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Other Brandy Bottom Pages
As well as an introductory page, the other Brandy Bottom pages cover the history, and the AIBT's conservation work at the site. The latter is divided into a summary of progress at work parties, plus several pages of photos of the buildings, work parties, and finds. There are also images of the display boards, and a page with a location map, plus directions to the site and the dates of work parties.
NATURE
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2011
Insect, possibly male Marmalade Hoverfly, on wild flower, June 2011. The female can be seen in a later photo.
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
One of the many species of wild flowers growing on site, June 2011
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2012
Some of the wildflowers growing on top of the New Pit heapstead, June 2012
Vegetation growth during 2012. The front of the Horizontal Engine House in February 2012 ...
... in May 2012 ...
... in June 2012 ...
... and in October 2012
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2013
Wildflowers growing on top of New Pit heapstead, July 2013
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2014
The top of the New Pit heapstead on a cold January morning ...
... and at the height of summer (July 2014)
Damselfly on the New Pit heapstead, June 2014
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2015
Speckled Wood butterfly at base of old Pit heapstead ramp, April 2015
Insect, possibly Oedemera nobilis, on wildflower on New Pit heapstead, June 2015
Herb Robert growing at base of Old Pit heapstead, June 2015
Poplar Hawk-moth, July 2015
Purple form of Field Grasshopper in picnic area, July 2015
Butterfly, possibly Large Skipper or Essex Skipper, New Pit heapstead, July 2015
Honeysuckle growing along boundary fence, July 2015
Evening primrose growing along base of Old Pit heapstead, August 2015
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2016
Peacock butterfly, April 2016. The damage to its left hind wing may have happened when it escaped from a bird.
New leaves growing on tree outside the Horizontal Engine House, April 2016
Bluebells growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
An as yet unidentified wildflower growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
Bee foraging from wildflower growing beside cycle path near site, April 2016
Bittersweet growing in New Pit enclosure, June 2016
Wildflower, possibly Forget-me-not, growing in New Boiler area, June 2016
Mouse disturbed when a stone stockpile was rebuilt, June 2016
Love-in-the-Mist flowering near New Pit enclosure, July 2016. It is growing in an area that was churned up by a forklift earlier in the year, which may account for its appearance as it is a garden escapee and not a wildflower.
Insect, possibly a female Marmalade hoverfly, on bramble flower, August 2016. A male can be seen in an earlier photo.
Wildflower in Old Pit enclosure, August 2016.
With thighs like an Olympic weightlifter, this False Blister beetle was found on the New Pit heapstead in August 2016.
Large bindweed growing on fence around New Pit enclosure, August 2016.
Wildflower, possibly Rosebay Willowherb, beside platelayers hut to the north of the site, September 2016.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2017
Robin watching while the nearby vegetation was being cleared. It finally got what it was waiting for - a big fat worm, January 2017.
Coltsfoot in flower on top of New Pit heapstead, March 2017. (cm scale)
Lesser Celandine in flower at edge of cycle path near the site entrance, March 2017.
Wildflower, possibly a Bugle, on top of New Pit heapstead, April 2017 ... (cm scale)
... and a close-up of its flowers.
Blossom on tree alongside the cycle path, April 2017.
Frog rescued from sump in Vertical Engine House, May 2017. It was released in the pond area after the photo was taken.
Tiny, 2-3 mm, wildflower on top of New Pit heapstead, May 2017. This may be an 'Early Forget-me-not'.
Small wildflower on near entrance to Old Pit enclosure, June 2017. It is on the public path between the enclosures, so is liable to be walked on.
Ladybird, possibly a Harlequin Ladybird, June 2017.
Large White butterfly at rest near Fan Engine House, June 2017.
Red Admiral butterfly at rest beside the cycle path, June 2017.
Toad discovered when clearing a stone stockpile in the Old Boiler House, June 2017.
Wildflower, probably a Scarlet Pimpernel, growing beside the path to the Fan Engine House, June 2017.
Wildflower growing on top of the New Pit heapstead, June 2017.
Hoverfly on wildflower in Old pit enclosure, June 2017.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2018
Pond from cycle path, April 2018.
Chimney from across the Pond area, framed by spring blossom, April 2018.
Black Bryony growing on New Pit boundary fence, May 2018.
Grass snake, estimated to be over 2 feet long, found under the polythene sheeting covering the brickwork at the end of the East Flue, May 2018.
Spider found found under the polythene sheeting covering the steps outside the Vertical Engine House, May 2018.
Wild flower found near the kissing gate, May 2018. It could be a Pencilled Cranesbill, though that is not a recognised species for this area.
Comma butterfly resting on buddleja blossom near the Egg-ended boiler, July 2018.
Butterfly resting on buddleja blossom near the Egg-ended boiler, July 2018.
Spider inside a water butt outside the Horizontal Engine House, July 2018.
A fine crop of plums growing near the pond. They were subsequently picked and eaten at lunchtime during a work party, August 2018.
A Common Darter sunning itself outside the Horizontal Engine House, August 2018.
Brambles ripening on the bushes during the Heritage Open days weekend, September 2018.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2019
Primulas in flower beside the cycle path, March 2019. There were also Lesser Celandine (cycle path) and Coltsfoot (New Pit heapstead) to be seen in flower at the same work party.
This Leopard Slug was found at the base of the south-west wall of the Cornish Engine House, March 2019. It is resting on a glove, which gives an estimate of its size.
Ground ivy growing on the New Pit heapstead ramp, April 2019. (5cm x 5cm scale)
Two male Swollen-thighed Beetles on a poppy, May 2019. They feed on pollen, and had been fighting for access to the pollen of this flower just before the photo was taken.
This Barn Owl, seen perched on the falconer's gloved hand, appeared in a nature talk given to a group of walkers, as did the Little Owl seen in the following photo. The organisers happened by chance to choose Brandy Bottom as the site for their talk.
The Little Owl referred to in the previous photo, June 2019.
Scarlet Tiger Moth at the bottom of the New Pit ramp, July 2019
A comma butterfly near the egg-ended boiler, July 2019.
Hornets had built this sizeable nest inside the storage container over a two week period when there were no work parties, September 2019. They were a bit touchy about sharing air space with humans, so had to be dealt with ...
... The nest once it was safe to enter the container, September 2019. Opening the door broke the adjacent outer surface of the nest, giving a glimpse of the inner structure, and one hornet can be seen flying in front of the nest.
Hornet on top of one of the locking areas of the storage container, September 2019. They had a body length, nose to tail, of well over an inch.
Large slug seen outside the entrance to the Horizontal Engine House, September 2019.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
2020
Nature is always trying to reclaim the site ... These poppies, photographed in June 2020, are growing in spoil that was excavated from the Cornish Engine House condenser pit at some time in 2019. The seeds must have been blown in on the wind.
Small fungus growing on top of the Old Pit heapstead in August 2020. It was identified as a Pleated Ink Cap by an app on a volunteer's phone (5 cm x 5 cm scale).
Comma butterfly on bramble bush, September 2020. Its pristine appearance suggests that it is newly emerged adult of the year's second brood.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
2021
This is possibly a grey-haired miner bee on the top of the New Pit heapstead, April 2021. It is around 9-15mm long and may be a newly emerged adult male.
This large bracket fungus was found growing on a piece of wood by the end of the Fan Ducts, April 2021.
A variety of wildflowers in bloom on the top of the Old Pit heapstead, June 2021.
A Red Admiral butterfly feeds from a bramble flower in the Old Pit enclosure, June 2021.
Caterpillar found when clearing spoil from along the line of the original fence, August 2021. This may from one of the Hawk-moth species.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023)
2022
The carefully tended flower bed beside the path between the two fences on the south-east of the site, March 2022.
This fungus, probably a Common Morel, was spotted growing on a path in the Old Pit enclosure, March 2022. (5 cm x 5 cm scale)
The robin at the top has its beak wide open, probably complaining at the slowness of the food service from its mate, April 2022
The Old Pit and Cornish Engine House, seen from the top of the Horizontal Engine House on a sunny day in April 2022.
The well-tended flower bed outside the fence of the New Pit yard, May 2022 ...
... and a closer view of the far end, May 2022.
Wildflowers growing alongside the path at the base of the New Pit heapstead, June 2022.
A profuse crop of Fairy Inkcap mushrooms were found growing among the vegetation behind the fan ducts, June 2022.
Wild rose blossom back lit by the sun, June 2022. These were growing along the fence around the Old Pit enlosure, next to the cycle path.
The flower bed outside the fence of the New Pit yard in September 2022. Most of the flowers survived the long spell of hot weather earlier in the year despite receiving minimal attention.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
2023
The flower bed outside the fence of the New Pit yard in March 2023.
Flowers, planted by the volunteers, growing behind the spokes of the half wheel on the western side of the cycle path, March 2023.
Flowers, planted by the volunteers, growing behind the spokes of the half wheel on the eastern side of the cycle path, March 2023.
(Go to photos of nature taken at work parties in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Unless otherwise stated, the photos are by R Whitworth.
Other Brandy Bottom Pages
As well as an introductory page, the other Brandy Bottom pages cover the history, and the AIBT's conservation work at the site. The latter is divided into a summary of progress at work parties, plus several pages of photos of the buildings, work parties, and finds. There are also images of the display boards, and a page with a location map, plus directions to the site and the dates of work parties.
< Back to Project List
Page updated 19 Mar 23
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