Hainault Forest Website |
Written and
Designed by © Brian Ecott |
NATURE DIARY |
December 2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER DECEMBER |
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The Forge, Foxburrows
Farm. |
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I
couldn't resist using photoshop to add a flock of our Hainault
Forest sheep to the nativity story of shepherds watching their
flocks by night! The brown horned sheep are Soay, the
white sheep with black faces, black legs and belly are Norfolk,
and the horned, brown blotched sheep are Jacobs. |
Another festive picture The Robin appears on millions of
Christmas Cards in the UK. Here Colin Carron captured this
delightful picture lit by the rare sunshine this month on
Christmas eve.
Photo © Colin Carron 23rd
December 2015..
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Grey
squirrel. Photo ©
Michael Rumble 4th December 2015 |
Grey
squirrel. Photo © Colin
Carron 17th December 2015 |
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Green Woodpecker
feeding on the large grassland. Ants are its favourite food
although berries and acorns are eaten in winter. The red on the
moustache indicates that this is a male. Photos © Colin Carron.
17th December 2015. |
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Looking across the horse pasture
towards the farm buildings, with the secondary woodland in the
background. There have been many grey days in December but on this
occasion the sun was shining. The grasslands at Hainault are
ideal feeding habitats for Green woodpecker. Photo © Michael Rumble
4th December 2015. |
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Goldfinch. Photo
© Colin Carron 17th December 2015 |
Goldcrest. Photo
© Colin Carron17th December 2015 |
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Black-headed
gulls in winter plumage fly over the lake. Photo © Michael Rumble
3rd December 2015. |
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Black bryony
berries entwined in a bush, and a Cormorant flying with the wing
primaries caught in the sun. Both pictures © Michael Rumble.
4th December 2015. |
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Cormorant
boating. Photo © Michael Rumble 1st December 2015. |
An Old English Bulldog
29th December 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott.
For more Dog pictures
click here. |
  
The lone Muscovy duck which has
been with us all year is normally seen perched on the fence or on
the ground by the feeder station on the eastern edge (café
side) of the lake.
It appears this month that it
has found a new perch possibly a submerged log or rock a few
metres out from the lake outfall.
Photos:
© Brian Ecott
12th December 2015 |
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Mosses with an orange fungus 1 -
3mm in size on a cottage wooden gate post. Although it looks slimy
it is not a slime mould but a common fungus of rotting wood namely
Common Jelly spot Dacrymyces stillatus. Photos
Michael Rumble. 18th December 2015. |
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Lichen
Cladonia fimbriata on old log in Horse pasture. Photo ©
Michael Rumble 4th December 2015. |
Porridge slime mould Mucilago
crustacea in grassland at Woodhenge.
Photo © Brian Ecott 29th December
2015 |
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Holly in the rain. Photo © Colin
Carron. 14th December 2015. |
Mick Rumble and I represented Hainault Forest at the Wat Tyler
Country Park's Green Centre for the Essex Field Club's Annual
Social and Exhibition on the 5th December. Display boards were set
up demonstrating Hainault Forest's "A Celebration of its
Biodiversity" and showing 50 or so of this years photos
that have appeared on this web page. |

I am pleased to have the
expertise of photographers Michael Rumble and Colin Carron and I
am conscious that I owe a great debt of gratitude to both for freely
giving their time and supporting me in compiling this web page,
which I think you will agree is magnificent and informative.
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Turkey tail Trametes versicolor
contrasts well with the grey-green lichen, which is probably
Punctelia subrudecta.
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"The Ugly duckling" - a young swan
in its first winter plumage.
Photo © Michael Rumble 4th
December 2015. |
And finally.....to sum up
December.......... |
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Photo © Elaine Wiltshire. 29th December 2015. |
November 2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
Lest we forget...... |
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A
flag flies from the Hainault Forest Farm & Zoo flagpole on 8th
November 2015. Lest we forget is its message. We remember
those who gave their lives in two world wars and other conflicts
so that we might live to appreciate their sacrifice and the
heritage left to us which we must treasure. |
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The Mayor of Redbridge
Cllr. Barbara White lays a wreath of poppies at the 'spitfire
memorial' on behalf of Redbridge at Fairlop Waters, originally
Fairlop Aerodrome, on Armistice day 11th November 2015. Local
children from several schools laid 'poppy crosses' and wreaths
they had made themselves. A large number of local residents
looked on as members of the Fairlop Heritage Group, the Police,
Councillors and The Royal British Legion added their tributes.
Before the ceremony a Roll of Honour was read by David Martin
remembering those who served at RAF Fairlop. Following the singing
of The National Anthem, the National Anthems of Ireland and Russia
were played and their flags flew at half mast. Each year it is tradition to remember
representative Countries whose countrymen served at Fairlop. |
Ice Age
Ilford........ |
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 On
the 8th November 2015 at Redbridge Museum an exhibition entitled
Ice Age Ilford was formally opened. When Ilford was a small
village, brickfields were set up in the early 1800's at several
places in the area, where bricks could be manufactured to help
build houses for the growing population. As pits were dug the
bones of ancient mammals were found in the brick earth and soon
came to the attention of local amateur archaeologists.
Redbridge is foremost in the sites
of early mammoth research and it is important to make this point
and raise its status.
Hannah Chowdhry was 7 when she saw
the replica Mammoth Skull in the Natural History museum and has
since campaigned for 5 years with her father Wilson and former
teacher of SS Peters and Paul's school Mrs Johnson and
Redbridge Museum to bring the skull back to Ilford. |
Left is Mrs
Johnson with Hannah Chowdhry with Wilson and family with the
replica Steppe mammoth skull in the Redbridge Library.
The Ice Age Ilford exhibition is open
until Saturday 4th June 2016. |
Harvest home....... |
The abundant crab
apples in Hainault Forest prompted me to make some Crab apple
cheese. It is a simple recipe which I have used before and would
recommend. |
 
Recipe collected from Roger
Phillips book Wild Food 1983 Pan Books Ltd.
I used 6 kg of
crab apples and made 18 jars. |
Slime moulds, Blue-green alga and
Lichens.... |
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Slime mould
Lycogala epidendrum
on rotting fallen hornbeam tree
trunk. 1st November 2015.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott.
Near lake inflow. |
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Porridge slime mould
Mucilago crustacea
on Hog Hill. 10th November 2015.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott. |
Nostoc occasionally occurs in the
forest. It is often found on hoggin paths, and here is amongst the
gravel at the edge of the lake outfall. It is formed by masses of
a primitive blue-green algae or Cyanobacterium. It is the
forerunner of the nucleate cell of which most life on earth is
composed.
20th November 2015. Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
Not a lot of people know that......
You can use your scanner to take
excellent pictures of small objects, and you get perfect natural
colours. I use an Epson Perfection 1660 Photo scanner for many of
the smaller lichens. The three twigs below are all less than 5 cms
and the definition is very good. |
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On this piece of
oak twig is one crustose (forming a crust) lichen frosty grey with
many fruiting bodies Lecanora chlarotera. A very common
lichen on trees and twigs. The two foliose (leaf like) attach
themselves to the twig by tiny "roots" rhizines. Both are common
in the forest The greyish green one is Physcia tenella and
the orange one is Xanthoria parietina. This has many
fruiting bodies, and is particularly frequent on elder and willows
in the forest. Compare with the picture below which is dry and the
colours are paler.
The tiny orange
fungus is Guepiniopsis buccina. With thanks to Tony
of the Natural History Museum's NaturePlus forum for the
identification.
Picture left
width 4 cms. Scanned 26th November 2015. ©
Brian Ecott.
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There
are two foliose lichens on this twig right. Foliose lichens are leaf
like and attach themselves to the twig. The orange one is
Xanthoria parietina. It has broad spreading lobes and round
fruiting bodies with a light coloured rim. The grey lichen is
Physcia tenella. Both lichens are very common and present all
year round on trees and shrubs especially hawthorn, but more
noticeable after leaf-fall. What I hadn't
noticed before is the small reddish fungus which is said to be
associated with these two species Illosporiopsis
christiansenii. Picture
right width 5cms.
Scanned 15th Nov.2015.©
Brian Ecott.
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On this twig left are two crustose
(forming a crust) lichens. The right-hand one is greeny coloured
with a black margin which forms a mosaic pattern. It has black
fruiting bodies. It is a common lichen Lecidella elaeochroma.
The left-hand whitish lichen has
fruits which are round to star shaped. This is Arthonia
radiata. John Skinner, Recorder for Lichens for the Essex
Field Club reports that this species is increasing very rapidly in Essex
at the moment.
15th November 2015 ©
Brian Ecott. Picture left width 3 cms.
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November Fungi......
Many of the larger fungi are fewer
or have not appeared at all this autumn in the woodlands. Short
grassland species have had a spectacular year.
I am indebted to local
mycologist Peter Comber who has helped name and check the
specimens illustrated below and offered extra details. |
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Oak
pin Cudoniella acicularis in furrows in tree bark. 1st
November 2015. Amongst aspens near lake. Photo
©
Brian Ecott |
Tooth fungus Radulomyces molaris
syn. Cerocorticium molare on fallen twig on Dog Kennel
Hill woodland. 8th November 2015. Status occasional. Found last
year.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott |
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Nitrous bonnet Mycena
leptocephala. Common in short grassland by the lake. 1st
November 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
Brownedge bonnet
Mycena olivaceomarginata. In short grassland by lake. Cap is
about the same size of a 1p.coin. 1st November 2015 in short
grassland near the lake. Photo
©
Brian Ecott. |
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Fibrecap Conocybe subovalis 1st November 2015 Tall medium
sized cap in short grassland near the lake. Photo
© Brian Ecott. |
Slender club fungus
Macrotyphula juncea. On twigs and leaves among aspen near lake
inflow. 1st November 2015. Photo
©
Brian Ecott. |
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Dung roundhead Stropharia
semiglobata. Found in the horse meadow.
3rd November 2015.
Photo
© Michael Rumble |
Shield pinkgill Entoloma
clypeatum. Short grassland near the lake.
3rd November 2015.
Photo
© Brian Ecott. |
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Meadow waxcap Hygrocybe
pratensis on short grassland on Hoghill.
3rd November 2015.
Photo
© Brian Ecott. |
Brown rollrim Paxillus involutus
20th November 2015.
Photo
© Michael Rumble. Woodhenge. |
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Lawyer's wig or Shaggy inkcap
Coprinus comatus on Woodhenge mound. 20th November 2015. Photo
© Michael Rumble |
Possible Hypholoma species -
awaiting identity. On rotting log in the farm (old camp site)
yard. 8th November 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble |
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Golden spindles Clavulinopsis
fusiformis have been very abundant over all the short
grassland this year. 12th November 2015.
Photo
© Brian Ecott. |
Meadow coral Clavulinopsis
corniculata near the lake outfall.
12th November 2015.
Photo
© Brian Ecott. |
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Trooping funnels
Clitocybe geotropa as seen from the 2nd car park through the
tree line towards the café,
8th November 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble |
Birds, Flies and other guys...... |
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Flesh fly
Sarcophaga sp.
The red eyes are wide apart denoting a
female. With males eyes almost touch. 3rd November 2015. Photos ©
Michael Rumble. |
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Leucistic Jackdaw at the Café.
Some of the wing feathers are white.
3rd November 2015.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble. |
Small slug feeding on a fungus.
3rd November 2015.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble. |
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A damp early
November morning and the blackberries are covered in a mass of
webs, both funnel and orb webs. Photo © Brian Ecott 2015. |
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Left is an orb web. Orb web
spiders construct many designs of web according to species. Above
is an enlargement of the central part of the web and shows clearly
a hole in the hub or middle. This is made by a Tetragnathidae
family of spiders which eats the radials at the centre of
the web so that the hole is large enough for the spider to go
through to the other side.
Photo © Colin Carron 1st
November 2015. |
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Sheet web constructed by members of
the Linyphiidae family of spiders. The spider walks upside
down under the sheet seizing any insects that land on the web,
from below. Photo © Colin Carron 1st November 2015. |
Michael Rumble took
this Labyrinth
spider Agelena
labyrinthica
in 2012.
It builds a tunnel
type web low in grassland. Hoghill. Photo © Michael
Rumble 21st July 2012 |
Water birds....... |
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Cormorants wing drying, perching,,
flying low over the lake (note how it using its feathers). The
cormorant swimming shows its low centre of gravity in the water,
similar to the Grebe family. Photos © Colin Carron 20th
November 2015. |
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Male
Tufted duck Photo © Colin
Carron 20th November 2015. |
Head of Muscovy
duck.
Photo © Michael
Rumble 29th November 2015 |
Fungi in God's Acre, All Saints'
Chigwell Row. |
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 Top
left is All Saints' Chigwell Row. The lawn in front of the Church
has Weymouth and Scot's pines and other conifers in the graveyard.
The Church is built on a glacial sand, which forms a heathland
further along the Romford Road, and this plus the conifers create
a grassland in the churchyard which is an entirely different
habitat to the short grassland in the Forest. Here Peter Comber
has photographed fungi that are more likely to be found under
conifers. Above is White Coral Clavulina coralloides. (Note
the pine needles in all the pictures). Left - the cap and
underside of the Weeping bolete Suillus granulatus. Boletes
have pores underneath instead of gills. Below left is Powdery
brittlegill Russula parazurea and below right is Fishy
milkcap Lactarius volemus. The milk seen in the picture
smells fishy.
All photos © Peter Comber 5th
Nov. 2015. |
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October 2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
"Season of mists and mellow
fruitfulness", John Keats 1795-1821 |
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Sunrise over Hog Hill.
8am.12th October 2015. Photo © Paul Browne. |
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The
Crab apple harvest has been good this autumn with many trees
loaded with apples. Photo ©
Brian Ecott 10th October 2015. Good for deer, small mammals and
fruit eating birds. |

Junction of New
North Road and Romford Road in 1969 Photo © Peter Small.
Soon after its creation the Greater London Council incorporating
the former LCC in 1964/5 the fields along the Romford Road (which
during the war years were corn fields) were planted with thousands
of young trees forming a tree nursery which would complement their
other nursery at Waltham Abbey. The idea was to grow them
on and to use them as street trees in the locality. Very few were
used and following the demise of the GLC in 1986 the nursery was
abandoned. The above picture shows one large field planted
alongside Romford Road seen from the junction of New North Road.
The picture was taken from Peter's Victorian Cottage.
Click here for
more information.
Following the flooding in the forest over recent winters, the
ditches have been cleared and parts of the plantation have been
opened up by the Country Park Staff and Redbridge Conservation
Volunteers removing scrub so that machinery can get access.
These make good walking paths and good habitats. I walked along
one (pictured right) and discovered this line of mature Lime trees
which follow the line of Romford Road. Photo ©
Brian Ecott 8th October 2015. |
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Common darter
Sympetrum striolatum pair flying in tandem. The female was
observed egg laying by dipping her tail into the water and
releasing an egg. Eggs laid in October may not develop until the
spring. 9th October 2015. Photo © Colin Carron |
Southern hawker dragonfly Aeshna
cyanea male in flight.
9th October 2015. Photo ©
Colin Carron
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and now for some fungi....... |
I am indebted to local
mycologist Peter Comber who has helped name and check the
specimens illustrated below and offered extra details. |
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Spectacular rustgill aka Big
Jim Gymnopilus junonius on tree roots in secondary woodland
near Headland Path. 20th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Peter Comber has captured these
same Spectacular rustgills 8 days later than in my original
photograph above top. POISONOUS.
28th October 2015. Photos ©
Peter Comber |
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Hare's ear fungus Otidea onotica
in secondary woodland at back of lake.
Not common in Hainault.1st
October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
Leopard earthball
Scleroderma areolatum. 3cm across. On bare ground
alongside path. Not common in Hainault 1st October 2015.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Artist's fungus
Ganoderma applanatum. A bracket low down on old beech tree,
the top is cocoa
colour, underside white which can be drawn on, hence the name, In
secondary woodland near Headland path.
17th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott
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Birch polypore aka
Razor strop fungus Piptoporus betulinus. When it appears on
birch, the tree is dead or dying. Here the bracket is
growing from an upright tree, and above right is an old decaying
bracket.
20th October 2015. Photo ©
Colin Carron |
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Common puffballs
Lycoperdon perlatum in horse pasture
19th October 2015 Photo © Brian Ecott |
Panther cap Amanita
pantherina in Horse pasture. DEADLY POISONOUS.
4th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Zoned rosette
Podoscypha multizonata.
Thin leathery lobes arising from a short very stout stem. Usually
has light and dark bands. Occasionally turns up in the forest.
Found this time in the horse pasture. 4th October 2015.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Amethyst deceiver in the
Horse pasture. 14th October 2015. Photo
© Brian Ecott. Gills, cap and stem purple colour, although when
dry the cap may be light brown. |
Angels bonnets Photo
© Brian Ecott 8th October 2015. Thanks to local mycologist Peter
Comber for the identification. |
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Golden spindles
Clavulinopsis fusiformis in short grassland on Hoghill.
9th October 2015, Photo © Brian Ecott |
Buttercap Collybia
butyracea. Distinctive, cap feels buttery. Found in
leaf litter in the wooded areas. 9th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott. |
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Yellowing Knight Tricholoma
scalpturatum
in grassland alongside the former changing rooms. 12th
October 2015. Photo ©
Brian Ecott. |
Yellowing Knight (fresh specimen)
on grassland towards the lake.
23rd October 2015 Photo
© Brian Ecott |
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Honey fungus
Armillaria mellea at base of oak in the Horse pasture Photos
© Brian Ecott. 14th October 2015. Note the brown stems and the
yellow rings.
Spreads underground by black threads aka Bootlaces. This is a
major threat to foresters. See Colin Carron's "bootlace" picture
last month. |
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Turkey tail Trametes versicolor.
A small bracket on a fallen birch tree. Open plain near
Romford Gate. 20th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
Field mushroom Agaricus
campestris on horse pasture. 22nd October 2015. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
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Twig parachute Marasmiellus
ramealis. Very tiny fungus growing on a dried blackberry stem.
Along Retreat path. 21st October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
Conifer mazegill
Gloeophyllum sepiarium appearing on many of the
Woodland Trust's notice boards (sourced conifer timber)
22nd October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Fly agaric Amanita muscaria.
24th October 2015. First
one found this year. Always associated with the roots of Birch
trees growing nearby. POISONOUS. This specimen has been
attacked by slugs who have been eating large holes in it.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
Trooping funnel Clitocybe
geotropa. Small funnel shape, cream cap, gills down stem
(decurrent), stem broadens to the base. In secondary woodland
near Headland path. Compare with below.
24th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott.
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Trooping funnel Clitocybe
geotropa, trooping through the brambles,
Largest cap in troop was 21cms diameter.
24th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott.
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Clouded funnel or agaric
Clitocybe nebularis. A large
funnel shaped cap with gills down part of the stem (decurrent).
10cms diameter. Found in bramble and scrub in the secondary
woodland near the lake. May also be found in large rings. 16th
October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott. |
Waxcaps in short grassland...... |
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1. Mature Parrot waxcap
Hygrocybe psittacina
still retaining some green on cap and stem. In short grassland on Hoghill.
Good distribution. 9th October 2015.
2.
Snowy waxcap
Hygrocybe virginea. In short
grassland in horse pasture.
Several present.
22nd October 2015.
3.
Scarlet Waxcap -
Hygrocybe
coccinea.
The
gills have a decurrent tooth where they join the stem.
In short
grassland on Hoghill. Uncommon. 27th October 2015.
4. Blushing waxcap
Hygrocybe
ovina. The
gills seem to have a reddish bruised area. Plentiful
in groups in short grassland on Hoghill. 28th October 2015.
Photos © Brian Ecott
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Miscellany.......... |

Pictured left is
an example of TUNBRIDGE WARE. These are basically small trinket
boxes, cribbage boards, rulers and other containers inlaid with
coloured woods forming intricate patterns formed by wood mosaics.
Made in Tunbridge and Tunbridge Wells, Kent in the 18th and 19th
Centuries The woods used were natural colours, but for green they
used green oak pictured right. This piece of fallen oak found in
the secondary woodland, has a fungus in it called Green Elfcap
Chlorociboria aeruginascens which sometimes has tiny fruiting
bodies, but generally as here only the fungal stained wood is
found,
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17th October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott.
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Tiny galls on the midrib of the
Turkey oak are Neuroterus saliens
♀♀ They are
3mm in length and shown enlarged above.
They produce the Anemone gall in the spring on Turkey oaks. 14th
October 2015. Photo © Brian Ecott.
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A very hard, woody gall found often
on young sapling English oaks. This is the Marble gall Andricus
kollari ♀♀ It contains one
larva which has emerged from the gall on the lower right side. 4th October 2015.
Photo © Colin Carron |
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Hairy mature galls of
Hartigiola annulipes on beech leaf. 20th October 2015 on
footpath on Hoghill |
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Leaf mine of the larva of a very
small fly Agromyza anthracina within the leaf of stinging nettle.
Close up shows frass (droppings) in threads. Hog Hill footpath.
20th October 2015.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Leaf scan on 18 10 2005 at Hainault
Lodge shows the larvae inside the leaf.. |
Heavy infestations of the leaf
miner moth Cameraria ohridella produce browning and early
leaf fall in Horse Chestnuts. This first appeared in Wimbledon in
2002 and in Hainault by autumn 2005 ten years ago. It was first
described as a new species in Northern Greece in 1986 and spread
rapidly across Europe. Its appearance in Redbridge coincided with
the adoption of the leaf as the new logo for Redbridge! 3rd October 2015.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
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A worker honey bee Apis
mellifera landed on my hand. The NaturePlus team at the
Natural History Museum identified it and suggested that it was
warming itself and possibly taking up moisture and nutrients. It
was a cold morning.
23rd October 2015. Photo ©
Brian Ecott. |
Buff tailed bumble bee Bombus
terrestris Queen, feeding on Michaelmas daisies. 9th October
2015. Photo © Colin Carron. |
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White-legged Snake Millipede -
Tachypodoiulus niger
under birch bark on Dog Kennel Hill woodland. (2 cms. length) 22nd October 2015.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott. |
Common Black Ground Beetle.
Pterostichus niger
(1.8 cms. length) under birch bark on Dog Kennel Hill.
22nd October 2015.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott. |
And finally ........Ernie's Flying
Fish. |
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Members of the
Essex Kite Group regularly fly kites on the grassland throughout the
year. |
September
2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
Signs of Autumn...... |
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Cold nights in September bring out
the dew on the grassland and the plants. The low sun will soon
rise sufficiently by midday to evaporate the dew on this
Michaelmas daisy. Photo © Michael Rumble. 20th September
2015.
Michael has captured in
this great photograph left, one of many hidden places in Hainault
Forest. Here in this corner of the horse pasture an old beech
stump with fungi and some trees are framing the distant grassland
and woodland on Little Cabin Hill. 23rd September 2015. ©
Michael Rumble. |
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Spectacular rustgill aka Big
Jim Gymnopilus junonius on tree stump, horse pasture. 25th
September 2015 Photo © Brian Ecott |
Beech woodwart Hypoxylon
fragiforme on fallen beech. 28th September 2015. Photo ©
Brian Ecott. |
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Giant puffball Calvatia gigantea
on Dog Kennel Hill. During the war it was known as Hitler's secret
weapon. Said to have been reported to the police when found. 21st
September 2015 Photo © Brian Ecott |
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Honey fungus aka Boot lace fungus
Armillaria mellea. The black bootlace is collections of fungal
hyphae (fungal threads) which travel through the dead trees and
soil to infect other nearby trees. Known as the Forester's Curse.
Clusters of the fruiting bodies may be found at the foot of
diseased trees.
Photo © Colin Carron
11th September 2015 |
Pleated inkcap
Coprinus plicatilis 21st September 2015 in woodland at
back of café.
21st September 2015. Photo ©
Brian Ecott |
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Parasol mushroom Macrolepiota
procera. Incredible size!
Cap 27cms.diameter, Stem height
38cms. In horse pasture.
Photo Michael Rumble
23rd September 2015 |
Parasol mushroom Macrolepiota
procera.25th September 2015 in the horse pasture. Shows a ring
which is movable on the stem. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
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False deathcap Amanita citrina
in woodland on Dog Kennel Hill. 22nd September 2015. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
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Parrot waxcap
Hygrocybe psittacina
green becoming yellowish and covered in glutinous slime when
fresh. On short grass in the horse pasture.
25th September 2015. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
Sulphur tuft Hypholoma
fasciculare on rotting stump in Lambourne wood.
30th September 2015. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
 |
 |
Not very fresh
Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus on tree stump in horse
pasture. Right - Showing underside. 23rd September 2015. Photos ©
Brian Ecott |
 |
 |
Two large Genera of fungi in the UK
are Lactarius and Russula both coming is a
variety of colours. Geoffrey Kibby in his monograph on Russula
lists 184 species.
Identification cannot rely on
photographs alone, but also habitat, tree associations, gill
appearance, spore prints, colour of cap and stem, scent etc. |
The Milkcaps Lactarius sp.
above. All species exude a milky substance from the gills when
bruised. Tests include drying the milk on a tissue to see if
it dries yellow, or placing milk on tip of the tongue which might
smell of something familiar (fishy, coconut) or might be mild or
hot. Underside in picture above shows milk.
25th September 2015 in the horse
pasture. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
The Brittlegills Russula sp.
22nd September 2015. In the secondary woodland near the lake. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
 |
We have been following these three
families of Greylag geese since 11th April 2015. The parent birds
are aggressive and good parents and have protected their offspring
and are still grazing in the forest. 11th September 2015. Photo © Brian
Ecott |
 |
 |
Common darter Sympetrum
striolatum - a late summer species. 11th September 2015. Photo
© Michael Rumble |
This young oak sapling is
host to seven Cola-nut galls Andricus lignicolus and two
Ramshorn galls Andricus aries. 6th September 2015. Photo ©
Brian Ecott. |
 |
 |
Head of Common darter dragonfly
Sympetrum striolatum
2nd September 2015 Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
Head of Ruddy darter dragonfly
Sympetrum sanguineum
11th September 2015 Photo ©
Colin Carron |
.jpg) |
 |
Two close up
views of a Forest shield bug Pentatoma rufipes. Note the
orange tip to the scutellum or shield on the back. The young
nymphs feed mainly on oak. 11th September 2015. Photo ©
Colin Carron |
 |
Pair of Orb web
Spiders Metellina segmentata The male (left) is waiting to
mate with the female (right) and will only do so when she is
preoccupied in dealing with a prey item. 21st September 2015
Photo © Brian Ecott. With thanks to Tony of the Natural History
Museum's NaturePlus Bug forum team for the identification. |

A tiny gnat like
creature with long threadlike antennae and two wings which are
patterned.
Order Diptera (two wings)
True flies
Sub order Nematocera
(thread horns) Mosquitoes, Gnats, Midges and Craneflies.
Genera Macrocera (large
horns) Fungus gnats
Macrocera phalerata - a
fungus gnat
Identified with thanks by Tony
in the Bug Forum of The Natural History Museum's NaturePlus team.
Photographed on the back of an
English oak leaf on 6th September 2015 © Brian Ecott. |
|
|
 |

This wasp nest was found high on
one of the old farm buildings attached to one of the security
lamps. The wasps chew wood with saliva to make paper which is then
used to construct the nest. Cells are constructed inside. The
whole thing is as light as tissue paper and one can only marvel at
the time and effort put into construction by the wasps and which
is only used for one season.
Photo © Michael Rumble 13th
September 2015. |
 |
 |
Several Hornets
were seen about in the forest and were often noticed flying over
the Michaelmas daisies where they were picking off insects on the
flowers. They move very fast and after several attempts over
several days Michael Rumble © managed to get these two pictures.
20th September 2015. |
    |
While unsuccessfully trying to
photograph the hornets above, Two Muntjac aka Barking deer took
me by surprise at the end of the lake. Just managed to get these
grab shots. A male was heard barking in a blackthorn thicket
nearby. Photos © Brian Ecott 19th September 2015. |
Squirrel table in the Horse pasture.
The squirrels pick up the fruit and take them 50-100 metres to an
old ant hill where they crack them open to feed on the conker
inside. Squirrels commonly use "tables" on which to feed. Photos ©
Brian Ecott 23rd September 2015. |
Autumn fruits........... |
 |
 |
 |
Hawthorn.
Haws make a nice jelly. © Brian Ecott |
Rose hips.
Syrup rich in Vitamin C © Brian Ecott |
Sloes used in
Sloe gin. © Brian Ecott |
 |
 |
 |
Crab apples
make good Apple (jam) cheese. © B.E. |
Elderberries
for wine © Brian Ecott |
Honeysuckle
still in flower. 17th Sept. © Colin Carron |
|
 |
 |
Brown China-mark moth
Elophila nymphaeata, pair mating under leaf. Thanks to AmandaB
of the Natural History Museum NaturePlus team for the
identification. Photo © Michael Rumble
10th September 2015. |
Red underwing moth on outside wall
of café.
Photo
©
Brian Ecott 27th September 2015. |
 |
 |
Colin Carron © photographed this
young pheasant in a willow bush.
11th September 2015 |
The Polypody fern is doing well and
is starting to develop spores. Hopefully we will know shortly
whether it is Western polypody or a hybrid. © Brian Ecott |

|
Colin Carron has
perfectly captured this Pond skater
Gerris sp. 15mm long. Common bug on all the forest ponds.
Feeds on dead insects on the water surface. Bristles on the tips
of legs prevent it breaking through the surface film. Photo
©
Colin Carron 17th September 2015. |
 |
  |
Pond Slater aka Hog Louse Asellus sp. in Sheepwater which
is heavily silted.
A
small crustacean 10mm related to the woodlice. Common in all
forest ponds. Withstands pollution and low oxygen levels.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble.
10th September 2015. |
Pupa of Mosquito, hanging from the
under surface of the water in Sheepwater. When the mosquito
is ready to hatch the back of the pupa splits and the mosquito is
able to haul itself out and climb through the water surface.
Photo © Michael Rumble 10th
September 2015. |
August 2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
New plant colony found
by lake....... |
 |
 |
Where the invasive Michaelmas
daisies have been cut back and the fencing removed at the far end
of the lake, a small colony of Red bartsia Otontites verna
serotina has been revealed. 20th August 2015. Photos ©
Brian Ecott |
The Wildflower meadow was teeming
with wildlife this month.......
Mick Rumble and I swept the meadow
and netted many creatures which are presented below as
photographs. If an insect is found on a plant the photo is
labelled N
for natural
surroundings. If the insect is placed on a plant or surface it
will be marked as
P
posed. I am grateful to experts that have helped with the
identification. All insects were present throughout August so have
been left undated. |
 |
Greenbottle Lucilia sp. Photo © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
N
Bluebottle Calliphora sp. on wild carrot. Photo
© Michael Rumble |
N
Flesh fly Sarcophaga sp. Photos © Colin Carron |
  |
N
Tachinid fly Tachina fera
on creeping thistle Photos © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
P
Tiny
Picture wing flies. Note the malachite-green eyes, and the
patterns on the wings Photos © Michael Rumble |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
P 4th instar
larva Sloe shield bug
Photo © Michael Rumble |
P
Sloe shield bug
Dolycoris baccarum Photos ©
Michael Rumble |


Far left:
P
Bishops mitre shield
bug Aelia acuminata. Photo © Michael Rumble.
Left:
P
Rhombic
leather bug Syromastes rhombeus Photo © Michael
Rumble
|


Both pictures:
P
White Grass Mirid bud (family Miridae) Photos © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
P The smallest ladybird in the UK
list is the sixteen-spot ladybird Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata
measuring only 3mm. Photo © Michael Rumble |
P
Sixteen-spot
ladybird larva.
Photo © Michael Rumble |
P
Fourteen
spot ladybird
Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
Spots are often fused giving an
anchor shape as here.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Roesel's bush cricket Metrioptera roeselii f. diluta.
on creeping thistle.
The upper two pictures clearly show long wings. This is often
seen in Hainault and is thought to enable migration in hot
summers. In the normal form the wings are very short
and not used. The very obvious feature of this species
is the dark pronotum with the yellow-green border. The very
long antennae are found in Crickets but not grasshoppers.
All
N Photos © Michael Rumble |
|
|
|
 |
N
Oak bush cricket Meconema
thalassinum (male) on beech leaf. Photo © Brian
Ecott
|
|
 |
 |
P Meadow
grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
 
P
Meadow
grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus
Long winged form.
Photos
© Michael Rumble
|
P Meadow
grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus Long
winged form. Photos © Michael Rumble
|
 |
P Meadow
grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus Photo © Michael
Rumble |
 |
 |
P
Field
grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus. Right:
About to fly - showing two pairs of wings. Photos ©
Michael Rumble |
 |
N
Field
grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus orange form.
Photo © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
N Common Green
grasshopper Omocestus viridulus Photos © Michael Rumble |
 
N
Ruddy darter dragonfly
Sympetrum sanguineum. Note how the darters hold their
wings forward and down, when at rest. Photos ©
Colin Carron |
|
 |
 |
 |
N
Common Red Soldier beetle Rhagonycha fulva on
wild carrot. As kids in the forties we used to call
them blood suckers.
Photo © Michael Rumble |
N
Flower beetle Oedemera nobilis (female) is an
iridescent metallic green flower beetle. The male has "thick
thighs" on its hind legs. Also in the picture is a Soldier
beetle
Photo © Michael Rumble |
P
Small Crab
spider Xysticus cristatus Photo © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
N
Holly blue butterfly
Celastrina argiolus. There are two generations a year -
this is the second. The dark inner edges of the wing indicates
a female. Photos © Michael Rumble |
P
Although a very tiny moth sitting on my fingers, it is in fact
a Macro moth, family Noctuidae. Identified by Colin Plant
Lepidoptera (moths) recorder, London Natural History Society
as a Straw dot Rivula sericealis Photo © Brian Ecott. |
  |
N
Six-spot burnet moth Zygaena
filipendulae on Spear thistle.
In the right hand picture Mick has angled the photograph to
show the bright red underwings. Photos © Michael Rumble |
 |
Damsel bugs
P
Top left picture
This small bug
has short wings, and its front legs are thickened and held
like a Praying mantis. It is poised to capture passing insect
prey. Placed on a thistle head to photograph.
N
Lower left
picture
Natural close
up of the bug on the flower of Lesser burdock
Kindly
identified by "Triops" from the Natural History Museum's bug
forum who identified it as a Damsel bug of the family Nabidae.
Photos © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
 |
N A
small Hoverfly Sphaerophora scripta on Stone parsley.
Photo © Michael Rumble |
N
Hoverfly Eristalis
horticola on
ragwort.
Photo © Michael Rumble |
N
Hoverfly Dasysyrphus albostriatus on poppy. Many
species have similar abdomen patterns but this one has black
stigma on wings. Photo © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
 |
N A
small Hoverfly Sphaerophora taeniata
♀.
Kindly identified by "flecc" from the
Natural History Museum's bug forum. Photo ©
Brian Ecott |
N
Marmalade
Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus on spear thistle. Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
N
Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus on Michaelmas Daisy.
Photo © Brian Ecott |
 |
 |
 |
N
Hoverfly Syrphus ribesi on Knapweed.
Photo
© Brian Ecott |
N
Turnip sawfly Athalia rosae
on Wild carrot. Kindly identified by "flecc" of the
Natural History Museum's Bug forum. Photos © Michael
Rumble. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
N
Just some of a dozen or more photos showing a Cross
spider Araneus diadematus wrapping up a Meadow
Brown butterfly which has blundered into the spiders web in
the long grassland. Picture 1 shows a leg pulling the gossamer
thread. Pictures 2,3 show the spinnerets on the underside of
the abdomen.
Photos © Michael Rumble |
|
 |
Photos © Michael Rumble |
and Finally............ |
 |

Picture
© Lee Rose |
Daphne Gilbert pictured above
(extreme left) at the Bluebell walk 26th April 2009, and left (on
the right) at a Lower Plants Walk 8th March 2009 passed peacefully
away at a care home in Scotland on the 5th August after a long illness.
Daphne, a good friend, lived in Hainault since the early sixties
and was a keen naturalist.
She often came to Hainault Forest
and was an active member of the Essex Field Club, the RSPB, the
British Naturalist Association at National level and locally with
the Epping Forest Branch. Daphne was active in the Havering and
Redbridge Wildlife and Countryside Group and was an active
volunteer at Hainault Lodge Local Nature Reserve.
She was also a keen traveller to
Seychelles, Madagascar, Costa Rica, Amazon, Canada and European
holidays to name a few.
Daphne had a green burial on her
son Ian's land in Oxton, The Borders, on the 13th August 2015 on a
beautiful sunset evening overlooking the surrounding hills.... a
fitting end.
Ian, Joanna and Finn (grandson)
received many messages of sympathy and tributes. |
July 2015 |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
 |
Five-spot burnet moth Zygaena
trifolii on Common knapweed. Six-spot are common in Hainault
but I don't remember coming across a 5-spot before.
Photographed on Hoghill 19th July
2015 © Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Camellia gall
Rabdophaga sp. on Crack willow by the lake outfall.
The specifics of this type of gall is still being investigated.
20th July 2015. |
Brian briefs the group before the
Plant Gall walk on 18th July 2015.
Photo © Francis Castro,
Conservation Officer for Redbridge |
 |
 |
Marble
galls Andricus kollari ♀♀
on English Oak 18th July 2015. |
The group return
with a collection of galls (about 25) which included the Marble
galls left. 18th July 2015. |
 |
 |
Wren
bringing food to fledglings that have left the nest. 9th July
2015. Photograph ©
Colin Carron |
White
duck possibly Mallard x Aylesbury on the lake. 11th July
2015. Photograph © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
Roger feeding the
Geese. Photo taken from beneath the 105 year old Black poplar at
the lake outfall. © Jennifer Heywood. |
The Canada and
Greylag geese have has a successful breeding season. The drabness
of the picture reflects the general weather - cold and wet which
we are experiencing in the last week of July. 28th July
2015. |
 |

Essex skipper butterfly
Thymelicus lineola. 21st July 2015.
Photograph © Colin Carron
 |
1. Wall barley Hordeum murinum,
2. Wavy Hairgrass Deschampsia flexuosa, 3. False
oatgrass Arrhenatherum elatius, 4. Yorkshire fog Holcus
lanatus,
5. Perennial Ryegrass Lolium
perenne, 6. Timothy grass Phleum pratense,
7. Cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata.
Scanned 8th July 2015. |
Small skipper butterfly
Thymelicus sylvestris. The antennae are orange with black
undersides, and the black line at an angle to the body is a scent
gland denoting a male. Larval food plant - likes Yorkshire fog,
opposite
9th July 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Ringlet Aphantopus
hyperantus. Wings badly damaged. Very common this year over
all the long grassland. 15th July 2015. Photo © Michael
Rumble |
Large skipper butterfly Ochlodes
venata. Larval food plant - likes Cocks-foot grass. 21st July 2015. Photograph © Colin Carron |
 |
 |
Ringlet
Aphantopus hyperantus. Female. The male is very dark almost
black. Photo © Michael Rumble 15th July 2015. |
Gatekeeper butterfly Pyronia
tithonus . Wings closed so only the underside of the lower
wing is shown. 16th July 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Gatekeeper butterfly Pyronia
tithonus. A male with the diagonal brown patches (scent
scales) on the forewings. 21st July 2015. Photo © Colin Carron |
Gatekeeper butterfly Pyronia
tithonus. Compare with the male left. In the above picture
there are no scent glands therefore this is a female. 29th July
2015. |
 |
 |
Comma butterfly
Polygonia c-album. Two generations per year, it overwinters as
a butterfly and may be seen during a sunny spell early in the
year.
Photograph © Colin Carron
21st July 2015 |
Comma butterfly
Polygonia c-album. The jagged wings when closed look like a dead leaf. The
specific name "c-album " refers to the white comma or
C on the underside of the hind wing as shown above.
Photograph © Michael Rumble 15th July 2015. |
 |
 |
Both pictures of
Large white butterfly aka Cabbage white Pieris brassicae on
Scots thistle and creeping thistle. The curved feeding tube or
proboscis can be seen on the right picture probing the creeping
thistle. 18th July 2015. Photographs © Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Green-veined
white Pieris napi on creeping thistle. 22nd July 2015 |
Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa
cardui on Creeping thistle. This is a migratory species from
North Africa. May have a brood here in July using nettles and thistles
as larval food plants.
Several seen this month.
15th July 2015.
Photo © Michael Rumble
|
 |
 |
Meadow brown
butterfly (male) Maniola jurtina. 21st July 2015.
Photograph © Colin Carron |
Meadow brown
butterfly (female) Maniola jurtina. 9th July 2015. |
 |
After a whole month I finally
managed to photograph an elusive Common blue male butterfly
Polyommatus icarus. The wings were closed and tilted towards
the sun. The antennae are black and white. When flying it was a
bright blue. 30th July 2015. |
 |
 |
Black snipe fly pair Chrysopilus
cristata. The pair are sexually dimorphic. In the male
above the eyes are touching on a large head and the black body
tapers, whereas the female is patterned and the eyes set apart.
Prominent stigmata are seen on each wing. Identified by
"Laverlock" at the Natural History Museum Bug discussion group.
27th July 2015. |
Rose sawfly
Arge ochropus
larvae devouring the leaflets of
wild rose.
10th July 2015 |
 |
Blue-tailed
Damselfly, Ischnura elegans male feeding on a small insect
by the Lake. 11th July 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble. With
thanks to Neil Anderson, London Natural History Society, Dragonfly
Recorder, for the identification. |
 |
 |
Blue-tailed Damselfly eating a
meal.
11th July 2015. Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
A Slug worm, the larva of a
Sawfly Caliroa annulipes on oak leaf.10th July 2015.
It is feeding on the soft tissues on the underside of the oak leaf
leaving skeletonised patches. Another slug worm species Caliroa
cerasi was found feeding on pear leaves last year 17th July
2014. See last years diary. |
 |
 |
Seven-spot Ladybirds feeding on
Black Aphids on a creeping thistle.
10th July 2015. |
Hungry striped orange and black
caterpillars of the Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae feeding
on ragwort. They will eat a plant down to the ground and move on
to the next. Their bodies contain poison accrued from the Ragwort
plant and many predators avoid them. 21st July 2015. |

  |
Black-tailed skimmer Orthetrum
cancellatum, male. 11th July 2015
by the Lake outflow. Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
Spittlebug or Common Froghopper
nymph not yet an adult. See an earlier stage in the June page.
18th July 2015. Photographs © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
Carder bee in
flight. Bombus pascuorum with bramble. 21st July 2015.
Photograph © Colin Carron |
White tailed bumblebee Bombus
terrestris/lucorum. 21st July 2015
Photograph ©
Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta on creeping thistle.
8th July 2015. |
Hoverfly Scaeva
pyrastri 9th July 2015 Photo © Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
A very brightly marked black,
orange and white hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus. Usually
much duller. On knapweed. 16th July 2015. Photo © Michael
Rumble |
Oak bush cricket
nymph. Very long antennae. 10th July 2015. |
 |
 |
Soldier fly - Four-barred Major
Oxycera rara (female). With thanks to Del Smith, Dipteran
Recorder, Essex Field Club for the identification. On grass stem
at Sheepwater. 19th July 2015. Photo © Michael Rumble. |
Plant bug Deraeocorus ruber
on thistle. Photo © Michael Rumble.
19th July 2015. A variable coloured
bug from yellow, brick to black. The cuneus (end of wing) always
red. With thanks to "Florin" of the Natural History Museum's bug
forum group for the identification. |
 |
Teasel Dipsacus fullonum
near the main entrance. Although prickly it is not a thistle but
in the same family as Scabious. Formerly used to tease out or card
wool in preparation for spinning. The nap on wool garments was
raised by the fine hooks on the flower head. Now replaced by wire
combs although it is claimed to be superior to raise the nap on
some hats and also snooker baize. Now mainly used as a Christmas
decoration. 22nd June 2015. |
 |
 |
Lady's bedstraw Galium verum
9th July 2015. Included in straw mattresses when dried it
was often used in beds of women about to give birth. |
Hedge bedstraw
Gallium mollugo. A tall scrambling plant. 9th July 2015. |
   |
Left: Agrimony Agrimonia
eupatoria spike 14th July 2015. Centre: Weld Reseda
luteola. aka Dyer's rocket. Once grown in Essex as a yellow
dye for cloth. 22nd July 2015. Right: Creeping thistle Cirsium
arvense 14th July 2015. |
|
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER |
June 2015 |
|
 |
The first pair of Greylag geese
hatched six goslings on the 11th April 2015 of which five fledged.
Photographed here on the 1st June the youngsters were fully
fledged and integrated with the others on the lake at the end of
the month. |

|
Moorhen at
Sheepwater Photo © Colin Carron 4th June 2015 |

|
The Pied
wagtail is common in an around the short grassland especially
around the café.
Photo ©
Colin Carron 8th June 2015. |
 |

Tiny wild rose
seedling with a Robin's pin cushion gall Diplolepis rosae -
a gall midge. 6th May 2015. |
Cherry-plum
Prunus cerasifera (above) showing a Pocket plum gall caused by
the fungus Taphrina pruni. 6th June 2015. This fungus
is attacking many of the Blackthorn bushes as well this summer,
see below, so that Sloes will be difficult to harvest this year. |
 |
 |
 |
A female Broad
bodied chaser dragonfly perches on a twig at Sheepwater. Photo ©
Colin Carron 4th June 2015 |

The smallest ladybird in the UK
list is the sixteen-spot ladybird Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata
measuring only 3mm. Found on the Old Codgers (myself
included) table at the Café.
4th June 2015. |
  |
|
Harlequin ladybird Harmonia
axyridis Larva (left above) on Crack willow and Pupa (right
above) on Blackthorn. 29th June 2015. |
 |
 |
Batman hoverfly Myothropa florea nectaring on dog rose.
7th June 2015. |
Flower beetles feeding on
pollen of Field Rose. 28th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Spittlebug spit aka Cuckoo spit. The spittlebug nymph lives here
and sucks the sap from a thistle or other plant and the sap builds
up to make the spittle which is common on plants in June. Search
amongst the spittle and you will find a tiny nymph 2-3mm which
looks somewhat like a frog, hence the adult bug is called a
Froghopper. The spittle protects the nymph from drying out, and
hides it from predators. 7th June 2015. |
 |
A tiny Longhorn moth
Nemophora degéerella resting on a leaf. This is a female
which has short antennae (˝ inch). The males antennae are about 2
inches and they often fly in swarms to impress the female. Photo
©
Colin Carron 8th June 2015. |
 |

Left: Thick thighed flower beetle
Oedemera nobilis. Only the male has this feature. 25th June
2015.
Above: Small white butterfly
Artogeia rapae.
25th June 2015 |
|
|
More ORCHIDS |
 
Left and above:
Common spotted Orchid
Dactylorhiza fuchsii .
Found and photographed in the
Country Park on the 9th June 2015. The leaves are spotted. |
 
Left and above:
Bee orchid Ophrys apifera.
Found at two sites and photographed in the
Country Park on the 10th June 2015 |

I was lucky to spot this female
Crab spider Misumena vatia feeding on a fly that it had
ambushed by hiding in the Common spotted orchid. Misumena vatia
spiders can be white or yellow often with reddish
markings making itself practically invisible to prey items.
11th June 2015.
|
ACID GRASSLAND short
turf plants |
 |
 |
Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea. Five deeply divided
petals. Found throughout the cut grassland on Hoghill. the amenity
grassland and Cabin Hill. 4th June 2015
|
Heath Bedstraw
Galium saxatile Small white four petalled flowers.
6th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil aka
Boots and shoes Lotus corniculatus. The seed pods look like
a bird's foot. 6th June 2015 |
Mouse-ear hawkweed Hieracium
pilosella. Pale yellow composite with red streaked petals on
the underside. 6th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Trailing St. John's-wort
Hypericum humifusum on millennium hill (Cabin Hill)
6th
June 2015 |
Heath speedwell Veronica
vulgaris on Millennium hill (Cabin Hill)
6th June 2015. |
 |
 |
Tormentil Potentilla erecta.
Potentilla with four petals. 6th June 2015 |
6th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Creeping cinquefoil Potentilla
reptans. Potentilla with five petals. Leaf with five leaflets
(cinquefoil). 8th June 2015 |
Self-heal Prunella vulgaris
Related to the deadnettles. An excellent plant for bees. 29th June 2015 |
 |
The wild flower meadow is helping
to bring back bees and other insect pollinators which took a fall
in numbers during the 2012 Olympics and have generally declined in
Britain. Many of our crops rely on them. 6th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Ox-eye daisies Leucanthemum
vulgare in the wild flower meadow.
4th June 2015 |
Red clover Trifolium pratense.
A great favourite for bees. Note the pale chevrons on the
leaflets. In the wild flower meadow. 6th June 2015 |
 |
 |
Hedge bindweed Calystegia sepium
sepium. By the lake outfall.
24th June 2015 |
Wild celery Apium graveolens
near the lake outfall. 24th June 2015 |
and finally.........
Take care in the forest. The
woodland paths are cooler, take fluids and cover up. Listen for
advice. |
25th June |
26th June |
27th June |
28th June |
29th June |
30th June |
24° |
26° |
23° |
19° |
25° |
30° |
|
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
May 2015 |
 |
Oak
Quercus robur catkins by the lake path. 4th May 2015 |
  
The above scans show Currant galls
Neuroterus quercusbaccarum
♀♂
on backs of
leaves and on catkins of Common oak Quercus robur. The wasps that emerge from
this generation will produce the familiar silk spangle galls on
the underside of leaves in the autumn. 15th May 2015.
|


Right and far right are scans of catkin galls on Turkey oak
Quercus cerris. Compared to Currant galls above the galls on
Turkey oak have a point on them and are known as Gooseberry galls
Andricus grossulariae. They start green, go on to be
crimson and often persist on trees for many years. 16th May 2015.
Below left is a scan
of another gall found on Turkey oak and which affects the female
flowers. It develops on the newly developing acorn and the "red
tentacles" that surround it gives rise to the name Anemone
gall Neuroterus saliens
♀♂.
16th
May 2015. |
 |
 |
GALL WALK
Saturday 18 July
2015 10:30am – 12:30pm
Hainault Forest
Gall Walk with Brian Ecott
Join Brian and the
Rangers for a pleasant stroll around Hainault Forest while
learning more about the mysterious plant gall! No booking
required.
Meet at: Hainault
Forest Country Park opposite the Global café, Foxburrow Road IG7 4QN |
Scan of the underside of a nettle leaf and inset an enlargement of
a gall. Brian Wurzell of the British Plant Gall Society writes: "I
am pretty sure these are the spermogonia of the rust Puccinia
urticata which are described as small honey coloured clusters
on leaves. It's a nice observation to detect them at this early
stage. The later stages are more conspicuous and familiar on
nettles in June. Fond memories of our field trip to Hainault
Forest in Spring 2004. Our intrepid group included no less than
four Brians - can't have too much of a good thing?" |
A
NEW ORCHID DISCOVERY FOR HAINAULT |
  
Staff discovered this
tiny Green winged orchid Orchis morio near the top of
Hoghill while out grass cutting on 22nd May 2015. A circular patch
of grassland was left around it, and a week later it was still
there. Its name is from the description of the sepals (a fly has
alighted on one) which are greenish with red veins. The lip below
is spotted and three lobed. The leaf is unspotted but in the
picture (left) it has been grazed. Photos
©
Michael Rumble.
This brings the number
of species recorded to four:
Broad-leaved
helleborine Epipactis helleborine
Bee orchid Ophrys apifera
Common spotted-orchid
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Green winged orchid
Orchis morio
|
|
CONSERVATION
MANAGEMENT IN ACTION |
 |
 |
Several small patches of grassland have been left uncut in and
around the amenity grasslands. This allows the plants contained to
seed and maintain a seed bank for the grassland. Plants such as
Lady's smock aka Cuckoo flower to survive. Lady's smock is a food
plant for the larvae of the Orange tip butterfly. The long
grassland under trees allows caterpillars and other insects to
complete their life cycles between grassland and tree. St. marks
fly is one such insect, and another is the green caterpillar of
the Oak Tortrix which drops to the ground on gossamer silk |

Right: the flower head
of Lady's smock Cardamine pratensis saved in the grass
patch above. 13th May 2015 |
 |
  
Orange tip butterfly
Anthocharis cardamines. Left is the stem and
flower head of Jack-by-the-hedge aka Garlic mustard Alliaria
petiolata. Within the flower head is a single tiny orange egg
(arrowed but difficult to see as it is only 1.2mm long. Centre is
a closer scan of the flower head and the egg. Right the enlarged
egg is shown to have several longitudinal ridges, A tiny (6mm)
caterpillar emerges and feeds on the developing seed pods. This is
the egg of the Orange tip butterfly. The orange tips foodplants also includes
Lady's smock - hence the value of conserving this plant in the
grassland as mentioned above. |
 |
 |
Bird
Cherry Prunus padus 16th May 2015 on the farm and on Hog
Hill. |
Queen Anne's Lace aka Cow Parsley
Anthriscus sylvestris. Common at this moment throughout the
forest. Woodland edges. 15th May 2015 |
 |
 |
 |
Top and above: Near
the main entrance a cluster of scarlet pea flowers. The plant
superficially resembles grass hence the name Grass Vetchling
Lathyrus nissolia. The flowers (one or two) are borne on
a long stalk from the main stem. 27th May 2015. Photos
©
Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Red Campion Silene
dioica at Sheepwater 29th May 2015 |
Herb Robert
Geranium robertianum. Wayside plant throughout the
forest. Photo
©
Colin Carron 8th May 2015. |
 |
 |
English Bluebell.
Hyacinthoides
non-scripta
8th May
2015. Our native bluebell of ancient woodlands, hedges and shady
places. The non-native Spanish bluebell is grown in gardens and is
often dumped in the woodland where it readily hybridises with our
native species to the detriment and gradual loss of over
time of the true English bluebell. Colin Carron has perfectly
captured the arching stem with the bells hanging on one side, and
the true colour. |
Cuckoo pint (rhyming with mint) Arum maculatum has a host
of local names like Lord's and Lady's, and Parson in the pulpit
and Wild arum. The purple spadix emits a
scent which attracts insects into the base of the flower where
downward hairs trap them while they pollinate the flowers below.
Throughout the woodland. 17th May 2015. |
|
|
The Greylag family
continued from last month....... |

Five out six of the
Greylag goslings survived by the 10th May 2015 above, and on the 20th May
2015 two of the family are pictured right on the lake side growing
their plumage and almost fully fledged.
.Both photographs
©
Michael Rumble |
 |
|
|
 |
Another Greylag goose with two goslings by the lake.
Photo ©
Colin Carron 8th May 2015 |
 |
Two
Canada geese goslings resting on the grassland around the lake.
Photo ©
Colin Carron 8th May 2015. |
 |
 |
Micro moth
Incurvaria masculella on bramble leaf. This is a male which
has these comb-like antennae. Length of wing 8mm. 2nd May 2015.
Photo
©
Michael Rumble |
Micro moth Olindia
schumacherana on oak leaf. Length of wing 8mm.
2nd May 2015.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
 |
 |
Small leaf green
weevil Phyllobius sp. Metallic green and gold. There
several similar species of this weevil and close examination
would be needed to determine a species name. On oak leaf. 2nd May
2015.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble |
Pair of metallic gold
micro moths Adela reaumurella. found on oak.. Female left
has short antennae while the male right has antennae approx 2
inches in length giving this group of moths the name "Longhorn moths". 2nd
May 2015.
Photo
©
Michael Rumble |
 |

Green orb-web spider
Araniella cucurbitina with its prey item a fly. Found on an
oak tree leaf, but lifted on to finger to photograph. |
Spider (to be identified) on hornbeam leaf. 21st May 2015. |
Photo
©
Michael Rumble 4th May 2015. . |
 |
Spider
Tetragnatha
extensa. on a nettle leaf. Note the length
of the four front legs as compared with the hind legs. 4th May
2015. Photo ©
Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Two
photographs of the Alder fly Sialis lutaria which prefers
still water. The other two species in the UK prefer running water.
To formally identify this genus requires very close examination.
By the lake 4th May 2015. Photo
©
Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
St. Mark's fly
Bibio marci pair. These long-legged
flies appear around the time of the Feast of Saint Mark
(25th April) hatching from over-wintering larvae in the grassland.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble 4th May 2015.
|
Orange ladybird
Halyzia sedecimguttata. 12-16 spots (14 here) face and legs
orange. Woodland species. On trees where it feeds on fungal
threads. Photographed on nettle nettle
©
Michael Rumble 4th May 2015. |
 |
Hoverfly Syrphus ribesi female warming up on a blackthorn
leaf. Photo ©
Michael Rumble 4th May 2015. |
 |
  |
|
Top: Soldier beetle
Cantharis dicipiens on nettle Photo © Michael Rumble
20th May 2015.
Above: Oak sawfly
larva
Periclista
lineolata a pest of oak trees. Photo
©
Michael Rumble
|
 |
 |
Small Heath butterfly
Coenonympha pamphilus a tiny grassland butterfly. Settled with
its wings closed and angled towards the sun. Grass is the larval
foodplant. 25th May 2015. on Hoghill. |
Cuckoo bee
on dandelion. Peter Harvey, Essex
Field Club Hymenopteran Recorder, writes, "This
is one of the Nomada cuckoo bees, probably Nomada
goodeniana, but there are a lot of similar species and it
really needs examination of an actual specimen. Photo
©
Michael Rumble 1st May 2015. |
And
finally a great veteran of the forest......... |
 |
An ancient hornbeam
pollard. Difficult to age but could be several hundred years old.
If the pollard survives gales the heart wood will rot and the only
living and surviving part of the tree is the bark which carries
the nutrients to and from the branches and ,leaves. Recently
pollarded, the tree will eventually split lengthwise. There are
several pollards in the ancient woodland at this stage. They
support bats, nesting sites and are invaluable for insects and
spiders which have special requirements. Photo
©
Colin Carron . 8th May 2015. |
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
April 2015 |
 |
First hawthorn blossom 28th April 2015.
All photographs ©
Brian Ecott unless
credited |
|
I spy with my little
eye, a great nesting site, I must get my partner to have a
look........
|
  
|
  
|
  |
Blue
tit pictures © Michael Rumble |
Did
they choose the site? - See later on. |
|
 |
 |
Ash flower buds
bursting open on the 6th April 2015. The this year the old
adage was OAK before ash at Hainault. |
Blackthorn or Sloe
flowers before the leaves appear. 6th April 2015 |
 |
The Blackthorn on a mound on the
north-east of the lake illustrate an historic feature of planting
at Hainault. In 1910 Poplar, Tremula, Birch and Beech were
encircled by "bramble, gorse and thorn" to prevent damage to the
trees by cattle which were present at Foxburrows. 14th April 2015. |
 |
Pollards on Captain Ethelstones land,
near Roes Well. 13th April 2015. The Hornbeam's pale green
leaves were beginning to open. |
 |
 |
An
attempt to pollard this old hornbeam on the Camelot path.
Pollarding hasn't been carried out regularly for over 160 years
formerly by the charcoal burners. Trees are top heavy, fall in
gales, do not heal after cutting and mostly go into decline and
die. Some pollarding was carried out in 1990 at Lambourne but
these have gone. Various methods have been suggested and there
has been some success at Chigwell Row Nature Reserve. It is a
management nightmare to try and maintain these grand pollards.
13th April 2015 |
Catkins of
Hornbeam. Like many early trees, hazel, poplars and willows are
mainly wind pollinated. 13th April 2015. |
 |
 |
Two early Speedwells,
left above, Ivy-leaved speedwell Veronica hederifolia and
above right Common field speedwell V. persica. 14th April
2015. |
 |
 |
Our
only patch of Wood anemone Anemone nemorosa near the
junction of the Headland path and Retreat path. 8th April 2015. |
 |
 |
Wood sorrel Oxalis
acetosella is common in the Ancient woodland where it likes
humus rich and well drained soil. It is shade tolerant. Lambourne
Wood. 18th April 2015 |
Crab
apple blossom 25th April 2015. |
 |
 |
The Cowslip Primula
veris is spreading in the wild flower meadow near the main
gate. 6th April 2015. |
Common storksbill
Erodium cicutarium along the kerb edges near the main
entrance. 6th April 2015 |
 |
 |
The Common dog violet
Viola riviniana (above) and the Early dog violet Viola
reichenbachiana (not shown) are both doing well as a
result of the drainage and opening up of paths in the scrub area
below the lake, bringing in more light. A good area to watch
developments. 14th April 2015. |
Wood forget-me-not
Myosotis sylvatica 14th April 2015. Along the ditches in
similar areas to the Violets, in the scrub clearance areas below
the Lake. |
 |
 |
Silver-leaved Yellow
archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp. argentium. a garden
escape from Woolhampton Way is now naturalised along the path and
into the woodland. 10th April 2015. |
A black bee with
pollen sac visiting White deadnettle Lamium album 21st
April 2015. Photo ©
Michael Rumble. Peter Harvey Recorder, Hymenoptera, Essex Field
Club writes, "This is almost certainly a female
Anthophora plumipes, the 'Hairy-footed flower bee, where the
males are brighter and have long hairs on the middle legs."
Incidentally Michael photographed the male in May 2011.
Click here. |
 |
 |
Hoverfly
Eristalis pertinax on hawthorn leaf. 18th April 2015
Photo
©
Michael Rumble |
A
hoverfly Syrphus ribesi on Dandelion 18th April 2015 |
 |

Bee-fly
Bombylius major hovering. This is a harmless fly and the
sting-like projection at the front is part of the mouthpart which
it uses to probe nectar from flowers. Something similar to the way
a humming bird feeds.
|
Bee-fly
Bombylius major resting on leaf litter. Common this month.
16th April |
Photo © Colin Carron
8th April 2015 |

Holly blue butterfly
Celastrina argiolus overwinters as a pupa. Two generations
per year. Spring generation lays eggs on Holly, Autumn generation
lays eggs on Ivy.17th April 2015 Photo
©
Michael Rumble.
 |

Peacock butterfly
Inachis io 21st April 2015 Photo
©
Michael Rumble

Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni Photo
©
Michael Rumble 24th April 2015.
Several butterflies
made an appearance this month including Peacock, Holly blue,
Brimstone, Small tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled wood, Red admiral, Small white butterfly,
and on the 28th male Orange tips were flying.. |
Speckled wood butterfly Parage aegeria. 28th April 2015 |
|
 |
 |
Drake Tufted duck above, and right a pair of Tufted ducks
Photos ©
Michael Rumble. 21st April 2015 |
 |
 |
Tufted duck drake resting. Photo © Colin Carron 8th April
2015 |
Tufted duck female Photo © Colin Carron 8th April 2015 |
 |
11th April 2015 The first appearance of a family of Greylag geese.
All the ducks and geese on the lake formed an arc around the
family as if taking an interest in the event. It's easy to put an
anthropomorphous interpretation of this behaviour - I wonder
what was really happening. |
 |
 |
24th April 2015. A fortnight later, the goslings are growing up and
their parents are ever vigil and ready to attack, as my Yorkie
found out when he was chased and pecked when venturing to close. |
The Wren is often seen
flitting from low scrub and bramble and the woodland areas. Colin
Carron managed to photograph this one. 17th April 2015. |
 |
 |
A Robin's territory has to be defended, and singing is part of
this in fine weather and even in a gale. Photos
©
Michael Rumble 3rd and 15th April 2015. |
  |
A
couple of close up photographs of a Buzzard soaring overhead in
the Country Park. Photos
©
Colin Carron.
|
 |
 |
Starling showing glossy sheen. Photo
©
Michael Rumble 7th April 2015. |
Jackdaw Photo
©
Michael Rumble 14th April 2015. |
 |
 |
Roy Woodward
(Essex Bird Recorder, London Natural History Society) writes "Your
photos show adult Dunnocks, with the one with a raised wing being
a nice photo showing part of courtship display."
Photos ©
Michael Rumble 7th April 2015. |

|

A slime mould on
rotting wood Enteridium lycoperdon. Slime moulds have their
own Kingdom - the Myxomycetes. Click
here for more pictures. |
The
rust Uromyces ficaria on the leaves of lesser celandine
27th April 2015 |
Photo © Colin Carron 8th April 2015 |

  |
A fallen hornbeam
trunk without bark is showing green patches of a leafy liverwort
which on examination shows two rows of tiny leaves. The leaves are
entire at the tip of stem with lower leaves bidentate or two
toothed. This is Lophocolea heterophylla (Variable leaved
crestwort). 8th April 2015. |
 |
Close up of
Lophocolea showing several capsules containing spores, and
others that have released their spores. Photo
©
Michael Rumble 15th April 2015. |
|
|
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
March 2015 |
 |
One of two
Buzzards circling high on the thermals. 21st March 2015. Buzzards
are seen regularly over Hainault but their single mew call is
often the first hint they are present. Photo
© Michael
Rumble. |
 |
Mandarin ducks at Sheepwater. Two gaudy males and a light coloured
female. Photo ©
Michael Rumble 17th March 2015 |
 |
 |
Mandarin drake at
Sheepwater. The plumage is magnificent. 17th March 2015. Photo
©
Michael Rumble |
One
of a pair of Muscovy ducks on the lake. 21st March 2015.
Photo ©
Michael Rumble. |
 |
 |
Black-headed gull on
the lake. The head is actually brown, and the eye liner is white.
The Black-headed gull is present throughout the winter here, and
they are just developing their summer plumage. Photo
©
Colin Carron. |
"Ugly duckling" This
is one of two juvenile swans or cygnets on the lake. Maybe last
years brood. Photo ©
Colin Carron. |
 |
Greylag goose on the lake. There are usually 3 or 4 breeding pairs
on the lake. Photo ©
Colin Carron. |
 |
 |
DAISY Bellis
perennis a common plant of the short grassland opposite the
zoo. 28th March 2015 |
PRIMROSE Primula
veris probably a garden escape. Back of Woolhampton Way. 6th
March 2015 |
 |
 |
CHERRY PLUM
Prunus cerasifera. Small white blossom appearing before the leaves.
Occurs on woodland edges near the Camelot and in Hainault Lodge
Nature Reserve. In flower before the Blackthorn and Hawthorn.
Photo: 7th March 2015 on Hoghill. |
An early bee visits
the Cherry plum. March 2015. Photo
©
Colin Carron. |
 |
 |
COLTSFOOT
Tussilago farfara. Present along the edges of the lake.
It flowers before the leaves appear. Photo: 6th March 2015 |
RED DEADNETTLE Lamium
purpureum.
Common on path edges, and
around the farm buildings. Flowers early spring to late autumn. Photo:23rd
March 2015. 1st overflow car park
|
 |
 |
Out
from hibernation the Marmalade hoverfly
Episyrphus balteatus on a Dandelion. 7th March 2015. |
First recorded in
Hainault in November 2012 on Hawthorn, this is a second specimen of
the lichen Ramalina
fastigata. 24th March 2015.
Plantation area.
R. fastigata
can only
grow in low levels of Sulphur dioxide pollution (i.e. mean winter
levels of SO2 below 35 µg m-3. |
  |
 |
Slots (footprints) of
Muntjac deer on a lake mound. These are tiny and compare in size
to a Ł2 coin. Muntjac are common in the forest but are rarely seen
being solitary creatures. 8th March 2015. |
Rabbit in the
plantation. 23rd March 2015. Photo
©
Michael Rumble |
 |

|
The length of the lake
feeder stream was cleared of scrub last year and makes a nice walk
along its length. The light getting in is helping to create a good
habitat. The Crescent cup liverwort along the banks was mentioned
in the February page. Photo 7th March 2015. |
A photograph across
the stream shows a Hart's tongue fern Phyllitis scolopendrium.
There are several here along the bank. Also in the forefront
is the
LESSER
CELANDINE Ranunculus ficaria. Found throughout the woodland
especially where damp. Photo:
28th March 2015 |
 |
 |
As usual there was a
mass of frogspawn in Roe's well. In the region of about 100
clutches. Roe's well is the favoured pond in the forest. When
restored by the Woodland Trust all the logs and timber were placed
around the pond and covered in silt making a suitable wildlife
habitat. Frogspawn was about two weeks late this year. 14th
March 2015. |
Goat willow aka Pussy
willow Salix caprea. These are the male catkins and are
sought after by early butterflies and other insects. As a young
child I knew this as Palm and it was used as a decoration at home
and in Churches on Palm Sunday. Photo : 29th March 2015. |
 |
 |
Gorse Ulex
europaeus flowers during the winter months but is at its best
at the back of the amenity grassland now in early March. It
provides a good thicket for small nesting birds. 7th March 2015. |
 |
 |
A
small patch of green (arrowed) on a gnarled ash tree alongside
Sheepwater was on closer inspection a liverwort. 24th March
2015. |
The patch was measured
as 4.5cm across and was identified as Forked veilwort Metzgeria
furcata a common lowland species found especially in
association with Ash trees. Photo
©
Michael Rumble
8th March 2015. |
 |
 |
The liverwort has thin
strips of tissue known as thalli and each thallus (singular) is
approx 1mm in width and can be seen in the centre of the picture
above to divide into two (bifurcate). It has a thickened midrib.
Photo
©
Michael Rumble 8th March 2015. |
Photograph of a Beech
tree at the back of the lake which is covered in a mass of
microscopic algae giving an orange colouring. Its generic name is
Trentepohlia. It is classified as being a green filamentous
algae in which the green chlorophyll is masked by an orange
carotenoid pigment. Common on tree trunks in the forest.. 24th
March 2015 |
 |
 |
Following a very wet
winter in 2013/4 the forest rangers started to open up the blocked
ditches click here.
Progress was hampered by needing to get machinery into thick
scrubby areas which had developed over many years. Some of the
ditches were dug by the GLC to drain the fields near the Romford
Road which were cornfields during the war years. This drainage was
to use the land as a tree nursery and plantation to line roads in
the area. With the help of the Redbridge Conservation rangers and
a team of volunteers considerable inroads have been made into
these scrubby areas, and not only will the work ensue that light
gets in to the area, more ditches can be cleaned, and the open
areas will make more interesting walks for visitors. The
conservation team and volunteers are to be congratulated on their
valuable work at Hainault and also throughout the Borough. This
voluntary work needs to be encouraged as it provides a huge saving
for Redbridge in times of austerity.
Photos
©
Francis Castro 3rd March 2015. Hainault Forest. |
Left: The Plantation (March
1966)
With thanks to
London Metropolitan Archives
for the use of the
photograph. |
and finally.........the eclipse that didn't show up at Hainault. |
 |
9.35am on Friday 20th
March 2015. At the maximum cover of the eclipse (84% in London) a strange dusk was
momentary seen at Hainault. The cloud cover prevented the eclipse
of the sun from being seen. Looking towards the first car park,
the lake and Chigwell Row Church. |
|
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
February
2015 |

The Polypody fern
above and right was found on a fallen hawthorn on Cabin Hill.
Despite searches it appears to be the only specimen. It is not
common in Essex and has declined over many years due to dryness of
the habitat. It is described as an epiphyte, growing on trees but
not parasitic, taking its nutrients by photosynthesis and
rainwater.
This fern was examined
by Dr Kenneth Adams, Recorder, Essex Field Club, Botanical
Society of the British Isles, and British Bryological Society and
determined as either Western polypody Polypodium interjectum
or a hybrid Polypodium x mantoniae. Identification will
be fully determined when the fern produces fertile fronds. The
microclimate surrounding the fern habitat will need to be
considered when managing the immediate area.
10th February 2015.
|
 |
 |
 |
The Goldcrest (along
with the Firecrest) are said by the RSPB to be Britain's smallest
birds.
In the winter months
the Goldcrest moves from coniferous areas to broadleaf woodlands
and other sites in the search of insects.
The magnificent
Goldcrest pictures (above and left) were taken by Colin Carron and
show it searching under the leaves of holly for insects, aphids
and spiders for food. Photos
©
Colin Carron
late January 2015.

Above: Great tit
foraging amongst the leaf litter. The yellow breast with the black
bib which forms a black stripe down the belly is an important
pattern marker for rivalry among male birds - the wider the band
the higher the ranking of the bird. At this time of year a
distinctive call is heard "teacher teacher" which is also
described as a the noise of a bicycle pump inflating a tyre.
Photo
©
Colin Carron February 2015. |

The
Redwing pictured left is often accompanied by the Fieldfare as
winter visitors here. The Redwing is the smallest of the thrushes
and feeds on the hawthorn berries in hard winters. The two head
stripes and the red flanks distinguish it from the song thrush..
In spring it migrates to Scandinavia with a few staying in
northern Scotland.
Photo
©
Colin Carron
late January 2015. |

The
Greater spotted woodpecker is often heard drumming on trees
searching for grubs in the bark of old trees. The bird pictured
left is a female as it lacks the red spot on the nape or back of
head.
Photo
©
Colin Carron.
Late January 2015. |

The
Magpie is common throughout the forest and especially around the
farm and cafe.
Colin Carron pictured this magpie to show the iridescence of the
feathers in full sunlight. The blue, green and the purple sheen on
the tail feathers are all seen in the photograph,
©
February 2015
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On
the bank of the lake inflow from the Common is a mass of
Liverwort. 8th February 2015. |
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A close up of the
plant shows it to be Crescent cup liverwort Lunularia cruciata.
The name refers to its Moon shape cups (above right) which
contain disc-like gemmae which get washed out of the cups and grow
into new plants.. |
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Cramp balls aka King
Alfred Cakes. Hard cinder-like fungi on fallen branch - probably
ash on which it is normally found. A section through the fungus
shows concentric growth rings hence its specific name Daldinia
concentrica. 10th February 2015. |
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Common earthball
Scleroderma citrinum. Unlike the puffballs which have a thin
skin and liberate spores when hit by raindrops The Earthballs
contain a mass of black spores which are liberated by breakdown of
the fungus.
Hence sclero=hard
derma=skin. Photo
©
Colin Carron. February
2015. |
Turkey tail
Trametes versicolor on stump. Varied coloured bands with white
edges, tiered. Photo ©
Colin Carron
February 2015. |
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Jelly Ear
Auricularia auricula-judae on old elder branch 18th
February 2015 |
A
common moss on branches and logs. Bryum capillare. 18th
Feb. 2015. |
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A few plants of
Butcher's broom Ruscus aculeatus can be found scattered
throughout the forest and Hainault Lodge reserve. It belongs
to the Lily family and is closely related to Asparagus.
It
is found in Europe but in the UK is confined to southern England.
It is a plant curiosity in that what appear to be leaves are in
fact flattened stems known as cladodes with a sharp spine on the
end. True leaves are absent or vestigial.
Proof that these structures are stems and not leaves is
illustrated above right in that buds and flowers grow from them,
Later in the year a large red berry will develop from the female
flower.
Pictured left is an enlarged male flower showing a pollen mass.
Butcher's Broom was wisely used in butchers shops as besoms
to clean the butchers chopping blocks, to sweep the sawdust on the
floor and at one time the trays of meat on display in the window
were surrounded by a small "hedge" to keep mice away. Later
it was just cosmetic to place a parsley hedge around the meat and
nowadays a plastic hedge is used in traditional butchers.
Cabin Hill, 22nd February 2015. |
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Moss
covered logs on Hog Hill 20th February 2015. |
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JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER |
January 2015 |
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On the 5th January 2015 at
newly erected posts marking the car park were occupied by Black-headed
gulls. This was a common sight prior to the posts' removal before the
Olympics in 2012. |
 GREY
ALDER
Scanned 18th January 2015
The
Grey alder grows near the Lake outlet and by mid January was sporting
some very long catkins.
Trees
with catkins are wind-pollinated, because early in the year there are
no insects around. Clouds of pollen are shed from the catkins and find
their way to the female flowers located on the same tree or same
species elsewhere.
The
female flowers will develop into the familiar "cones" seen on Alder
trees.
An
enlarged scan below shows the female flowers in more detail.

Below is a photograph of
HAZEL catkins taken on 4th January 2015 growing along Alice's hedge by
the golf course.
Look carefully and you
will see the female flowers, which are tiny but have been enlarged in
the lowest picture.
These will develop into
cobnuts in the autumn which are favourites of squirrels, mice and
voles.
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Yellow Brain fungus
Tremella mesenterica on dead branch near the lake. The lobes
are yellow-orange and soft. 4th January 2015. |
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Witches butter Exidia
glandulosa on fallen branch. The fungus is covered with a thin
layer of ice. 4th January 2015. |
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A white crust on a fallen
log. Close up showing pores. Identified by local mycologist Peter
Comber as Trechispora mollusca.
4th January 2015 |

Cherry galls Cynips
quercusfolii
♀♀
are still attached to the
underside of the leaves in the leaf litter. 5th January 2015. These
will hatch in the spring and the very tiny wasps lay eggs which form
galls in the oak buds. |
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Grey
haired Cushion moss Grimmia pulvinata on pavement edge. Hog
Hill. 31st January 2015. The individual cushions vary in diameter but
often 2-3cms high. An enlarged scan below left. |
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Close up scan of Grimmia pulvinata shows
that the capsules curl over and liberate their spores within the
cushion.
Each leaf is tipped with a long grey hair, larger than the leaf
itself. Hence its other common name of Hedgehog moss. 31st January
2015. |
Common Feather moss Eurhynchium praelongum
is common throughout the woodland. In the winter months it is very
common and prolific covering fallen branches. 26th January 2015. |
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Lichen Cladonia ochrochlora 26th January 2015. This is a
new record for Hainault Forest, and was found on a rotting stump
alongside Roe's Well.
Many thanks to Essex Field Club's lichenologist John Skinner for
confirmation |
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Moles
are very active on Hog Hill alongside the woodland. Their spoil heaps
are large and numerous., and their underground activity helps with
drainage. 31st January 2015. |
The two evergreen trees in
the 2nd car park are oak trees. The leaves are dissimilar to the
leaves that we usually associate with oak. Close examination during
the year will reveal catkins and acorns. This species called Holm oak
or Holly oak Quercus ilex hails from the Mediterranean. 18th
January 2015. |
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On the
28th January 2015 alongside the café, amongst a flock of Canada geese was a small brown
goose above centre.. I sent a picture to Roy Woodward, Essex sector Bird Recorder
for the London Natural History Society who reported "Your mystery
goose is indeed an Egyptian Goose, probably in its1st winter" Roy also
commented that This species has increased in number considerably in
the London Area in recent years, and is now turning up in many parks,
and similar areas, in the Essex sector. |
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And finally.......... farewell to Flight
Sergeant 1181163 Harold Bennett
21
July 1921 - 9 January 2015
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Picture above with thanks
to David Martin, Fairlop Heritage Group Chairman.
Flight sergeant Harold Bennett
who
was the first pilot to fly operational in 603 squadron from Fairlop
Aerodrome in WW2 died on the 9th January 2015 in his 94th year.
Many local people will recall
Harold's attendance at the Centenery of Flying at Fairlop in 2011
which was also the 70th anniversary
of Fairlop aerodrome becoming operational in 1941. This was held at
Fairlop Waters on the 11th June 2011 which was also Harold's 90th
Birthday.
Pictured left, Harold Bennett
displays an authentic model of his Spitfire when he recalled being
shot down in December 1941 and spending the rest of the war as a
German prisoner. |
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