Species Recording Day brings renewed interest in Ainslie Park

Organised by North East Lincolnshire Council ecologists and members of the Lincolnshire Naturalists’ Union, the primary aim of the event was to record the number and species of developing wildlife that have sprung up in the park. It also offered the opportunity for visitors to see the site and chat with local environmentalists about the importance of its development.

Thirty nine records of species were handed in by 10 people who had not taken part in these events before.

The park, formerly a cemetery, has partially flooded giving rise to permanent and temporary standing water fed by a blow-well, with marginal reedmace, reeds and rough grassland. There is standing dead timber and newly-arrived willow scrub, all of which is contributing to the wetland habitat evolving naturally.

Rachel Graham, NELC Ecology Manager, was joined by Ecology colleagues, Abi Sheriden. Sian Niblo and Coastal Ranger Josh Forrester, who set up a canopy as a base for the event.

They took along a digital microscope to allow close-up views of aquatic invertebrates from the blow well water body, which was unusually low because of the hot, dry weather. Visitors could also view a pictorial record of the fungi of the Grimsby blow-well sites produced by Tim Bruning, County Recorder, and there was a small selection of pictures representing the 200 plant species recorded at Ainslie Park over the last year.

LNU President Colin Smith released a selection of larger moths onto the rough bark of a tree next to the canopy, including several assorted ‘hawks’, and these attracted a good deal of attention.

Richard Davison, County Recorder, brought in a specimen of the striking red and black parasite fly Eriothrix rufomaculata, which is a new site record.

Jenna Ashford, Freshwater Ecologist and Environmental Monitoring Officer, (Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire) Environment Agency, was also on hand to offer advice, and Sarah Teasel, Trainee Officer, Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project, provided a tray of aquatic invertebrates and a supply of bug pots for the public to see.

Visitors were interested in the on-going management of the blow-well. The high water-table meant that, despite the drought, there were still interesting flowers to explain to visitors, including the similarities and differences between hedge woundwort and black horehound, or the exotic flowers of the non-native purple iris, which has formed a margin to the pond, presumably from garden throw-outs.

A reed warbler sang from the reedbed and a blackcap was still in song in the developing scrub, while a great spotted woodpecker flew across the site, all of which demonstrated the developing ecology.

Rachel Graham, NELC’s Ecology Manager, said: “For the most part we like to leave our wildlife environments as undisturbed as possible to allow them to thrive naturally.

“As custodians of the wildlife and flora and fauna in our parks however, it is vital that we carry out species recording on a regular basis, which also helps us to identify any areas that may need management.

“We were happy to welcome lots of new faces to the event and a number of those expressed their interest in becoming species recorders. We would like to thank everyone who helped us to create records and we hope that they will join us again at future events.

“Combined with an event we held last September, we have now recorded 339 species at the park, with more still to be identified.

“It was a very interesting event that gave the public an insight into what is happening in Ainslie Park and enabled us to gain some useful information that will help us to work out how to continue the management and future designation of the park going forward,” she said.

Cllr Henry Hudson, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said: “Thank you to members of the public for volunteering their time to help us with vital recording of the different species that are thriving now in Ainslie Park.

“Events like these ensure that we can identify any management of these special environments that may be required to protect and enhance them, and they also give local people the chance to see why these habitats are so important.”