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This meeting was the second of our two visits to Manor Vale, Kirkbymoorside in 2015 forming this year’s study of a specific area. Background details on Manor Vale are contained in the first report of 10th May 2015. Eight members attended on a glorious summer’s day with temperatures in the lower twenties as opposed to the high twenties of recent days.

Manor Vale is a wood at its best in Spring as we discovered on our last visit. As the season progresses the wood becomes dense with vigorous growth. Foliage of dogs mercury, ransoms and cow parsley dominate. Field rose and dog rose in flower were welcome additions along the eastern side. There were plenty of speckled wood butterflies in the sunny glades along this route.

Hoverfly(Volucella pellucens), Fly Chloromyia formosa,
Ringlet butterflies and Meadow cranesbill

At the north eastern edge the small area of grassland revealed small pockets of salad burnet in flower and lady’s bedstraw just coming in to flower. It was disappointing not to find other limestone-loving plants or common spotted orchids. It is understood that volunteers have started to work on this area and have already conducted one cut and clear here at the end of last year’s season. This may prove fruitful in encouraging other flora. This area did harbour numerous ringlet butterflies as well as chimney sweeper moths. The only other butterflies were a comma and two red admirals.

Speckled wood butterfly

Comma butterfly

Birds were slightly up on the previous visit with 23 species. A nuthatch in the ancient ash was a treat.

The meeting was again concluded with cake.

Cutting the cake!

Species lists

This is not a complete list, but we tried to note everything we did not see in May

Birds

Others

Chimney sweeper moth
Ringlet
Comma
Speckled wood
Red admiral
Hoverflies (Eristalis sp. and Volucella pellucens)
Chloromyia formosa Fly - thanks to Stuart Dunlop for these IDs.