Field Trip Cossington Meadows 2026

Field Trip Cossington Meadows 05 August 2026

Weeks without rain and then the heavens opened early morning. This could be a wet field trip if anyone was willing to turn up! By 9:30am, 12 eager souls had assembled at the LRWT reserve entrance by which time the rain had completely stopped for us.
We made our way anti-clockwise around the “Circular walk”, towards the River Soar and then back down the main pathway.
Andrew found an old Long-tailed Tit’s nest near the main gate and then put everybody on to a bird box that was being used by Honey Bees Apis mellifera. There was a lot of what appeared to be Willow Ermine caterpillars Yponomeuta rorrella in their silken webs all over the Willows.
At this time of year birds are still fairly quiet as they undergo their moulting process. A Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff gave a little song before a Wren started “chacking”.
Sue and I stopped when we saw several hoverflies around some thistles, Common Drone Fly Eristalis tenax, Stripe-faced Drone Fly Eristalis nemorum, Stripe-backed Brusheye Dasysyrphus albostriatus and a larger one that is easily identified as a “Wasp Hoverfly” Volucella inanis. A single Hornet Crespa crabro was briefly observed nearby.

A few damselflies then made themselves known to us, Blue-tailed Ischnura elegans, Common Blue Enallagma cyathigerum and the recently colonised Willow Emerald Chalcolestes viridis. The latter was a new sighting for some of the group. Also, their larger cousins: Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea, Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis and a Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum followed by a single male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens by the riverside vegetation was new for the year for a few observers.

A few more bird species in this area included a Green Woodpecker “yaffling”, a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat, Kingfisher and several Woodpigeons.
Hazel was spending her time mainly seeking out galls and leaf mines, of which she has identified quite a few. (Included on the list attached)

Likewise, Mike found quite a few galls along with a number of vascular plants, insects and birds. (Included on the list attached)
All too soon, our time had run out on this trip and we made our way back to the vehicles adding a couple of butterflies to our list in the form of Comma, Speckled Wood and Small White.

Thanks to all that attended, I hope you enjoyed the morning session, and special thanks to Toby for keeping a checklist of Flora, and to Hazel and Mike for submitting their lists.

Howard Orridge

Taxon	Vernacular	Qty	Stage	Recorder
Propylea quattuordecimpunctata	14-spot Ladybird	1	adult	M Higgott
Coccinella septempunctata	7-spot Ladybird	present		H Graves
Agrimonia eupatoria	Agrimony	1		M Higgott
Alnus glutinosa	Alder	present		T Manning
Alomya debellator	Alomya debellator	1	To be Confirmed	J Graham
Lyonetia clerkella	Apple Leaf Miner	present		H Graves
Sagittaria sagittifolia	Arrowhead	present		M Higgott
Calopteryx splendens	Banded Demoiselle	1	Adult male	H Orridge
Odontites verna	Bartsia	present		T Manning
Myathropa florea	Batman Hoverfly	present		J Graham
Diplolepis rosae	Bedeguar Gall Wasp	present		M Higgott
	Bittersweet	present	galls	M Higgott
Sylvia atricapilla	Blackcap	1	Adult	H Orridge
Larus ridibundus	Black-headed Gull	40	adult	M Higgott
Orthetrum cancellatum	Black-tailed Skimmer	1	Adult	H Orridge
Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn	present		T Manning
Parus caeruleus	Blue Tit	2	Adult	H Orridge
Stigmella plagicolella	Blue-shot Dot	present		H Graves
Ischnura elegans	Blue-tailed Damselfly	5	Adult	H Orridge
Gonocerus acuteangulatus	Box Bug adult	present		H Graves
Gonocerus acuteangulatus	Box Bug eggs	present		H Graves
Rubus fruticosus	Bramble	present		T Manning
Sparganium erectum	Branched Bur-reed	1		M Higgott
Euura bridgmanii	Bridgman’s Bean-galler	present		H Graves
Helminthotheca echioides	Bristly Oxtongue	present		T Manning
Rumex obtusifolius	Broad-leaved Dock	present		M Higgott
Aeshna grandis	Brown Hawker	1	Adult	H Orridge
Rhamnus carthatica	Buckthorn	present		T Manning
Bombus terrestris	Buff-tailed Bumblebee	present		M Higgott
Typha latifolia	Bulrush	present		M Higgott
Arctium minus	Burdock	present		T Manning
Branta canadensis	Canada Goose	10	Adult	M Higgott
Corvus carone	Carrion Crow	2	Adult	H Orridge
Phylloscopus collybita	Chiffchaff	1	Adult	H Orridge
Polygonia c-album	Comma	1	Adult	M Higgott
Enallagma cyathigerum	Common Blue Damslefly	2	Adult	H Orridge
Ischnura elegans	Blue-tailed Damselfly	present	Adult	M Higgott
Sympetrum striolatum	Common Darter	present	galls	M Higgott
Eristalis tenax	Common Drone Fly	2	Adult	H Orridge
Pulicaria dysenterica	Common Fleabane	present		M Higgott
Rana temporaria	Common Frog	1	adult	M Higgott
Philaenus spumarius	Common Froghopper	1	adult	M Higgott
Melilotus officinalis	Common Melilot	present		T Manning
Atriplex prostrata	Common Orache	present		T Manning
Phragmites australis	Common Reed	present		M Higgott
Neuroterus quercusbaccarum f. agamic	Common Spangle Gall	present		M Higgott
Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae	Common Thorn Leaf-miner	present		H Graves
Sylvia communis	Common Whitethroat	1	Adult	H Orridge
Fulica atra	Coot	2	adult	M Higgott
Phalacrocorax carbo	Cormorant	1	adult	M Higgott
Elytrigia repens	Couch Grass	present		T Manning
Anthriscus sylvestris	Cow Parsley	present		M Higgott
Malus sylvestris	Crab Apple	present		T Manning
Salix fragilis	Crack Willow	present		T Manning
	Crane’s-bill	present		M Higgott
Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup	present		T Manning
Potentilla reptans	Creeping Cinquefoil	present		T Manning
Cirsium arvense	Creeping Thistle	present		T Manning
Rorippa sylvestris	Creeping Yellow-cress	present		T Manning
Puccinia coronata	Crowned Rust	present		H Graves
Araniella cucurbitina sensu lato	Cucumber Orb Web Spider	present		M Higgott
Rumex crispus	Curled Dock	several		M Higgott
Taraxacum officinalis	Dandelion	present		T Manning
Succisa pratensis	Devil’s-bit Scabious	present		H Graves
Rosa canina	Dog Rose	present		T Manning
Lemna minor	Duckweed	present		T Manning
Claviceps purpurea	Ergot	present		H Graves
Eriophyes similis	Eriophyes similis	present		M Higgott
Yponomeuta agg.  (rorrella?)	Ermine agg.	present	Adult	H Orridge
Musca autumnalis	Face Fly	present		M Higgott
Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail	present		M Higgott
Pulicaria dysenterica	Fleabane	present		T Manning
Hydrocotyle ranunculoides	Floating Pennywort	present		M Higgott
Acalitus brevitarsus	Gall on Alder Leaves	present		H Graves
Aceria macrochela	Gall on Field Maple Leaves	present		H Graves
Aceria macrocheluserinea	Gall on Field Maple Leaves	present		H Graves
Aceria myriadeum	Gall on Field Maple Leaves	present		H Graves
Dasineura urticae	Gall on nettle	present		H Graves
Aculus tetanothrix	Gall on Willow leaves	present		H Graves
Vespula germanica	German Wasp	present	adult	M Higgott
Lycopus europaeus	Gipsywort	present		M Higgott
Carduelis carduelis	Goldfinch	4	Adult	H Orridge
Podiceps cristatus	Great Crested Grebe	3	1Adult, 2 chicks	H Orridge
Epilobium hirsutum	Great Hairy Willow Herb	present		T Manning
Dendrocopus major	Great Spotted Woodpecker	1	Adult	H Orridge
Parus major	Great Tit	1	Adult	H Orridge
Ardea alba	Great White Egret	1	adult	M Higgott
Epilobium hirsutum	Great Willowherb	present		M Higgott
Lotus pedunculatus	Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil	present		T Manning
Plantago major	Greater Plantain	present		T Manning
Palomena prasina	Green Shieldbug	1	Adult	H Orridge
Picus viridis	Green Woodpecker	1	Adult	H Orridge
Pieris napi	Green-veined White	1	adult	M Higgott
Glechoma hederacea	Ground Ivy	present		T Manning
Lycopus europaeus	Gypsywort	present		T Manning
Harmonia axyridis	Harlequin Ladybird	present	adult	M Higgott
Atriplex prostrata	Hastate Orache	present		M Higgott
Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn	present		T Manning
Phyllonorycter corylifoliella	Hawthorn Leaf-miner	present		H Graves
Corylobium avellanae	Hazel Aphid	present		M Higgott
Calystegia sepium	Hedge bindweed	present		T Manning
Conium maculatum	Hemlock	present		T Manning
Geum urbanun	Herb Bennett	present		T Manning
Impatiens glandulifera	Himalayan Balsam	present		T Manning
Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed	present		T Manning
Apis mellifera	Honey Bee	20	Adult	H Orridge
Humulus lupulus	Hop	present		T Manning
Delichon urbica	House Martin	3	Adult	H Orridge
Monacha cantiana	Kentish Garden Snail	present		M Higgott
Falco tinnunculus	Kestrel	1	Adult female	H Orridge
Alcedo atthis	Kingfisher	1	Adult	H Orridge
Andricus quercuscalicis f. agamic	Knopper Gall	present	gall	M Higgott
Polygonum aviculare	Knotgrass	present		T Manning
Galium verum	Lady’s Bedstraw	present		M Higgott
Vanellus vanellus	Lapwing	30	adult	M Higgott
Phytomyza lappae	Leafmine	present		H Graves
Larus fuscus	Lesser Black-backed Gull	1	Adult	H Orridge
Chorthippus albomarginatus	Lesser Marsh Grasshopper	2		M Higgott
Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit	3	Adult	H Orridge
Pica pica	Magpie	2	Adult	H Orridge
Anas platyrhhynchos	Mallard	5	Adult	H Orridge
Acer campestre	Maple	present		T Manning
Stigmella aceris	Maple Dot	present		H Graves
Nabis limbatus	Marsh Damsel Bug	2	juvenile	M Higgott
Cirsium palustre	Marsh Thistle	present		T Manning
Stachys palustris	Marsh Woundwort	present		M Higgott
Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup	present		T Manning
Viscum album	Mistletoe	present		T Manning
Gallinula chloropus	Moorhen	4	adult	M Higgott
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort	present		T Manning
Cygnus olor	Mute Swan	1	Adult	H Orridge
Phragmites australis	Norfolk Reed	present		T Manning
Myzocallis boerneri	Oak Aphid	present		M Higgott
Tischeria ekebladella	Oak Carl	2	Leaf Mine	H Orridge
Erysiphe alphitoides	Oak Mildew	present		M Higgott
Impatiens capensis	Orange Balsam	present		T Manning
Juglans regia	Persian Walnut	present		M Higgott
Matricaria discoidea	Pineapple Weed	present		T Manning
Lactuca serriola	Prickly Lettuce	present		T Manning
Sonchus asper	Prickly Sow-thistle	present		M Higgott
Rhamnus cathartica	Purging Buckthorn	present		M Higgott
Lythrum salicaria	Purple Loosestrife	present		T Manning
Senecio jacobaea	Ragwort	present		T Manning
Andricus aries f. agamic	Ramshorn Gall	1	gall	M Higgott
Vanessa atalanta	Red Admiral	4	Adult	H Orridge
Odontites vernus	Red Bartsia	present	n/a	M Higgott
Deraeocoris ruber	Red Bug	1	Adult	H Orridge
Glyceria maxima	Reed Sweet-grass	present	n/a	M Higgott
Typha latifolia	Reedmace	present		T Manning
Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort Plantain	present		T Manning
Diplolepis rosae	Robin’s Pin-Cushion Gall	present	galls	H Graves
Sympetrum sanguineum	Ruddy Darter	present		M Higgott
Lolium perenne	Rye Grass	present		T Manning
Euura pedunculi	Sallow Pea-galler	present		H Graves
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Sedge Warbler	1	Adult	J Graham
Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd’s Purse	present		T Manning
Potentilla anserina	Silverweed	present		T Manning
Pieris rapae	Small White	8	Adult	H Orridge
Barbarea stricta	Small-flowered Winter-cress	present		M Higgott
Sonchus oleraceus	Smooth Sow-thistle	present		M Higgott
Aeshna cyanea	Southern Hawker	2	Adult	H Orridge
Leptophyes punctatissima	Speckled Bush-cricket	3	adult	M Higgott
Parage aegeria	Speckled Wood	15	Adult	H Orridge
Diplolepis nervosa	Sputnik Gall on Rose	present		H Graves
Urtica dioica	Stinging Nettle	present		T Manning
Dasysyrphus albostriatus	“Stripe-backed Brusheye”	5	Adult	H Orridge
Eristalis nemorum	“Stripe-faced Drone Fly”	5	Adult	H Orridge
Hirundo rustica	Swallow	2	Adult	H Orridge
Dipsacus fullonium	Teasel	present		T Manning
Phleum pratense	Timothy	present		T Manning
Verbena officinalis	Vervain	present		T Manning
Echium vulgare	Vipers Bugloss	present		T Manning
Hordeum murinum	Wall Barley	present		M Higgott
Juglans regia	Walnut	present		T Manning
Aceria erinea	Walnut leaf Gall Mite	present		H Graves
Volucella inanis	“Wasp Hoverfly”	1	Adult	H Orridge
Mentha aquatica	Water Mint	present		T Manning
Carduus crispus	Welted Thistle	present	n/a	M Higgott
Trifolium repens	White Clover	present		T Manning
Lamium album	White Deadnettle	present		T Manning
Cepaea hortensis	White-lipped Snail	present		H Graves
Angelica sylvestris	Wild Angelica	present		M Higgott
Daucus carota	Wild Carrot	present		T Manning
Dipsacus fullonum	Wild Teasel	present		M Higgott
Euura proxima	Willow Bean-galler	present		H Graves
Chalcolestes viridis	Willow Emerald Damslefly	1	Adult	H Orridge
Phyllonorycter viminiella	Willow Midget	present		H Graves
Euura proxima	Willow Redgall Sawfly	present		M Higgott
Phylloscopus trochilus	Willow Warbler	1	Adult	H Orridge
Columba palumbus	Woodpigeon	10	Adult	H Orridge
Troglodytes troglodytes	Wren	2	Adult	H Orridge
Xanthoria parietina	Xanthoria parietina	present		M Higgott
Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	present		T Manning
Nuphar lutea	Yellow Water lily	present		T Manning
Agriphila straminella	Straw Grass-moth	1	adult	M Higgott
Parmelia sulcata	Netted Shield Lichen	present	adult	M Higgott
Dicranopalpus ramosus agg.		1	adult	M Higgott
Leiobunum rotundum		3	adult	M Higgott
Opomyza florum		1		M Higgott
Volucella inanis		2		M Higgott
Lyonetia clerkella		1	leafmine	M Higgott
Eristalis nemorum		1	adult	M Higgott
Andricus kollari		1	gall	M Higgott
Acrocercops brongniardella		1	leafmine	M Higgott
Aceria erinea		present		M Higgott
Iteomya major		2	adult	M Higgott
Compsidolon salicellum		present		M Higgott
Sphaerophoria scripta		present		M Higgott
Eristalis tenax		present	gall	M Higgott
Acalitus brevitarsis		present		M Higgott
Eupteryx atropunctata		several		M Higgott
Mitopus morio		present		M Higgott
Pentatoma rufipes		1	adult	M Higgott
Aceria macrochelyserinea		present		M Higgott
Aceria macrochela		present		M Higgott