Shoreham Bank: Supplementary Images 2004

MILL HILL: Vetch Trail (Lower Slopes) : Shoreham Bank

45° ungrazed unimproved slope with an extensive Horseshoe Vetch in May and herbs and grasses below 40 mm in height

Supplementary Images:

15 May 2005

The lower slopes were so dominated by the Horseshoe Vetch that other plants could be overlooked. Of particular note were a handful of Hound's Tongue, Cynoglossum officinale, (only the leaves have been recorded before) with most of the plants noted on the steep slopes just below the ridge.

21 September 2004
These two miniature flowers of two separate creeping plants appeared amongst the herb layer on the lower slopes of Mill Hill:

Fairy Flax
Linum catharticum
Confirmed by Rodney Burton Common Mouse-ear, Cerastium fontanum
in a Rabbit latrine
ID suggestion by Carole Mortimer
Confirmed by Rodney Burton & others on UK Botany Yahoo Group
ID Messages

The depth of field was limited by the poor light on an overcast day.The diameter of each flower was not measured but estimated to be less than 10 mm across. Neither of these small flowers were plentiful, and only one plant of each was spotted, although there could have been more.

16 September 2004
It took until just after midday before I saw my first Small Copper Butterfly of the year on a clump of Devil's Bit Scabious with at least three Meadow Brown Butterflies, one Small Heath, and two Common Blue Butterflies all at the same time, at the northern end of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. A few Dog Violets and at least one Dropwort was in flower out of their normal spring season.
Adur Violets

Butterflies numbered under a hundred in 25 minutes on the lower slopes including a total of 25+ Meadow Browns, 15+ Small Heaths, 10+ Common Blues, 1+ Small White, 1 Large White, 1 Small Copper and one Wall Brown (near the Wayfaring Bush by the path). One particularly worn blue butterfly, so worn it could not be identified, although probably a Common Blue, seemed to follow me wherever I went.
Adur Butterfly List 2004

The leaves of Devil's Bit Scabious can be seen in this study Devil's Bit Scabious plants with seven visiting butterflies A closer look at the leaves of Devil's Bit Scabious

Dropwort usually flowers in the spring A few Dog Violets flower out of season I think this is a dimunitive umbellifer in amongst the herbs. Unlike the Squinancywort (with four petals) these plants have five petals. I have identified this as Burnet Saxifrage.

The diminutive Scarlet Pimpernel. Are their signs of Rabbit grazing in this image? The small Autumn Gentian, or Felwort, is scattered amongst the herbs, but it does not appear to be any more than occasional this year Tor Grass meets Horseshoe Vetch
In the natural order (without man's interference) which plant will dominate?

The dimunitive Squinancywort has four petals
It is widespread, but not abundant although very frequently found, in amongst the herbs

Agrimony grows as an upright plant next to paths, but a dimunitive form occasionally flowers amongst the herbs on the lower slopes.

Common Centaury is frequently seen amongst the herbs Hound's-tongue, Cynoglossum officinale,
is an early coloniser, in bare patches near Rabbit warrens and occasionally in bare patches on the lower slopes as well.
ID by by Paul Kennett
on UK Botany Yahoo Group
not the Great Mullein,
Verbascum thapsus
Burnet Saxifrage leaves

Wild Basil: this common wayside plant occurs frequently on the lower slopes and is used as a nectar plant, although not the most popular one amongst the butterflies. 5 September 2004
Hoary Plantain
ID by Ray Hamblett (Lancing Nature) 2 September 2004
Butterflies on the Carline Thistle
Meadow Browns, Common Blueand
Adonis Blue (?)

15 September 2004
After the gales and late in the afternoon, it was unlikely that I would spot more than a handful of butterflies on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in the fading light. The butterflies could still be around but they had already chosen to roost and two Small Heath Butterflies were actually discovered roosting on two Devil's Bit Scabious flowers, so torpid that they did not fly off even when tickled. This was despite an air temperature of 17.8ºC at 5:00 pm.


Fairy Flax Linum catharticum Confirmed by Rodney Burton	Common Mouse-ear, Cerastium fontanum in a Rabbit latrine ID suggestion by Carole Mortimer Confirmed by Rodney Burton & others on UK Botany Yahoo Group ID Messages


The leaves of Devil's Bit Scabious can be seen in this study	Devil's Bit Scabious plants with seven visiting butterflies	A closer look at the leaves of Devil's Bit Scabious


Dropwort usually flowers in the spring	A few Dog Violets flower out of season	I think this is a dimunitive umbellifer in amongst the herbs. Unlike the Squinancywort (with four petals) these plants have five petals. I have identified this as Burnet Saxifrage.


The diminutive Scarlet Pimpernel. Are their signs of Rabbit grazing in this image?	The small Autumn Gentian, or Felwort, is scattered amongst the herbs, but it does not appear to be any more than occasional this year	Tor Grass meets Horseshoe Vetch In the natural order (without man's interference) which plant will dominate?

	The dimunitive Squinancywort has four petals It is widespread, but not abundant although very frequently found, in amongst the herbs
	Agrimony grows as an upright plant next to paths, but a dimunitive form occasionally flowers amongst the herbs on the lower slopes.


Common Centaury is frequently seen amongst the herbs	Hound's-tongue, Cynoglossum officinale, is an early coloniser, in bare patches near Rabbit warrens and occasionally in bare patches on the lower slopes as well. ID by by Paul Kennett on UK Botany Yahoo Group not the Great Mullein, Verbascum thapsus	Burnet Saxifrage leaves


Wild Basil: this common wayside plant occurs frequently on the lower slopes and is used as a nectar plant, although not the most popular one amongst the butterflies.	5 September 2004 Hoary Plantain ID by Ray Hamblett (Lancing Nature)	2 September 2004 Butterflies on the Carline Thistle Meadow Browns, Common Blueand Adonis Blue (?)