Author Archives: Francis Hickenbottom

Over-Wintering Butterflies

I’ve been spending some time searching for waxcap mushrooms (Hygrocybe) whilst in West Wales. Today, I looked in the graveyard of the small chapel at Berea, near St Davids and I found something interesting. On some of the gravestones, there … Continue reading

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Fungi

The start to the fungus season has been a good one. Many fungi are emerging in lots of locations. Colin Booker and I took a walk at Walton Colliery Country Park and started finding many fungi as soon as we … Continue reading

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Fungal Finds

During a walk at Fitzwilliam Country Park, I came across some common puffballs (Lycoperdon perlatum). They were just pushing up through the moss and I thought they looked very striking. There were quite a few Russulas growing beneath silver birches … Continue reading

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Wrinkled Fieldcap

I was walking by the River Calder, near the Hepworth Gallery, when I spotted a mass of fungi on a pile of woodchips. I did my best to identify them using books but again needed the help of the British … Continue reading

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Insects at Hemsworth

After a train journey from the south of England, I stretched my legs by walking back to Hemsworth, from Fitzwilliam, using the scenic route. By the path, I found common green bottles feeding on hogweed and they were very striking … Continue reading

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A Visit to Brockadale

Colin Booker and I took a trip to Brockadale yesterday, with the expectation of seeing lots of butterflies. However, we found very few flowers on the knapweed and this was one reason why butterfly numbers were low. We saw a … Continue reading

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Peregrine Casualty

Unfortunately, one of this year’s young peregrines died earlier this week following a collision with a building. The female PCA was found near Sainsburys, Ings Road and was cared for by Jean Thorpe, of Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation. PCA was examined … Continue reading

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Carlton Marsh

Colin Booker and I visited Carlton Marsh nature reserve today. It was my first visit and I was impressed by the range of things to be seen. Early in the walk, we found a golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetle – minus … Continue reading

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Fledging of the Peregrines

The 2017 season has been another successful one for the Wakefield peregrines. The same two adults have now bred on the cathedral in three successive years. This year, they had four eggs, with the female laying the first egg within … Continue reading

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Peregrine Ringing, 2017

A big event on the peregrine calendar is the ringing of the peregrine chicks. This year’s ringing took place on Saturday, 27th May, when the youngsters were three weeks and four days old. The youngsters were collected from the nestbox … Continue reading

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