9/6/10: Lovely Legumes congregate on Crayford Rough

On my first visit to this site (22/5/10) I had garnered my first ever record of the Yellow Vetchling (Lathyrus aphaca) - though didn't mention it in that post. I knew straight away what this highly distinctive and uncommon plant was from illustrations in books, having been keen to see it for some time.

Today the Yellow Vetchling was in flower, along with an array of other Legumes - fabulous stands of Tufted Vetch of superb colour, Meadow Vetching, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, White Clover, Red Clover and Hairy Tare - and a worthy subject to top this Crayford Rough picture parade.

Yellow Vetchling in flower

Meadow Vetchling in flower



A patch of Tufted Vetch in flower

A closer view of the Tufted Vetch flower spikes, showing the beautiful bi-colouring of many of the plants here

A clump of Asparagus was a further record for the site.

Insects today included:
- a Latticed Heath moth
- the attractive little Burnet Companion moth, my first ever recording/identification of this species
- a male Banded Demoiselle away from the water
- a male Common Blue butterfly
- a Green-veined White butterfly

Birds noted were:
- a Grey Wagtail
- a male Whitethroat
- a Song Thrush

12/8/09: Joydens Wood - more botanical 'firsts'

I took a long 'detour' up Parsonage Lane and through Joydens Wood, on the way home from Foots Cray Meadows to Barnehurst, first skirting the southern margin of the wood before heading north, then broadly north west to come out by the Keeper's Cottage - proceeding from there to Vicarage Rd in Bexley village.

This generated some species completely new to me, as well as some that I hadn't found in or adjacent to Bexley Borough to date.

In fact the wood straddles the border between the London Borough of Bexley, and the Borough of Dartford in Kent. Planted with Corsican Pine, it was owned by the Forestry Commission, but is now in the hands of the Woodland Trust:

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/our-woods/Pages/wood-details.aspx?wood=4266

Plantation Pines with Silver Birch and Bracken. There were limited numbers of Gorse and Broom at various locations along my route

Wide, often well-lit rides, with damp - sometimes ditched - margins, supported a varied array of herbaceous species

Immediatly upon entering the wood I noticed a considerable amount of Brooklime spilling over the pathway, a feature that was to prove typical of the rides I followed. An early 'spot' of a species new to me was this grey-leaved Marsh Cudweed, of which there were a few plants in each of a couple of locations.

There was a fair amount of Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus) in several places. This has more flowers per head, is hairy, has hollow stems and a looser, more rambling habit, when compared with Bird's-foot Trefoil (L. corniculatus). Another plant I've not come across before.

This Wood Ant's nest was spotted close to a path.

This plant is the native Golden Rod (Solidago vigaurea), not to be confused with the very different-looking Canadian version that has naturalised in many places.

A one point there was a couple of yards of this Lily-of-the-valley, in fruit, lining the edge of a ride.
A single plant of Betony was noticed hidden amongst other vegetation on a ditch bank, a new Bexley (borders) species for me.

There were a few patches of Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) and Upright Hedge Parsley (Torilis japonica), these species seen mingling together here. The latter was another first for me in this part of the world.

This Guelder Rose, with some fruits, was growing at the edge of a ride towards the north-west corner of the wood, and was the only specimen I came across.

Some of the other species noted along the margins of the rides were Thyme-leaved Speedwell (1), Self Heal, Wood Spurge, Wood Sage, Common Figwort, Enchanter's Nightshade, Coltsfoot and both Tufted Vetch (1) and Bush Vetch (several close together, all in one particular location), these being only my second records of these latter two species in the vicinity of Bexley Borough.

I'm sure there's plenty more of interest to find, and will endeavour to visit again in the not too distant future.

19/7/09: Finsbury Park flora: from Fig to Zigzag Clover

FINSBURY PARK is in the London Borough of Haringey, close to Hackney and Islington.

The Park is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance Grade II. The most interesting part, from a wildlife point of view, is Parkland Walk, which borders the railway line along the western margin - running along the eastern side of the East Coast Main Line. It is a Local Nature Reserve and an Ecological Corridor.

A report and pictures of some of the flora follows. It's a pity nothing is made of the wildlife value in the park guide downloadable here:

http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/community_and_leisure/greenspaces/parks_and_open_spaces_parks_facilities/finsburypark.htm


According to the Management Plan that is also available here 'The Parkland Walk Local Nature Reserve is a footpath and cycle path running along the disused railway line from Alexandra Palace to Finsbury Park. [It] has been completely re-landscaped as part of the [park] restoration project. The area underwent complete site clearance and infill and mounding was achieved using the dredged material from the lake. A new footpath and cycle path was ..... constructed and native trees, meadow grasses and flowers were introduced.'

The walk starts at the Stroud Green Road gate by the railway bridge. Here a probably 'self-sown' Fig (Ficus carica) was holding its own against planted Berberis.

View of Parkland Walk looking south towards Finsbury Park station. Thinner (apparently stonier) soil in the centre, looked like former railway track bed.

Looking north across characteristic vegetation of Mugwort, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Yarrow, Ox-eye Daisy and Clovers.


Many of the other species found are common components of vegetation assemblages around where I live in Barnehurst (SE London), including Field Bindweed, Ribwort Plantain, Teasel, White and Red Clover, Lesser Trefoil, Black Medick, Spear Thistle, Evergreen Alkanet, Bristly Ox-tongue, Old Man's Beard, Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea and Creeping Cinquefoil.

LASHINGS OF LEGUMES

This Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum) might be self sown, or may have survived removal of some shrubs due to anti-social behaviour problems (there's a reference to this development in the Management Plan). There's a patch of Comfrey behind it on the left. Contrast the bank with the mown grass beyond.


At the top of the bank above this were three plants of Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)- the largest seen here to the right of a Creeping Thistle.


A highlight, given I've been looking out for it everywhere I've been lately (with no success hitherto), was this solitary specimen of strongly red-purple flowered Zigzag Clover (Trifolium medium), growing amongst White Clover and Bird's-foot Trefoil.


This Tall Melilot (Melilotus altissima) was only 6" high, presumably struggling in very poor soil.


Inside the railway fence, heading north, were several Goat's-rue (Galega officinalis).

At the far north end of this part of the site, on a bank to the right of the footbridge over the ECML, that accesses the continuation of the closed Alexandra Palace branch, were several Lucerne, this one growing next to Weld.


LIMITED NUMBERS

Also here was a fine patch of Common Toadflax


Other species found in very small numbers included Silverweed, Black Knapweed (2 - but may have been more that were not in flower and thus overlooked), Musk Mallow (a few inside the railway fence) and this Vervain (only one found - a very wiry plant that doesn't show up well in the photo).


More typical was Yarrow against a backdrop of Mugwort and grasses, with Ribwort Plantain seed heads - a pleasing symphony of green and white.

If you find yourself at Finsbury Park with an hour to spare, go and have a look.

24/6/09: Of Swallows and several new species

My trip from Barnehurst to Bexleyheath started well with 4 Swallows sitting on telephone wires near the junction of Thirlmere and Grasmere Roads.

A Comma butterfly was seen on each side of the former pitch and putt course.

Cutting through the eastern edge of Bursted Wood, there was a rustling in the undergrowth that didn't sound like Blackbird foraging. In fact it was two Wood Mice.

The Asparagus by a garage in Lavernock Rd, near the rear of the hospital site, was now sporting Asparagus Beetle larvae.

There was a good display of Common Mallow in an alleyway at the Long Lane end of Francis Av.

Common Mallow

Being a horticulturalist, as well as a 'botanist', I noted with interest that a specimen of the recently-discovered Woollemi Pine, a 'living fossil' from Australia, was on sale in the garden shop on the corner of Heversham Rd.

http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/wollemi_pine

A new species in Bexley for me was Catmint (Nepeta cataria), with white, purple-spotted flowers, growing by the exit of the Texaco garage opposite 'The Yacht' public house on Long Lane.

http://www.homeopathyandmore.com/med_images/CATARIA_NEPETA.jpg

Greater Celandine and Asparagus occur around 'The Yacht' car park.

A seedling of a grey-leaved Verbascum was growing in a crevice by a junction box at the corner of Long Land and Rydal drive.

There was interest in the 'open plan' gardens round the estate on Bristow Rd, near the end of Franklin Rd., as a new location for Common Stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium) was discovered, hard up against the back end of someone's garage. Unfortunately the nine or so plants were now shaded and the flowers all closed.

Common Stork's-bill

Other plants here included Spotted Medick, Common Cat's-ear, Yarrow and, making a striking and attractive contrast in flower colour, Self Heal and Bird's-foot Trefoil.

There were at least three plants of Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) visible through the fence of Uplands Primary School on Church Rd, a species which I've seen become quite invasive by means of seed on a Bristol allotment site.

Lots of Buck's-horn Plantain was to be found in the grass bank behind the Marriott Hotel on Albion Rd (another candidate for a more relazed mowing regime). There were around 14 plants of Swine Cress (Coronopus squamatus), which has slightly heart-shaped fruits with a pointed projection, along the path edge here, and just around the corner on Gravel Hill, two plants of Lesser Swine Cress (Coronopus didymus) which has grape-shaped fruits.

Swine Cress

Lesser Swine Cress

A Hop plant and Traveller's Joy (Clematis vitalba) were growing ove the hedge by the side of the hotel on Gravel Hill.

There was a good selection of plants around the former Woolwich Building Society offices at the junction of Erith Rd and Watling St, including several Perforate St. John's-wort, Black Horehound and Mouse-ear Hawkweed.

A new Bexley Borough species for me here was the attractively silvery Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), the aromatic nature of which led to it being used to repel fleas and moths. It is an ingredient in the liquor absinthe, and in the Middle Ages was used to flavour Mead.

Wormwood

There were three Hemlock plants, another new Bexley record for me - in borders of what looked like imported soil - at 68 Erith Rd.

I'd first spotted Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) in a scrap of green between two 'car-parked' gardens along this section of Erith Rd (south of Mayplace Rd East/West) a couple of years ago, and was pleased to see it's still hanging on. Despite supposedly being a fairly common plant, I've only ever seen the odd specimen here and there.

Tufted Vetch

A flock of about 11 Starlings was seen once back on Grasmere Rd., and another of around 20Ring-necked Parakeets

The best 'spot' of the day was undoubtedly a Pyramidal Orchid (see separate post).