Haslingden Grane Nature Site

Haslingden Grane set in the heart of East Lancashire has now become a very popular area and is so beautiful that it is often called "Little Scotland". It once was the home to illicit whisky distillers. We have three large Reservoirs, Calf Hey, Ogden and Holden Wood, and there are other popular places within Grane and its surrounding areas such as Fairy Glen, Troy Quarry,or just a little further afield there is the Camms....Musbury Valley or the Alden Valley...

Sunday, 10 August 2008

Gatekeeper Colony at Top O'th Knoll....

Birds: Wheatear (1) at Pike Lowe, Bullfinch (1) at rear of Top O'th Knoll Planting, Willow Warbler (1) in 3/4 song at rear of Top O'th Knoll, also Meadow Pipit (1), Robins (3), Goldfinch (4), Swallows at least 20 could have been more.. probably local but not sure. Kestrel (1), Pied Wagtail (2), Coal Tit.

Insects: A superb new colony of a minimum of 20 Gatekeepers feeding on heather, crowberry and thistle at rear of Top O'th Knoll Planting near too the wood mushroom sculptures, also there was some more alongside the pathway at the front side of Top O'th Knoll.. here there was also 4 Small Skippers, a couple of Meadow Browns and 1 Large White. Throughout walk I had about 15 Green Veined Whites.. and the bonus was another Red Admiral (only my 2nd this year) quite close to Stoney Rake...

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Grane host some beautiful butterflies and probably the rarest of them all is the small Green Hairstreak (see photo below) which thrives around here especially on the Musbury Heights Crowberry cover. Also there is the Gatekeeper, Comma, Common Blue, Wall Brown amongst the many. But also we have the more common species including Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell.

Grane is also rich in birdlife, and there are now over 167 different species which have been recorded over the last 100 years, the majority of these have only been visitors to the Grane, and also there are a few of the records which are quite ancient with species (long extinct from the Grane) eg: Stone Curlew, Corncrake, Quail, Nightjar, Rough Legged Buzzard etc.. However the Grane can still boast to have at least 78 different breeding species...

Birds so far recorded (167) (breeding birds in upper case): Great Northern Diver, Black Throated Diver, LITTLE GREBE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, Black-Necked Grebe, Red Necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Bewick Swan, Whooper Swan, Lesser White-Fronted Goose, Pink Footed Goose, Greylag Goose, CANADA GOOSE, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Cinnamon Teal, MALLARD, Pintail, Garganey, Shoveler, Pochard, Ring-Necked Duck, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter, Goldeneye, Goosander, Ruddy Duck, Marsh Harrier, Goshawk, SPARROWHAWK, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Buzzard, Rough Legged Buzzard, Osprey, KESTREL, Merlin, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, RED GROUSE, Red Legged Partridge, GREY PARTRIDGE, Quail, COMMON PHEASANT, Water Rail, Corncrake, MOORHEN, COOT, Oystercatcher, Stone Curlew, LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, Ringed Plover, Dotterel, Golden Plover, American Golden Plover, LAPWING, Grey Phalarope, DUNLIN, Ruff, Jack Snipe, COMMON SNIPE, Woodcock, Black Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, CURLEW, REDSHANK, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, COMMON SANDPIPER, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Common Tern, Black Tern, STOCK DOVE, WOODPIGEON, Collard Dove, Turtle Dove, Ring-Necked Parakeet, CUCKOO, Barn Owl, LITTLE OWL, TAWNY OWL, Long Eared Owl, Short Eared owl, Nightjar, SWIFT, Kingfisher, Wryneck, GREEN WOODPECKER, GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, SKYLARK, Sand Martin, SWALLOW, House Martin, TREE PIPIT, MEADOW PIPIT, Yellow Wagtail, GREY WAGTAIL, PIED WAGTAIL, Waxwing, DIPPER, WREN, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, COMMON REDSTART, Whinchat, STONECHAT, WHEATEAR, Ring Ouzel, BLACKBIRD, Fieldfare, SONG THRUSH, Redwing, MISTLE THRUSH, GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, SEDGE WARBLER, WHITETHROAT, Garden Warbler, BLACKCAP, WOOD WARBLER, CHIFFCHAFF, WILLOW WARBLER, GOLDCREST, Firecrest, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, PIED FLYCATCHER, LONG TAILED TIT, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, COAL TIT, BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, NUTHATCH, TREECREEPER, Great Grey Shrike, JAY, MAGPIE, JACKDAW, Rook, CARRION CROW, Raven, STARLING, HOUSE SPARROW, TREE SPARROW, CHAFFINCH, Brambling, GREENFINCH, GOLDFINCH, SISKIN, LINNET, TWITE, REDPOLL, CROSSBILL, BULLFINCH, Hawfinch, Snow Bunting, REED BUNTING.

click over any of these titles for quick access:-

BENTLEY HOUSE & Illicit Whisky Making Etc.
BIRDS RECORDS OF GRANE
BROADHOLDEN click here
CALF HEY RESERVOIR - EMPTY 1984 & 1990s & HOLDEN WOOD RESERVOIR - EMPTY 1980's
CAMMS
CLOUGH HEAD CAFE
GRANE BRICK & TERRA COTTA WORKS click here
HOLDEN VALE FLASH
HUTCH BANK QUARRY
REDWING & FIELDFARE 7000 in 3 hours 2008
CHARLIES PHOTOS

Recorded Butterflies of Grane (14 species): Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Green Hairstreak, Green Veined White, Large Skipper, Large White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown.

Moths recorded so far (44): Beautiful Golden Y, Brimstone, Buff Arches, Cinnabar, Common White Wave, Flame, Ghost Moth, Ingrailed Clay, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-Bordered Underwing, Nettle-Tap Moth (Anthophila fabriciana), Northern Spinach, Peppered Moth, Silver Ground Carpet, Small Square Spot, Snout, Straw Dot. Short Cloaked Moth, Swallowtail, Sulpur, Silver Y, Hebrew Character, Dark Arches, Swallow Prominent, Yellow Underwing, Northern Spinach, Wood Tiger, Garden Tiger, Poplar Hawkmoth, Deaths Head Hawkmoth, Ghost Swift, Pale Brindled Beauty, Angle Shades, Mottled Umber, Snout, Nutmeg, Burnished Brass, Mapwing Swift, Grey Chey, Clouded Drab, Elephant Hawkmoth (1971), Small Elephant Hawkmoth (Calf Hey Car Park 2007).

Other Recorded insects including Spiders & Arthropods (15 species, and in preparation) click here: Alderfly (Sialis Lutaria), Ants (Formicidae) Crab Spider, Graphomyia Maculata, Leafhopper (Ditropis pteridis - female) - found on bracken, Common Darter Dragonfly, Common Darter Dragonfly (immature male), Common Green Grasshopper, Cicadella Viridis, Mesembrina meridiana, Rhagium mordax, STONEFLY - Perlodes Microcephala, Tachina Fera. Water Cricket (velia caprai)

Recorded Flora of Grane (62 species and in preparation) - Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bulrush, Common Duckweed, Common Knapweed, Cuckoo Flower, Dotted Loostrife, Eyebright, Gorse, Harebell, Heath Bedstraw, Heath Dog Violet, Hedge Woundwort, Heath Groundsel, Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) Meadowsweet, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Lady's Bedstraw, Pink Purslane, Red Campion, Round Leaved-Crowfoot, Saxifrage photo 1, and Saxifrage photo 2, Self Heal, Greater Stitchwort, Tormentil, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Meadow Cranesbill, Welsh Poppy, White Clover, Yarrow, Yellow Rattle, Marsh Marigold. Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) photo 1 and photo 2 (lots present at Grane Head along with carpetting of Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage), Angelica (Angelica sylvestris), Hogweed (Heroicleum sphoridylium), Stitchwort, Marsh Sitchwort (Stellaria Palustris), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Hawkweed, Marsh Violet (Viola Palustris), Lady's Mantle (Alchemilia vulgaris), Common Valerian (Valeriana officissatris, Herb Robert (Geranium robertiancum), Golden Saxifrage, Water Pepper, (Polygorium hydropiper), Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), Honeysuckle (Loricera periclymenium), Golden Rod (Solidago virgaurea), Sheep's Sorrel (Russex autosella), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea, Bilberry Vaccinium, Autumn Hawkbit (Leontodon autumnalis), Rosebay Willowherb, Wall Lettuce (Mycelis muralis), Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), Upland Water Crowfoot. Woodrush, Soft Rush (Juncus effusus), Toad Rush (Juncus buffossius), Remote Sedge (Carese remota), Oval Sedge (Carese ovalis), Hard Fern (Blechnum spirant). Compact Rush

Recorded Trees of Grane (5 species and in preparation) - Hawthorn, Sweet Chestnut, Wild Cherry (Prussus avium), Rowan (Sorbus ancuparia), European Larch (Larix decidua) Photo 3 Flower

Recorded Reptiles at Grane (4 species) Adder, Common Frog, Common Toad, Palmate Newt.

Recorded Fungi of Grane (55 species)

(1) Amanita umbrinolutea, (2) Shaggy Pholiota, (3) Field Mushroom, (4) Unidentified 300808 Below Bentley Hse, (5) Laccaria amethystina. (6) Vermillion Waxcap (Hygrocybe miniata), (7) Unidentified 180908 Deep Clough. (8) Coral Spot (Nectria cinnabarina) . 9 Shaggy Scalycaps (Pholiota squarrosa)- also see (2) (10) Honey Fungus (Armillaria Mellia) well spent. (11) Oyster Fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus) both found at Calf Hey. Photo 1, Photo 2. Oyster Fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus) 12. Scarlet Caterpillar Fungi (Cordyceps militaris. 13) Wrinkled Crust (Phlebia radiata) 14) Common Jelly Spot (Dacrymyces stillatus - Anamorph Common Jelly Spot (Dacrymycesstillat)Stage found at Calf Hey. 14) Dead Man's Fingers (Xyaria polymorpha) photo 1 & photo 2. 15) Beechmast Candlesnuff (Xylaria carpophila) at Calf Hey. 16) Sycamoretarspot (Rhytismaacerinum), 17) Oysterling Fungus (Panelluss) 18) Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereumhirsutum) 19) One of the Pinkgills - Entolomaspecies. 20) Dung Fungi - Lasiobol 21) White Brain (Exidiathuretiana), 22) One of the Pinkgills Entolomaspecies. 23) Oak Mazegill-Daedale Cap. 24) Oak Mazegill-Daedaleaqu -pore 25) Velvet Shank - Flammulin avelutipes (near Calf Hey Car Park) 26) Egghead Mottlegill (Panaeolus Semio Vatus) 27) Nettle Cluster Cup Rust (Puccinia urticata), 28) Clavulinopsis heludola, 29) Paxillus involutus, 30) Hygrocybe conica (Conical Waxcap), Hygrocybe coccinea (Scarlet-Hood), 31) Hygrocybe psittacine (Parrot Waxcap) 32) Collybia maculata (Spotted Tough-shank), 33) Laccaria laccata (Deceiver) 34) Boletus Grevillei (Larch Bolete), 35) Auricularia mesenterica (Tripe Fungus, 36) Panellus mitis, 37) Panellus semiovatus, 38) Calocera palli dospathulata 39) Ascoconyne sareoides 40) Ganoderma adspessum, 41) Oudemansiella radicata (Rooting Shank), 42) Amanita unginata (Grissette), 43) Russula ochroleuca (Common Yellow Russula) 44) Russula Mairei (Beechwood sickener, 45) Ochre Brittlegill (Russula ocholeuca) 46) Grisette (Amanita vaginata, 47) Purple Jellydisc (Ascocoryne sarcoides) 48) Wrinkled Crust (Phlebia radiata, 49) Grey Coral (Clavulina cinerea) 50) A Mollisia species. 51) Leafy Brain (Tremelia foliacea) 52) Mealey Funnel (Clitocybe vibecina) 53) Snakeskin Brownie (Hypholoma marginatum) 54) Winter Polypore (Polyporus brumalis), 55) Turkeytail - Trametesversicolor,

WARNING: That all identifications are given in good faith, but are based only on the “macro” (i.e. visible) features of the fungi, lichen or other matter in question, and have not been verified by microscopy, or professional mycologists.

Also, I would like to stress that persons should NEVER ever, eat any fungi, unless they are personally certain that their particular fungus is edible. Many people have been poisoned (sometimes fatally) by eating fungi after getting their identifications wrong.

Recorded Lichen of Grane (19 species) (1) British Soldier Lichen - Cladonia cristatella found Nr. High Ormerods. (2) Cladonia Macilenta (1) and Cladonia Macilenta (1a) Cladonia Macilenta (1b) found on Stoney Rake 22nd and 23rd Oct 08 - 2), (3) Hypogymnia physodes nr Top O'th Knoll. (4) Evernia prunastri nr Top O'th Knoll. (5) Bryoria fuscescens at Calf Hey nr Bird Hide. (6) as yet unidentified Lichen found behind Long House.. Photo 1 & Photo 2 enlarged(7) As yet unidentified found on trees in Copse between Stoney Rake & Calf Hey Car Park 22nd Oct 2008. Photo 4, Photo 5. Stereocaulon family? found on stones which where the spoils of the old quarry production at the Top of Fairy Glen on the Musbury Heights side. 8) Chrysothrix chlorina. At Top O Th' Knoll. 9) Xanthoria parietina Photo 1 at Alden and Photo 2 at Calf Hey 10) Usnea subfloridana at Calf Hey.11) Parmelia sulcata 12) Cladonia chlorophaea. 13) Parmotrema perlatum. 14) Possibly Candelariella coralliza 15) Cladonia species - probably Cdiv. 16) Lecidea (Sub species unknown), 17 Still unidentified on tree at Camms 19th Mar 09 18 Evernia prunastri 19 Cladonia diversa 20 Physcia tenella, 21 Cladonia coniocraea 22 Ramalina farinacea

Recorded Mosses of Grane (12 species)

Racomitrium aquaticum found at Top O'th Knoll 2) Polytrichum piliferum found at Hutch Bank and throughout Grane Photo 1, Photo 2. Ulota crispa . Thanks to Peter Jepson (Ecologist) for supplying the following which have been found on Haslingden and Oswaldtwistle Moors: (Sphagnum capillifolium subsp. rubellum) Red Bog-moss

(Sphagnum cuspidatum) Feathery Bog-moss

(Sphagnum fallax) Flat-topped Bog-moss

(Sphagnum fimbriatum) Fringed Bog-moss

(Sphagnum palustre) Blunt-leaved Bog-moss

(Sphagnum papillosum) Papillose Bog-moss

(Sphagnum subnitens) Lustrous Bog-moss

(Sphagnum denticulatum) Cow-horn Bog-moss

(Sphagnum squarrosum) Spiky Bog-moss

Recorded Ferns of Grane (3 species and in preparation) Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare) Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3. Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) Found on Lane to Alden . Narrow Buckler Fern (Dryopteris carthusiana). Found on Hutch Bank.

Recorded Crustacean of Grane.

Freshwater Mussel (in Holden Wood Reservoir) Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3.

Unidentified items (4) any help is gratefully received: Probably (1) Russellac Fungi, (2) Fungi 2, Fungi 2a, Fungi 2b (3) Fungi at Deep Clough (4) Pondweed type at Jameston (5&6) as yet unidentified lichens, both found near Calf Hey Car Park On Tree 23rd Oct 08 -Photo 1, Photo 2. Unidentified lichen on very old decideous tree at Camms 19th Mar 2009 Photo 1

From approx mid-October to early November I usually do vismig watches "visible migration of birds going through the Grane Valley which includes many species, but in particular we usually get good numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing and also large numbers of continental Chaffinches and Brambling. For these watches I tend to be at Stoney Rake and here are photos of the various views from that watchpoint... click here

TO CONTACT please click here

All photographs have been taken from within the confines of Grane and its surrounding areas. I have taken most of the photos on my Fuji Finepix A204, up until the end of December 2008, but since January 2009, I have used a bridge camera Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, but would also like to thank other contributions listed below.

Grateful Contributions - THANK YOU

Arlene Harris for great photos of Moths.

Charles Payne for some great Grane photos and for his tremendous help and support with everything.

Jackie Ramsbottom, for help with old photos and info.

Photokid for great photo of Wren.

Mike Valentine for some really superb Grane photos. Mike uses a Fuji Finepix S9600 (9.1Mp). Bridge Camera. And also uses a small Manfrotto mini-tripod. From 16th June 2009 Mike as also used a Nikon D80 with a Sigma 180mm macro lens. Also for his great assistance with identifications of both flora and fungi.

Ina for help with Moth identifications.

Peter Jepson (Ecologist) for help with Mosses found on Haslingden and Oswaldtwistle Moors.

Stop Press Late Additions to Old Blogs

27th Feb added
identification of Scarlet Caterpillar fungi (Cordyceps militaris) & Honey Fungus (Armillaria Mellia) to Wed 22nd Oct 2008 title: Mining or Quarrying? plus licens & Fungi. (Thanks to info supplied by Mike Valentine)..

27th Feb added
identification of Shaggy Scalycaps Fungi (Pholiota squarrosa) to Wed 15th Oct 2008 title: Stoney Rake

17th Mar 2009 added
Additional blog for March 15th - Underbank, Cob Castle and Hutch Bank with additional fern, moss and lichen species....

26th Mar 2009 added
A New photo kindly given by Jackie Ramsbottom, showing the Calf Hey Reservoir also empty during the 1990s...

Feedback

Hi,

Just came across your sites. Although I have put in searches for Grane etc before, I only came on it by accident as it is listed as a nature site. My Maternal ancestors had the Wellington from at least 1881-1901 and my Paternal ancestors were in Grane from about 1866. My Granny went to school and Chapel there and later my Mother as a child lived there. So, as you can imagine, the pictures were a wonderful find.

Well done on a wonderful historic site and thank you for all your hard work in producing it.

Best Regards,

Cris Kydd (Mrs)