Since 9pm last night the Reading Uni BioBlitz has attracted a huge amount of interest from local naturalists and from our own students. Dr Becky Thomas has been busy organising everything from bat and moth walks to lichen and grass forays.
Dr Becky thomas with a well earned drink and biscuit in the Harborne Building Foyer during the BioBlitz on Saturday morning.
The society stands included a wide range of local wildlife interests and had a wide range of informative leaflets available alongside details of membership. Guided walks included everything from Birds and Bees to veteran trees, plant pathology and extreme agrostology, Dragonflies, Damselflies, Butterflies too. Dr M appeared to be in his usual good form when introducing the pleasure of grass identification. There is even some 3D filming of his activities that I hope to upload at some point.
Dr M and his challenging poaceae.
The BioBlitz has generated listed of species seen that I hope to post when they become available. For a well studied campus we are turning up new plant species ona regular basis at present, it will be intersting to see how the animal lists compare for diversity.
Tomorrow is the next Harris Garden Open Day so if you missed the BioBlitz do come for cake, tea and a tour of the Harris garden rasing funds in aid of The National Garden Scheme with the Friends of the Harris Garden. Gates open at 2pm.
Yes it was a great 24 hours! Still working on the vascular plant list, I hope anyone who took plant records can send them to me! j.mitchley@reading.ac.uk