Nature in Abundance: Wyre Estuary BioBlitz 2024
I participated in the Wyre Estuary BioBlitz in Stanah, Lancashire. This nationwide event aims to discover as many species of plants, animals, and fungi as possible within a set location and time period.
Organised by Wyre Council and Wyre River Trust as part of The National BioBlitz Network, the event was a fantastic opportunity to learn and share knowledge about nature while recording biological data across the UK.
It was great to meet and talk to so many wonderful environmental experts who are passionate about wildlife conservation. I gained an abundance of knowledge to help me on my wildlife identification journey, which I feel like I’m just beginning.
iNaturalist
During the event, we used the iNaturalist app to identify as many species of plants, animals, and fungi as possible within 24 hours. This data is documented and shared with national wildlife databases.
For anyone interested, the app is used to identify plants and animals while contributing to science and conservation. I have used a number of plant identification apps over the years; this one is by far the best, and it’s quite addictive to build up your own photo glossary of plants. Plus, it’s free!
Plant Identification
British Wild Orchid’s
I’ve been spending lots of time going for walks around Lancashire, at Scorton Picnic Site, Pilling Sands, Wyre Estuary, and Brock Bottom, where I’ve discovered wild orchids, a species I didn’t know we had here in the UK.
At Pilling Amenity Area, I saw numerous Northern Marsh Orchids. They have intense magenta flowers and are found in marshy habitats and industrial brownfield sites.
At Scorton Picnic Site, Common Spotted Orchids filled the wildflower meadow, at Brock Bottom and Nicky Nook there were a few scattered on the marshy embankment - now that I know what I’m looking for it seems like I’m seeing them everywhere!
Experts at the BioBlitz taught me how to identify Wild Orchids and the rules around foraging them:
Like all wildflowers, orchids are protected under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). Under this law, all wildflowers are protected from being uprooted. Some orchids have even greater protection under Schedule 8 of this Act - any orchid listed under Schedule 8 is protected from picking, uprooting, and destruction. Additionally, I use the Woodland Trusts ‘Responsible Foraging Guidelines’, along with a heavy dose of common sense, when out foraging.
While the Orchids I came across are not on the protected list, I feel it is best to leave them in their habitats. While I would love to create a direct botanical monoprint from them, I think it’s best to enjoy their delicate beauty when I see them and let others, both humans and insects, do the same.
Ferns
Recently, ferns have all unfurled and are out in abundance. Ferns are my all-time favourite plant. I love how they unfurl, the structure of their leaves, the variety between species, and their smell, which makes me feel as though I’m in an ancient rainforest.
There are around 60 species of fern in the UK. They are non-flowering plants that reproduce via their spores, which are found in little circles on the underside of the leaf in what is called the ‘sori’.
My fern identification skills are something I’m aiming to develop, so it was great to speak to flora experts for some handy tips on distinguishing common species like the Male Fern and Scaly Male Fern, which are some of the most common species throughout the UK.
You can tell these two species apart, as the Scaly Male Fern will have a small dark mark on the underside of the pinna (the leaflet) near the rachis (the central stalk), which the Male Fern will not. The Woodland Trust is a great place to go to for plant identification tips!
The BioBlitz event was invaluable for developing my plant identification skills and sharing in the group's enthusiasm for nature. I can’t wait to get involved next year at BioBlitz 2025!
