Russell led us round the old Western Park Golf Course, which is on the edge of the city and crosses the boundary into the county. It is home to a number of exotic trees, but the highlight is the Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris), which our measurements of the girth indicated to be over 200 years old.

Measuring the girth of the Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)

We found a wide variety of flowering plants, and Russell added 18 vascular plant records to his City flora database.

We expected to see more butterflies, but they were very few, though bugs and beetles were found on trees and other foliage.

Alder Leaf Beetle larva ( Agelastica alni) and  Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami)

It was also a good site for leaf mines and plant galls, two of which are shown here.

(Photos: Simon Bennett and Peter Smith)