SWSEIC Recording Group at High Slock & Auchneight Moor, 29th June 2025

The recording day at High Slock Cottage and Auchneight Moor was well attended with nine recorders on the day. The weather smiled on us and the day was very successful; between us we recorded 386 species.

The area lies on the southwest coast of the Rhins of Galloway, a few miles north of the popular Mull of Galloway (approximately NX1033 and surrounding squares). The owner of High Slock Cottage is carrying out positive management for biodiversity on their adjacent land and parts of the neighbouring area are listed as a Local Wildlife Site; the recording day was a good opportunity to gather useful up-to-date records for both, since the remote nature of the area is infrequently visited by wildlife recorders.

Before the day had even begun a Wool Carder Bee Anthidium manicatum was spotted in the High Slock Cottage garden. This species is near its northern most range in Dumfries and Galloway and has been recorded only scarcely in Wigtownshire so this was a good way to start the day!

As usual we began by going through the small mammal and moth traps. Unfortunately, the small mammal traps failed to catch anything. The moth traps however did much better. We didn’t catch too many moths but we did catch a number of locally rare species. Most notable was a Grey Scalloped Bar Dyscia fagaria, a scarce species locally that is in decline. We knew it was a good find when all the experienced moth recorders trappers went ‘oooohh’! This species has only been recorded in 9 hectads in D&G previously and this was a new one, so it was a great find.

Other good catches were Crescent Dart Agrotis trux and the micro-moths Teleiopsis diffinis and Chamomile Conch Cochylidia implicitana.

A number of interesting moths were also netted afterwards by various recorders. These included Common Rush Case-barer Coleophora alticolella found by Peter Norman and Agrimony Case-barer Coleophora follicularis found by Richard and Barbara Mearns; both are usually impossible to identify from photos but thanks to the help of local micro-moth expert Alison Roberson we were able to confirm records of these often overlooked species. The Agrimony Case-barer may be a first vice-county record for Wigtownshire. Variable-stem Moth Ochsenheimeria urella was swept on Auchneight Moor by Malcolm Haddow; this moth is not attracted to light and so is probably largely overlooked locally and this may also be a first VC record for Wigtownshire.

Macolm Haddow and Lorraine Hall did their usual bug and spider hunting and found a number of notable species. The spider Hypsosinga pygmaea and the bug Mecomma ambulans (also record by Peter Norman) were good finds, both of which have only one previous record on the Rhins. Additionally the red ant Myrmica sabuleti was found on the hill fort. This species is probably commoner than records suggest but due to its similarity to related species it is often overlooked.

Michael Jeeves and Jim McCleary made a plant list on the day and recorded a number of locally notable species, including Juniper Juniperus communis, Marsh St John’s-wort Hypericum elodes, Bog Pimpernel Lysimachia tenella, Wild Celery Apium graveolens and Slender Club-rush Isolepis cernua. On their way out they also recorded the towering Giant-rhubarb Gunnera tinctoria which was just off the site. This spectacular ornamental garden species, whilst amazing to look at, is a species that has the potential to become invasive.

We have to say a particularly special thanks to the owners of High Slock Cottage, Nicki Davey and Mark Pogson who gave a bed to our project officer for the night and fed our volunteer recorders some of the best food and refreshments we have ever had! Indeed they have set a high bar for our future recording days – we hope our recorders don’t expect this level of catering at every event!

Thanks to all the volunteers who came on the day to record wildlife. The owners have let us know that visiting wildlife recorders would be welcome anytime, so please feel free to contact SWSEIC if you would like us to put you in touch with them.

Malcolm Haddow

SWSEIC