Lancing Clump (TQ 180 065) and meadows (map)
Click on the map for a larger image

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Lancing Ring and Meadows: 

The wooded clump area covers about 8.4 acres, the large meadow about 19 acres and McIntyres Field a further 9.8 acres. Other large areas including the large steep western bank, the Chalk Pit, Barton's Wood, with various small spinneys and grass outcrops, and the west facing slopes. 

Lancing Ring Measurements

EVENTS

WILDLIFE REPORTS
 

Lancing Ring Reports 2008

20 December 2007
On McIntyres Field, east of Lancing Ring, a Mistle Thrush took control of the territory at the intersection of the mowed pathways. A familiar sight at this time of year and possibly a migrant from Scandinavia or Northern Europe, it is not seen during the summer. 

Report by Ray Hamblett on the Lancing Ring Blogspot

21 November 2007
A Yellowhammer was spotted amongst the short grass (shorn sward) of Mc Intyre's Field, east of Lancing Ring. 

7 November 2007
Three Jay birds were seen in the area of the Chalkpit in the afternoon, two were flying over the Chalkpit area heading towards the arable field to the north, and the third was on a TV aerial in Ring Road just below the Chalkpit area.

Report by Ray Hamblett on the Lancing Ring Blogspot

3 November 2007

Shaggy Pholiota, Pholiota squarrosa on Lancing Clump, growing on the base of a dying Ash tree.

Photograph by Ray Hamblett on flickr  Lancing Ring pool

Adur Fungi 2007

2 November 2007
Two Speckled Wood Butterflies and something white and quite large (a butterfly, only seen from a distance) were flying near the Blackthorn Sloes on Lancing Ring.
These are the first records of Speckled Wood Butterflies recorded in the month of November. 
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
There were nuisance numbers of the alien Harlequin Ladybirds, Harmonia axyridis, around the dewpond seat in the afternoon.

Report by Ray Hamblett on the Adur Valley Mailing List

Adur Ladybirds

A Red Admiral Butterfly was spotted near the Lancing Manor Leisure Centre buildings followed by two flying together in the sunshine near Lancing Ring dewpond. Plants in flower included Greater Knapweed, Dove's Foot Cranesbill (one flower), Red Clover, Germander Speedwell (one flower), Wild Basil and Sow-thistles. Fungi spotted included the bracket fungus Trametes, a large clump of Sulphur Tuft and the rounded Puff Balls.
The main meadow had not been mown yet, although McIntyres Field has been shorn. A chirm of about ten Goldfinches rose from the scrub as I cycled along the lower path.

1 November 2007
There was a late Wall Brown Butterfly seen on the downs near Lancing. This was the first ever of this species recorded locally in the month of November and only notified later to be the seventh species recorded in the penultimate month of the year. 
Adur Butterfly Flight Times

Report by Bert Laker on Sussex Butterflies

October 2007 Friends of Lancing Ring and Adur District Council have cleared an area of Sycamore and planted the first young Beech tree (photographed on 2 November 2007 on the left).

19 October 2007
On the approaches to Lancing Clump (eastern car park) there were a few brown butterflies that were flying too high to be identified (possibly Wall Browns) but it was Speckled Woods that were occasionally seen over the edge of the scrub areas on Lancing Ring Nature Reserve. There were a few Red Admiral Butterflies amongst the scrub as well. 
 

The caterpillar of the Pale Tussock Moth, Calliteara pudibunda, crawled across the pavement on the approaches to Lancing Clump (eastern car park). I put it on the grass verge for the photograph.

Three species of mushroom were spotted including Shaggy Pholiota and Puff Balls at the foot of Beech trees. 
Adur Butterfly List 2007
Adur Fungi 2007

31 July 2007
A long trip from Mash Barn Lane, up the western slope of Lancing Clump and a return through the meadows in the warm sunshine (23.7 ºC) produced only a moderate amount of butterflies: frequent Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Small/Essex Skippers, occasional Large Whites, Speckled Woods, Holly Blues and Red Admirals, and a few 6-spot Burnet Moths, and that was the lot. There was a possible Wall Brown and a possible Small Tortoiseshell, but neither remained still enough to be sure. 
 

The dewpond was reasonably full of water after the recent rain, with the flowers of the  Purple Loosestrife making a find show. On the western slope Harebells and Vervain were frequently seen as the path winds up the hill, where the shrub Mugwort, Artemesia vulgaris, was also in flower. A single Round-headed Rampion was in flower at the eastern end of the Chalk Pit. 

18 July 2007
An afternoon visit to the woods and meadows of Lancing Ring Nature Reserve produced the expected frequent Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Large Whites and Peacock Butterflies, but no more than occasional records of Speckled Woods, Red Admirals, Small/Essex Skippers and Marbled Whites. At least two Wall Browns alighted on the path in front of me. There were a few 6-spot Burnet Moths.

Hemp Agrimony was attractive to the vanessids, although on a prime clump there was only one Peacock and one Red Admiral. Three Gatekeepers were seen feeding on a single Yarrow flowering head next to the bridlepath. A Comma Butterfly was settled on a bare earth path at the top of McIntyre's Field. 
A mating tandem of Southern Hawker (dragonflies) took off from the meadow by the path that runs south from Barton's Wood. 
Purple Loosestrife was in flower next to Lancing Ring dewpond. This should not be confused with Rosebay Willowherb. Meadow Cranesbill was in flower inside the wooden fence perimeter of the dewpond. 
Adur Butterfly List 2007
Adur Wild Flowers 2007

16 July 2007
On Lancing Ring, I met local recorder Bert Laker on a transect walk across the Nature Reserve. I joined him for part of his walk, several species in flight including Marbled White, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown and Large Whites. Marbled Whites were most numerous, and in one small patch of Scabious plants in the Chalkpit a dozen individuals were basking. 

Report by Ray Hamblett on the Lancing Ring Nature Notes

29 June 2007
On a local walk organised by Andy Brook to see bats on McIntyres field, on the east of Lancing Ring, we saw about ten bats at the height of their activity, but it was difficult to verify what species they were in the poor light. I believe they may have been the Serotine Bat, Eptesicus serotinus. 

Report by Ray Hamblett on Lancing Nature Notes (June 2007)

Sussex Bat Group

A couple of Buzzards were spotted over the Bostal end Sompting end of Lancing Ring.

Report by Brenda Collins

17 June 2007
About half a dozen Marbled White Butterflies were seen on the meadows at Lancing Ring.

Report by Ray Hamblett on the UK-Leps (Yahoo Group)

4 June 2007
In the humid sunshine I spotted five Small Heath Butterflies on the Lancing Ring Nature Reserve, two at the top of the western slopes and two at the eastern end of the meadow and another one in McIntyres Field. A Wall Brown and a Holly Blue flew up from the reeds in the dewpond, and a male Common Blue was disturbed on the western edge of the Chalk Pit. A Red Admiral was seen near Hoe Cottages.
 

Common Gromwell	McIntyres Field with Grass Vetchling

On the western slope I made a note of the smaller chalkhill herbs in flower which were thinly spread and included Bulbous Buttercups, Horseshoe Vetch, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Milkwort, Ground Ivy, Thyme, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Germander Speedwell, Hairy Violet, Mouse-eared Hawkweed, Hawkbits, Dandelions and other plants not mentioned. The Chalk Pit added a few flowering Kidney Vetch. McIntyres Field added Grass Vetchling, Meadow Buttercups and Common Vetch. All these plants were frequently seen and undoubtedly common. 

Of the larger plants, I made a note of the Common Gromwell, Lithospermum officinale, for the first time and frequent on the western slopes of Lancing Ring.

ID of the Common Gromwell
by John Crellin (Flora Images) on the UK Botany Yahoo Group

1 May 2007
I made a quick trip to Lancing Clump and the meadows to compare the flora and fauna with Mill Hill. Alas, early in the year meadows are not as good as rabbit warrens and the only butterflies I saw associated with this habitat was one Small Heath Butterfly and two probable Wall Browns (which if confirmed would be the first of the year). The flew rapidly away without settling. Speckled Woods were frequent in the woods. There were frequent Red Admirals, Holly Blues and Large Whites and occasional Peacocks over the meadows and paths. A Brimstone Moth flew strongly in the sunshine. 

Under the Beech, there was a patch of Early Purple Orchids but they looked well past their best. At the east end of the chalk pit I saw over a dozen flowers of Horseshoe Vetch, but I could not find any on the main meadows where five Birds' Foot Trefoil flower clumps were noticed. Germander Speedwell was noted in large patches on the meadows and McIntyres Field.
Adur Orchids

27 April 2007
A walk on McIntyres Field, part of Lancing Ring, LNR, there was a Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Comma and I think Green-veined White Butterfly, judging by its wing shape in flight.

Report by Ray Hamblett on the UK-Leps (Yahoo Group)

Adur Butterfly List 2007

12 March 2007
Just after midday, my first Brimstone Butterfly of the year fluttered steadily down the path immediately to the east of Lancing Clump and this butterfly showed no inclination of stopping its flight at an estimated 8 mph. Later, another Brimstone Butterfly flew over the path to the north-west of Lancing Clump. 
Adur Butterfly List 2007
Adur Butterflies: First Dates Sweet Violets were in flower and Gorse. Over the field to the west of Lancing Ring Nature Reserve, a Crow repeatedly mobbed a Kestrel. A Jay was clearly seen flying into the trees near Hoe Cottages and another one further down the bridlepath towards the Sussex Pad. A solitary Coot swam on the pond by Lancing College Farm.
 

Lancing Ring Wildlife Reports 2006

 

Aerial Map
Lower Adur Levels (MultiMap) including Lancing Clump and Mill Hill
 
 

EMail Address for sending in wildlife reports from the lower Adur valley
Only a selection will be included and only reports with the name of the reporter

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Mill Hill (Link)

History of Lancing (Ray Hamblett)

Lancing Ring

Lancing Ring & Mill Hill Information 1 (requires Acrobat Reader)
Lancing Ring & Mill Hill Information 2 (requires Acrobat Reader)