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This was our second visit to Farndale’s daffodil walk along the River Dove, the first being on 14 May 2016, when a particularly cold north wind discouraged most things from venturing out. At 2pm 13 members met at Low Mill and enjoyed some much needed sunny weather although it only really warmed up towards late afternoon. In order to keep within an acceptable timeframe we covered the main daffodil walk along the River Dove and then retraced our steps rather than take the longer route back along the road where the verges had proved to be less than fruitful previously.

As to be expected vegetation was lush along the riverbank. We only recorded new plants that were not seen on our previous visit. A wet area in the first field had a good show of ragged robin which had only been in leaf previously. It also yielded Short-fruited willowherb.

Common figwort Scrophularia nodosa

Ragged robin Lychnis flos-cuculi

It wasn’t long before we got our first view of juvenile redstarts (photos below), with speckled fronts and the red tails showing well. We got better views of this family on the return trip with both adults and a juvenile on a low wall and a further two juveniles close by. More redstarts were seen/heard along the route but not as many as the seven males and two females seen on the previous visit. The highlight of the afternoon had to be the two sightings of kingfishers, first one flew upstream and within 15 mins a second one followed. We were fairly confident these were separate birds, with one experienced birder explaining that “the more flighty one of the two was the female!!”

We were also able to see the dark brown spores/spore print left on the tree by the slime mould False puffball Reticularia lycoperdon, which is a Myxomycota. On the last visit it had a silvery-grey skin which eventually splits and releases its spores.

Monkey flower Mimulus guttatus was seen in a number of places along the river bank. This is non-native and likely to be a garden escapee, easily spreading downstream.

Monkey flower Mimulus guttatus (above) and Hybrid woundwort Stachys palustris x sylvatica (S. x ambigua) (left)

We expected to see more butterflies in the sheltered sunny spots but they were lacking once again. Standing in the hay meadows with not a butterfly in sight was dismal. Disappointingly, we only saw two small whites, one ringlet and a meadow brown. Bumblebees were better represented with at least five different types represented. Honey bees were also recorded.

At least three spotted flycatchers were seen feeding along the route, as well as a juvenile robin, just starting to show the beginnings of a red breast. Another highlight was a party of long tailed tits with a number of juveniles amongst them. A pair of marsh tits were also feeding on the thistle heads. A single dipper showed itself, as it did on our previous visit. A treecreeper was also spotted.

Young long-tailed tit

Treecreeper

The walk finished at 5.15pm with delicious honey and date scones.

Plant list

Note: Oval sedge is now known as Carex leporina [Ed.]

Birds

Jackdaw, pheasant, song thrush, greenfinch, wood pigeon, wren, redstart, tree creeper, house martin, nuthatch, kingfisher, heron, chiffchaff, blackcap, goldfinch, grey wagtail, swift, carrion crow, willow warbler, chaffinch, robin, greylag geese, mallard duck, rook, blue tit, bullfinch, herring gull, swallow, spotted flycatcher, blackbird, dipper, curlew, long tailed tit, blue tit, marsh tit, pied wagtail, house sparrow, tree sparrow, collared dove.
Thanks to Tom and Jim for this list.

Butterflies:

small white, ringlet, meadow brown

Bees:

Carder Bee - Bombus pascuorum worker (working marsh thistle, meadow vetchling, ragged robin)
Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum worker (working raspberry, marsh thistle)
Early Bumblebee - Bombus pratorum worker (working marsh thistle, raspberry)
Early Bumblebee male (working marsh x hedge woundwort hybrid)
Garden bumblebee - Bombus hortorum worker (working hedge woundwort)
Buff-tailed bumblebee - Bombus terrestris worker (working white clover)
Red-tailed bumblebee - Bombus lapidarius worker (working white clover, marsh thistle)
Buff or white tailed bumblebee - Bombus lucorum/terrestris worker (working white clover, marsh thistle)
Honey bee - Apis mellifera (working white clover)

Fungi

Blackening waxcap - Hygrocybe conica
Mottlegill - Panaeolus sp.
Sulphur tuft - Hypholoma fasciculare
King Alfreds cakes - Daldinia concentrica
Brittlecap - Russula sp.
Stereum sp.
Thanks to Melanie for the Bee and Fungi lists.