recorders’ newsletter newsl spring 2012.pdf · biodiversity information service recorder...

Biodiversity Information Service Recorder Newsletter – Issue 13 – May 2012

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Recorders’ Newsletter Issue 13 – May 2012

Welcome to the 13th issue of the Powys and Brecon Beacons National Park Recorders

Newsletter. We hope you like the new design. The spring season is now upon us and I’m sure that all of us are looking forward to the

summer recording season with renewed enthusiasm. Staying on this recording theme, BIS has arranged two recording days and three species training workshops to encourage and help recorders. BIS has also arranged the next Recorders’ Forum gathering for Saturday the 3rd November. So make sure you don’t miss this one! Further details of all these can be found in this newsletter. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed articles and photographs for this issue.

Phil Ward – Editor

Contents

Update from BIS Recording day June 2012 Explore the Enning recording day August 2012 How clean is the Usk? River inverts & water quality training workshop June 2012 Species training workshops 2012 Traditional orchard project: mapping orchards in Wales The noble chafer 2011 Radnorshire dragonfly recorders’ summary report Unknown Wales conference 2012 Toad warning signs Recorders’ forum 2012 Have you seen a polecat?

The polecat marches on

BIS microscopes and equipment for free loan for recorders

● 4 longworth small mammal traps ● Large Brunel video zoom binocular microscope (plugs into projector or laptop) ● 2 compound binocular microscopes (up to x1000 mag.) ● 6 binocular stereo/dissecting microscopes (x20 - x80) ● Digital projector ● Projector screen 6ft wide The BIS office can also provide a free comfortable teaching room with space for up to 10 people. If you wish to use microscopes, equipment or room at BIS, please contact us to discuss your requirements: [email protected] 01874 610881.

mailto:[email protected]


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Update from BIS BIS would like to welcome 2 new members of staff in 2012. Steve Goddard joined BIS in January as a full-time IT officer and Carola Dallmeier started in March on a Go Wales work placement. Steve has been working in IT for over 10 years in a variety of roles and organisations including further education, local government and small businesses. Steve recently completed a degree in IT and Business Management at the University of Wales Lampeter. Initially Steve has been concentrating on reviewing the BIS systems which have evolved on limited budget over the last 10 years. Thanks to partial support from the BBNP Community and Conservation Fund BIS has been able to update the current IT systems including servers and back-up to improve security, efficiency and services. This development will therefore not only provide a secure environment for data gathered but through improved server power provide the means for further development of improved access to data held by BIS. After updating the server it is proposed to:

Develop public access to summary species data through the BIS website eg species list for 1km square or species distribution map

Develop county recorder access to species data held by BIS for a taxonomic group within the appropriate county. This would also provide the ability for the recorder to view and verify records in an easy to use format and improve the quality of data held by BIS.

Work with Local Record Centres Wales to develop partner access to a LRC Wales database and National Biodiversity Network Gateway data, through web services.

Steve has also been working on some updates to the website to include VC Recorder contacts, searchable database of surveys BIS holds in Recorder 6, and regular additions to the Events calendar. Carola gained an MSc in Environmental Conservation Management at University of Glamorgan in 2010. She is on an initial 10 week placement to work on inputting records from Mike Porter, VC plant recorder for Brecknock. Mobilising this data will help Mike to complete his Brecknock Flora. The digitised data will be sent to BSBI who can then create maps for the Flora. This is quite a large task as there are approximately 1200 BSBI record cards with on average 100 records per card. After 5 weeks Carola has entered approximately 23,000 records which is high quality data that will be available to BIS partners and users. BIS would also like to thank Brecknock Wildlife Trust and BBNPA for putting aside some of the Service Level Agreement funds in 2011-12 for this project. There has also been a change of BIS Directors. Colin Young has stepped down after nearly 10 years on the Board of Directors, initially as a representative of BBNPA, and then as an independent. In that time he has also been Treasurer and Vice-chairman. Steve Packer from PCC will be resigning his position as PCC Director and BIS Company Secretary in July. The Staff and Directors would like to thank both for all their support and also welcome Sue Furber to the BOD.

Janet Imlach, BIS Manager


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Led by owner Penny Hurt and BIS.

Site Description A privately owned farm with a good mix of habitats including wildflower meadows, ancient woodland dingle, some recently planted woodland, ponds and stream. The Hom Brook runs through the site and then on down through The Hom to Cwmgwannon Dingle SSSI into Clyro Brook. Species of interest include meadow saffron, globeflower, adder’s-tongue fern, bluebell, common/heath spotted orchid, yellowhammer, pied flycatcher, tree sparrow, marbled white butterfly, otter and dormouse. Part of the site is a county wildlife site.

Please email Phil at [email protected] to let him know you are coming. Many thanks. We look forward to seeing you there.

Recording Day June 2012

10am Thursday 21st

June 2012

Cefn-y-Bettws Farm, Clyro, Radnorshire

Directions to Cefn-y-bettws

SO191454 Site is located about half way between

Clyro and Painscastle. If you're coming from

the Builth area, suggest using the B4594 to

Painscastle from the A470 at Erwood

Bridge. In Painscastle where the road

bends sharp left take the straight on turn

towards Clyro. After about 1.5 miles take a

small turning left. (It's not easy to see. If you

go up and over a cattle grid you've gone too

far.) Follow this road for about a mile and

just past a small bungalow on the right you

will see the entrance to Cefn-y-bettws over

a cattle grid. Please park in the farm yard.

All site photos ©Penny Hurt


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Recording Day

Led by Steph Coates (Brecknock Wildlife Trust) and bug expert Phil Ward (BIS).

Description Discover the world of river invertebrates in the River Ennig and help to record what lives in this river running through the heart of Talgarth. The stream is small and ‘flashy’, with rapidly fluctuating water levels. But we hope on this day it will be shallow and easy to walk in with wellies. Suitable for all ages. It is essential to wear suitable clothing. Free parking is available near the rugby club roundabout SO154 336, then follow the signs for the town centre. Start on the river by the memorial. Later we’ll go upstream. We look forward to seeing you there.

Photo©BWT

Explore the Ennig August 2012

A joint BWT/BIS event

10am Wednesday 1st

August 2012

River Ennig, Talgarth, Breconshire


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Species Training Workshop

Led by Phil Ward of the Biodiversity Information Service.

Description Learn about the invertebrates which can indicate water quality. After learning how to undertake standard sampling using water nets, participants will carry out practical kick sampling in the river. Live specimens will then be brought indoors where we will be observing their characteristics and learning how to identify them with use of microscopes, book keys and of course help from the tutor. We will learn how they can indicate water quality through a scoring system.

A £5.00 total booking fee is payable (Returnable only if cancellation place is filled)

To book, please email Phil at [email protected] or phone 01874 610881

Photo©BWT

How clean is the Usk?

River Invertebrates and Water Quality

A joint BWT/BIS event

10am Wednesday 29th

June 2012

BIS, Brecon



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Species Training Workshops

Phase 1 Habitat Survey –an introduction Wed. 23rd May 10am-4pm

Venue: Llysdinam Field Centre, Newbridge On Wye.

Tutor: Phil Ward, Ecologist

Indoor and outdoor practical workshop on identifying and mapping habitats for Phase 1 surveys.

River Invertebrates and Water Quality Fri. 29th June, 10am-4pm

Venue: Biodiversity Information Service, Brecon.

Tutor: Phil Ward (Invertebrate Ecologist and Radnor Invert Recorder)

Indoor and outdoor practical workshop on identifying river invertebrates and carrying out

standard river sampling.

Identification of Brambles Sat 4th August 10am-4pm

Venue: Meet Usk Reservoir Dam Car Park.

Tutor: Mike Porter (Brecknock Plant Recorder)

Outdoor practical workshop on identifying species of brambles in the field with local expert

Mike Porter.

A £5.00 total booking fee is payable (Returnable only if cancellation place is filled)

To book: email [email protected] or phone 01874 610881

Thank you to the Welsh Biodiversity Partnership for kind sponsorship



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Core facts

historically we have grown 2,000

varieties of cooking & eating apple

in Britain.

traditional orchards in Wales have

declined sharply. Approximately

86% of the orchard area in Gwent

was lost between 1940 and 1990.

Traditional orchards - history & heritage

Traditional orchards are a much loved part of our British heritage and countryside. Providing

local communities with delicious fruit and peaceful places to enjoy, traditional orchards can be

recognised by the presence of full-sized (standard) fruit trees which may be centuries old.

Through the careful planting and cultivation of a great range of fruit varieties, traditional

orchards are a source of pride and have significant cultural value, holding clues to our past

culinary tastes.

Traditional orchards are cultivated using low-

intensity methods such as the absence of

pesticides and fertilisers, and the use of grazing

animals instead of machines for mowing. The

combination of old trees and natural

management provides an invaluable refuge for

wildlife. Fruits can provide important food

sources in autumn and winter for wildlife and

spring blossom is not only beautiful to see but an

important nectar source for invertebrates. Rare

plants, lichens and small mammals flourish.

Traditional Orchard Project:

Mapping Orchards in Wales Photo © PTES


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Birds and insects find food and shelter amongst the decaying wood

of old trees.

Once a common sight within the landscape, the traditional

orchard habitat is now under serious threat which is the reason

that traditional orchards are now included on the Section 42 list of

habitats of principal importance for conserving biodiversity in

Wales (Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, 2006).

Threats to old orchards include neglect, intensification of

agriculture and pressure from land development. Supermarkets

have long been importing cheap fruit from overseas which has led

to orchard habitats becoming economically unviable and

increasingly rare.

Mapping Welsh orchards

The People’s Trust for Endangered

Species (PTES) is co-ordinating a

project to map the traditional

orchards of Wales. Orchards are

hotspots for biodiversity and support

a wide range of wildlife including

many species which are nationally

rare or scarce, including the noble

chafer beetle. Locating traditional

orchards can sometimes be difficult. Ordnance survey maps

give no indication of the age or condition of orchards, and some

remnant orchard sites may have been overlooked altogether.

The aim of this project is to create an inventory of traditional

orchards in Wales which will form a baseline from which to

guide all future conservation work. PTES is calling on

hundreds of volunteers to help both locate and survey these

orchards. A typical orchard survey will record the species,

number and condition of the fruit trees. This can be carried

out at any time of year. On completion, the inventory will be

published on the internet and available to everyone. Knowing

where orchards are is essential for the conservation of this

important habitat and the vast array of species that are

associated with it.

The People Trust for Endangered Species

Please get

involved today

We need the help of local

volunteers and land owners,

orchard groups, wildlife

trusts, parish councils and

agricultural colleges.

1. Do you own, manage or

know of a local orchard that

should be included in our

project?

2. Do you have time to spare

to help survey traditional

orchards in your local area?

No experience is necessary

and we will provide training

packs.

To get involved please call

020 7498 4533 or email

[email protected] or

[email protected]

Further information can be

found on the PTES website –

www.ptes.org/orchards

Photo © PTES

http://www.ptes.org/orchards


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photo © Matt Smith

the noble chafer

The noble chafer beetle is one of our rarest beetles. Dependent on dead and decaying wood and

restricted almost entirely to traditional orchards, their habitat is fast becoming scarce.

The species is confined to Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and parts of the

New Forest and Oxfordshire. Excitingly populations have recently been discovered in Kent and

Buckinghamshire. Historically the species was also known to exist in Essex, Northamptonshire,

Devon & Cumbria.

The handsome adult beetles are a striking iridescent green. They only survive for about 4 to 6

weeks and are most likely to be seen flying around or visiting flowers such as hogweed on hot,

sunny days in July and August. During this time, adult beetles will mate and the females will lay

their eggs in the decaying wood of old fruit trees. The larvae, which feed on the rotting wood,

then take 2 years to develop into adults.

They exhibit a preference for orchards that contain mature fruit trees between 50 and 80 years

old. These sites are very vulnerable to removal or clearance, particularly if the trees are reaching

the end of their productive life.

The traditional orchard survey will help to identify important sites for the noble chafer that can be

managed or restored to safeguard the species’ future.


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Introduction It’s a pleasure to report that the 2011 Radnorshire Dragonfly recording effort resulted in an excellent 656 records from 22 contributors (as compared with 2010, where we had an already impressive 609 records from 22 contributors). The 2011 species count - totaling 21 and comprising 13 Dragonfly and 8 Damselfly species – was slightly down on that of 2010 due to the absence of Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly and Ruddy Darter sightings. No new species were recorded in Radnorshire but the national picture on migrant and colonising Dragonfly species (see below) gives us good reason to keep our collective eyes peeled and to expect the unexpected in future!

UK Dragonfly Atlas update In terms of our local contribution to the 5-year UK Dragonfly Atlas update exercise, the BDS webpage http://british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/national-dragonfly-atlas tells an encouraging story for us in Radnorshire. Using an arbitrary target of 11 species for each 10km square across the UK, the BDS is applying a ‘traffic light system’ to help prioritise further recording effort. ‘Red’ indicates a square with only pre-2000 records or none at all. ‘Yellow’ indicates records from 2000 or after, but not yet reaching the target number of species. ‘Green’ indicates that the records from 2000 onwards have already met or exceeded the 11-species target (after 3 out of the 5 recording seasons).

Powys: Progress after the first three recording seasons (2008, 2009 & 2010)

2011 Radnorshire Dragonfly Recorders’ Summary Report

http://british-dragonflies.org.uk/content/national-dragonfly-atlas


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The 2011 Radnorshire records will soon be passed on to our local records centre (Powys & BBNP Biodiversity Information Service) as well as the British Dragonfly Society, both of which have links to the National Biodiversity Network. Once the 2011 Powys records have been incorporated, we may see a bit more ‘green’ on the Powys map, but in terms of planning for the 2012 VC43 recording season, I’m sure that those two red squares in the north and those three yellow squares to the north and east of Radnorshire will still need more attention before they will turn green. And of course, 2012 is the 5th and final ‘Atlas Update’ season remaining for this to happen!

2011: An unusual season – the national view Following the exceptionally cold winter, the spring of 2011 saw much warmer conditions, with April temperatures in particular reportedly averaging 4 degrees above normal. As a result there were widespread reports of unprecedentedly early emergences of many resident species. No fewer than twenty species of Dragonfly had been reported on the wing by the end of April – the usual number is more like eight! Dick Eastwood played a notable part in tracking this remarkable period of activity when he photographed an emerging Common darter at his pond near Clyro – the earliest UK record for the species and a full 2 months ahead of the normal emergence time! [Editor’s note: Any rumours of Dick’s access to veteran steam engines and of associated pipe-work being linked to the artificial warming of Pant y Cae ponds are totally unfounded!]

Common darter emerging 2 months early: Dick Eastwood

The exceptionally warm early season also seemed to further encourage several migrant and potential new colonist Odonata species which continue to show signs of


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establishing, re-establishing or spreading within the UK. Referring to 2011 as the best ever year for Vagrant Emperors, Adrian Parr in last Autumn’s Dragonfly News reported that, “As early as 9th January, a Vagrant Emperor was discovered in Pembrokeshire and further sightings of this very rare migrant were to follow in later weeks”. In fact a few more of this aptly-named species also later turned up in Orkney! BDS President, Pam Taylor, further enthused about the Dainty Damselfly, Southern Emerald Damselfly and Southern Migrant Hawker which were again recorded in the South East of England, with some convincing evidence of breeding being found. Finally, some ‘out of the normal range’ Norfolk Hawkers turned up in Kent and Cambridgeshire, suggesting either an influx from mainland Europe or a spread of UK-bred insects out of their Norfolk / Suffolk heartland.

2011: An unusual season – the local view Closer to home, the Radnorshire flight season got underway on the 19th April with a dozen Large Red Damselfly emerging at Dick’s pond near Clyro. Two days later Ian recorded five teneral (newly emerged) Azure Damselflies at Llandrindod Lake which, with its much improved water quality and increased availability of submerged and marginal vegetation, is now returning to very favourable Dragonfly habitat. Dick’s and Ian’s recording efforts amounted to a fantastic 76% of all the VC43 records, so it’s only fair that an overall assessment of the season is a quote from one of them,

“2011 was a year of early emergences followed by a reversion to the normal seasonal emergences – but I think the cooler summer delayed things at the back end? In general, I think last year provided fewer of most species in our parts – with possible exception of Southern Hawkers”.

Coincidentally our longer than usual season ended with this handsome male Southern hawker which Liz photographed as it basked by her pond near Newbridge on the 13th November!

End of Season Southern hawker (m): Liz Fleming Williams [13/11/11]


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VC43 Species notes and notable species As well as the complete absence in 2011 of Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly and Ruddy Darter, there was only a single record of Common Club-tail from the River Wye and only 2 records for Keeled Skimmer – though one of these (an acidic marshy area on Camlo Hill) was a new site for the species. Pete and Ginny’s foray to this part of Radnorshire also turned up Black-Tailed Skimmer as one of three new VC43 sites for the species – Rob having been surprised to encounter one near Caban Coch dam and Ian having a probable sighting at Beacon Lodge pond. A photograph taken at Beacon Lodge Pond during another recording trip undertaken by Richard, David and Bronwen caused me to think carefully about a species diagnosis. The photograph was of a dead adult hawker, initially thought to be that of a Brown hawker because of the obvious brown suffusion of the wings and dark brown abdomen. (A total of 6 observers had made an encouraging 20 sightings of Brown hawker, including 2 new sites - Afon Marteg: Darylle and Rock Park: Carole - as well as 3 separate sightings made by Colin and Carole at Llandrindod Lake). However, the Beacon Lodge Pond enigma turned out in fact to be a dead Common hawker, having very soon lost its vivid colouration upon dying and, as an already aged specimen, having already assumed a darkened hue to its wings.

Common hawker (deceased) masquerading ‘Male’ (blue) form of female Common Hawker: Sylvia as a ‘Brown’: David Warren Bigglestone

As if that wasn’t confusing enough, in August Sylvia photographed another mystery hawker near Aberedw for which I had to seek several ‘second’ opinions before finally concluding that this curious specimen was a female Common hawker, unusually exhibiting the ‘male’ blue colour form! Something I’ve not come across before. All of which goes to show that no-one is an expert and you never know what new species, behaviours or anomalies might turn up this next Radnorshire Dragonfly season!

And finally …. A big thank you to all contributors to the 2011 records and photographs : Stephen and Anne Coker; Carole Taylor; Colin Williams; Pete and Ginny Clarke; Dick Eastwood; Brian Matthews; Darylle Hardy; Phil Ward; Julian Jones; Bob Dennison; Sylvia Bigglestone; David Warren; Richard Knight; Bronwen Jenkins; Liz Fleming-Williams; Pauline Oldroyd; Rob Andrew; Sorcha Lewis; Andrew Ferguson; & Ian Standen Bob Dennison Vice County 43 Dragonfly Recorder


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The Unknown Wales Conference is an opportunity to explore the wonders of Welsh Wildlife, from breakthroughs in scientific research to species reintroductions. The

conference will be opened by TV presenter and naturalist Dr Rhys Jones, and short talks through the day will celebrate the new discoveries and new thinking on nature in

Wales whether on land or in our seas.


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Toad Warning Signs I have a snippet of good news that following a period of ‘toads on roads’ counts in 2011 near Ty Mawr pond, Llanfrynach in Brecknock, we now have had three toad warning signs erected by Powys County Council. Highest toad numbers so far in 2012 has been a count of 84 toads in one night. Also seen were plenty of frogs and both palmate and smooth newts. Thanks to Powys County Council for their help in this matter. Toad counts can be registered with the charity Froglife http://www.froglife.org/toadsonroads/ If there are at least 100 amphibians recorded crossing the road over the whole season then Froglife can make it a registered site and help with making your local council aware of it.

Bev Lewis, Conservation Officer, Brecknock Wildlife Trust

Photo © Bev Lewis, BWT

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

Powys and Brecon Beacons National Park

Recorders Forum 2012

Saturday 3rd

November 2012 (provisional date)

At Wye Lounge, Rhayader Leisure Centre

10am – 3.30pm

http://www.froglife.org/toadsonroads/


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The recovery of the polecat The Vincent Wildlife Trust’s report The Polecat survey of Britain 2004-2006 highlights the expansion of the polecat’s range and its recovery from a historical decline that saw polecats restricted to a small population stronghold in mid Wales during the early 20th century. Since at least the 1990’s, polecats have recolonized Wales and parts of central England, and are now moving eastwards into the eastern counties, north into parts of Yorkshire and have been recorded as far south as Hampshire. “We would like you to consider carrying newsletter articles about this intriguing carnivore and encourage records to be submitted from your local area to local record centres. When we undertake our next national survey (planned for 2014, subject to funding) we can hopefully draw upon any useful information that you have collected...”

Natalie Buttriss, Chief Executive, The Vincent Wildlife Trust (In BIS pers. com.)

Have you seen a Polecat?

Please send in your sightings to help us record this elusive mammal

BIS has recently received correspondence from the VWT who need our help in encouraging

recorders to send in their polecat sightings

To help raise awareness of polecats we include these two excerpts below:

Photo © Frank Greenaway/The Vincent Wildlife Trust


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Photo © Frank Greenaway/The Vincent Wildlife Trust

The Polecat marches on

Welsh survey results So how is the polecat faring in its Welsh heartland, where 95.3% of all specimens examined were true polecats (compared with 84.6% in England and 40.9% in Scotland)? Surprisingly, Wales generated relatively few records (only a third of the number from England, for example), and many 10km squares, especially in west Wales, produced no records at all during the 2004-2006 survey. Beyond the simplistic conclusion that polecats have become inexplicably scarce in parts of Wales, there are other explanations for this difference; firstly, human populations are relatively low over much of the Principality, so observer effort is bound to be limited when compared with England; secondly, the density of main roads and traffic is also low in Wales compared with England, leading to proportionately fewer road casualties; finally, the polecat is a new and unfamiliar mammal to naturalists in much of England, so the likelihood of a carcass on the tarmac being spotted and reported is higher than in Wales, where such a sight is less remarkable.

So, there is every reason to believe that the sparse coverage in Wales is a consequence of recording effects, rather than a sign that something is amiss with the conservation status of a quintessentially Welsh mammal. Nevertheless, while there is no immediate cause for concern, a push over the next few years to tick off many of the recently ‘polecat-blank’ 10km squares would be a valuable exercise. This might be a worthwhile project for the new Wales Mammal Group, and other people and organisations involved in biological recording in Wales.

We can draw further reassurance from the observation that polecats were recorded from more 10km squares in Wales during the latest survey than during its predecessor (104 compared with 62 in 1990-1997); also, that 13 new 10km squares were added to the previously recorded post-1950 Welsh range, leading to a cumulative total of 219 occupied squares in Wales. All of the 13 new 10km squares were on the northern (Anglesey, Denbigh and Flint) and southern (Glamorgan and Monmouth) fringes of the species’ Welsh range. If we dare to have confidence in the post-1950 cumulative approach to mapping, the polecat’s Welsh range (which rests on the assumption that any 10km squares recorded as positive since Ken Walton started mapping polecats in the late 1950’s remain positive today), then the only truly ‘blank’ areas remaining in Wales are on Anglesey (which is still being re-colonised after polecats crossed the Menai Bridge during the 1990s) and in the densely populated valleys of Glamorgan.

Johnny Birks

(The full version of the above article appeared in the autumn 2008 issue of Natur Cymru)

(Both excerpts appear permission of The Vincent Wildlife Trust)


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Biodiversity Information Service

Unit 4, 6 The Bulwark, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7LB

Tel: 01874 610881 Fax: 01874 624812 Email: [email protected] Website: www.b-i-s.org

Funding Partners

Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)

Powys County Council (PCC)

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA)

Forestry Commission for Wales (FCW)

Mid-Wales Trunk Road Agency (MWTRA)

Environment Agency (EA)

Brecknock Wildlife Trust

Board of Directors

Norman Lowe (BWT representative) – Chairman

Steve Packer (Powys County Council) – Secretary

Sue Furber

Margaret Underwood (BBNPA)

Bob Dennison

David Mitchell (CCW observer)

Steering Group

Paul Sinnadurai (BBNPA) – Chairman

Gareth Ellis (BBNP LBAP)

Bev Lewis (BWT)

Tammy Stretton (MWT)

Julian Jones (RWT)

Michelle Delafield (Mid-Wales Trunk Road Agency)

Emma Guy (PCC LBAP)

Ken Perry (CCW)

Rachel Price (PCC)


http://www.b-i-s.org/

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