Archive

2013

Saturday 11th May 10am. What's Happening at Wharncliffe? 5 trustees and 5 members of the public met for a walk through Wharncliffe Heath Nature Reserve, to assess the "state of play" regarding the management of the reserve. Most of the time was spent in the large Western enclosure, where glade creation had taken place in 2010. These areas had been created around some splendid old coppiced oaks, to let in more light, partly so that a wood-pasture or heathland ground flora could develop. The first positive signs of this happening were seen. In areas not covered by bracken litter young heather, wavy hair-grass and heath bedstraw were found. We hope these glades will become important for many unusual insects as well as birds such as Pied Flycatcher and Redstart. On moving up to the current heath above the crags, management to maintain this type of habitat was discussed,. A group of  9 Crossbills were a delight as they sat in a nearby birch tree for a conveniently long time. Thanks to all those who turned up and contributed to discussions that will guide future management.

Sunday 7th April  11am. Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. On a very pleasant day 5 trustees and 2 volunteers completed clearing the remaining birch scrub from the Southern enclosure, which brings the Winter management programme to a close (see Images). Now we await the arrival of the migrant birds and increased activity from all aspects of the natural world. One migrant, a Chiff-Chaff, was seen and heard singing. In addition the obligatory 2 Woodcock were flushed from the heath where the Linnets had returned and were singing. There were also "flyovers" by Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Siskins and 3 Crossbills. A big Thank you! to all the volunteers who helped us complete the Winter management programme.

Sunday 17th March  11am. Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. 4 trustees and 1 other volunteer did a sterling job knocking back the birch regrowth in the Southern enclosure. A flushed Woodcock and a flock of 22 Waxwings added extra interest on a cold but dry day. Thanks to all those who turned out.

2012

Sunday 25th November. Management Event at Wharncliffe Heath. Bash the Birch!  Following a night of continuous heavy rain, 5 trustees slipped, splashed and waded up the path from Deepcar to the heath. Fortunately the clouds were soon blown away and then the wind dropped to produce another lovely autumn day. The whole of the southern enclosure to the North of the dissecting path was cleared of scrub. A Woodcock was flushed, and a single Crossbill was heard overhead. A few sheep kept a wary eye on our activities.

Sunday 18th November. Management Event with University of Sheffield Conservation Volunteers. 7 UoS volunteers joined some of the trustees on a glorious sunny morning, to tackle the birch scrub developing in the Northern enclosure. After much pleasant but aerobic work the job was finished and everyone gingerly found their way back to the path over the slippery boulders. Some of the sheep came to keep us company and to feed on the newly cut birch, and a Woodcock was flushed from the heather. A hearty Thank you! to all the students who turned up. Now that you know where the reserve is, we hope you will revisit in the future.

Saturday 13^th October.  Inspection of bat boxes in woodland on the reserve.  Members of the public joined with members of South Yorks Bat Group and WHT to inspect a total of 53 bat boxes located in the woodland of the Wharnciffe Heath Local Nature Reserve.  On the way up to the reserve a single Daubenton’s bat was found in a crack of an old railway bridge.  In the woodland three boxes were found to contain two species of bats. One wooden box contained at least six Natterer’s bats.  A second box located nearby contained at least 21 Natterer’s bats.  A third box contained at least 13 Brown Long-eared bats. Representative bats were moved temporarily for inspection and data collection (see Images).

In the evening 9 people reconvened for a walk at dusk to record bat activity. The weather was quite cool, but Natterer's were heard leaving the boxes, with a couple of bat sorties detected over the nearby pond. Thanks to all those participating, especially Jim Flanagan and Anna McGrath, with Rob Bell and Jonathan Moore from SYBG. Probably the most successful bat day we have had!

Sunday 9th September. Bash the Birch! On a glorious late Summer's day, 7 volunteers and trustees tackled the birch regrowth in the Northern enclosure. With loppers and bow saws hard at work, a sizeable area was cleared on a part of the heath not normally visited by any other than our livestock. They had been busy, with many saplings showing signs of extensive grazing. The mixture of green bracken and purple heather was a pleasure to behold, with the odd lizard seen darting for cover. I hope everyone had a great time. There is no doubt that a combination of the hot weather, rough terrain and hard work was quite tiring, so a big thank you to all participants.

Tuesday 24th July. Batty about Newts. An amazing 39 people turned up in the evening for this event. We were all extremely  lucky with the weather, it being one of very few warm and balmy evenings this Summer. And the wildlife obliged, too! Nightjar, newts, bats (Daubenton's and Common Pipistrelle at least), dragonfly larvae and even young Tawny Owls all made an appearance and were either seen or heard by the assembled throng. All-in-all a very successful evening, so a big thank you to all those who turned out and helped to make it so memorable.

Tuesday 29th May. Nightjar back at Wharncliffe Heath. Male Nightjar churring, wing-clapping with the odd (very odd!) frog call from 21.50. Still going strong at 22.20. Woodcock continuously roding over the heath, too.

Sunday 27th May. Dawn Chorus Walk. Nine people gathered on Station Road Deepcar at the unearthly hour of 4.30am. But what a perfect morning! Clear skies and only a slight breeze left everyone feeling optimistic. And eyes were shortly opened by the sight of a Tawny Owl, followed by Blue Tits feeding chicks in a hole in a nearby tree. But after that the ears became much more important as the leafy canopy prevented most good views. It was soon apparent that it is a very good year for Blackcap in the woods and Willow Warbler on the heath. Most of the expected woodland and heathland birds were heard in the woods and seen and heard on the heath, most notably Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Linnet, Curlew and even a distant Cuckoo. Many thanks go to Andrew Hill for his expert leadership, bird id skills and descriptions of the birds and their natural history. It was all well worth the early start!

Saturday 12th May. What's Happening at Wharncliffe? 8 participants took the opportunity for a stroll around Wharncliffe Heath nature reserve and a discussion on how the reserve is being managed and the plans for the future. This included visiting the heathland, the surrounding woodland, and new areas of birch felling and grazing aimed at increasing habitat for scarce birds such as Nightjar, Tree Pipit, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher as well as reptiles and many other species. The reasons why Wharncliffe Crags is a geological SSSI and for the designation as a Schedule 1 Ancient Monument were also discussed. I think everyone agreed that we are very lucky to have an area of such rich environmental and historical diversity.

Sunday 8th April. Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. Continuing last weekend's good work, cutting back some of the birch saplings on the heath to allow the smaller plants such as heather to flourish and provide habitat for all those heath-loving insects, reptiles and birds. 5 participants helped to cut back the birch regrowth on the heath, ready for the birds and the livestock to return. We have left some to do in the autumn but the site is looking good and we await the return of Tree Pipits, Linnets and Nightjar. Willow Warblers had just returned and could be heard singing on the heathland fringe. Many thanks to all those who have participated in the work events over the past winter season.

Sunday 1st April. Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. Although our livestock do a great job at munching through young trees, occasionally they need a bit of help. 4 participants cut birch regrowth while one of the trustees increased the width of the fire breaks with a strimmer. We were treated to great views of raptors displaying on the up-currents generated by the spring sunshine.

Sunday 25th March. Raze the Rhodo at Wharncliffe Heath. A second chance to help control Rhododendron ponticum which is spreading on the reserve to the detriment of native species. Once again we were very lucky with the weather, and 6 participants worked up a sweat lopping and sawing to the sound of Chiffchaffs singing in the wood and a visit from the first lamb of the year. Thanks to everyone involved.

Sunday 11th March. Raze the Rhodo at Wharncliffe Heath. An absolutely gorgeous day more like June than March, enjoyed by 10 participants who cut and hacked their way through some tough bushes. The cut material was burnt so as not to be hazardous to the sheep, which provided an opportunity to bake and consume some spuds at the end of the day. 6 soaring Common Buzzards and a Peregrine fly-past added to the day. A very big "thank-you" to all those involved. 

2011

Sunday 13th November. Action at Agden Bog. Agden Bog is a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve which needs grazing by livestock to enhance its value as a home to small and sensitive bog plants such as Round-leaved Sundew and Heath Spotted Orchid. We have previously agreed with YWT to help them with the management of this site. The day was foggy and damp, as 9 people in total started to clear the proposed fence line of tree and scrub cover. The work was virtually completed by the end of the day, thanks to a great deal of hard but satisfying work, and the presence of a chain-saw. A couple of breaks from the sawing and lopping allowed us to see Common Buzzard and a flock of Siskin, and hear Crossbills through the fog. Some lucky individuals also flushed a Woodcock and watched as it pretended to have a broken leg and wing before proving that this was not the case by flying off. Thanks to all those who took part, and particularly to the staff of YWT for overseeing the event and operating the chain-saw.

Sunday 23rd October. Fungal Foray at Wharncliffe Heath. On a beautiful autumnal Sunday morning, 17 people turned up at Wharncliffe Woods to meet local mycologist Ziggy Senkans. We barely got into the woods before the first fungus was spotted growing on birch, Piptoporus betulinus, Birch Polypore or Razor Strap. This is one of the most common polypores. It is not edible but “Ötzi” the 5,300 year old ice-man mummy was found to be carrying this species which he may have valued for its antibiotic properties, but as its name suggests, may have been used for sharpening blades. The biggest fruiting body found was that of the Penny Bun (Boletus edulis) which is very good to eat. The smallest found was that of the Lemon Disco (Bisporella citrina). The fruiting bodies are just 0.5 – 3mm across and bright yellow, but not edible. A good time was had by all. A full list of species from the morning will be on the website in due course. Joint event with Sorby Natural History Society.

Sunday 16th October. Raze the Rhodo! Rhododendron ponticum may have pretty pink flowers but it is a beast and an alien. It smothers other plants and prevents regeneration for a while even after it has been removed. A group of 9 met on a beautiful warm and sunny autumn day. A large patch of Rhodo under the crags was tackled with loppers and saws, and the cut material was burnt on site, as it is toxic to livestock. A lot of hard work resulted in major clearance, but there is still much more for us to tackle in the future. The regrowth from the cut stumps will be sprayed with herbicide next year. 3 soaring Buzzards were over the crags as we walked back down at the end of the day. Thanks to all who came along and worked so hard. Joint event with The Steel Valley Project.

Wednesday 12th October. Small Mammal Survey at Wharncliffe Heath. Local mammal expert Derek Whiteley helped us set 23 humane Longworth and Sherman traps the previous evening, all stocked with bedding and food. The following morning 8 participants including Derek convened to see what had been caught overnight. The result was just one male Wood Mouse, caught in the Barnsley corner of surrounding woodland. Derek showed us how to safely retrieve the animal from the trap, and how to sex and weigh it before returning it to the wild. Joint event with Sorby Natural History Society.

Sunday 2nd October.  Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. This event was planned as a Rhododendron bash but that requires that we burn the cuttings. Due to the unusally dry and warm spell we decided it would be safer to cut some more birch instead. Seven participants continued the good start made on 18th September. Much hard work and good companionship ensued, highlighted by views of Goshawk, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard cavorting over the nearby Height. Thanks to all those who took part on a very warm and humid day.

Sunday 18th September.  Bash the Birch on Wharncliffe Heath. Four volunteers worked hard to clear almost a hectare of birch scrub in the southern enclosure. Our livestock do a great job of keeping the heath open but do need a bit of help from time to time. Other than the fresh air and exercise the high spot was 4 Common Buzzards circling and wheeling overhead. This was a joint event with The Steel Valley Project.

Friday 15th July. Batty about Newts. 7 participants braved the drizzle and were rewarded by the sound of a male Nightjar on the heath, churring and flight-calling. A female Nightjar was also briefly seen. Back at the pond in the fading light a small grass snake was swimming, on the lookout for newts and hopefully goldfish. A loud splash alerted us to a large toad, disturbed by us and heading back into the pond for safety. Once the dusk had almost faded the torches came out and the bat detectors were turned on. Many Palmate Newts and their larvae were seen beneath the surface. In particular the number of "newtpoles" was outstanding and suggested that it had been a good breeding year. On the down side, very few large dragonfly larvae were spotted. This could be the result of many dragonflies emerging early this year, or might suggest predation by the now resident population of goldfish. Common Pipistrelles were the only species of bat to be identified, flying in the tree canopy above the pond. The trustees present certainly enjoyed the evening, and hope that members of the public did too.

Saturday 18th June. What's happening at Wharncliffe? This evening visit entailed a walk around areas of the nature reserve that have recently seen changes, with both trustees and members of the public forming a group of 10 people. The new glades below the crags were visited, which were created to allow the old pollarded oaks more space and light and to provide new habitat for birds and insects. One of the trustees located a nearby charcoal-burning platform, thereby creating a link between the old coppiced oaks and the traditional smelting industries of the region. The group then moved on to the top of Wharncliffe Crags to see the effect of grazing in the area, where a mosaic of open areas and heather-dominated vegetation is creating the type of habitat required for many insects as well as birds and reptiles. Some of the group then stayed on until dusk and were finally rewarded by the sounds of a churring Nightjar among the many Woodcock flyovers. A big thank you to all those who took part. 

Monday 30th May. Good views of a male Nightjar on Wharncliffe Heath 21.25-22.00. Churring, wing-clapping and flight calls were seen and heard. At one point the bird was hassled by a Tawny Owl. Was the Nightjar nearly on the menu? At least 3 roding Woodcock were also seen overhead (AH, DJB).

Saturday 28th May. Dawn Chorus walk in Wharncliffe Heath LNR. Nine early risers saw a breezy and cloudy dawn. It was well worth the effort, with 27 bird species being seen or heard. These included 5 red-listed species of conservation concern (Song Thrush, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Linnet and Spotted Flycatcher), and 3 on the amber list (Willow Warbler, Curlew and Redstart). Together with the red-listed Nightjar and amber-listed Woodcock, which are known from survey work to breed on the reserve, this illustrates how important a local nature reserve can be at helping to preserve bird populations. Andrew Hill did a great job explaining the differences between songs and calls of difficult species, and explaining aspects of their behaviour and habitat requirements. A big Thank you! to all those who came along, including the 2 hardy and patient junior participants.

Saturday 26th March. A second day of working with the Don District Explorer Scouts, with help from the Steel Valley Project joined by trustees and members of the public. We were once again lucky with the weather, which made the tasks of cutting back Rhododendron ponticum and birch much more pleasant.  A big thank you to those involved, especially the younger members of the group who demonstrated great enthusiasm.

Saturday 12th March. Conservation Event with the Don District Explorer Scouts. We were lucky with the weather when members of the public joined the Explorers and some trustees for a little constructive destruction, with support from the Steel Valley Project. The day was a success, with the entire southern enclosure being cleared of birch scrub. The weather was kind, and overflying Curlew and Lapwing reminded us that spring was just round the corner. A very big thank you to those involved, especially the Explorers who worked really hard and appeared to be having a good time.

2010

Sunday 24th October. Fruitful Fungal Foray. The 30+ strong party, young and old, enjoyed good weather, an abundance of fungi, autumn colours and the knowledge of local expert Ziggy Senkans, ably assisted by other fungus enthusiasts. The tour took in the woodland, crag edge and the heath, with Ziggy explaining the factors governing fungus distributions. Each new patch inspected brought requests for identifications and, where appropriate, cooking tips.  Whether novice or expert, naturalist or gourmet, everyone found something of interest and, where identifications were uncertain, there were lively debates. To cap an excellent event, Ziggy is compiling the current fungus species list for the reserve and this will be posted on the website when finished.

Sunday 17th October. Conservation Event. On a beautiful, golden autumnal day, 13 volunteers (including 9 from Sheffield University Conservation Volunteers) met to work on cutting birch.  Many small birch and some of the larger ones were removed from above the crags in the western enclosure. Andrew Hill advised leaving some of the bigger trees as they had been identified during the common bird census as song posts for tree pipits. Thank you to all who helped.

Wednesday 6th October. Small Mammal Survey. This was a joint event with Sorby Natural History Society, led by Derek Whiteley. The previous night 25 Longworth and Sherman traps had been set on the heath/woodland edge at Wharncliffe Heath LNR. 7 participants then convened to see what had been caught overnight, the answer being 2 Wood Mice and 1 Common Shrew. The shrew was unfortunately dead (despite there being a stock of dried mealworms still uneaten in the trap). Derek then demonstrated how to safely remove the mice from the traps, and how to sex and weigh them, before returning them safely to their territories. One of the Wood Mice was a mature male, the other a pregnant female, and both were in good condition.

Sunday 19th September. Management event at Agden Bog. On a day of showers and a stiff breeze 8 participants helped drag cut birch off this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust-managed nature reserve, inevitably up hill to a nearby firesite. Fresh air, good company and conversation, and the proximity of a very hot fire made it an enjoyable as well as worthwhile experience. A previously overshadowed area of the mire was cleared, providing potential habitat for Sphagnum, Sundews and Cranberry to colonise. A flock of Siskins stayed near us for most of the day, 2 Buzzards were seen and heard as well as frogs and toads at this most beautiful part of Sheffield.

Sunday 12th September. What's happening at Wharncliffe? 6 participants enjoyed a leisurely walk around Wharncliffe Heath LNR in the company of 3 of the Trust's trustees. Kay Dulieu described a short recent history of how and why the site became a Local Nature Reserve managed in partnership between the Trust and the owners, the Forestry Commission. Kay and Dave Buttle showed examples of the beneficial impact of low density grazing on heather and bracken stands, and visited an area recently cleared of birch to allow the development of some very old coppiced oaks. The two ponds were also visited as were some sites of archaeological interest.

Friday 23rd July. Batty about Newts. 17 participants, including a good number of the next generation of naturalists, took part in this evening event at Wharncliffe Heath LNR. While waiting for the sun to set we took a stroll onto the heath and enjoyed the view over Stocksbridge to the Pennines beyond, and briefly discussed some aspects of site management including the use of livestock to stem the growth of scrubby birch and oak, and to create a mosaic of different heathland habitats. Unfortunately the Nightjar(s) didn't show although they had been present earlier in the year, so we returned to the pond with torches, nets, trays and bat detectors at the ready. Many Palmate Newts, both adult and larval, were temporarily captured and allowed good views in the trays and torchlight. The number of dragonfly larvae caught was disappointingly low. Hopefully this is not linked to the hungry Goldfish that were spotted in the pond! A total of 4 species of bat were detected; Common and Soprano Pipistrelles and Daubentons over the pond and in the woodland, and a single Noctule hunting over the heath. Altogether a wonderful evening enhanced by the exuberant enthusiasm of the younger attendees.

Saturday 5th June. Invertebrates of Wharncliffe Heath and Woods. Jim Flanagan led a group of six through the woods surrounding Wharncliffe Heath and across the Heath itself on a very warm day. It is remarkable what diversity is revealed by a simple sweep of a net through the grass or a quick beat of a few oak boughs. However neither of these techniques was required to reveal Green Tiger Beetles which were very active on the paths along the crags and across the Heath. The open sandy areas along the paths were punctured with the symmetrical burrows made by species of solitary wasps and bees which require such warm sunny open areas to breed and develop. A large furry caterpillar on the heath turned out to be the distinctive larva of the heather-feeding Oak Eggar Moth, as distinctive as a larva as it is as an adult.  A welcome sight was the Brown Silver-line - a moth that feeds on Bracken!  Along the crags was found the very striking Wasp Longhorn Beetle, which was a new addition to the reserve species list.  Other species were also found new to the reserve so many thanks to Jim for leading this very pleasant and educational
walk.

Thurs 27th May. Nightjar briefly churring and wing-clapping near the crags on Wharncliffe Heath LNR just before 22.00. A probable second bird (female?) also present. A few Woodcock roding too.

Sunday 23rd May. Dawn Chorus Walk. 10 early risers convened at 4.30am for this Sheffield Environment Week event expertly led by Andrew Hill. We were very lucky (again!) with the weather. It was an absolutely glorious sunny and warm spring morning and the birds were in full song in the woodland around Wharncliffe Heath. Perhaps the highlights were 3 Spotted Flycatchers which gave very clear renditions of their song which is usually so easily missed. Two others that can be missed, Treecreeper and Goldcrest, were also vociferous and allowed us to pick out the differences between their songs. On the heath we were treated to the song and displays of a number of Tree Pipits. Interactions between the individuals suggested that they had not yet fully defined their territories. Many thanks to all those attending, and particularly to Andrew for leading the event.

Sunday 7th March. Beat the Rhodo! 19 participants turned out for this, the last of our "conservation days" of the winter. We were blessed with a glorious day of wall-to-wall.sunshine and no wind, and a number of invasive Rhododendron ponticum bushes were cut and burnt. The job was done in time to allow a look at the new glades being created around some old coppiced oaks below the crags. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Sunday 7th February. Conservation Day at Agden Bog. It was a real pleasure (and a challenge) to work on this lovely hillside mire. 18 participants cut, dragged and burned trees and saplings on the reserve. The trampling as well as the removal of shade and nutrient-promoting vegetation should have helped to break up the tussocks and allow more space for Sphagnum, Sundews and all the other tiny bog specialists to grow. Hopefully later this year this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve will be fenced and extensively grazed to keep the sward more open. A big Thank You to all those who turned up and worked so hard.

Sunday 24th January. Beat the Birch! 11 volunteers worked all day in the Northern Enclosure of Wharncliffe Heath and did a magnificent job. The weather was thankfully quiet, as was the wildlife apart from 5 flushed Woodcock and a possible sighting of a Weasel. A big thank you to all those involved. Joint event with Steel Valley Project http://www.thesteelvalleyproject.info/

2009

Sunday 15th November. Work Party. 8 participants including 3 "juniors" helped with further clearance of birch scrub and regrowth in the Northern Enclosure (see Wharncliffe Heath LNR), often under the watchful eye of a flock of Shetland and Hebridean sheep!. Once again we were blessed with a fine sunny day.  Thanks to all those who took part. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Sunday 18th October. Work Party. 20 participants including 13 University of Sheffield Conservation Volunteers cut birch saplings in the Northern enclosure, including one of the areas used for monitoring the impact of grazing on vegetation. In the afternoon we undertook a "walk-through" the Western enclosure in order to confirm that there were no grazing animals left in there. I think all would agree that the terrain made this much easier to say than to do! Three areas surrounding some old coppiced oaks in the woodland below the crags were also marked up for birch clearance to allow the oaks more space and light. All-in-all a very productive day, and once again we were lucky with the weather! Thanks go to all those involved. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust..

Saturday 10th October. Small Mammal Survey. 21 participants including 13 University Conservation Volunteers watched as 10 traps were opened in the wood and rides with no success. However 3 of 8 traps set on the heath revealed 2 Wood Mice and a Bank Vole. Derek Whiteley then demonstrated the art of holding, weighing, ageing and sexing the animals before others also had a go. The animals were then quickly released. The immature male Wood Mouse weighed in at 16g, and the immature female at 20g. The male Bank Vole turned out to be a mature adult weighing 24g. All appeared to be in good condition (see Images). The beautiful weather and regular fly-pasts by at least 2 Ravens added to a very enjoyable way to start the weekend. All thanks go to Derek Whiteley from Sorby NH Society for expert guidance.

Sunday 20th September. Work Party.  12 volunteers turned up to cut birch in the Northern enclosure on a lovely warm day. The Heath looked beautiful in the sunshine with the bracken and the birch just starting to turn golden. Most of the birch was fairly small and was tackled with loppers. A buzzard was seen flying overhead and a number of interesting fungi were spotted. Thank you to those involved. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Friday 24th July.  Batty about Newts. 32 torch-bearers took part in this introduction to some of the wildlife that lives in and over the dam pond and on the heath. Woodcock and Nightjar finally showed well and provided entertainment until the glorious sunset had faded and light was sufficiently low to allow the use of torches, dipping nets and bat detectors at the pond. Palmate newts were seen by everyone and caught (and returned) by some of the young enthusiasts, though the number of dragonfly larvae was disappointingly low (good news for the newts!). Common Pipistrelles were heard and seen in the tree canopy over the pond, but we had to wait until our return to the R. Don to hear Daubenton's. A single Soprano Pipistrelle was heard in the woodland near the pond. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Sunday 12th July. Bat Box Monitoring. Licensed bat expert Sarah Proctor and 3 volunteers investigated the bat boxes in the woodland at Wharncliffe Heath nature reserve. Many boxes were found with evidence of previous bat occupation, as well as bird's nests and the odd wasp's nest. 2 bats were found, which turned out to be a Common Pipistrelle and a Soprano Pipistrelle (see Images), both males. Differences in appearance of these closely related species were noted before the bats were carefully returned to their respective boxes.

Friday 29th May. Male and female Nightjar showing very well on Wharncliffe Heath. Frog calls, wing clapping and churring by the male. Both seen in flight together between 21.57 and 22.15

Sunday 24th May. Dawn Chorus Walk led by Jim Clarke and Andrew Hill. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust. The 13 that were present were treated to the start of a beautiful early summer's day. We really could not have been luckier! Jim and Andrew proceeded to point out the different instruments in the dawn orchestra. The thrushes (4 of them) and Robins were easy, the pigeons familiar to everyone and the Wrens incessant. We were treated to less obvious players, identified for us. No fewer than 5 Spotted Flycatcher were heard, and the increasingly scarce Wood Warbler. The call of the Garden Warbler sounded like a Grey Squirrel and was the best way to distinguish it from Blackcap. Local heathland favourites Linnet, Tree Pipit host and Cuckoo parasite were seen and heard. Altogether a glorious morning and well worth the early start.

Sunday 10th May.  The Geology of Wharncliffe. 21 people gathered at Station Rd, Deepcar for a walk onto the Crags to discover more about the geology of the area from Ken Dorning.  The geology was literally laid bare by huge excavations at a development site close to Station Road.  The beds of sandstones, shales and, best of all, a coal seam were clearly visible. On top of the Crags, we were able to look with new eyes at the familiar ripples and ruckles of the rocks, as the evidence of events that took place on a sand-bank on a river delta one day about three hundred million years ago. We also discovered that the oldest feature in the landscape is not the crags, nor even the valley below.  Astonishingly, it is possible that the River Don has been flowing down a valley in the same position as the present one, but a full mile higher, since the Cretaceous period. It has been gradually wearing its way through all those layers of sandstone, shale and coal. Thanks to Ken we were amazed again at the story in the rocks around us. Organised as part of Sheffield Environment Weeks.

Sunday 22nd March. Work Party. Six volunteers cleared almost a hectare of developing birch scrub and some small Rhododenron ponticum bushes on this, the last work party this Spring and a joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust. Thank you to all involved in the monitoring and management events this Winter.

Sunday 15th March. Work Party. Four volunteers cut rhododendron and cleared about 0.5ha of maturing birch scrub on a wonderful spring day. Ravens, kestrels and crossbills overhead and a Woodcock flushed, all of which added to the entertainment.  Joint event with Steel Valley Project.

Sunday 22nd February. Work Party. Only two participants enjoyed the early spring weather while tackling Rhododendron ponticum and birch scrub. Spring was definitely in the air and the birch sap was starting to rise.

2008

Sunday 16th November. Bat box monitoring. Led by 2 bat licence holders, 5 participants monitored the 50 or so bat boxes scattered through the wood on the eastern fringe of Wharncliffe Heath. Many of the wooden boxes were found to be deteriorating and will need replacement. Just 2 bats were found, a Long-eared (see Images) and a (probably Common) Pipistrelle.

Sunday 2nd November. Work party. On a cold, misty and rainy morning, 4 hardy souls met on site to cut birch for the final work day of the year. Work continued until 3.00pm when the weather became worse. A photographic record was taken to show the 'before' and 'after'   - an incentive to keep turning up for work days even with such small numbers of participants! A large flock of redpoll was seen and this has been added to the Sheffield Biological Records Centre for the site. Joint event with Stocksbridge Valley Project

Saturday 18th October. Work party. 8 participants continued birch scrub clearance in the Northern enclosure and also undertook the annual vegetation monitoring programme. Joint event with Steel Valley Project. Great weather again.

Sunday 5th October. Work party. 25 participants, many from the University of Sheffield Conservation Volunteers, helped clear a large area of scrub in the Northern enclosure. Once again we were very lucky with the weather. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Sunday 21st September. Work party.  A group of 7 participants continued the clearance of the northern boulder slope. The day was very warm and sunny and the work quite hard but satisfying as the landscape gradually changed. Later in the day we attempted to round up the 2 remaining sheep in the western enclosure but without success. Why pay for gym subs when all this fresh air and exercise is free?

Sunday 7th September. Work party. A group of 7 volunteers meet up on Wharncliffe heath to clear birch from the northern boulder slope on the heath. This is an extremely difficult area to work due to the large boulders and crevasses many of which are hidden by heather or bracken, so everyone had to take great care. Some quite substantial trees were cleared particularly along the path near the electricity pylon. In addition a temporary repair was made to the fencing which had been damaged. The weather was warm and sunny for most of the day and work was only brought to an end at 3.30pm by a massive thunder storm. Thanks to all those who participated and to Sheffield Wildlife Trust for providing tea and biscuits throughout the day!

Wednesday 23rd July. Batty about newts. 27 participants heard Nightjar and Woodcock on the heath, Palmate Newt adults and tadpoles and hawker dragonfly larvae in the pond, and saw Common Pipistrelles and the occasional Daubenton's bats. We were very lucky with the weather!

Sunday 25th May. Dawn chorus walk around the reserve with Jim Clarke. 8 early risers were present for what proved to be a very enjoyable amble. All the common woodland birds were seen or heard other than Garden Warbler and Nuthatch. Among the listed species found to be probably breeding on the reserve were Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Bullfinch and Linnet. Finding 3 Wood Warbler territories (one on the reserve and the other two just the wrong side of the Plank Gate) was a particular pleasure.
 

Sunday 30th March. Work party. 4 hardy souls spent the day making some glades in the new enclosure below the crags. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.

Sunday 2nd March. Birch bash with Sheffield Wildlife Trust.  11 volunteers finished birch clearance in the southern enclosure. It is now ready for the sheep, cattle and birds to arrive!

2007

Sunday 2nd December. Birch bash with Sheffield Wildlife Trust. 15 volunteers continued the clearance of birch regrowth in the southern enclosure and helped the stockman round up some of the sheep for transportation to winter pastures.

Sunday 4th November.  Birch bash with Steel Valley Project. 6 volunteers carried on the job of clearing the birch regrowth in the southern enclosure and cleared brash from the newly cut firebreak.

Sunday 28th October. Find fungi at Wharncliffe. Joint event with Sheffield Wildlife Trust, led by Michael Senkans. The event attracted 20 participants who between them found and identified 46 species of fungi.

Sunday 7th October. Birch bash with Steel Valley Project. 7 volunteers continued the work in the Southern Enclosure and did fixed-point photography.

Sunday 2nd September. Birch bash with Sheffield Wildlife Trust. 7 hardy souls tackled the birch scrub in the Southern Enclosure.

Wednesday 25th July. An evening visit to Wharncliffe Heath LNR. 27 attendees discussed the management of the site and heard Nightjar churring before listening to 55kHz Pipistrelle and Daubenton's Bats hunting over the dam pond, and watching the numerous Palmate Newts and dragonfly larvae within its waters.

Monday 4th June. Very probably 2 male Nightjar active from 21.55 until 22.15 at least. Churring, frog calls, and wing-clapping suggested presence of female(s).

Saturday March 24th 2007. "Rhodo bash" at Wharncliffe Heath, with Sheffield Wildlife Trust. 10 volunteers helped to contain this alien invader (Rhododendron ponticum) which is poisonous to livestock and chokes surrounding vegetation.