2023 County Report for West Galway

John Conaghan

West Galway (H16) Annual Report 2023

 

In addition to some localized recording in the vice-county by the VCR, three organized field meetings took place during 2023.

The first of these was a meeting of the local Galway BSBI group on the 7th of May. Coastal and roadside verge habitats were recorded east of Spiddal village (Hectad M12) with 12 people in attendance. A number of new hectad records were made including Montia fontana, Barbarea intermedia, Asplenium marinum and Carex pendula. Linaria purpurea was also recorded and this would appear to be a new record for the vice-county.

On the 17th of June, 21 people attended the official BSBI meeting in Gorumna Island. The very dry and hot June had resulted in spectacular desiccation of coastal grassland vegetation however approximately 170 species were still recorded in hectad L82. Some of the more notable finds included Daboecia cantabrica, Hesperis matronalis (which is a rare escape in H16) and the rare orchid Anacamptis morio which was seen in rocky dry heath habitat but well past the flowering stage.

On the 19th of August the Galway BSBI group met again in wet conditions to explore the southern shores of Lough Corrib, south of the Hill of Doon, monads M0349 and M0148. Notable species recorded included Oreopteris limbosperma, Scuttelaria minor, Rhynchospora fusca, Eriocaulon aquaticum and the invasive alien aquatic Lagarosiphon major found washed up along the lake shore. A number of non-native species which are becoming increasingly common in H16, namely Epilobium pedunculare and Sisyrinchium californicum, were recorded growing along roadsides.

 

John Conaghan VCR H16