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2008 Scottish BSBI Field Meeting Programme
The full list of field meetings can be downloaded as a pdf (43kB); this document also contains useful contact email address.
SUNDAY 11th MAY 2008 Leader: Clare O’Reilly Basic introduction to vegetative grass identification. This training day includes a morning classroom session in the National Museum of Rural Life Visitor Centre. This will cover the vegetative differences between the grass, sedge and rush families and vegetative characters used to identify grasses. In the afternoon there will be field work on the adjacent NTS Kittochside Farm to practice using a key to identify common vegetative grasses in a range of habitats. Resources for vegetative grass identification will be compared and evaluated. The leader is a trained adult education teacher and the day will be carefully structured, aiming at complete beginners, but with tuition differentiated to suit more experienced attendees. Participant standard: No previous knowledge of grasses is required. Please book with Mrs Dot Dahl, Easter Ballindalloch, Glen Lednock, Comrie, Perthshire PH6 2LY, who has kindly agreed to take bookings on behalf of the leader, as places are limited. Further details, including accommodation listings, will be provided on booking. SUNDAY 18th MAY 2008 Leaders: Jim McIntosh & Douglas McKean Holyrood Park’s dramatic hills and crags give Edinburgh its distinctive skyline. They also provide grassland habitats for a remarkably diverse and interesting flora. We hope to see species such as Adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum), Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna), Spring Cinquefoil (Potentilla tabernaemontani) amongst many others. Historic Scotland manage the park and we anticipate that one of their rangers would be able to talk about its conservation management. The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning and we would particularly welcome anyone who has not been on a BSBI field meeting before. Rail & bus stations within reasonably short walking distance. Places will be limited. For further information, and to book, please get in touch with Mrs Dot Dahl, Easter Ballindalloch, Glen Lednock, Comrie, Perthshire PH6 2LY who has kindly agreed to take bookings on behalf of Jim McIntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer. SATURDAY 14th JUNE 2008 Leaders: Jim McIntosh & Martin Robinson "The Pass is extremely narrow between high mountains, with the Garry running beneath in a deep, dark fome, and a rocky channel overhung with trees, forming a scene of horrible grandeur" wrote Thomas Pennant in 1769. This meeting aims to explore the wildflowers inhabiting this ancient woodland gorge. We hope to see many interesting species such as Bird’s-nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Common Wintergreen (Pyrola minor) and Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis). The site is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and they have kindly offered to say a few words about its management. The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning wildflower identification and recording using field recording cards. We can arrange to pick up from nearby Pitlochry, where there are rail and bus connections. Meet at the NTS Visitor Centre car park. As places will be limited please book. To do so, or for further information, contact Mrs Dot Dahl, Easter Ballindalloch Glen Lednock, Comrie, Perthshire PH6 2LY who has kindly agreed to take bookings on behalf of Jim McIntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer. FRIDAY 20th - SUNDAY 22nd JUNE 2008 Leaders: Dave Lang & Jim McIntosh This two day meeting is aimed to help the Vice-county Recorder cover the rich and diverse habitats in the south of Ayrshire, using the delightful seaside town of Girvan as a base. Whilst the focus will be on tetrad recording, there will be ample opportunity to see some of the area’s specialities including Isle of Man Cabbage (Coincya monensis subsp. monensis), Oysterplant (Mertensia maritima) and Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna). There are rail & bus connections to Girvan. The meeting sets off promptly at 09:30 on Saturday morning. We would be pleased to meet up with any members who might wish to travel on the Friday for dinner on that evening. For further information, about accommodation, etc, and to book, please get in touch with Dave Lang at Flat 3/3, 6 Windsor Street, Woodside, Glasgow G20 7NA. SATURDAY 12th JULY 2008 Leader: Jim McIntosh A one day meeting to explore the wetland habitats of the mainland part of Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve, where the main tributory to Loch Lomond – the Endrick disgorges. We hope to see interesting species such as Scottish Dock (Rumex aquaticus), Tufted Loosestrife (Lysimachia thrysiflora) and Cowbane (Cicuta virosa). If water levels are low there is also the possibility of seeing a number of interesting aquatic species. The site is managed by SNH and we hope that their warden can accompany us and will say a few words about site management. For more information visit the Loch Lomond NNR web pages.The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning and we would particularly welcome anyone who has not been on a BSBI field meeting before. We can arrange to pick up members up from Balloch railway station. For further information, and to book, please get in touch with Mrs Dot Dahl, Easter Ballindalloch, Glen Lednock, Comrie, Perthshire PH6 2LY who has kindly agreed to take bookings on behalf of Jim McIntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer. FRIDAY 18TH JULY to MONDAY 21ST JULY Leader: Ken Butler Four full days to explore different aspects of the north-most mainland vice-county. Dunnet Head is an exposed high peaty headland with Alpine Bearberry (Arctous alpinus) and Prostrate Juniper (Juniperus communis ssp. nana). Munsary is one of the reserves of the flow country with peatland pool systems and a site for Marsh Saxifrage (Saxifraga hirculus). We can visit one of the east coast river valleys where many species reach their northern limit and spend a day on sandy, species-rich dune links where Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus) and Scottish Primrose (Primula scotica) abound. We can also see speciality sites for the Estuarine Sedge (Carex recta), the Scottish Smallreed (Calamagrostis scotica) and the Curved Sedge (Carex maritima). There are regular rail and bus services to Thurso from Inverness. The Caithness Community website gives leads to accommodation and services. Please book with Ken Butler, Seaside Cottage, Thurso East, Caithness, KW14 8HN. SATURDAY 26th JULY to SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST Leader: Malcolm Ogilvie The main purpose is to carry out a botanical survey of the RSPB's Loch Gruinart reserve, with an emphasis on wetland plants. There are extensive ditches and wetlands on the reserve and the only full survey was carried out 25 years ago. Wetland species found there, which have only been found at Gruinart or are rare elsewhere on the island, include Ranunculus baudotii, Apium inundatum, Potamogeton berchtoldii and Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani. Since the early 1990’s some areas have been bunded so that water levels can be altered seasonally to encourage birdlife, and some fences replaced by ditches. One point of the survey will be to discover what new species have been gained and what may have declined or disappeared. Other habitats that can be covered during the week include groups of dubh lochans and a substantial area adjacent to the reserve of dunes. There will also be opportunities for botanising other botanically rich and special areas across the island, including sites for Epipactis palustris and Cirsium dissectum. For further information and to book, please contact Malcolm Ogilvie, Glencairn, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, PA49 7UN Phone: 01496-850218. Fax: 0870-164-1397. FRIDAY 8TH TO MONDAY 11th AUGUST Leader: Martin Robinson This meeting, which will run from Friday morning to Monday evening, is for those who enjoy fieldwork with a real purpose. Tetrad-recording is a new venture for this vice county, and there is, of course, a vast amount to do and your help will be invaluable to the v.c. Recorder. This meeting will concentrate on some of the finest areas in the vice-county, and will be mostly in the hills, but easier more accessible sites can be offered as well if necessary. It will be an opportunity to see some of the fascinating alpine species in this interesting area and there is definitely scope for finding new sites for some of them. For example Saxifraga nivalis turned up as recently as 2005, despite the area being quite well botanised. Accommodation will likely be in the recently refurbished Old Schoolhouse at the base of Glenshee which offers good ‘youth hostel’ style self catering accommodation for about 20 people at a very reasonable rate. Further details from Martin Robinson, Dalreoch Farm, Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 7PF; tel: 01250 881477. (J.Squirrell) Last updated : October 29, 2007 |
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