Greater Manchester Wildlife

I generally count tree/shrubs which have obviously produced natural saplings (either through seed germination or rhizomes). This is more liberal than my definitions for wild flowers but as you say Dave these trees are much longer term in the landscape.

I think a case could be made though for counting all trees as these days 'man' is the largest single agent for tree creation through planting...

Thing is to have a go. Its been an eye opener for myself how much goes on at your feet and so early. Peering at a cow pat to ID a dung fly was most certainly not the thing i would do last year but it now oddly seems perfectly ok and interesting thing to do. Many things like beetles can be difficult...many are just LBJ (Little Black Jobs) others are quite easy and distinctive.  Pics help for ID as mistakes will be made. We are after all amatuers.

I decided on the tetrad to focus on bugs because birds has been done here by much better than me and I've recorded lots of flowers here last year. Mushrooms for me are my fear. Dave and Henry can go for a trot and find and ID dozens many new to GM every week end. I'm lucky to find one that I can't ID, but I have a go.

It's all a learning curve and curiously addictive. I became fascinated and obsessed by the British Fresh Water Shrimp. The tetrad was infested by a slick American imposter, but I did find the British one so my patriotism was rewarded. Learning about life cycles and parasites is simply addictive.

Planning strategy is also engrossing from simply roving opportunisim to various forms of trapping. I'm concocting plans for moths and there are fresh water sponges in the canal so how the heck do you search for them.

And just don't get me started  on local history of the tetrad. This impacts on the natural history that is found. Lower Hinds is an akaline waste tip in a acidic area. It has already thrown up many rare plants like Wild Thyme so I assume insects as well. time will tell. There a number of abandoned farm sites as wel, even a prehistroric henge west of Crow Tree farm. The first might also throw up some particular species. So a quick check on old maps might throw up some intresting targets on all tetrads. 
 
The thing is have a go. If you can't ID it move on. There's plenty to go at that you can.

So if you see anyone peering at a cow pat now you know why.


-- Edited by IanB on Friday 18th of March 2011 12:51:54 AM

David Winnard wrote:

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I am getting very intrigued as to how many species;

a) together will be recorded from all tetrads, and,

b) how many species we could record in one year in GM?

Whilst I have neglected my tetrad (though it is a quiet one and plants and fungi will come later in the year) i am inspired by both Henry and Ian's efforts - keep it up!

Dave

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It has been passing my mind as well. On NBN gatway you can do tetrad species lists.

There are problems

The area listed are much larger than the smaller tetrad being searched.
Some of the records are historical ie Ancient.
Many things are not counted at all Earthworms Waterfleas and Fly through visitors


BUT it gives you a flavour of potential number of species to be spotted and a posibility that 1000 species should be achieved as well as turning up some rareities. That would take some doing with a average 20 new species each week.  

(Total for an area covering south Bury and Bolton totals is 2329 individual species listed. This includes 718 flowering plants, 218 Fungus and 802 Insects)

Yes can't wait

Found this on the Telegraph....