On Saturday (18th October) in warm autumn sunshine 12 TDFC members had a most enjoyable walk along Loch Migdale through Woodland Trust’s “Ledmore & Migdale” reserve.
Although this hasn’t been an autumn of spectacular colours, after a few days of sunshine and cool evenings many of the trees were beginning to show us a fine autumn display.
We spent some time looking at fungi and galls although this stretched our knowledge to its limits and beyond! We greatly miss Philip Entwistle’s encyclopaedic knowledge of such things.
After three hours in the woods we returned for a barbecue lunch at the Torroy croft, recently refurbished by the Woodland Trust. Thanks to Gavin, Pam, Marion, Pat and Fay for stalwart work on the barbecue.
While we were at Torroy Jimmy caught a very late flying dragonfly. It was very faded and almost translucent so identification was difficult. Jonathan Willet identified it from photos as a very late flying female Black Darter (Sympetrum danae).
Thanks to all who made this a very enjoyable day.
Species List
Walk in Migdale Woods & Torroy 18/10/2014
NH 64 90
NH 65 90
NH 66 90
| Species | Common Name | Grid Ref | Count | Recorder | ID | |
| Fungi | ||||||
| Calocera viscosa | Yellow Stagshorn | NH 65120 90628 | TDFC | |||
| Melampsorella sp. | Pine Witches Broom gall | NH 6637 9088 | TDFC | |||
| Nectria cinnabarina | Coral spot | NH 6624 9085 | TDFC | |||
| Cantharellus cibarius | Chanterelle | NH 6515 9060 | TDFC | |||
| Candlesnuff type fungus | NH 6577 9061 | TDFC | on birch | |||
| Amanita sp. | Amanita-type | NH 6586 9070 | TDFC | Possibly Tawny Grisette S.fulva | ||
| Amanita sp. | Amanita-type | NH 65120 90628 | TDFC | |||
|
|
||||||
| Ferns | ||||||
| Blechnum spicant | Hard Fern | NH 65 90 | TDFC | |||
| Polypodium vulgare | Common Polypody | NH 65 90 | TDFC | |||
| Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken | NH 65 90 | TDFC | |||
|
|
||||||
| Flowering Plants | ||||||
| Juniperus communis | Juniper | NH 6665 9083 | TDFC | |||
| Bellis perennis | Daisy | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Betula pubescens | Downy Birch | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Calluna vulgaris | Heather | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Hedera helix | Ivy | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Ulex europaeus | Gorse | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Vaccinium myrtillus | Blaeberry | NH 66 90 | TDFC | |||
| Succisa pratensis | Devil’s-bit Scabious | NH 65 90 | TDFC | |||
|
|
||||||
| Invertebrates | ||||||
| Vespula vulgaris | Common wasp | 2 | JMcK | |||
| Epirrita Sp. | November, Pale November or Autumnal Moth | 2 | JMcK | Photo to be checked | ||
| Oligotrophus juniperinus | Junirer Tulip Gall Fly | NH 6665 9083 | ||||
| Phytomyza ilicis | Holly Leaf Gall Fly | NH 6600 9076 | ||||
| Geotrupes stercorarius | Dor Beetle | NH 653 906 | ||||
|
|
||||||
| Dragonflies & Damselflies | ||||||
| Sympetrum danae | Black Darter | NH 667 908 | TDFC | Jonathan Willet (record sent to BDS) | ||
|
|
||||||
| Vertebrates | ||||||
|
|
||||||
| Birds | No. | Breed | ||||
| Buteo buteo | Buzzard | NH 65 90 | 1 | TDFC | ||
| Buteo buteo | Buzzard | NH 66 90 | 1 | TDFC | ||
| Aegithalos caudatus | Long-tailed Tit | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Troglodytes troglodytes | Wren | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Erithacus rubecula | Robin | NH 65 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Erithacus rubecula | Robin | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Turdus merula | Blackbird | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Turdus pilaris | Fieldfare | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Turdus viscivorus | Mistle Thrush | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Regulus regulus | Goldcrest | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Parus ater | Coal Tit | NH 65 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Parus caeruleus | Blue Tit | NH 65 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
| Pyrrhula pyrrhula | Bullfinch | NH 66 90 | √ | TDFC | ||
|
|
||||||
| Mammals | No. | |||||
| Cervus elaphus | Red Deer | NH 65 90 | √ | RW, MCT, PO | Roaring on S side of loch | |
|
|
||||||
