4.2 Carney village Nature trail

Figure 4.2.1 : Sketch of Carney village nature Trail.

Above is a sketch of the location of the Nature trail in Carney village (part 1). The sketch is numbered (1-5) to assist when locating the stops.

The nature trail

Introduction:

Carney village is on the west coast of Ireland, just a few miles north of Sligo town. Carney River flows through the village and out into Drumcliff bay. This pretty village has wonderful views of the surrounding mountains including Kings mountain (Slaibh Mor) and the spectacular Benbulbin (Binn Ghulbain), which stands at over 500 metres.

This is part 1 of a two-part Nature trail. The location of this section is Carney village along by the Riverside walk.

Part 2 is located in the woodland habitat of Lissadell.

Please use the sketch map provided to assist in locating each spot.

Stop 1: The trees here have a large amount of ivy growing along the trunks and branches. Plants growing on other plants in this way are known as epiphytes which means “on plants”. Epiphytes are not parasitic but in this case are using the trees as a way to gain a greater share of the light.

The dominant tree here is the Common Alder (Alnus glutinosa) known as “an Fearnog” in Irish. This is quite a small pyramidal tree, which grows to 20m or more. It is usually found in swampy places along streams, distinguished at any time of the year by the clusters of small dark, ovoid “cones”. In spring the reddish - yellow pendulous male catkins, topped by a cluster of tiny reddish female “cones” appear on bare twigs together with the previous years “cones”. The leaves are hairless and almost circular.

There are many varieties of insects found on the foliage. The seeds are taken by many small birds.

Stop 2: This is a beautiful example of a Sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus). The Sycamore is a non-native species but it is very hardy and tolerant to exposed coastal conditions. It is easily recognised by the palmate leaves and winged seeds. It is an easily grown tree. It is rich in nectar for bees and supports many insects.The insects and seeds are taken by birds.

Stop 3: The River supports a wide variety of life, not only fish but also a large number of many different kinds of Invertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are visible to the naked eye and can be found by turning over a stone under the water surface or at the waters edge.

Macroinvertebrates are good indicators of water quality. Some are very sensitive to pollution while others are very tolerant. The type of macroinvertebrates present can give a good indication of the water quality. Some of those which can be found in clean water can be seen in the diagrams below.

a. b. c.

Figure 4.2.2 : a; Freshwater shrimp (Gammarus duebeni), Cased caddis (Trichoptera), Mayfly nymph (Ephemeroptera).

There is a large diversity of life in the river, these are just some of the examples to be found.

Stop 4: This is the planted area. Across the river along the bank is Gorse (Ulex europaeus). This is very common in Ireland and can be found almost anywhere. It provides ideal protection for saplings. It can tolerate acid and damp soils and spreads through the roots. It has bright, easily recognisable flowers. It often flowers in winter.

Stop 5: From here the bird box can be clearly seen. Many types of birds frequent this area.

The Robin (Erithacus rubecula) us one of the most familiar and popular of birds in Ireland. This is an upright, plump little bird, which perches openly and hops on the ground. This bird can be quite aggressive towards its own kind and is almost always found alone.

The Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is the most common finch, found in a wide variety of habitats. The male can be differentiated from the female by his blue grey crown and pinkish breast. The female is duller, in shades of brown. The Chaffinch can flock in groups of 1 to 200.

Figure 4.2.3 : Robin, adult and juvenile

Figure 4.2.4 : Chaffinch, male and female.

This is part 2 of the Nature trail. The location of this is in the woodland habitat of Lissadell, which is approximately 1.5km beyond Carney village.

Introduction:

This is an area of natural beauty, which is situated along the coast. The site is quite exposed and can suffer from severe westerly storms.

The trees in the area are mainly broadleaved. Ash, sycamore, hazel, holly and whitethorn are common. The Elm is abundant throughout the trail.

Stop 1: The Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) known in Irish as “an Fuinseog” grows freely on limestone soils. It is tolerant of cold and exposed sites, including windswept coastal areas such as this. Its seeds(keys) have a high germination rate and it can live for 300 years.

The seeds of the Ash are eaten by birds and small mammals. The timber is very hard. Its most famous use in Ireland is for the Hurley. It is also used in boat building and for furniture.

Stop 2: The Elm (Ulmus) is easily recognised by its leaves which are uneven at the base of the blade. The timber is tough and pliable and was used in the old days for wheelmaking and for underground water pipes.

The Elm is rich in insects. It provides nectar for bees.

Figure 4.2.5 : The Elm, tree shape and position of leaves.

Stop 3: Just beyond the first bridge is a pretty plant with delicate white flowers. This is known as three-cornered garlic (Allium triquetrum) and is a member of the lily family. This plant is a native of the Mediterranean region. The soft flat leaves appear in Autumn, the flowers in April. Three-cornered garlic can be distinguished from other species by its nodding, bluebell-shaped flowers.

Stop 4: There are a large number of Brambles (Rubus fruiticosa) throughout this woodland area. These plants are familiar to everyone. They form the shrub layer of the woodland and attract many kinds of insects and birds.

The pretty primrose (Primula vulgaris )is another plant characteristic of native deciduous woodlands.

Stop 5: The trees in this wood are covered in lichens. Lichens are formed from a combination of a fungal partner (mycobiont) and an algal partner (phycobiont). This relationship between the two partners is known as symbiosis.Notice that the lichens inhabit the south side of the tree. This is because of the microclimate here. There are many different types of lichens. Crustose lichens are those which resemble a “crust” on the tree bark. Fructose lichens are “shrubby” lichens and foliose are “leafy” lichens. The more unpolluted the air, the more types of lichen present.

Stop 6: This is a hide from which wildlife can be observed. There are three populations of Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) in the world, all of which breed and winter in Europe. They concentrate at a small number of sites, such as here in Lissadell. The species feeds primarily on pastures during winter, so there can be potential conflicts with agricultural interests.

In late October each year around 1,500 barnacle geese arrive from Greenland to winter in a field here. The field, which can be seen from the hide is retained for this purpose.