2021 County Report for Fife & Kinross
Sandy Edwards
There were no large outings this year but several visits to areas with one or two people for recording and/or identification.
I joined the Dundee Naturalists for a visit to Kinross for urban flora recording. We found a single plant of Geranium columbinum (Long-stalked Cranesbill), now the only site in vc85.
One of the Perth & Kinross Council wildlife sites which is in vc85 was visited with a member of the development team. This resulted in a third site for Bidens cernua (Nodding Bur-marigold). Also some recording for another site in vc85.
I visited some sites for the Fife Council Wildlife Sites research team and helped to update their records.
I spent an afternoon with two of the people involved, helping with identification at the new wildlife area at the Dreel Burn in Anstruther
Liaised with the University Transition Group, who are involved in the conversion of rough grass areas into wildflower meadows, to help with identification.
A day with two Torryburn residents and are very keen naturalists. A specimen of Rumex they found was confirmed by the referee as Rumex critatus (Greek Dock); a new vc85 record. We also found a second site for Typha angustifolia (Lesser Bullrush).
A visit with the owner of a newly purchased wood in Fife. It contains the only site for Umbilicus rupestris (Navelwort) in vc85.
I spent a nice summer's day with the Director and staff of the St. Andrews Botanic Garden at Tentsmuir to study the dune system and associated plants. This is helping with their conversion of some areas for Fife based wildflowers. Also their Dune system which they have created from 600 tons of sand!
Checklists now on vc85 BSBI website.
I receive quite a lot of records in iRecord. The advantage is that the records have to be verified by me before they are confirmed. They eventually will appear on the BSBI database.
Some other interesting records:
A Brassica, Camelina sativa (Gold of Pleasure). Picris hieracioides (Hawkweed Oxtongue). Anthemis arvensis (Corn Chamomile).
