The river is build up on both sides through the low-lying flood plain and their are few marshes or wetlands aside the river. There are pleasant walks on the towpaths on both sides of the river, from Shoreham-by-Sea to Bramber, with the passage passable for bicycles, if you can put up with lifting your bicycle over a few stiles.

Clay alluvian soil, brought down from the river sources in the Weald. The bank of part of the river is chalk. 
Geology

 
29 October 2003
The number of Cormorants flying over the Adur levels, with a few in the River Adur, between Old Shoreham and Botolphs exceeded one hundred, in just over an hour, a number not seen before by myself. The normal numbers I would expect to see would not exceed thirty. 
 
 

  
15 October 2003

Autumn in the clump of trees surrounding Bramber Castle (ruins)
east of Claysfield Farm and pond (open space)

14 October 2003
"I went to Woods Mill (at Small Dole, the headquarters of the Sussex Wildlife Trust) with my year group. We did lots of games and had a great time. We went pond dipping, me and Hannah  found dragonfly larvae, water boatman, blood worms, snails and a whirlygig and a leech.
After that we had to be detectives and look out for tracks, poo and clues for wild animals, we found some fox's poo and some deer tracks.
We saw a Speckled Wood and a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. Someone in the group saw a Kingfisher."

Report by Katherine Hamblett (Thornberry School, Lancing)

14 June 2003

45 Mute Swans were counted on the still tidal part of the River Adur at Upper Beeding by the disused Cement Works. My cyclepath cycle from Old Shoreham, on a pleasantly sunny day, disturbed a handful each of Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, and Red Admiral Butterflies plus a single Grizzled Skipper on the eastern side of the South Downs Way footbridge.
Adur Butterflies

9 June 2003
The Beautiful Damselflies are fluttering in my Shermanbury garden.

Report by Allen Pollard

Shermanbury (Adur Valley) Wildlife Photographs

8 June 2003
As a steady strong breeze (Force 6) gusted to gale force, making a white caps of the small wavelets in the Adur estuary, a handful of dull coloured Painted Lady Butterflies and a single Red Admiral Butterfly were disturbed on the Old Shoreham cycleway to Upper Beeding, where the Hardheads were beginning to flower amongst the Ox-eye Daisies, with a single Spotted Orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii. Cups of water from the overnight rain were retained in the lower leaves of the Teasel. 

The yellow of the Horseshoe Vetch had disappeared as a yellow carpet on the downs and the yellow borders on the cycle path were Bird's Foot Trefoil, at least one clump of this prostrate plant over knee high, 50 mm from the ground. This plant usually attains a height of up to 40 mm. 

The Bird's Foot Trefoil had a solid stem which means it is Lotus corniculatus, Lotus uliginosa has a hollow stem. (This can be confused by larger continental species planted by landscape gardeners.)

Identification Notes by Tina Teearu via UK Botany

22 April 2003
Scores of Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies fluttered around on the Botolphs side of the river near the South Downs Way Bridge, with a chirm of Goldfinches in the set-aside field. Robin Redbreasts are very noticeable here as they are near the disused Beeding Cement Works. There were many clumps of Cowslips on the Old Shoreham to Bramber cyclepath. 

Milkmaids, Lady’s Smock or Cuckoo Flower, Cardamine pratensis, traditionally flowers as the Cuckoos arrive. The Milkmaids thrives in damp meadow land, particularly cattle pasture; unfortunately as this habitat is “improved” out of existence this beautiful flower is decreasing throughout the country. There were several clumps of this plant bordering the streams near Botolphs. (Milkmaids is the name I have heard used locally.)
More Images
Wild Flower Information

20 April 2003
A Dingy Skipper Butterfly was seen at Upper Beeding (near Steyning) in the Adur valley on a breezy overcast Easter Sunday morning. This species is not often recorded, although it is known from Mill Hill. 

Report by Jim Steedman via the UK-Leps EForum

15 April 2003
A couple of Speckled Wood Butterflies were spotted behind Steyning in the Adur valley.

Report by Allen Pollard via the UK-Leps EForum

Upper Adur East (Shermanbury area) Nature Pages
Adur Butterflies

 


29 December 2001
Snow falls before dawn and a thin layer of snow covers the levels. It quickly melts in the afternoon sun.
 

The River Adur at Shermanbury with a light layer of snow
Photograph by Allen Pollard

 


 
 





 Banded Demoiselle, Callopteryx splendens
(Photograph by Allen Pollard at Shermanbury, Adur Valley)



 
 
 

Freshwater Life of North-western Europe EFORUM PAGE



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Local Wildlife Links  (SE England)



Adur Biodiversity Insect Links
Adur Nature Notes 2002
Adur & the Downs: Protected Sites
Adur Valley Nature Notes
Adur Valley Wildlife
Butterflies of Adur
Chalk Rivers Biodiversity (JNCC)
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Adur
Dungeness, Kent, England
Freshwater Habitats of the Lower Adur Valley
Freshwater Life of North-western Europe Smart Group
Friends of Lancing Ring
Grasshoppers and Crickets (Yahoo Group)
Orford Ness:  Coastal Ecology of a Shingle Bank (excellent references)
Ralph Hollins Nature Pages  (Chichester Harbour area)
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Rockpooling Page
Seashore Page
Shingle Coast  (Coastal Fringe of Shoreham Beach)
Shoreham-by-Sea Wildlife Page
Sussex Archaeology & Folklore
Sussex Archaeological Society
Sussex Wildlife Web Sites
Wildlife & Conservation Links (West Sussex)
Wildsong