The most interesting find for me was a single specimen - just about still in flower - of Hemp Agrimony, which seems to be very infrequent in the areas I've looked at to date.
Water plants on the riverbank included Water Cress, Water Figwort and Flag Iris, also an Alder seedling.
There was a white-flowered Michaelmas Daisy (Aster novi-belgii) and some Coltsfoot.
Showing posts with label Hemp Agrimony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hemp Agrimony. Show all posts
Monday, 19 October 2009
Saturday, 5 September 2009
4 and 5/9/09: Through the train window - Barnehurst to Hove
Two trips from Barnehurst to Hove (via London Bridge), only the outward legs in daylight. The following is a snapshot of some of the lineside plants identifiable from the train windows.
A Pyracantha noted on the bank between the overground lines and Underground depot at New Cross, and another between the running lines just south of Horley station.
Rather strangely, there was a strip of Common Reed at the *top* of a low cutting just south of New Cross Gate station.
Some Gorse just before Honor Oak Park.
Patch of Silver Birch and a couple of Gorse near Selhurst Depot.
Lots of Clematis vitalba north of Reedham. lots of Ash south of Reedham and on to Salfords.
Tall Horsetails just south of Three Bridges, and a few Heather in flower a little further on. Lots of Silver Birch kicking in south of this station.
Several Broom a bit north of Hayward's Heath, with Hemp Agrimony just south of the station (one plant of this seen earlier at Horley).
Common Toadflax and Ox-eye Daisy around Wivelsfield.
Big patch of Hemp Agrimony south of Burgess Hill.
Several Purple Toadflax just north of Hassocks station, also one Gorse, and a couple of Pine saplings in the ballast immediatly south of the station. More Hemp Agrimony further to the south of it - plus further stands a little north of Preston Park.
Some Red Valerian just outside Brighton station on the west side.
Hove: 4 Black Nightshade at the foot of a street tree near the station. Corydalis lutea and Ivy-leaved Toadflax in front gardens on Norton Rd. Wall Rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria) in the wall of St. Andrews Church, Church Rd., and Common Mallow and Ground Ivy in the churchyard.
A Pyracantha noted on the bank between the overground lines and Underground depot at New Cross, and another between the running lines just south of Horley station.
Rather strangely, there was a strip of Common Reed at the *top* of a low cutting just south of New Cross Gate station.
Some Gorse just before Honor Oak Park.
Patch of Silver Birch and a couple of Gorse near Selhurst Depot.
Lots of Clematis vitalba north of Reedham. lots of Ash south of Reedham and on to Salfords.
Tall Horsetails just south of Three Bridges, and a few Heather in flower a little further on. Lots of Silver Birch kicking in south of this station.
Several Broom a bit north of Hayward's Heath, with Hemp Agrimony just south of the station (one plant of this seen earlier at Horley).
Common Toadflax and Ox-eye Daisy around Wivelsfield.
Big patch of Hemp Agrimony south of Burgess Hill.
Several Purple Toadflax just north of Hassocks station, also one Gorse, and a couple of Pine saplings in the ballast immediatly south of the station. More Hemp Agrimony further to the south of it - plus further stands a little north of Preston Park.
Some Red Valerian just outside Brighton station on the west side.
Hove: 4 Black Nightshade at the foot of a street tree near the station. Corydalis lutea and Ivy-leaved Toadflax in front gardens on Norton Rd. Wall Rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria) in the wall of St. Andrews Church, Church Rd., and Common Mallow and Ground Ivy in the churchyard.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
12/8/09: Cray clean-up - plastic ain't fantastic
River Cray, Foots Cray Meadows, south of Bexley village.
I spent four hours today with Riverkeeper Ashe Hurst, and 3 other volunteers, clearing plant debris and litter trapped in the weir under the arches of Five Arches bridge. This event was part of the Thames21 programme. See here for other events across London:
http://www.thames21.org.uk/
I used to muck around here, and on the Cray at Hall Place when I was a kid. After listening to the obligatory Health and Safety talk I couldn't help thinking it made the fact I've managed to survive so many years sound like something of a minor miracle. Then it was into a chest high wading outfit and lifejacket.
My rather younger partner and I were tasked going into the arches and picking out litter - before those below raked out the plant debris from the downstream side and dragged it to the bank. One thing the H+S warnings had glossed over was the back-ache resulting from being bent over at an uncomfortable angle for rather a long time !
Given the birds on the lake, it was rather ironic that our first find was a concrete duck with its head missing. Apart from a number of decomposed tennis balls, most of the litter was bits of plastic wrapper and plastic bags. Some of it had become distinctly green and was both hard to spot and a fiddle to extricate from the piles of sticks and bits of reed. Definititely not fantastic. In fact a real pain in the ar*e.
Once we'd finished the job, I had a proper look round, and was pleased to see that a significant proportion of the meadows are now being left unmown.
A short distance upstream from the bridge was a large clump of Hemp Agrimony, my first find of the species in the Borough.
Banded Demoiselles were active along the margin of this reed bed to the right of the bridge.
The reed bed (above) had 'bays' in it, which appeared to be attractive to these insects.
Plants in the meadows included Silverweed, Spotted Medick and this rather distinctly 'candy-striped' specimen of Field Bindweed.
I spent four hours today with Riverkeeper Ashe Hurst, and 3 other volunteers, clearing plant debris and litter trapped in the weir under the arches of Five Arches bridge. This event was part of the Thames21 programme. See here for other events across London:
http://www.thames21.org.uk/
I used to muck around here, and on the Cray at Hall Place when I was a kid. After listening to the obligatory Health and Safety talk I couldn't help thinking it made the fact I've managed to survive so many years sound like something of a minor miracle. Then it was into a chest high wading outfit and lifejacket.
My rather younger partner and I were tasked going into the arches and picking out litter - before those below raked out the plant debris from the downstream side and dragged it to the bank. One thing the H+S warnings had glossed over was the back-ache resulting from being bent over at an uncomfortable angle for rather a long time !
Given the birds on the lake, it was rather ironic that our first find was a concrete duck with its head missing. Apart from a number of decomposed tennis balls, most of the litter was bits of plastic wrapper and plastic bags. Some of it had become distinctly green and was both hard to spot and a fiddle to extricate from the piles of sticks and bits of reed. Definititely not fantastic. In fact a real pain in the ar*e.
Once we'd finished the job, I had a proper look round, and was pleased to see that a significant proportion of the meadows are now being left unmown.
A short distance upstream from the bridge was a large clump of Hemp Agrimony, my first find of the species in the Borough.
Five Arches bridge on the River Cray, looking downstream, with Hemp Agrimony front centre
There was also quite a lot of Gypsywort, with its whorls of flowers at the leaf nodes (above).
The highlight was seeing my first ever Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)damselflies. Pictures here:
http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/caspl.html
By wading in the river I was able to get close views as they flew along the edge of a bed of Reeds and Great Reedmace (pictured below). There were 2 or 3 males with their superb purple-patched wings, which really show up the flight action. I also witnessed one take up a copulating position with a female.
Banded Demoiselles were active along the margin of this reed bed to the right of the bridge.
The reed bed (above) had 'bays' in it, which appeared to be attractive to these insects.
Plants in the meadows included Silverweed, Spotted Medick and this rather distinctly 'candy-striped' specimen of Field Bindweed.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
8/7/09: Barnehurst to Brighton
- Pristine Comma butterfly in the garden this morning
- White-flowered Buddleia in retaining wall, East Croydon station
- Several Opium Poppies in former goods yard (now car park) South Croydon
- Lots of Clematis vitalba on'up' embankment top, north of Purley
- Coltsfoot at Earlswood
- Himalayan Balsam and Meadowsweet in ditch south of Gatwick
- Lots of Wild Carrot in ballast of disused sidings, plus about 20 Aaron's Rod (Verbascum thapsus) Three Bridges
- Gorse and Bracken starting to appear
- Several Hemp Agrimony (a frequent 'weed' of disturbed ground and odd corners when I was in Bristol) on cutting side as Ardingly branch joins the main line north of Haywards Heath station
- Very large stand of Weld plants just south of Haywards Heath
- More Hemp Agrimony just north of Burgess Hill and either side of Hassocks
- Ivy-leaved Toadflax and Hart's-tongue Fern in courtyard of Brighton Eco Centre
- White-flowered Buddleia in retaining wall, East Croydon station
- Several Opium Poppies in former goods yard (now car park) South Croydon
- Lots of Clematis vitalba on'up' embankment top, north of Purley
- Coltsfoot at Earlswood
- Himalayan Balsam and Meadowsweet in ditch south of Gatwick
- Lots of Wild Carrot in ballast of disused sidings, plus about 20 Aaron's Rod (Verbascum thapsus) Three Bridges
- Gorse and Bracken starting to appear
- Several Hemp Agrimony (a frequent 'weed' of disturbed ground and odd corners when I was in Bristol) on cutting side as Ardingly branch joins the main line north of Haywards Heath station
- Very large stand of Weld plants just south of Haywards Heath
- More Hemp Agrimony just north of Burgess Hill and either side of Hassocks
- Ivy-leaved Toadflax and Hart's-tongue Fern in courtyard of Brighton Eco Centre
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