Monday 2 July 2012

Naturewatch Study Walk, 30 June 2012

Coploe Chalk Pits
  • Common Valerian, widespread & abundant, in places dominant - Likes ‘wet & dry grassland’
  • Legumes: Kidney Vetch, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, all in good numbers
  • Campions, both White and Bladder. Bedstraws, both Lady’s and Hedge
  • Composites: Rough Hawkbit (rich yellow flowers) and Mouse-ear Hawkweed (lemon-yellow flowers), both chalk-lovers
  • Calcicoles: Purging Flax (five petals) and Squinancywort (four petals) in fair numbers, sometimes growing together. And Milkwort abundant and often of exceptionally good size. As blue-flowered ones were growing together with pink-flowered ones they are probably all the Common rather than Chalk species
  • A good patch of Agrimony (Rose family) and some fine Eyebright (‘Scroph’ family)
  • At the entrance a big Spindle with plenty of (unripe) spindles
Roman snails were also robust & numerous.

Heydon High Meadows (going west from Heydon towards Great Chishill, soon after passing the Animal Shelter on your left, park on the right in the gap opposite the research centre with a security fence)

Outstanding species, in the right-hand meadow as you get towards the oak tree.

  • Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia), a very fine, sweetly scattered group, the grass-like leaves unique for a legume
  • Yellowwort (Blackstonia perfoliata; Gentian family), a few small but showy groups, all the plants of exceptionally good size, especially the flowers
  • Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis), a good number, just coming into full flower
Other legumes: Meadow Vetchling, some big masses; Common Vetch, scattered
Also: Red Bartsia (Scroph family), esp. one big patch. Common St John’s Wort and Rough Hawksbeard here and there. Cut-leaved Cranesbill, very smart, along the access path.

A Ringlet butterfly was also seen:

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The Aims of Abington Naturewatch

At their meeting on 9 April 2005 the members approved this revised version of the aims of Abington Naturewatch:

  • To monitor and record the wildlife (fauna & flora) within the borders of the Abingtons;
  • To encourage protection of our wildlife, maintain its quality and foster its diversity;
  • To promote awareness of the richness, potential and problems of the natural environment of the Abingtons;
  • To cooperate in improving access to the local natural environment for the benefit of all Abington villagers.

Pat Daunt, Founder

The organisation is informal and communication is by email if possible; members are notified of events from time to time. Contact details are maintained by a small "project team". There is currently no membership fee as costs are covered by voluntary contributions at events.

Members are encouraged to report notable sightings of flora and fauna within the Abingtons to the appropriate sector coordinator and an illustrated record is published annually.

A map of the area covered, with some features noted, is available here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=213774935674882866424.00000111dca2be9f06ab8&z=13>

For more information or to join, please contact David Farrant on (01223) 892871.

Contributions to our records should be sent to sector contacts or either of the above. Photographs may also be submitted to Andy Merryweather (amerryweather61@gmail.com)