About a Brook: Edward German Drive

Showing posts with label Edward German Drive. Show all posts

Sunday, 25 June 2023

Subtle Signs

Speckled Woods

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Heath

Skipper

Ringlet

Clouded Border moth

Meadow browns. The brighter-coloured one is the male.

common lizard

Grayling

Feeding signs and droppings at Edward German Drive.

Stones used as latrines at the timber yard.

Comma butterfly

Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Moths, Butterflies and Poo

Young Raft spiders on Whixall Moss.

Spotted flycatcher.

I've been seeing stoats but not water voles; I suspect they've changed their habits to become nocturnal. There are droppings and feeding about, though.

I went to a moth trapping session with Barry Probin and Stephen Barlow run by Shropshire Wildlife Trust. We caught a Coxcomb Prominent and - amazingly - a Pine Hawk moth!

On Prees Heath: the last few Silver Studded Blues and a Small Heath, camouflaged.

Thursday, 30 June 2022

Habitat Destruction

Above: Edgeley Road voles.

Below, the destruction at Edward German Drive.

Water voles and their habitat are clearly protected by law - Section 26 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act - but some landowners think they are above it. They are not.

I have reported this habitat destruction to the Environment Agency who will be speaking to the person responsible. Vegetation was not only felled but left to clog the stream, increasing flood risk. The bank isn't even his property: it is owned by Shropshire Council and managed by the EA.

I am especially angry because I contacted this person the week before and told him of the legal situation and asked him to leave the banks alone. Habitat destruction of protected species can also be reported directly to local Wildlife Crime police officers.