BIRDS SIGHTED The last male nightingales have failed to return to Colliers Way for the past four seasons after over-enthusiastic cutting back of thorn scrub destroyed their habitat – the last two breeding pairs were seen and heard in 2018. Interesting to read that Knepp planted areas of thorn scrub and have successfully attracted their first Nightingales.

[By Us]  Rook, Sparrowhawk,  Wren, Raven, **Yellowhammer, Jackdaw, **Redwing, **Fieldfare, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Robin, Wood Pigeon, **Lapwing, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, **Marsh Tit, *Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, **Greenfinch, Buzzard, Pheasant, Tree Creeper, Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, **Song Trush, Mallard, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, *Tawny Owl, Jay, Magpie, *Lesser Black Backed Gull, **Herring Gull, Chiff Chaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, **Skylark, *Willow Warbler, **Corn Bunting, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, **Linnet, Red Legged Partridge, Swallow, *Dunnock, Goldcrest, **House Sparrow, Red Kite, **Starling, Goose, ** Nightingale (see note above) **Hawfinch, **Cuckoo, Common Crane.

[By Others]: **Ring Ouzel, Golden Plover, *Kingfisher, Firecrest, Hobby, Wheatear, **Spotted Flycatcher, Goshawk, Barn Owl, Little Owl, *Stock Dove, *Moorhen, *Reed Bunting, *Sedge Warbler, *Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Siskin, Brambling, **House Martin, Nuthatch, **Mistle Thrush, **Lesser Redpoll, Swift, *Marsh Harrier.

**Red List, *Amber List, 2015 BTO Birds of Conservation Concern 4.

Pre-2017 sightings by others: Great Grey Shrike, Stone Curlew, Common Crane, Long-Eared Owl.

ANIMALS SIGHTED

[ By Us ]:  Roe Deer, Brown Hare, Red Fox, Bank Vole, Field Vole, Grey Squirrel, Wood Mouse, Rabbit, Common Lizard, Slow Worm LP, Great Black Slug, Tree Slug,

[ By Others ]:    Otter,  Reeve’s Muntjac, Badger, Bat, Grass Snake LP, Common Shrew, Common Toad, Hedgehog, Stoat, Weasel, Wild Boar.

LP Legally Protected

MOLLUSCS

Strawberry Snail, Banded Garden Snail, Common Garden Snail, White Lipped Snail, Garlic Snail.

BUTTERFLIES

Pearl Bordered Fritillary,  Silver Washed Fritillary,  Comma, Large Skipper, Painted Lady, Wood White, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Holly Blue; Small Blue, Common Blue, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Clouded Yellow, Marbled White,  Small White, Large White, Ringlet, Gatekeeper,  Small Copper, Green Veined White, Small Skipper, Chalk Hill Blue (M),

[ By Others ]:  Grizzled Skipper Nb, Brown Argus, Small Skipper.

MOTHS

6 Spot Burnet,  Narrow Bordered 5 Spot Burnet, Garden Tiger, Brimstone, Silver Ground Carpet, Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar, Small Emerald, Shaded Broad-bar, Yellow-barred Longhorn, Strawberry Bright, Small Yellow Underwing, Common Nettle Tap, Muslin Moth, Cocksfoot Moth, Wood Carpet moth, Brassy Longhorn Moth Nb, Carcina quercana, Long-horned Flat-body moth larva, Mullein Moth caterpillar.

[By Others] Silver Y Moth, Large Emerald, Magpie, Cinnabar, Small Eggar Moth caterpillar Nb .

Nb   Nationally scarce

INSECTS

Early Bumblebee, Ashy Mining bee, Bufftailed Bumblebee, Redtailed Bumblebee, Whitetailed Bumblebee, Nomad Bee, Thistle bee, St Marks’s (Hawthorn) Fly, Wasp Mimic Hover fly, Female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly, Male Banded Demoiselle Damselfly, Female Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly, Horsefly, Greenbottle, Fleshfly, Red Headed Cardinal Beetle, Tree Bumblebee, Garden Chafer, Common Field Grasshopper, Mining Bee, Oak Marble Gall, Knopper Oak Gall, Bedeguar Gall, Short Winged Conehead Bush Cricket, Long Winged Conehead Bush Cricket, Leaf Beetle, Southern Hawker Dragonfly, Common Darter Dragonfly, Seven Spot Ladybird,  Wasp, Cranefly, Hornet, Spangle Gall, Yellow Meadow Ant, Green Drake Mayfly, Brown Hawker Dragonfly, Two-spot Ladybird, Red & Black Froghopper, Thick-legged flower beetle, Marmalade Hoverfly, Narrow-bodied Hoverfly, Common Carder bee, Lesser Banded hoverfly, Leafcutter bee, Black and Yellow Longhorn beetle, Common Red Ant, Pellucid Hoverfly, Yellow Dungfly, Harlequin ladybird, Common Banded Hoverfly, Black Hoverfly (Cheilosia pagana), Pollen Beetle, Tachinid fly, Stripe-faced Dronefly, Common Yellow-faced Bee, Legionnaire Soldier fly, Noon Fly,  White-footed Hoverfly, Ivy Bee, Picture Winged fly, Ground beetle, Common Earwig, Dark-edged Bee-fly, 14-spot Ladybird, ?Bronze Furrow bee, Cinnamon Bug, Common Elm leaf gall, Hairy shield bug, Hoverfly Platycheirus manicatus (m), Scorpion fly, False Fleshfly, Ichneumon Wasp (mblyteles armatorius?), Orange muscid fly, Spiked Shield bug, Celery leaf beetle, Hoverfly (Cheilosia pagana), Common Tubetail hoverfly (f) Mirid Bug (Grypocoris stysi), Bloody-nosed Beetle larva, Woundwort shieldbugs, Drone fly (Eristalis arbustorum), Spiked shieldbug nymph, Red Bug, Gasteruption Wasp, Tortoise bug (shield bug), Common Froghopper, Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly 22-spot Ladybird, Footballer hoverfly (Helephilus pendulus), Willow Gall pupa. Andricus kolleri, Andricus aries, Andricus lignicolus (all on Oak) Phytomyza ilicis mine on holly, Stigmella aurella – Golden Pigmy mine on bramble.

ANACHRID SIGHTED

Labyrinth Spider, White Crab spider, Zebra jumping spider, Nursery Web spider, Harvestman, Running Crab spider, Wolf spider, Cucumber Green Orb spider, Crab spider (Xysticus ulmi), Garden spider.

PLANTS SIGHTED

Early Purple Orchid, Twayblade, Pyramidal Orchid U, Bee Orchid U, Common Spotted Orchid. Wild Strawberry, Yellow Archangel, Beaked Hawksbeard, Moon Daisy,  Primrose, Snowdrop, Dog’s Mercury, Lesser Celandine, Sweet Violet (White and Purple), Coltsfoot, Crocus, Birds Eye (Germander) Speedwell, Wood Anemone, Cowslip, Grape Hyacinth, Daisy, Dandelion, White Dead Nettle, Bluebell, Ribwort Plantain, Mare’s Tail, Ground Ivy, Golden Saxifrage, Various fern, Stinging nettle, Chickweed, Cow Parsley, Herb Robert, Red Campion, Black Bryony. Lady’s Smock, Marsh Marigold, Lesser Stitchwort, Hairy Bittercress, Narrow Leaved Woodrush, Stinking Iris, Harts Tongue fern, Red Dead Nettle, Wood Spurge, Bush Vetch, Garlic Mustard. Bugle, Hop Trefoil, Birds Foot Trefoil, Greater Celandine, Early Forget-me-not, Common Forget-me-not, Doves Foot Cranesbill. White Bryony, Bulbous Buttercup, Meadow Buttercup, Creeping Buttercup, Columbine (garden escape) Hairy Tare (vetch), Common Mouse-ear, Herb Bennet (wood avens), Crosswort+, Wild Carrot, Meadowsweet, Figwort, Goosegrass (Cleavers),  Welsh Poppy, Red Clover, White Clover, Common Vetch, Bladder Campion, Meadow Cranesbill, False Oat Grass, Common Cow Wheat, Cut Leaved Cranesbill, Woody Nightshade (Bittersweet), Common Vervain, Field Bindweed, Hedge Woundwort, Field Scabious, Greater Knapweed, Creeping Cinquefoil. Greater Hawk-bit, Self-heal, Dock, Pale Toadflax, Prickly Sow Thistle, Corn Sow Thistle, Enchanters Nightshade, Agrimony, Common Valerian, Rosebay Willow Herb, Great Willow Herb, Corn Chamomile, Hedge Bedstraw, Hedge Mustard. Drooping Sedge, Common Melilot, Broad Leaved Willow Herb, Common St John’s Wort, Tutsan, Centaury, Tufted Vetch, Red Leg (redshank), Spear Thistle, Goats Beard, Ladies Bedstraw, Nipplewort, Common Hemp Nettle, Smooth Sow Thistle, Yarrow, Meadow Pea (meadow vetchling) Common Ragwort, Corn Mint, Wild Caraway, Wild Basil, White Bedstraw, Common Mallow, Golden Rod, Welted Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Woolly Thistle U, Common Toadflax, Fat Hen, Red Bartsia, Leafy Hawkweed. Corn Marigold, Burdock, Hop, Common Parsnip, Charlock, Teasel, Fox & Cubs (Orange Hawkweed).  Shepherd’s Cress, Groundsel, Corn Chamomile, Hogweed, Wild Angelica, Common Restharrow, Square stalked St John’s Wort, Cocksfoot Grass, Yellow Oat Grass, Hard Rush, Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Hard Shield Fern, Wall-rue, Small flowered Willow herb, Scentless Mayweed, Blue Globe Thistle, Scarlet Pimpernel, Common Buckwheat, Common Mullein, Meadow Saffron U, Common Spleenwort, Field Wood Rush, Common Horsetail, Greater Stitchwort, Common Mouse-ear, Suffolk Rose (garden escape) Germander Speedwell, Yellow Rattle U, Common Poppy, Rose Campion (garden escape) Meadow thistle,  Stone Parsley, Evening Primrose (naturalised), Common Fleabane, Upright hedge-parsley, Rat Tail Plantain, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Common Polypody, Common Knotgrass, Primula hybrid, Perennial Cornflower, Barren Strawberry, Lesser Stitchwort, Leafy Hawkweed, Black Nightshade.

U Uncommon: recorded in 5-20% of Somerset tetrads

FUNGI & SLIME MOLDS

Shield Pink Gill, Winter Polypore, Scarlet Elf Cup, Wood Blewit, Common Morel, Earth Ball, Shaggy Inkcap, Sulphur Tuft, Turkey Tail Bracket fungus, Fairy Inkcap, King Alfred’s Cakes, Common Bonnet, Butter Cap, Trooping Funnel, Yellow Fieldcap, Conical Brittlestem, Jelly Ear, Netted Crust, Clustered Brittlestem, Spring Fieldcap, Dryad’s Saddle Bracket, Southern Bracket, Poplar Fieldcap, Stump Puffball, Haresfoot Inkcap, Fairy Ring Champignon, Common Inkcap, Pale Stagshorn, Common Stump Brittlestem, Hairy Curtain Crust, Common Jelly Spot, Candlesnuff, White Saddle, Velvet Shank, Hazel Bracket, Lilac Bonnet, Angel’s Bonnet, Donk, Red Slime Mould, Burgundydrop Bonnet, Variable Oysterling fungus, Leafy Brain jelly fungus, parasitic fungus on script lichen, Peziza varia (brown cup fungus), Hazel woodwart, Pleated Inkcap, Purple Jelly Disc, Yellow Brain jelly fungus, Clouded Funnel, Collared Earthstar, Scurvy Twiglet, Coral Fungus, Straw fungus.

MOSS, LICHEN & LIVERWORT

Common Feathermoss, Oak Moss (stag lichen), Wood Bristle Moss, Creeping Feathermoss, Common Pocket Moss, Dilated Scalewort Liverwort, Common Liverwort, Greenshield Lichen, Common Orange Lichen, Opegrapha rupestris (black crust), Pixie cup lichen, Bitter wart lichen, Jelly lichen, Pamatrema perlatum, Powdery tree lichen, Caloplara flavens, Bleeding Broadleaf crust, Whitewash lichen, Chewing Gum lichen, Even Scalewort, Script lichen, Punctelia subrudecta, Trentepohlia sp. (green algae), Psilolechia lucida (crevice of stone railway bridge), Pysicia adscendens, Phlyctis agena, Black Stone Flower lichen.

TREES AND SHRUBS

Wild Service tree, Himalayan Honeysuckle, *Medlar, Wayfaring Tree, Cornus (dogwood) Spindle, Ash, Blackthorn (sloe) Goat Willow (pussy willow), Grey Willow, Wych Elm, Hawthorn, Small Leaved Lime, Holm Oak, Witches Broom, Hornbeam, Holly, Field Maple, Horse Chestnut, Sycamore, Wild Cherry, Cherry Plum, Crab apple, Hazel, Elder, Birch, Oak, Heritage apple trees, Privet, Buddleia, Norway Maple, Contoneater, Lawson Cypress, Bamboo, Dog Rose, Field Rose, Guelder Rose, Spurge Laurel U, Ivy, Honeysuckle, Old Man’s Beard, Bramble spp, Scots Pine.

U – Uncommon

* Since cut down.

Somerset Environmental Records Centre (Ann Fells) Additional Plants Recorded:

Norway Maple, Hedge garlic, Slender parsley piert++, Fools Watercress, Mugwort, Wood False Brome, Upright Brome+, Hairy Brome, Glaucous Sedge, Spiked Sedge, Black Knapweed, Small Toadflax, Meadow Saffron+, Bearded Couch, Hoary Willowherb, Red Fescue, Shining Cranesbill, Horseshoe Vetch++, Yorkshire Fog, Hairy St Johns Wort, Imperforate St Johns Wort, Black Medick,  Greater Plantain, Annual Meadow grass, Rough Stalked Meadow grass, Buckthorn, Field Rose, Wood Dock, Salad Burnet, Giant Fescue, Water Figwort, Hoary Ragwort, White Campion, Stone Parsley, Zig Zag Clover, Wood Speedwell.

++ rare

+ uncommon

Images along the Way

 Roe Deer

Copyright

All photographs are by courtesy and remain the  copyright of the persons named i.e. John Hanson, Steve Waterhouse, Rebecca Muirhead, Tony House, Rob Beale and wildwayroute24.com. Copyright to the Data used in the Butterfly item remains with UK Butterflies.co.uk.