This Blog covers nature sightings and related news in the Calderdale area.
It includes all groups - Plants, animals and fungi with links to specialist sites.
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Sunday 18 September 2011

Birds and plants at Dean Clough

Dipper and Grey Wagtail were present on the beck outside Dean Clough cafe today, as they often are.
I had never noticed watercress there before. Perhaps it has escaped from the cafe! Also a smaller floating plant, possibly blinks ( Montia fontana.) Water plants are difficult to identify, many being very similar due to convergent evolution. These two could get washed away in times of high water.

Watercress occurs in a field pond at Oats Royd, near Holmfield, and was in great quantity in a ditch at West Vale, east of the garden centre, below the wall next to the main rd., till it was cleaned out. The plants gave shelter to a Water Shrew which could be watched feeding if you looked over the wall. The plants and animal could return.

Coincidentally, there has been a water shrew sighting in a small stream near the pond with watercress at Oats Royd. 


2 comments:

  1. I have found a large patch of watercress at Northowram this week,I found a small caterpillar on the watercress which has eluded identification at the moment.?? Is watercress common in Calderdale as I dont think Ive seen it before.????

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  2. Hi Andy
    Thanks for the information.
    According to "The Flora of the Parish of Halifax" F.K. Murgatroyd. 1995
    Water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)is infrequent in streams, ditches and mill dams: Luddenden Foot; Cottonstones; BoulderClough Lumbutts; Elland.

    The exact location would be useful for our records.

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