from January 2008
Link to Trees 2008
15
December 2008
Two
Musk
Thistles were still flowering by the Reservoir
on Mill Hill, but after the deluge or for
some other reason the prickly stems were bent and the purple flowers were
drooping down. Just a few Sow Thistles
were noted on the road edge.
8 December
2008
Scentless
Mayweed was still just about in flower
on the edge of the southern part of the cyclepath by Widewater
Lagoon and the Smooth Sow Thistle
was observed on other waste ground around Shoreham.
27
November 2008
Plants
observed in flower included a dimunitive Hawkbit
on
the lower slopes of
Mill
Hill, two Musk Thistles
by the Reservoir on Mill Hill,
Sow Thistles
on
road edges and a large clump of Ragwort
at
Kingston Buci.
Early
November 2008
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Pixie Path |
2 November
2008
After
the continual heavy rain of the previous day, on
Mill
Hill, there was an occasional Wild
Basil on the middle slopes and a single
Musk
Thistle were still in flower by the Reservoir.
27
October 2008
A
single Kidney Vetch
was seen in flower on Buckingham Cutting southern bank. White
Deadnettle was plentiful on the verges
of the footpath section of the of the Waterworks
Road, Old Shoreham.
17
October 2008
On
Mill
Hill, a single Musk Thistle
was still in flower by the Reservoir. Singles of Spear
Thistle and Creeping
Thistle in flower were noted.
12
October 2008
Bristly
Ox-tongue was noted in flower on the verges
of the the Coastal
Link Cyclepath just north of Adur Riverbank Industrial Estate.
Adur
Dandelion Family
9 October
2008
A
sunny day when the air temperature reached a pleasant 16.1
°C in the shade prompted a cycle ride
along the Coastal Link Cyclepath north
to Bramber Castle.
On the way I made a passage note of some wild plants still in flower and
they included Common Mallow,
the
last remnants of Viper's Bugloss,
Scentless
Mayweed, Ox-eye Daisies, Ragwort,
Hardheads,
Rough
Hawkbits and Smooth
Sow Thistle on the cyclepath verges with
Dandelions
and Herb Robert
at Bramber Castle.
There was very little Buddleia
left in flower for the butterflies.
The red berries
of Guelder-rose, Viburnum
opulus, were seen near the Cement
Works.
8 October
2008
After
five days of rain and poor weather the herb
layer including millions of the leaves of Horseshoe Vetch,
Hippocrepis
comosa, on the lower slopes of
Mill
Hill was still springy and firm under foot.
Red
berries were prominent from the worn and darker
berries of Hawthorn,
Dog Rose and
Bittersweet
to
the fresh berries
of
Wayfaring Tree, Cotoneaster
and
Holly.
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On
the top near the Reservoir, a Buff-tailed
Bumblebee
visited a Musk Thistle
still in flower. Spear Thistles
were also still in flower and I a noted a solitary Creeping
Thistle with a full flowering head. Rough
Hawkbit was seen on the Slonk
Hill south bank, but all the flowers identified on the lower slopes
of Mill Hill were Autumnal Hawkbit.
Other
plants noted in flower were Field Speedwell
at the top Slonk Hill Farm Road, south of the bridge over the A27,
and at the entrance to the linear spinney.
On
the lower slopes of Mill Hill, I noted Devil's
Bit Scabious, Yellow
Wort, Fairy Flax, Self-heal, Common
Centaury and
Wild
Basil and I overlooked many other flowers
as I was not searching for them.
Adur
Thistles
Adur
Bumblebees
28
September 2008
A
single flower of Sweet Violet
was noted are the southern end of the lower
slopes of Mill Hill.
Adur
Violets
25
September 2008
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Study on the lower slopes of Mill Hill
24
September 2008
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21
September 2008
Cissbury
Ring (Nepcote
approaches)
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10
September 2008
A
single Harebell
flower was seen on Anchor Bottom on the
southern (north-facing) slopes. There could have been more as I did not
look all that thoroughly.
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ID
by Martin Sandsford
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at Stonechat Junction, New Erringham on 21 September 2008 |
9 September
2008
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Devil's
Bit Scabious was seen in flower for the
first time this year on the Privet-inundated
lower
slopes of
Mill Hill. Despite four days
of rain and the whole of the summer, there were still dried-out
cow pats on the Autumn
Gentian covered plateau of Mill Hill south
of the upper car park. Most of the Autumn
Gentian was not in flower.
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on Mill Hill |
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21
-31 August 2008
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on the Coastal Link Cyclepath |
at Silver Sands, Shoreham Beach |
submerged at high tide in the River Adur estuary |
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19
August 2008
Much
too late in the year, I checked out the Childing
Pink, Petrorhagia
nanteuilii, at Silver
Sands on Shoreham
Beach, and I saw just the one wind-damaged flower being blown about
in the breeze.
10
August 2008
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1 August
2008
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Greater Knapweed |
A naturalised alien on the Slonk Hill Cutting (south) |
in Buckingham Park |
30
July 2008
Hundreds
of the small herb Autumn Gentian
were poking through the chalky area on the upper plateau of Mill Hill,
immediately north of the Reservoir. A handful were in flower for the first
time this year. A few Round-headed Rampion
were in flower amongst them and only a handful of these blue flowers were
seen on a passage trip scattered over the upper hill.
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Rampion |
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29
July 2008
Musk
Mallow was noted in flower for the first
time this year on the Adur Levels with
the greatest numbers in private fields near Old Shoreham.
27
July 2008
The
first Round-headed Rampion
of the year was seen in flower on the upper part of Mill
Hill, and one Cornflower
seen on the Coastal Link Cyclepath south
of the Toll Bridge.
22-23-24
July 2008
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The small herb Autumn Gentian was noted sprouting up on the middle slope area of Mill Hill, but the flowers had not yet appeared. Bird's Foot Trefoil was noted at a height of 60 cm and even higher on the verges of the Coastal Link Cyclepath south of the Cement Works, Upper Beeding. These varieties have been an identification problem before. Common Bird's Foot Trefoil, Lotus corniculatus, grows to a height of 40 cm whereas Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil, Lotus pedunculatus, can grow to 60 cm tall.
21 July 2008
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Greater Knapweed |
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Two new flowers added to the list were the small and easily overlooked Red Bartsia between the Coastal Link Cyclepath north of the Toll Bridge and the River Adur towpath, and a clump of Common Rock Rose at Stonechat Junction east of Mossy Bottom on the downs north of east Shoreham. Both had been flowering for at least a week and probably longer.
20
July 2008
A
Sweet
Violet was noted in flower on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill. Its leaves completely
lacked any hairs when seen clearly with the naked eye.
Adur
Violets
19
July 2008
A
Chicory
flower was blown about in the breeze on the verge of the Steyning Road
south of the Cement Works. Marjoram
was noted on the verges of the Coastal Link
Cyclepath north of the Toll Bridge.
A clump of Lesser Centaury appeared
with pale almost white flowers on the edge of the Coastal Link Cyclepath
near Old Shoreham.
15
& 19 July 2008
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15
July 2008
Hogweed
and Hawkweed Ox-tongue*
were in flower on Mill Hill. Some of the
Greater
Knapweed was yet to flower and some flowers
had already turned white. (*The
leaves were not bristly under the shade of the copse at the top of Mill
Hill.)
| Two
species of Ox-tongue are
recorded from Shoreham.
Bristly
Ox-tongue, Picris echioides and
Adur
Yellow Plant Study 2007-2008
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14
July 2008
The
first red berries
of the Wayfaring Tree
were spotted in the hedgerow of the Coastal
Link Cyclepath north of the Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham.
13
July 2008
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Bellflower |
The
Peach-leaved
Bellflowers were seen on the Slonk
Hill Cutting southern bank in the shade of the trees. Small
Scabious was in flower on Mill
Hill and Anchor Bottom. A clump of
Welted
Thistle* was noted adjacent to a clump
of Spear Thistle
on the cyclepath just north of the Cement Works, Upper Beeding.
The
first ripe Blackberry
was spotted.
Chalkhill
Flowers 2008
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Five
species of thistle
were recorded on Mill Hill including the first Stemless
Thistle of the year on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill, as well as Spear
Thistle, Welted Thistle*, the impressive
Musk
Thistle and the ubiquitous Creeping
Thistle. The first flowers of Clematis
also appeared on Mill Hill. Lady's Bedstraw
was also noted in flower. (*Confusion
occurs with the Slender Thistle which needs double-checking.)
Adur
Thistles
Hawkbits
were very common on the lower slopes of
Mill
Hill, and these are both Autumnal Hawkbit
and Rough Hawkbit
were noted for the first time this year.
Adur
Hawkbits
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5 July
2008
Marjoram
was
seen in flower in the Triangle middle slopes
area of Mill Hill and this was the first
for this year and the first time I noted this plant on Mill Hill.
4 July
2008
Hardweeds
(=Lesser Knapweeds) were abundant on the
verge of the Coastal Link Cyclepath north
of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham,
with Fleabane
recorded for the first time this year with open flowers, although most
had not opened, the first Teasel of
2008
was flowering, although, again, most had not showed. Wild
Basil was also recorded for the first
time this year and there were scores of flowering plants.
Adur
Teasels
3
July 2008
Borage
was growing on the verge of the Coastal Link
Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham, adjoining the northern part of the tarmaced path.
It is hard to think that was was naturalised independent of man's affects
as the plant is not usually seen growing wild outside of gardens.
Duke
of Argyll's Tea Tree (=Wolfberry), Lycium,
was
observed growing in extensive straggly amounts from the edge of the estuarine
river bed by Ropetackle. This is an alien species that is a new addition
to the Shoreham flora. Hemp
Agrimony was recorded for the first time
this year in flower on the Coastal
Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge.
Previous
Report
30
June 2008
Musk
Mallow was flowering for the first time
this year on a verge of the Coastal Link
Cyclepath just 300 metres north of the Toll
Bridge, Old Shoreham. The plant is a recent introduction to the Shoreham
area.
29
June 2008
Great
Mullein and the much smaller Vervain
were seen in flower for the first time this year on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill.
24
June 2008
Meadow
Cranesbill was seen for the first time
in flower this year in the surrounds of Lancing
Ring dewpond.
23
June 2008
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These
naturalised alien plants were seen on the Coastal
Link Cyclepath near the Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham. Other native wild flowers recorded for the first time this
year consisted of frequent Fragrant Orchids,
which were nearly finished and a solitary Small
Scabious, both species seen on Anchor
Bottom, Upper Beeding. I noted for the first time an attractive patch
of mixed
Common Poppies,
Opium
Poppies and Scentless
Mayweed with other plants to the south
of the South Downs Way Bridge over the River
Adur, where the cyclepath has been tarmaced
since last year. Tall Melilot
was recorded for the first time this year on the cyclepath verges. It was
identified from its taller appearance from the smaller Ribbed
Melilot.
22
June 2008
The
first Squinancywort
of the year was spotted in flower on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill. The first Restharrow
flowers
appeared amongst clumps of this plant on the southern bank of Buckingham
Cutting.
20
June 2008
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On
the shingle above the high water mark adjacent
to Widewater Lagoon, there were very frequent
to common (probably over a hundred) clumps of Viper's
Bugloss dominating the vegetation in the
area by the Beach Huts. A few clumps of Lesser
Burdock and a single flower of Spear
Thistle was seen amongst a clump, with
Slender
Thistle blown about in the breeze and
Yellow-horned
Poppy.
Wild
Carrot was recorded for the first time,
although it seems likely it has been in flower for several weeks and just
not noted down. There was one clump of flowers photographed on the far
right and identified as Feverfew.
Adur
Umbellifers
19
June 2008
Flowers
recorded for the first time this year were White
Stonecrop Sedum
album, Common
Toadflax, Rosebay
Willowherb, Great Willowherb, Field
Bindweed, Lesser Burdock and
Perforate
St. John's Wort on the Coastal
Link Cyclepath south of the
Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham, and a swathe of Tufted Vetch
just north of the bridge. On Mill Hill,
Agrimony,
Musk
Thistle, one Field
Scabious and
Common
Centaury were all recorded for the first
time this year. There was patch of Bird's
Foot Trefoil in a field to the east of
the large roundabout on the Adur Levels
(to the west of the southern part of Mill Hill) that could be seen from
Mill Hill.
15
June 2008
Yarrow
was spotted in flower on a Shoreham kerbside verge.
8 June
2008
The
first Greater Knapweed
flower of the year was seen on the southern bank of the Buckingham
Cutting, and the first Creeping Thistle
on the Coastal Link Cyclepath south of
the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham. Hedge
Woundwort was spotted on the ground to
the north of the Pixie Path at the top
opposite the tall garden hedge. Trailing
Bellflower, Campanula
porscharskayana, was noted as an alien
garden escape in the linear wood between the
gardens and the road embankment on the south side of the Slonk
Hill Cutting.
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Bird's Foot Trefoil near Mill Hill
7 June
2008
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The
low lying herb Selfheal
was recorded in flower for the first time this year in gaps from the long
grasses and Ox-eye Daisies
on the verges of the Coastal Link Cyclepath
north of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham.
Lesser
Stitchwort was also recorded for the first
time this year in this area, although I think I saw it a few days earlier.
Adur
Daisies
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Meadow Buttercup in flower |
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A few
of the first fully flowering Pyramidal
Orchids of the year were spotted amongst
the mostly green vegetation on the verges of the Coastal Link Cyclepath
south of the Cement Works, Upper Beeding.
| 6
June 2008
Dropwort was just beginning to flower on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. Privet had been flowering for a few weeks (I did not note that date when it was first seen). |
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Meadow Vetchling was noted in flower for the first time this year on the verges of the the Coastal Link Cyclepath north of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham. A single Spear Thistle flower appeared for the first time in a large clump at the western end of the Riverbank (where the houseboats are), but Creeping Thistle had not opened up. More Broad-leaved Willowherb were flowering in odd places in Shoreham town, typically in cracks in the surfaces on the edge of twittens. Hedge Woundwort was in flower on the verges of the Waterworks Road. |
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| 5
June 2008
A few Bee Orchids have appeared on the verge in Mill Hill Road where most of them had been destroyed. Destruction Report Adur Orchids The first Buddleia flower appeared on a bush on the Coastal Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge.
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4 June 2008
Alfalfa or Lucerne, Medicago sativa, was noted in an overgrown shaded part of the path that runs along the southern part of the Slonk Hill Cutting. There were also the first sign of a few flowering Pyramidal Orchids on the open bank of the same cutting.
3 June
2008
Plants
in flower noted for the first time this year on Lancing
Beach shingle and surrounds included Viper's
Bugloss, Opium Poppy, Yellow-horned
Poppy, Silver Ragwort and Slender
Thistle. The seed heads of Goat's
Beard were very noticeable on the borders
of the shingle and cyclepath. And Tree
Mallow by a gate marked Lancing Point
to the west of Lancing Sailing Club.
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1
June 2008
Flowers
seen for the first time this year included Fairy
Flax, and four mystery
Orchids were seen on the Mill
Hill Cutting southern bank for the first on these Nature
Note pages recorded in the Shoreham boundaries. There
are seven votes
for the Southern Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza
praetermissa, previously:
Orchis
praetermissa. Viper's Bugloss
was seen for the first time in flower this year by Old Shoreham Toll
Bridge. I expect this plant had flowered
much earlier on the beach shingle.
Adur
Orchids
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The
thin strip of intermittent horse pasture to the east of Mill
Hill, adjacent and parallel to the A27
dual carriageway on the northern side, was
covered in a yellow carpet of Bird's Foot
Trefoil. Although swathes of this small
yellow herb (the food plant of the Common
Blue Butterfly) had been seen on this land
before, I had never seen such a covering this century. Most other flowering
herbs were lost amongst the yellow but they included sparse amounts of
Cut-leaved
Cranesbill, Cleavers
(first
flowering Bedstraw of the year, originally mistaken for Squinancywort),
Fairy Flax, Eyebright, Scarlet Pimpernel
(mostly
on the periphery), White Clover,
Ground
Ivy and
Field
Speedwell. The yellow carpet of Bird's
Foot Trefoil was bordered by longer grasses
supporting occasional Red Poppies
and larger herbs that had not yet flowered.
The
adjacent cattle pasture was devoid of these herbs.
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On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, where the Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, had rapidly faded, I recorded Wild Thyme for the first time this year.
30
May 2008
The
end of the month shows quite an abrupt change with the distant view of
the Horseshoe Vetch,
Hippocrepis
comosa, on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill negligible, the
Hawthorn
blossom generally disappeared and the
appearance of some common plants like Ribbed
Melilot,
the first inkling of a Hardhead
(=Lesser Knapweed), and Cut-leaved
Cranesbill on
the Adur Levels. The first flower of
a Broad-leaved Willowherb
was seen in Shoreham town.
| 27
May 2008
Hedge Woundwort was observed in flower for the first time this year on the Middle Road, Open Space, Shoreham. Mouse-eared Hawkweed was common on the north bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting, and Spotted Orchids on the south side. Tutsan was beginning to flower amongst the hedgerows on the southern side. Adur Orchids |
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26
May 2008
The
first thistle
of the year was seen in flower on the towpath a few metres north of Old
Shoreham Toll Bridge. This was a confirmed
Welted
Thistle, Carduus
crispus. Elderflowers
were showing much better with 50% in full flower on one identified bush.
Adur
Thistle Reports 2008
23
May 2008
Red
Poppy and Fumitory
were added to the plants in flower alongside the Coastal
Link Cyclepath in Upper Beeding on the west side of the river north
of the South Downs Way Bridge.
22
May 2008
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and Scarlet Pimpernel |
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Flowers of Lancing Beach
21
May 2008
The
first Yellow Rattle
of the year was seen on the northern Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa,
covered
bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting, with the first
Purple
Toadflax of
2008
in
the central reservation of the A27 dual
carriageway.
| This
small Geranium
flower is from a garden plant naturalised in the wild on the edge of the
towpath on the western side of the River
Adur very close to, to the north of the
Railway
Viaduct.
Geranium sylvaticum ? |
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20
May 2008
Contrary
to my previous observations I have now discovered an extensive area of
Horseshoe
Vetch,
Hippocrepis
comosa, on the north (south-facing)
bank of Anchor Bottom. I
originally mistook this area for one of Bulbous
Buttercups because
the intensity of the flowers and leaves is much less than the lower
slopes of Mill Hill and comparable
to the upper plateau on the latter down. (The
density of leaves may be insufficient to support Chalkhill
Blue Butterflies?)
On the north bank the other flowers of note were Sainfoin
(first
of the year), Bulbous Buttercups,
small amounts of Bird's Foot Trefoil,
small patches of Milkworts,
and an occasional Mouse-eared Hawkweed.
On the south (north-facing) bank at the western Dacre Gardens end, a few
small patches of Horseshoe Vetch,
the fading remnants of Green-winged Orchids
and
the even more exiguous remnants of
Cowslip
flowers
were noted.
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A flowering Spotted Orchid and clumps of flowering Sainfoin were spotted on the Coastal Link Cyclepath verge meadows 200 metres or so south of the Cement Works. White Clover was noted for the first time this year in the same area, but I have probably forgot to make a note before. Dog Rose was in flower in Old Shoreham and a patch of Comfrey, Symphytum, was in its usual place next to the Coastal Link Cyclepath as it ran parallel to Dacre Gardens (just north of the Cement Works).
19
May 2008
An
early afternoon visit to Mill Hill the
occasional
yellow Hawkweed-type
flowers were examined for their leaves and on the open bank (lower
slopes) amongst the abundant Horseshoe
Vetch,
Hippocrepis
comosa, the species Rough
Hawkbit, Leontodon hispidus was
identified, and next to the path at the northern end before it entered
the scrub, Mouse-eared Hawkweed was
located. Elderberry
was beginning to flower on Mill Hill and White
Campion was noticed in flower on the edge
of the scrub on the upper parts of the hill.
18
May 2008
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Flowers
and herbs by the Adur riverbank in Old Shoreham
Small
plants recorded in this small area included Red
Valerian, Bulbous
Buttercups, Bird's
Foot Trefoil, Scentless Mayweed and Ground
Ivy all in flower and others like Sea
Beet, Spear-leaved Orache, Sea
Purslane and Cord
Grass which have little or no flowers
to be seen. The umbellifer in the photograph
is the poisonous Hemlock Water Dropwort
not
the edible Celery,
Apium
graveolens.
Adur
Buttercups
16
May 2008
Plants
seen in flower for the first time in 2008
on a cool day (12.3 °C)
were Eyebright,
Mouse-eared
Hawkweed and
Yellow Wort, Salsify,
all
seen on the northern bank of the Slonk Hill
Cutting, the beginnings of a flowering Spotted
Orchid on the south side. The first two
flowers of Kidney Vetch
were seen on the south side of the Buckingham
Cutting.
15
May 2008
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Yellow
Flag Iris and Hemlock
Water Dropwort were noted on the Spring
Dyke. The latter plant is poisonous.
Adur
Umbellifers
Ground Elder, Aegopodium podagraria, had shown the first flowers for longer than a week and now was beginning to flower in earnest. It was everywhere, alongside the Coastal Link Cyclepath and on Mill Hill.
14
May 2008
A
late afternoon visit to Mill Hill was undertaken
for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the covering of Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis
comosa, which could be seen from Old
Shoreham by the Toll Bridge. It was
at least as spectacular as the best year, but a close inspection revealed
that a proportion (c 5%) of the flowers were already fading on the lower
slopes.
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Other
flowers noted were the poisonous White
Bryony, Bryonia
dioica, on the Pixie Path and
mostly were the conservation workers had been on Mill Hill, and the first
sign of flowering Hound's Tongue,
Cynoglossum
officinale, notably near the Rabbit
burrows. Bittersweet
was beginning to flower on the Pixie Path.
11
May 2008
Sea
Thrift was in splendid flower to the west
of Carat's Cafe, Southwick Beach, Sea
Campion and the first Kidney
Vetch seen in 2008
to the north on the blind side of the cafe by the harbour road.
10
May 2008
New
flowering plants for the year included White
Campion in wayside Old Shoreham and and
Wood
Avens on the Pixie
Path. Bramble
flowers were seen.
| 10
May 2008
With considerable dismay I noted that the Bee Orchid colony in Mill Hill Road seems to have been deliberately destroyed. It seems to have been more than just mown as it was levelled to remove some of the top soil. I have seen this happen on horse pastures. It is possible that the orchids could even survive this drastic measure. Adur Orchids |
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As
the only other site known in Shoreham, a private pasture next to the Waterworks
House, it is likely that this orchid is now
extinct in Shoreham. The culprits are unknown. The patch is shown on the
photograph above on the far right. It is very likely just to have been
heavily mown.
Adur
Orchids
9 May
2008
The
Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa,
was spectacular on the on the lower slopes
of Mill Hill, but still not at its peak.
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Silverweed
was noticed in flower next to the path on the ridge of Mill Hill to the
north-west of the Reservoir. The leaves were dark green. They should be
silver. (The leaves of Creeping
Cinquefoil appear to be different.)
A
few Hawkbits*
were in flower on the lower slopes of
Mill
Hill and I will have to discover what species these are?
(*
Possibilities: Rough Hawkbit Leontodon
hispidus, or Lesser
Hawkbit, Leontodon saxatilis).
I
did not check the leaves for Mouse-eared
Hawkweed ?
| Hop Trefoil, Trifolium campestre, was in flower on the Mill Hill Cutting, although I am not sure of my identification. |  |
8 May
2008
Red
Clover was noted on River
Adur towpath on the western side between
Old Shoreham and Upper Beeding, where long rows of Cow
Parsley were prominent and a distinctive
part of the landscape above high tide mark with
Buttercups
in the fields and Hawthorn
now in flower bordering the Coastal Link
Cyclepath. Yellow Flag Iris
was seen in the Annington
Sewer (next to the Saltings Field, Botolphs).
Adur
Levels 2008
7 May
2008
New
plants in flower spotted for the first time were a Common
Mallow on the edge of the pavement bordering
the coast road west of the Norfolk Bridge, and numerous clumps of Sea
Campion on Lancing
Beach by the beach huts near Widewater.
From
the promenade cyclepath the shingle flood plain
of Widewater near the pipeline inlets
was seen to be covered in patches of violet, which was assumed to be Ivy-leaved
Toadflax.
6 May
2008
Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis
comosa, was much more prominent
on the lower slopes of Mill
Hill and could be seen covering the lower slopes before I descended
the steps at the southern end.
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I
noted a solitary Ox-eye Daisy
next the Coastal Link Cyclepath south
of Old Shoreham Toll Bridge. This
was the first of the year. Other plants noted in flower for the first time
this year were a clump of Herb Robert
in West Street, Shoreham and Sea Kale and
Tree
Mallow on Shoreham Beach near the Old
Fort. These plants had probably been in flower for a few days, perhaps
even a week or longer before I noted them. A clump of flowering Bird's
Foot Trefoil was seen on the shingle to
the west of the Old Fort, but a few metres before the houses.
5 May
2008
Red
Valerian was prominent on Shoreham Beach
and Sea Thrift
was noted just east of Lancing Sailing Club for the first time in the wild
this year.
3 May
2008
The
first Hawthorn was
noted in flower in the Butterfly Copse and it must have been flowering
for a few days. It is was also beginning to flower on the Coastal
Link Cyclepath near Old Shoreham. Green
Alkanet was attractive to the hoverflieson
the Waterworks Road, with the first of
the Meadow Buttercups
and Common Mouse-ear, Corn
Salad, White Deadnettle, Ground
Ivy, Common Vetch and
Forget-me-not
were
noted in passage.
2 May
2008
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29
April 2008
Marsh
Marigold begins to flower in my front
garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.
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This is the Corn Salad, Valerianella. Two species have been recorded from Shoreham: Keel-fruited Corn Salad, Valerianella carinata, and the Common Cord Salad, Valerianella locusta. This particular clump was recorded at the southern entrance to the Waterworks Road, but the insignificant plant was frequently seen on wasteland.
27
April 2008
A
clump of Germander Speedwell (at
the top) and
a single Silverweed were
first seen in flower on the Pixie Path.
Ragwort
was in flower on the southern borders of the A27
dual carriageway through the Slonk
Hill Cutting.
26
April 2008
My
first orchids of 2008
were
frequent Green-winged Orchids
pushing up from the southern side turf on Anchor
Bottom. Red Campion
was seen in flower for the first time on the verges of the Coombes Road.
25
April 2008
Common
Vetch and
Common
Mouse-ear were spotted in flower for the
first time on wasteland by the River Adur eastern
riverbank north of the Riverside Industrial Estate (being demolished),
north of Ropetackle.
| 22
April 2008
Annual Wall Rocket in the twitten between Corbyn Crescent (south) and Adelaide Square, Shoreham, at the southern end. |
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20
April 2008
Early
Purple Orchids were in flower at Tottington
Woods near Small Dole.
On
the lower slopes of Mill
Hill, the first Horseshoe Vetch,
Hippocrepis
comosa, was seen in flower
with the accompanying pollen beetles, Meligethes
erichsoni. A few Bulbous
Buttercups were in flower, notably on
the Pixie Path.
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On the Coastal Link Cyclepath (north of Old Shoreham), Daisies, Dandelions, Ground Ivy and Cowslips were prolific with Lesser Celandine, Bluebells and Daffodils.
17
April 2008
Garlic
Mustard was in flower on the roadside
opposite Cuckoo's Corner and verges in the area. On the earth bank at Cuckoo's
Corner, Green Alkanet
was growing in profusion.
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16
April 2008
The
first Common Milkwort of
the year was seen in flower on the lower slopes
of Mill Hill.
13
April 2008
Dove's
Foot Cranesbill was in flower on the verges
of Crown Road, Shoreham, and in the linear spinney of the Slonk
Hill south cutting, the garden plants Grape
Hyancinth and Honesty
were naturalised, before I got caught in a hail
shower. Primroses
were seen on the eastern verges of Mill Hill Road.
8 April
2008
Bluebells
and
Star
of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum umbellatum,
were seen in flower on the verges of the Coombes Road south of Cuckoo's
Corner. (I should have double-checked
these were not Allium,
but the road was too busy.)
6 April
2008
Most
of the flowers were covered to a depth of 100
mm by the snow
that fell continuously throughout the morning.
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Ground Ivy was seen in flower under the Hawthorn in the scrub on the north-west of Mill Hill, refreshed by dollops of melting snow. Blackthorn was flowering in Old Shoreham on the verges of the Steyning Road. Red Valerian was in flower and has probably been seen for a few weeks.
3 April
2008
The
first Ground Ivy
of the year was seen amongst the Cowslips
on the Downs Link Cyclepath 50 metres north of Old Shoreham. Lesser
Celandine was still flowering on the verges
of residential Shoreham, notably at the junction
of Mill Lane and Ravens Road.
1 April
2008
The
first Ivy-leaved Toadflax of
the year were spotted in flower on a flint wall near Southwick Green. They
were probably in flower in March.
30
March 2008
New
flowers for the year noticed growing wild on Shoreham town
verges included Green Alkanet
and Forget-me-Not.
28
March 2008
Add
to the previous two days, Greater Periwinkle
on the Downs Link Cyclepath north of
Old Shoreham Toll Bridge and White
Deadnettle on the verges of the Waterworks
Road.
27
March 2008
The
verges of the Downs Link Cyclepath from
the Cement Works to Old Shoreham contained a few flowering Dandelions,
an occasional Lesser Celandine and
Daffodils, frequent Coltsfoot
and the first signs of one clump of Cowslips.
26
March 2008
Flowers
noted after a cold spell were hundreds of Dandelions
everywhere, Lesser Celandine
on the verges of Mill Lane (southern part), Bitter
Cresses, Groundsel,
everywhere, Spring Starflower,
Ipheion
uniflorum, escaping from gardens to the verges in Downsway (north
of Buckingham Park, Shoreham) and Cow Parsley, Alexanders,
Red
Deadnettles, Field Speedwell
and the first confirmed Chickweed
were
widespread.
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Thousands
of Sweet Violets
were in flower and at least one Dog Violet
was identified from the the lower slopesof
Mill
Hill.
Adur
Violets
23
March 2008
There
was the first sign of a Cowslip
flower in my front garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.
15
March 2008
A
few Lesser Celandine
were noted in the south-west part of St. Mary de Haura
churchyard in central Shoreham.
12
March 2008
A
clump of Spring Starflower,
Ipheion
uniflorum, (an alien species) was blown about in the gusts to Gale
Force
9 on Shoreham
Beach. There were several clumps of Wild
Turnip, Brassica
rapa, (possibly arable escapes) scattered
about on the shingle.
11
March 2008
Danish
Scurvygrass, Cochlearia
danica, was recorded on Shoreham Beach.
9 March
2008
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or possibly Wavy Bitter Cress, Cardamine flexuosa in Buckingham Park and on wasteland and verges |
A very early Cow Parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris |
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Hairy Bitter Cress has four, sometimes five stamens, whereas the Wavy Bitter Cress has six.
Other
flowers noted included Common Daisies,
White
Deadnettle, Greater Periwinkle, Groundsel
and Field Speedwell.
3 March
2008
There
was a very small patch of Field Speedwell
on a verge at the eastern end of The Hamm in Shoreham town.
The is prevalent small plant was probably already widespread on wasteland
and verges.
29
February 2008
Greater
Periwinkle are still to be seen in flower
in occasional wild gardens and adjoining wild verges in and around Shoreham.
27
February 2008
Frequent
Sweet
Violets were now to be seen flowering
on the lower slopes and under the thorn
in the scrub in the north-west corner of
Mill
Hill.
Adur
Violets
26
February 2008
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At least a hundred yellow Coltsfoot were flowering on the Downs Link Cyclepath south of the derelict Shoreham Cement Works. Dandelions were in flower on waste land and the verges. Daffodils were flowering in clumps near the riverbank towpath.
18
February 2008
A
very small clump of Field Speedwell
of just a few flowers was seen at
the top of Chanctonbury Drive, near Mill Hill.
A few Dandelions were
in flower on road verges.
13
February 2008
A
clump of Sweet Violets
were in flower on a Lancing verge on the south side of the main A27
road by Lancing Manor with Lesser Celandine.
| 12
February 2008
Hairy Bittercress is flowering in my Lancing front garden, it's just a small, rarely noticed wild flower of no special merit. It's not usually expected to flower until March. Report
by Ray Hamblett
on flickr
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10
February 2008
A
handful of Sweet Violets were
in flower at the top of the wooded slopes on the southern section of Mill
Hill.
Adur
Violets
1 February
2008
Lesser
Celandine was
seen flowering for the first time on the verges of the Withy Gap Layby,
north Lancing, with Yarrow also seen in the same area, assumed to
be flowering from last
year. The Lesser
Celandine was battered by yesterday's storm
and all the seventy or so flowerheads had lost some petals. Dandelion
was flowering at the top of McIntyres Field,
north Lancing.
28
January 2008
The
first Snowdrops
were spotted in their hundreds in the semi-wild field/gardens at the entrance
to the 'Old Rectory',
Coombes.
January
2008
One
of the Hawkweeds on
the Dolphin Road (Shoreham) edge and further
Greater
Periwinkles and the remnants of Ragwort
in
wild front gardens were seen in the first half of January
2008.
1 January
2008
The
first wild flower of 2008
was a Greater Periwinkle
by the road to Mill Hill, but the habitat
was more like a wild front garden.