A perfect hot and sunny summer day welcomed members and friends to Farnham Gravel Pit on Sunday 15th July 2018.
The day started very early, in fact overnight, as the moth trappers Jill Warwick, Charlie Fletcher and Whitfield Benson set up their equipment to catch the moths. The reward was 100 macro moths and 30 micro moths with 77 new species to add to the Farnham list. Poplar Hawk, Drinker, Coxcomb Prominent, Swallow Prominent, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Beautiful Hook Tip, Common Footman, Scarce Footman and Beautiful Hook-tip to name a few.
HDNS Mammal Recorder, Richard Stobbs, set traps the previous evening and early arriving visitors, including some youngsters, were able to walk round with Richard to watch him open the traps. The species captured were 10 Bank Vole, 5 Common Shrew and just one Wood Mouse.
Holly Blue, FGP 15/7/2018 (Mike Smithson)
Mike Smithson led the Butterfly walk. Fifteen species were on the wing. Small Skipper (10), Brimstone (1) Large White (20), Small White (40), Green-veined White (10) Small Copper (3) Holly Blue (2) Small Tortoiseshell (10) Peacock (10) Comma (3) Speckled Wood (2) Gatekeeper (50) Meadow Brown (50) Ringlet (10) and Purple Hairstreak (2) a new record for Farnham.
Ruddy Darter, FGP 15/7/2018 (Mike Smithson)
David Alred showed visitors several Dragonfly and Damselfly species. These included Ruddy Darter and Common Darter which were on the lake and also at the pond and we had good views of them. Black-tailed Skimmers were flying low over the lake. We saw an Emperor female laying her eggs directly into the lake. The male was close by fertilizing the eggs as she laid them in the water and making sure no other males came near. Emerald, Common Blue, Bluetailed and Azure Damselflies and Common and Brown Hawkers were also seen.
The flora is struggling in places this year due to the hot dry weather. In spite of this there have been some good numbers of Pyramidal Orchid and also scattered patches of Bee Orchid and just one Fragrant Orchid. Twayblade and Common Spotted Orchid have been present in good numbers. All were over before Open Day. The Reserve still has quite a lot of colour with Field Scabious, Tall Melilot, Knapweed, Agrimony, St John’s-wort and Upright Hedge-parsley. Plants of note are Equisetum Variegatum, Variegated Horsetail. First recorded in 1986 and found again in 2015. The only locality in the HDNS study area and lowland parts of vice-county 64. A full list of Farnham plants is available on the website.
Mute Swan, FGP 15/7/2018 (Mike Smithson)
A pair of Common Terns were feeding two chicks on the platform, bringing in small fish at regular intervals. A late breeding Little Grebe was on its nest and the Great Crested Grebe had a small young one on its back. The Sand Martins were having a good year thanks to the weather and occupying the wall for a second brood. A pair of Reed Warblers with a nest in the Phragmites bed were feeding young and Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were still in song.
June Atkinson and Valerie Holmes