relations with the landowners are good) and will be operated on the basis of a twenty-one year lease. Access is by Permit only.

The area of the Nature Reserve is 13.7 hectares and this is set w ithin a wider conservation area of 40.4 hectares. The site is c56 metres above sea level and is set within the floodplain of the river. The substratum is Millstone Grit with originally alluvial deposits of sands, silts and gravels etc as would be found on a floodplain. At this time it is thought that the naturally acidic soils are probably modified by the waters of the Wharfe much of which catchment is from the higher Dales' carboniferous limestone areas.

The Reserve itself is largely composed of water bodies, recently-planted woodland and reedbeds, rough grassland and stream margins. This is bounded by the river to the south, whilst to the north, west and east there is a large area of similar habitats (also part of the former Gravel Pits) plus improved permanent grassland, used for sheep and cattle rearing, and mature woodland which contributes to the overall nature conservation value of the site. A sailing lake lies to the west of the reedbed area.

The Committee managing the site will be formally established as a Trust in 2003 and this will comprise members from the Bradford Ornithological Group, Leeds Birdwatchers' Club, Leeds City Council and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as well as the Wharfedale Naturalists Society. The management of the site will be undertaken in accordance with the need to maintain and enhance biodiversity and promote the restoration of the Reserve as an area of natural history habitat. No major environmental initiatives or habitat enhancements are planned apart from the creation of a reedbed, which is now well underway. The main aim is to manage the site in a wildlife-friendly manner thereby encouraging incoming wildlife of its own accord. This objective has every prospect of success given the site's strategic position in the Wharfe Valley alongside the river itself. Clearly some wildlife may reasonably be expected to spread in from the river whilst, with regard to moving birds, the site is an obvious attraction in this part of the valley. It is very much a wetland habitat (interspersed with drier areas) and, as such, it is a very scarce habitat in this area of Leeds, an advantage which will be emphasised as the reedbed becomes established. It is a peaceful haven, surprisingly so given its proximity to the centre of Otley which makes for very easy access for permit holders.

Contractors are being used in the early stages to help secure and establish the principal habitats on the Reserve but the ultimate intention will be to manage, maintain and enhance the Reserve habitats using volunteers as much as possible. Working Parties were first run in October 2002 and the aim is for two days per month outside the spring and early summer when work will be generally suspended for the main breeding season. Attendance at these Working Parties has been splendid and the response from Wharfedale Naturalists'' members has been particularly outstanding forming a large majority at every session to date - this has been much appreciated by Reserve Committee members and a great deal of valuable work has been successfully undertaken.

Wildlife surveys of the site have produced some encouraging results. With regard to Mammals there is every reason to hope that Otter will utilise the site; 5 species of Damselfly have been observed to date and 9 species of Dragonfly; 14 species of Butterfly have been noted and 8 species of Hoverfly; over 160 species of Wildflower have been identified; over 100 species of bird are likely to be seen on the Reserve in a year and the site total is well in excess of 140.

The Wharfedale Naturalists' are a vital component of the team involved with the management of this site and it is incumbent upon us to use our expertise to maximise the value of the site to wildlife. We have just two objectives as a Society, one of which is 'to help with the work of nature conservation' - this site represents a splendid opportunity for us to further this objective and follow in the footsteps of the fine work undertaken over many years by Society members at other sites such as Grass Wood. Although access will always be restricted given that the site is on private land, volunteers are always welcome and the work involved can be as light or heavy as you wish. Above all else there is a most enjoyable camaraderie developing among those who attend on a frequent basis and I don't think you will be disappointed if you decide to give it a try.

I believe that, in the fullness of time, those involved with the site will have every reason to look back with pride at what they have achieved.

Peter B Riley

Grass Wood update

So far the work done has made little visual impact on the view of Grass Wood from the valley. Within the wood, this is strikingly different. This season, activity is concentrated in Management Compartment 4, high up near the boundary wall between Grass Wood and Bastow Wood. The views up the dale are opened up, giving great pleasure to all who have only known the dense conifer stands with no glimpse outside.

Thirty of the Forestry Commission planted conifers have been felled under the Woodland Grant Scheme, our main source of funding from 1994. By 2005, at the end of our present 5 year plan, a total of 70 clearances is envisaged. In 2000, this reserve was accepted into English Nature's Reserves Enhancement Scheme, along with other YWT reserves.

In 1999, a professional ecological survey of Grass Wood was carried out for the Trust, confirming the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) as only marginally separated between the two woodland types W8 and W9. A Committee member has since done an in-depth survey of the flowering plants, bringing the records up to date.

The extraction track, which is also mainly public right of way, was upgraded in 2000, thanks to Heritage Lottery funding. This helps both visitors and the contractors when they are taking out conifers. The annual WNS donations, always much appreciated, have contributed to the matching funding required for ping up this lottery grant.

The strategy of replanting with native broadleaved trees continues. Those grown by Rosemary Payne and others from Grass Wood seeds have been given priority. For the first time, significant professional walling has been done. The benefits from the last few years of felling and coppicing are now being enjoyed. Low down in the wood, the numerous primroses can be seen even from the road alongside. Other Orchid species and Hard Fern have added to the flora. WNS volunteers, continuing from Joan Duncan's long involvement, have contributed enormously to the work. There is more to be done, so volunteers are still welcome to help in the conservation of this special ancient woodland. YWT staff commitment, of course, continues.

Audrey Gramshaw
Chairman, Grass Wood Management Committee

Birds beyond Wharfedale

2002 saw the introduction of a new venture for Wharfedale Naturalists' with a series of birdwatching trips beyond Wharfedale. Visits were made to the East and West coasts, near to Ferrybridge, and to a site owned by Barnsley Council in the Dearne Valley. In April a good cross section of birds was found at Fairburn Ings near Ferrybridge. This is a well-established RSPB site with a good habitat for waders and ducks in addition to warblers and tits. A record of 48 birds was made.

Leighton Moss in Lancashire was the second RSPB venue in May. Both the main ponds site and the estuary hides were visited, and it was on the estuary that we saw Avocets which are now breeding here. These were perhaps the most notable of the 50 birds recorded. June saw a trip to the East Coast and Bempton Cliffs and Filey Dams. The highlight here is the large number of cliff nesting birds such as Fulmar, Gannet, Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin. At Filey Dams we were rewarded with an excellent view of a fox, which decided to go for a stroll around the dams; 39 birds were recorded on this trip.

The final visit in September was to the Old Moor Wetland Centre in the Dearne Valley, South Yorkshire. Opened as recently as August 1998 by Barnsley Council, management of the site is being transferred to the RSPB early in 2003. A lottery grant of £800,000 will enable them to expand the site and further develop visitor facilities. On our arrival we were greeted with the dramatic sight of large flocks of lapwing and golden plover taking to the air. Again, a good cross section of birds, with 51 recorded. Over the four trips, a total of 86 birds was recorded (thanks to John Flood for keeping the tally). Our more experienced birdwatchers considered this number to be quite good.

In 2003 we are increasing the number of trips and they will be held on the last Thursday of each month April to October inclusive, with the exception of June when a trip will be made to the Trough of Bowland RSPB event mid-month. Each trip will have a different leader and full details will be available early in 2003. I should emphasise that these trips are particularly suitable for beginners to birdwatching, as guidance is given by our experienced members, transport can be arranged and even binoculars loaned. Do join us in 2003, you'll be most welcome.

Harry Jevons

Geology excursions in 2002

1. The Bolton Abbey area - 9 May 2002
This was a continuation of a study of the Skipton Anticline - the upfold of Carboniferous strata - seen on a previous trip at Skipton Rock Quarry and at Hambleton Quarry -one of several 'upfolds' on the northern edge of the Craven Basin. The axis of the Skipton anticline runs from Skipton in the southeast to Bolton Abbey in the northwest, where it was examined along the River Wharfe.

The view from Storiths Crag, one of Wharfedale's finest views, shows the two gritstone edges of Skipton Moor and Thorpe Fell which face each across the Skipton Anticline. In the core of the fold is the lump of Haw Park which is rapidly being quarried away at Skipton Rock Quarry. It is a classic view with the twin inward-facing scarps.

Nearer by, the knolls of Storiths with gaps between them indicate a formation by glacial meltwater as apparently the surging water found successively lower channels. The longest and best-formed is that runs next to Storiths Lane. It has steep sides and has no stream flowing through it today.

Near the Cavendish Bridge we viewed a small plunging anticline alongside the river below Cavendish Bridge. An old quarry near the bridge has fluvio-glacial material with a range of size and a mixture of gritstone and limestone. Some of the limestone pebbles have been cracked and recemented. There is no clay in the deposit where sand and grit fills the gaps between the pebbles, cobbles and boulders, so the deposit was probably laid down by water. A little higher, on an angle in the riverbank and facing upstream is an old adit where trials for lead ore have been made - known as Bolton Abbey Cave. At the cave and immediately downstream on the same bank the limestone is vertical, indicating intense folding. A few yards further down we examined the plunging folds with a zigzag outcrop. Across the bridge, we visited the sulphur well which smells and tastes of hydrogen sulphide or 'bad eggs'.

On the curve of the river, near the Footbridge and the Priory, where it makes a large meander opposite the Priory a fossil locality in Lower Bowland Shales has poor crushed goniatites. A small anticline was seen across the river (below the Priory). Downstream from the footbridge, the Bowland Shales and Grassington Grit come together on each side of the Bolton Abbey Fault. The fault continues up the valley to the northeast. Bowland Shales near the bridge are sharply contorted and contain fish scales.

2. Stump Cross Caverns and Nussey Knot - 19 June 2002
The caverns were discovered by lead miners in 1858 as they broke through to a series of natural caves. The caves were so well decorated that they soon were opened as a show cave. There are now nearly 4 miles (6km) of passages as extensions have been opened up over the years. The altitude of the entrance is 1,165 feet (355m) and the deepest part is 140 feet (43m) below this level.

We entered down steps and into a level tunnel. A side gallery is blocked with stalactites and stalagmites and banks of massive flowstone. A feature of the cave is the gravel deposits that have been covered with stalagmite, and paths have often been cut through it to allow upright walking. Turning right at the junction, we noted the solution hollows in the roof, which shows it must have been originally full of water. There are 5 or 6 lower levels which indicate a progressive falling of the water table since the Ice Ages.

Further along is a large column known as the Sentinel where a white stalactite curtain has grown down 2m to join a rounded stalagmite. At the Chamber of Pillars, boulders support more stalagmite columns and the passage widens to 5m. It continues and rounds a corner where the roof rises to Cathedral Chamber. A fine column stands on the boulder slope at the far end - a stalagmite that has grown upwards to meet the roof. A continuation, newly opened to the public, is the Reindeer Cavern where reindeer bones were found in a fissure above the boulder pile. The animals fell down a rift which was later filled with glacial sediment.

Back towards the entrance is Wolverine Cave in a major side passage. Where the path has been cut down, bone material of wolverine and other animals was found, covered in calcite. The age of some of the calcite was determined at about 100,000 years old. The trenched path also gives an eye-level view of the rimstone pools which formed on the passage floor. They are now dry but were formed by a calcite rim where tiny crystals and calcite 'pearls' grew. A grotto at the end of the passage has fine stalactites and stalagmites, but also fine calcite straws hang from the roof, each with a drop of water.

Nussey Knot is at the edge of a leadmining zone that stretches to the east and south. A Roman pig of lead was found here marked AD98 with the mark of Trajan (Roman emperor AD98-117). The limestone has been divided into local divisions such as Timpony, Stump Cross and Greenhow limestones. Lead veins have cut vertically through these limestones and at some points have produces flats - deposits that have replaced the limestone and are more or less parallel to the bedding, i.e. roughly horizontal or flat-lying. They are associated with the feeder vein. We had a beautiful view from the of Nussey Knot and examined some of the sink holes in the area.

3. Helwith Bridge - Upper Ribblesdale 18 July 2002
Pre-Carboniferous rocks of Ordovician and Silurian age outcrop in Upper Ribblesdale. The Silurian rocks, known locally as the Horton, Arcow and Austwick Formations appear to have been deposited in deep water. On the hill slope (at SD 802 692) we examined some of the finest flute casts to be seen anywhere in Britain, and noted graded bedding in blocks alongside the track.

In the Austwick Formation above Dry Rigg quarry a steep climb brought us to the corner of Moughton Nab and the unconformity between the almost vertical Horton Flags and the first layers of the Carboniferous limestone. There appeared to be no conglomerate present here, but we saw specimens of the tabulate coral Syringopora, other corals and gastropods, of which Mike Atkinson took some photographs. We descended and rounded Dry Rigg quarry to visit what is probably the most famous unconformity in Britain at the old Arcow quarry. The surface of the Horton Flags represents a wave-cut platform, buried by the limy muds of the Carboniferous seas. The Horton Formation is part of the roots of a huge fold mountain system, eroded down to sea level.

By climbing up to the right of the famous unconformity we come out into the old limestone quarry of Foredale, an enormous abandoned limestone quarry.

Further geological outings are planned for 2003 and those interested, including 'beginners' are welcome to join us.

David Leather

Winter walks

As usual these have gone very well indeed with members enjoying walks at various venues, such as Otley Chevin where we admired the 'Giant's Boot', and Fountains Abbey area where a group of us visited the ancient fortified manor house of Markenfield Hall where we were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the famous prize-winning Black Swans, as they glided in serene and stately fashion upon the placid waters of the moat.

This year we ventured upon the moors above Ilkley, by Middleton, coming down the sylvan Nesfield Dean and passing the Calvary where Lorelei Fox drew our attention to some intriguing wood. We also found Bog Oak near Hammerthorn Gate on Barden fellside, and had a close encounter with a male Grouse, who was just as curious about us as we were about him.

Also visited was Upper Nidderdale and the dramatic area around Angram and Scar House Reservoir, where we ended up at Doug and Olwen's caravan for a well deserved tea and buns; my thanks to them for their generous hospitality.

Finally I should like to mention the day well spent at St Ives, Bingley wondering around the estate, and later at Cliffe Castle with the taxidermist. I will not forget that wonderful Lepidoptera collection, and the 'blonde badger'. Thanks then to the Addingham duo, Don and Les Barrett, and Harry Jevons for a really enjoyable and exceptional day.

Chris Hartley

Spring Holiday 2002

This year saw the reintroduction of the WNS residential excursion. Don and Lesley Barrett led a small group of us on a five day trip to north Norfolk, staying in an excellent guest house in Wells-next-the-Sea and exploring the rich variety of wild life habitats nearby. We had a packed programme: The Wildflower Centre at Holt, Cley Marshes Nature Reserve, Holkham Bay Reserve, Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Blakeney Point (to see the large colony of grey and common seals) and Pensthorpe Wildfowl Park Nature Reserve and gardens.

Norfolk in late spring is a beautiful place to be. As we travelled south we moved from mid spring into early summer - oak trees in full leaf, mists of mauvey-blue Wisteria decorating the old houses, great banks of Alexanders in flower along the roadside and even roses in bloom. Even so, it was a little too early for the plants which are the specialities of the region, mainly those of salt-marsh, dunes and shingle beaches. We had to be satisfied with a few discoveries.

Though it was too early for the full glory of their wildflower meadows, the Wildflower Centre at Holt proved very interesting indeed. It was set up to explore and exemplify ways of gardening and countryside management to encourage wildlife and provides a series of examples of approaches usable in small gardens as well as a marshy area, woodland walks and a trout stream complete with visiting otter. There are lots of activities for children including a soon-to-be-completed walk-in badger sett, a modest tea-room and a shop where you can also buy plants.

As you can imagine, given the season and the wealth of bird reserves, we enjoyed some wonderful bird watching. The marsh harriers had returned and were establishing their territories and beginning nest building so we had perfect sightings of individuals and pairs displaying, hunting and 'sky dancing'. All the local song birds were in full voice and we were able to puzzle over the differences between blackcaps and garden warblers and sedge and reed warblers with varying degrees of success. In all we recorded 90 species during the week and, what was more important, had the chance to observe many of these over an extended period in excellent light.
Pensthorpe with its beautifully displayed captive collection enabled us to reinforce what we'd learned on the Reserves. It was extraordinary to be only a few yards from nesting avocets and to see ruff, which we'd been watching the previous day in their ordinary plumage, now in their spectacular breeding dress, strutting and bowing, their great feather collars in brilliant white, ginger or black inflated to full stretch as they competed to attract the rather bored looking females. The memory which I shall treasure most from this action-packed week is also from Pensthorpe where, as well as the enclosures and display pens, there are also extensive grounds with woodland, lakes and ponds. Here, at about four in the afternoon in brilliant sunlight, we watched a barn owl hunting across some rough grassland at the edge of a wood. I'd forgotten how pale the barn owl's plumage is in flight. It looked like a huge white moth as it silently quartered the ground. What a treat!

Apart from one showery day, we were blessed with dry, sunny weather for our stay. The accommodation was very comfortable, the village is provided with a whole range of eating places, the programme was rich and varied and the local wildlife was very co-operative. What more can one ask? Many thanks to Don, Les, and Heather Burrow who planned it all, to Don and Brian and Judy Webb who drove us safely and marshalled us tactfully and to all members of the group for making it such a delightful and harmonious experience!

Jenny Dixon

Norfolk Holiday - Botany

Unfortunately the trip was too early for us to see the special plants for which the area is famous. However, being coastal, its normal spring species differ from ours in Wharfedale and a few of these are mentioned below.

On the open beach all that showed were tiny rosettes of leaves just poking through the sand, but further back in the shelter of the dunes the first flowers appeared - small bright pink Thrift, white Sea Campion, Early Scurvy-grass with its shiny leaves and Sea Sandwort forming small hummocks of fleshy leaves and greenish-yellow buds which eventually open to white. An unusual find was Corn Salad with its head of minute blue flowers, which reminded one of a miniature Forget-me-not.

Behind the dunes were woods comprising chiefly Scots Pine but also surprisingly with many Holm Oak forming large bushes. This is a typical Mediterranean tree and must have been planted here - the hot dry summers of East Anglia presumably suiting it. There were also many Wild Privet bushes still holding their black berries.

Where the Scots Pine were thickest there were few plants but, when they thinned out amongst the Bluebells, there were patches of Spring Beauty, a dainty member of the Purslane Family, with its pair of fused leaves forming a circle immediately under the stalked cluster of white flowers. (To me the flower of the trip). We also saw Houndstongue with its maroon/brown flowers, Early Forget-me-not with its very small but piercingly blue flowers and White Bryony.

Along the lanesides there were small amounts of Cow Parsley, but the most common umbellifer by far was the yellow flowered Alexanders with its handsome celery-like leaves.

On the trip to Blakeney Point some different plants were found, the sands being covered with Shrubby Sea-bite two feet tall and Tree Lupins whose lemon-yellow flowers were just coming out. Underneath these were Sand Sedge and - rather a surprise - Polypody which at home we associate with damp walls and woods. This, however, was a different species which lives in sand dunes. Finally we found some lovely Yellow Horned Poppy, but of course leaves only at the time of our visit.

Joyce Hartley

Summer Outing to Teesdale - 6th July 2002

For this year's Summer Outing we were indebted to our indefatigable President and Syllabus Secretary for their efforts in arranging and meticulously planning a visit to Teesdale. After a quick swoop up the A1 followed by a necessarily slower jaunt through the wilds of Balderdale, we arrived at Hannah's Meadow Nature Reserve which is adjacent to the bird-rich Blackton Reservoir.

There can be few people living in the north of England who have not felt some sympathy for the gentle lady who led such a hard life on her bleak and lonely farm. Now, due to the acclaim she achieved through television, Hannah Hauxwell spends her retirement in the delightful village of Cotherstone and her much-restored farm puzzled many of our members who had expected to see the ramshackle buildings of the original T.V. documentary. However, several members who had walked the Pennine Way some years ago assured us that this was indeed Birk Hat Farm where they had sped to chat with Hannah.

Miss Hauxwell's traditional management of her land using no chemicals or pesticides resulted in meadows found to contain no fewer than 23 of the 47 rare and characteristic plants listed by English Nature. Durham Wildlife Trust launched an appeal to purchase the meadows and, in January 1989, the site was designated a SSSI. Fortunately our visit was just before the hay was due to be cut so the botanists were able to identify many interesting species.

The outing then continued on to Bowlees Visitor Centre which is also managed by Durham Wildlife Trust. After a picnic lunch there was a chance to see a splendid group of butterfly-orchids just near the car-park. Once again Don and Lesley had done some careful planning and after lunch we were offered a choice of three circular walks of 1, 2 or 4 miles. Most of the party elected to do the 4 mile "Old Road to High Force" and were rewarded with some stunning scenery and a variety of wildlife, including spotted flycatchers hunting from a woodland edge and a fine selection of orchids along the river-bank. Having regard to our advanced age, Eric and I decided to do the 2 mile "Newbiggin to Holwick Villages" walk which, in addition to leading us through woodland and meadows where colonies of butterflies captured our interest and delayed us for some time, also revealed the village of Holwick which prior to the 1974 re-organisation of county boundaries had the distinction of being the most northerly village in Yorkshire. Just beyond Holwick a welcome seat enabled us to look across with great interest to the whinstone cliffs of Holwick Scars and to Holwick Castles, a striking geological feature. Crossing fields and squeezing through stiles that seem to get narrower year by year we suddenly came upon Low Force which, photographically speaking, I thought to have greater possibilities than the more famous High Force just along the river. From here it was but a short stroll back to the Visitor Centre where, very soon, the main party returned having done their four mile trek in little over the time it had taken us to do two.

Once again everyone had enjoyed the "Nats Outing" and, as usual, we are indebted to Ken Limb for dealing with the coach arrangements and for providing the species list of birds and mammals below.

Margaret Hutchinson

Species List

Birds
Grey-lag Goose, Wood Pigeon, Mistle Thrush
Mallard, Collared Dove, Garden Warbler
Tufted Duck, Cuckoo, Blackcap
Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Swift Willow, Warbler
Kestrel, Swallow, Spotted Flycatcher
Pheasant, House Martin, Jackdaw
Moorhen, Meadow Pipit, Rook
Coot, Yellow Wagtai,l Carrion Crow
Oystercatcher, Grey Wagtail, Starling
Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow
Snipe, Dipper, Chaffinch
Redshank, Wren, Goldfinch
Common Sandpiper, Redstart, Siskin
Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Lesser Redpoll
Reed Bunting

Mammals
Brown Rat
Rabbit
Roe Deer

Winter outing to Martin Mere - 16th November 2002

Once again our winter outing to the Wildlife and Wetlands Centre at Martin Mere near Ormskirk was a huge success. As in recent years it coincided with the Annual Bird Fair which ensured a fully booked coach, which in turn ensured a happy Treasurer.

To our delight the weatherman got it wrong and, instead of the predicted showers and mist, we enjoyed bright skies with no rain, and at least two members were spotted eating their sandwiches outside a hide while basking in the hazy sunshine.

With his usual attention to detail, our President distributed copies of the Talks Programme en route, so that, on arrival, we each had our own activities planned, be it heading for the several hides to observe in detail the numerous bird species wintering in these wetlands, or perhaps strolling through the various pens where birds we have previously encountered in much warmer conditions on the other side of the world seem to thrive.

As usual around lunchtime we trotted round the various hides and, finding one some distance from the main building, decided to enjoy our sandwiches. As we settled down to eat, our appetite rapidly abated as a stoat was pointed out to us. It had just attacked a rabbit and the ensuing sanguinary activities did not enhance our egg sandwiches!

By now it had become obvious that the Bird Fair was not as crowded as in previous years, an improvement from its being spread over three rather than two days, so we had no difficulty in getting into the various lectures. Our choice was Iolo Williams, and Chris Packham encouraging us to turn our back gardens into nature reserves.

So much to see and do at Martin Mere - a look round the shop and the various displays, and, of course, the book department and a welcome cuppa' in the tea-room for it can get very cold in the hides. All too soon the November dusk was descending and we were back in Beecroft's coach heading for home. Everyone we spoke to seemed to have enjoyed their day, the experts had a good list and we - well, we did see that stoat!

Before closing this report I must express our thanks to Ken Limb, not only for organising the booking but also for keeping and supplying the bird and mammal list below. How fortunate our Society is to have so many dedicated people recording and sharing the knowledge they have accumulated over the years. I guess now a lot of us are already anticipating Martin Mere 2003.

Margaret Hutchinson

Birds
Great Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Wren
Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)
Tundra Swan, Common Buzzard, Robin
Whooper Swan, Kestrel, Blackbird
Pink-footed Goose, Common Pheasant, Mistle Thrush
Greylag Goose, Moorhen, Blackcap
Canada Goose, Common Coot, Goldcrest
Common Shellduck, Northern Lapwing, Coal Tit
Eurasian Widgeon, Ruff, Blue Tit
Gadwall, Snipe, Great Tit
Common Tea,l Black Headed Gull, Magpie
Mallard, Wood Pigeon, Starling
Northern Pintail, Collared Dove, Tree Sparrow
Shoveler, Barn Owl, Chaffinch
Common Pochard, Great Spotted, Woodpecker,
Greenfinch, Goldeneye

Mammals
Stoat, Weasel, Fox, Rabbit

Microscope Group

Numbers of both microscopes and participants have steadily increased during the year.
2002 began with a meeting on small mammals when Nevil Bowland brought owl pellets for dissection. These yielded a number of skulls, long bones and a seemingly disproportionate number of rib bones. With guidance, we distinguished not only between mice and shrew skulls (shrews have red-tipped teeth), but between common and pigmy shrew teeth patterns.

In March the theme was minerals and fossils - polarised light was used to look at rock structure - and then, guided by David Leather, we tried to replicate the way the earth was formed by growing crystals. After heating Methanol on a microscope slide, we watched with fascination as crystals formed "before our very eyes".

John Cumberland brought an amazing number of wood samples for a "Looking at Timber" evening and explained identification by the microscopic structures in annual rings.

Freshwater collected by John Hobson from garden ponds and Malham Fen provided algae, water boatmen and some hyperactive water fleas which tested operator coordination to keep them in view.

Another chance to look at fungal spores gave hands-on experience of gill sectioning and practice with higher magnification to distinguish spores by colour and shape. This popular evening was led by Ann Bickley and Joan Powell who provided a range of fungi, charts and expertise.

The year ended with a practical session led by Barry Nattrass who brought reagents for staining Nettle and Hawthorn leaves to reveal a skeleton of vein structure.

Newcomers are always welcome to join in the fun - the Society has a microscope which can be borrowed and there is a range of stereo and compound microscopes at most meetings.

Thanks to John Hobson for his organisation and to all who have helped with the meetings.

Heather Burrow

Junior section scrapbook for Mrs. Anne Fidler 1970

In the early days of the Wharfedale Naturalists Society, there was a flourishing Junior Section which, for many years, was led by Mrs Anne Fidler. Many of our young naturalists went on to become scientists, conservationist, ornithologists or wild-life artists; some became quite well known! Several of them wrote to us on the occasion of the WNS Golden Anniversary to tell us about their lives after WNS and details were published in the Golden Curlew.

When Anne and her husband retired and went to live in Scotland, the junior members compiled a beautiful scrapbook full of articles, poems and some fine illustrations. Mrs Fidler has generously presented this book to the Society. Members had an opportunity to see it at the Members' Evening last December and it will now be placed in the WNS archive currently held by the West Yorkshire Archive Service in Bradford.

Jenny Dixon

Book Reviews

Wild Flower Walks of the Yorkshire Dales - Southern Region (Waterfront, Watershed Mill, Settle, 2002), A5 landscape, 64pp, full colour illustrations.

Two of our members, Amanda and Brin Best, have recently had published a paper back book containing details of ten walks, chosen with great care to give a wide selection of different habitats and the flowers they support. For each walk a clear description of the route is given, together with details of the flowers likely to be encountered on the way, and comments on any other special feature such, for example, about the landscape, history or folklore.

This description is backed up by an excellent map and also a fact file indicating the distance involved - all are less than 5½ miles- the conditions underfoot, the likely time needed so that the flowers can be fully enjoyed, and the recommended months to go to see them at their best. The walks section is followed by a section of photographs of the many flowers.

The book is very well presented in full colour and is written in a style which makes it a pleasure to read. It will be an even greater pleasure to undertake the walks which include some of my favourite areas such as Langstrothdale and Langcliffe Scars. At £7.99 the price is reasonable and includes a donation to conservation activities in the region.

Joyce Hartley

A Guide to the Birds of the Washburn Valley by Peter Riley (Peregrine Books, 2002) A5, 80pp, black and white illustrations, £5.95.

Peter Riley, currently Vice President of our Society, has been walking and birdwatching in the Washburn Valley for many years. Although ornithology is his main interest, he has grown to love the particular beauty and intimacy of the landscape of Washburndale which is very different from that of the larger Dales. This book is a celebration of both the Washburn and its bird population. The book contains sections on walking in the Washburn, habitats and sites for birdwatching. A large proportion of the book is given over to accounts of the species, several of which are beautifully illustrated by local artist and ornithologist, Mark Doveston. (This is one of his drawings on the left.) There are also one or two drawings by Brenda Parkin and a sketch-map by Derek Parkin.

The publication is intended for both the novice and the experienced birdwatcher and ends with a checklist, and notes of where to send in your records. It certainly is - as the sub-title confirms - a comprehensive account of the birdlife of Washburndale and where and when it may be found. Peter's enthusiasm certainly comes through, '…for me the Washburn has nearly everything a committed birdwatcher could want in his/her local area. It is not just the rarities that appeal - much though I thrill to them like everyone else - it is more the constant change and renewal as the seasons unfold and the birds respond, so that no two walks, no two months and no two years are ever the same.'

David Leather

Stop Press: David Leather's latest book, Collins Ramblers Guide YORKSHIRE DALES will be available in bookshops from 7th April 2003.

Obituaries

Miss Marjorie Andrews was an early member of the WNS who rejoined in 1967, remaining a member until 1997 when she unfortunately had to resign for health reasons.

After her retirement from the staff of Ilkley College she took up a challenging study of Caddisflies. She used her academic and scientific training to the full and set up a breeding system at her home, recording and making microscopic examinations of the insects at different stages of their life history. This was pioneering work for the Society and for herself. On WNS outings she could be seen searching in the streams, identifying different species of "caddis worms" and noting their habitats.

Marjorie was modest about her achievements, but always kind and ready to explain her studies, showing specimens which she produced with the apparatus for viewing them at Members' Evenings. Many members will remember the fascinating and informative display she put on for our Golden Jubilee Open Day.

In addition to being the WNS Recorder for Caddisflies, she worked closely with the YNU Entomological Section and the value of her investigations will be reported in a forthcoming YNU publication. It is members like Marjorie Andrews who set a good example of Natural History study and encourage others to do the same.

Joan Duncan

Mr J.A. Forder - In the early days of the Society when members were starting from scratch to keep natural history records for our designated area, permission was sought to enter private land through the kindness of the owners. The local knowledge of a resident gamekeeper was a great help to the Society and, in acknowledgement, five of those in our area were invited to become Honarary Members of the WNS. Alf Forder was one of these, joining in 1953. His post was gamekeeper of the Farnley Estate near Otley and he lived at Lindley. Consequently he knew the Washburn reservoir area very well and, as a good observer, he made some useful records and gave helpful advice about walks. It was a special treat to be allowed to visit the secluded area of Farnley Lake with guidance from Alf. His contribution to the life and work of the Society is much appreciated.

Joan Duncan

Mrs E Wheatley Eva Wheatley (22.11. 1902 - 19.10 2001) who died in October 2001, a month short of her 99th birthday, was a regular attender at evening meetings of the Society until April 2001. As a member of the WNS since 1980, Eva Wheatley, mother of Cynthia Wheatley, (former Secretary of the Society) had a particular interest in wild flowers and the countryside in general, and was a stalwart follower of summer evening walks, climbing over awkward stiles with determination well into her 90s.

Midge Leather

We are also sorry to record the deaths during 2002 of the following long-standing members of the Society:

Mrs J Scott, member from 1962
Mr Wilfred Whitehead, member since 1976.

RECORDS for 2002

The weather in 2002

The weather in 2001 was average, the kind of weather we might have expected 20 or 30 years ago. For 2002, however, the weather was more like what we have come to expect in the last decade, with extremes of one kind and another or unusual patterns. It was indeed a very warm year, certainly the warmest since the 1920s when my records begin and probably the warmest for many years before then. It was also very wet. Only the year 2000 has been wetter since the 1920s. Nationally there was below average sunshine and although I have no local records, my impression is that our experience was the same. There were certainly prolonged periods of cloud, mist and gloom towards the end of the year.