New Monks Farm 2006
including Mash Barn Lane
 
8 August 2006

Two Southern Hawkers and a Common Darter (dragonflies) were positively identified from the Elm Corridor on New Monks Farm. The wings of the Southern Hawker appeared an iridescent golden tan colour in flight. This path is now overgrown and virtually impassable because of Stinging Nettles. There were occasional each of the expected butterflies: Whites (species not specified), Speckled Woods, Holly Blues, Meadow Browns and Red Admirals.
 
Willow

28 June 2006

Hundreds of Scentless Mayweed flowers bordered the path on New Monks Farm where the Oil Seed Rape was planted last year and this year the field has just been left. The path throught the Elm Corridor was overgrown but passable.
 
1 May 2006
On a late afternoon passage trip over the southern part of New Monks Farm, a single Peacock Butterfly fluttered strongly over the rough ground north of the flint barns and horse grazing paddock.
Adur Butterfly and Moth List 2006
 
15 February 2006
The characterisitc dipping flight of the Green Woodpecker was easily recognisable over the bare cut field and because there was a clear space for 30 metres from the Withy Patch, the shape, the red and green of the woodpecker as it left its feeding place on the ground could be easily discerned as well. This bird is a regular in most substantial (must be more than a few acres) woody areas of the Adur district. A handful of the large branches of the Willow trees by the Withy Patch had been sawn off.
 
9 February 2006
At least 300 Wood Pigeons were airborne over New Monks Farm and there were many more resting on the bare branches.


Link to Reports 2005


 
Young Elm Row of trees (including Hawthorn and Elm) and path through New Monks Farm
Elm Leaves
Slightly out of focus in the foreground, it appears it is a mature Elm in the background

Elms,  and other trees (centre)

Elm leaves in Mash Barn Lane, Lancing (Photograph by Ray Hamblett)English Elm  Ulmus procera Salisbury (syn. Ulmus campestris Miller)  OE = elm
Some ID notes:
It does not sucker freely.
The leaves are nearly always attacked by the elm leaf-gall mite Eriophytes ulmicola (Rackham 1980).

Wych Elm, Ulmus glabra Hudson (syn. Ulmus montana Loudon.) OE  = wice
Some ID notes:
Observable ability to produce vegetative suckers and has largely abandoned sex as a means of reproduction.

Both elm and wice catch Dutch Elm Disease.

Elm Leaf Galls (from New Monks Farm by Ray Hamblett)

Adur Elms

Elm Tree Information page
Elm Species Checklist (UK)
Elms in Worcestershire
 
 
This tree (leaves on the left) was also present as a mature tree in the row (overlarge hedgerow) of trees.

This looks like Hawthorn but a bit different. Probably the leaves are fuller than the stunted specimens on Mill Hill. 

 

Link to Reports for 2004
 
 


Adur Levels 2004

Adur Levels up to 2003

Freshwater Life of North-western Europe Smart Group