BioBlitz at Coalie finds 264 species!!

One of the key aims of the Coalie Park project was to improve the space for wildlife, as well as people. In order to give us a benchmark we decided to conduct a BioBlitz. This will gives us a baseline for the biodiversity of the park after Phase 1 and will help inform future active management procedures.

Thanks to all the volunteers who participated and helped us achieve the amazing count of 264 species, which was a great community effort!

Here are the results..

Splitting this down a bit we found eighty-four species of animals, seventeen fungi and 163 plants! Wildflowers were the most abundant group with 119 species recorded, the varied and semi naturalised state of Coalie park had certainly aided this alongside the planting and seeding of wildflowers along paths, banks, and planters! Key species included common wildflowers like Charlock, Poppy, Field Rose, Speedwells, Willowherbs, Forget-me-nots, Tansy, Herb Robert, Yellow iris, Wood Avens, Buttercup, and Wild Pansy. This provides a valuable, varied resource for pollinators! There is a diverse mix of early colonisers like rosebay willowherb, plants of bare, disturbed ground like Pineapple-weed and indicator species of healthy woodland like Red Campion and Ramsons.

Twenty-four tree species were recorded, a diverse assemblage for a relatively small area! This includes Willows, Elms, Elder, Alders, Ash, sycamore, birch, Pedunculate oak, holly, Lime, Cherry, and Scots Pine!
Invasive species include Cotoneaster, Spanish bluebell, Buddleia and unfortunately Giant Hogweed
Forty-five species of Insects were recorded which function as key indicators of ecological health. This was restricted to terrestrial species, so it is likely many more aquatic species were unrecorded! Key pollinator species include 5 Bee species (Red tailed, White tailed, Buff tailed, Common carder and Tree Bumblebee) and 3 Butterflies (Orange tip, Small White, Speckled Wood). Five species of ladybirds were also recorded including pine and harlequin ladybirds!

Mammal records were sparse, but we did get some Fox prints, vole burrows and a grey squirrel!

Coalie park and the surrounding area has proved to be a valuable habitat for a range of bird species with over thirty recorded including waterfowl such as Heron, Eider ducks, breeding Goosander and Swans! Songbirds included Greenfinch, Wren, Great tit, Swift and Bullfinch alongside garden favorites like Bluetit, Robin Starling, and Sparrows!

We recorded seventeen species of Fungi with 5 Bracket, one crust, 10 Mushroom and a Jelly species!

The bankside Biomatrix platforms have also been a major biodiversity success with over twenty-one plant species recorded!