Saturday 11 July 2009

Emptying of Holden Wood Reservoir..



Found these old photos whilst clearing out, and they show Holden Wood Reservoir being emptied and also them clearing the waters of the fish. It must have been at least 20 years ago when they emptied the Holden Wood Reservoir, it could well have been even longer. It was emptied so they could do repairs to the valves and also the outlet storm drains and the embankment walls. The fishing rights at that time where owned by the A.E.I. Factory Fishing Club in Manchester and their local bailiff was Mr. Barnes who lived in the last house on Park Lane View (opp Camms). The North West Water Bailiffs came along to net the water and get all the fish out before the necessary work begun, the netted the area which then brought the fish more accessible to be transferred to large bins. At the outlet corner though sadly, by accident a lot of quite sizeable fish went through the pumps and came out all minced up!! it was a tragedy as we remember at the time. There was a good assortment of fish as I remember eg: Pike, Carp, Trout, Chub, Roach, Rudd & Perch. This is the only time I can remember this reservoir ever being empty in more recent times...

Friday 10 July 2009


On Wednesday last, Jack, Charlie and I had a little walk around Troy Quarry and had the following species: Butterflies: Meadow Brown (2) Small Skipper (2
Flora: Eyebright, Self Heal, Ragwort, Thyme Leaved Speedwell, Heath Bedstraw, Flowering Water Lillies etc...
Birds: Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Green Woodpecker (2)....
Other Insects: Lots of Cinnabar Caterpillers on Ragwort.. (Please click over photos to enlarge)


Monday 6 July 2009

Additions of Moth, Flora & Fungi Species to the Grane List.

I have only just come across some very old records for Haslingden Grane which I was probably given in the 1970s but sadly the Flora & Fungi contributor remains anonymous because I just cannot remember who submitted them, and the Alden Moth list was recorded by Bernard Dunn in the 1970s (thank you Bernard)...I will shortly integrate them to within the Grane List....

Fungi species (Contributor anonymous):
Clavulinopsis heludola, Paxillus involutus Brown Moll-reiss), Hygrocybe conica (Conical Waxcap), Hygrocybe coccinea (Scarlet-Hood), Hygrocybe psittacine (Parrot Waxcap), Collybia maculata (Spotted Tough-shank), , Laccaria laccata (Deceiver), Boletus grevillei (Larch Bolete), Auricularia mesenterica (Tripe Fungus), Panellus mitis, Panellus semiovatus, Calocera palli dospathulata, Ascoconyne sareoides, Ganoderma adspessum, Oudemansiella radicata (Rooting Shank), Amanita unginata (Grissette), Russula ochroleuca (Common Yellow Russula), Russula mairei (Beechwood sickener).

Flora species (Contributor anonymous):
Angelica (Angelica sylvestris), Hogweed (Heroicleum sphoridylium), Stitchwort (Stellaria), Marsh Stitchwort (Stellaria Palustris), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Hawkweed (Hieracium), Marsh Violet (Viola palustris) Lady's Mantle (Alchemilia vulgaris), Common Valerian (Valeriana officissatris), Herb Robert (Geranium robertiancum), Golden Saxifrage (Chrysoplessiein), Water Pepper (Polygorium hydropiper) Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), Honeysuckle (Loricera periclymenium), Golden Rod (Solidago virgaurea), Wood-Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Sheep's Sorrel (Russex autosella), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Bilberry Vaccinium (myrtillis) Tormentil (Potesstilla erecta), Heath Bedstraw (Galium Saxatile), Autumn Hawkbit (Leontodon autumnalis), Rosebay Willowberb (Epilobium assgust.folium) Wall Lettuce (Mycelis muralis) Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) Upland Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus) Wild Cherry (Prussus avium) Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyssa), Hawthorn (Crataegus Laevigata), Rowan (Sorbus ancuparia)

Reeds, Grasses or Ferns (Contributor anonymous)
Woodrush (Luzula sp), Soft Rush (Juncus effusus), Toad Rush (Juncus bufossius), Remote Sedge (Carese remota), Oval Sedge (Carese ovalis), Hard Fern (Blechnum spirant)

Moths recorded in Alden by Bernard Dunn during the 1970's
Short Cloaked Moth, Swallowtail, Suphur, Beautiful Golden Y., Silver Y, Hebrew Character, Dark Arches, Swallow Prominent, Yellow Underwing, Northern Spinach, Wood Tiger, Garden Tiger, Poplar Hawkmoth, Deaths Head Hawkmoth, Ghost Swift, Carpet, Pale Brindled Beauty, Angle Shades, Mottled Umber, Snout, Nutmeg, Burnished Brass, Mapwing Swift, Grey Chey, Clouded Drab, Elephant Hawkmoth (1971).