from January 2009
Link to Trees 2009
|
And Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. William Blake |
Wild Flower Reports 2010
14
December 2009
Although
battered by the recent rain, there were frequent Sow
Thistles, at least two clumps of Scentless
Mayweed and Yarrow
in flower on the verge of the Coastal-Downs Link
Cyclepath south of the
Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham. There may have been more, but the weather was inclement.
Greater
Periwinkle was in flower in an urban garden
which had been wild for many years. Kidney
Vetch appeared on Shoreham
Beach west.
2 December
2009
Wild
plants observed in flower were occasional Sow
Thistles, one Hardhead,
two Ox-eye Daisies
(single flowers in separate clumps) and a few flowers of Scentless
Mayweed in one clump near the Toll
Bridge, Old Shoreham. All these were recorded in five minutes along
the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath within the
boundaries of Shoreham, before the rain teemed down.
19
November 2009
The
following flowers were noted on the edge of paths in Old Shoreham: frequent
Sow
Thistles, occasional Common
Mallow, one Hardhead,
a
few Dandelions,
a few Scentless Mayweed,
frequent Yarrow and
occasional Wild Carrot.
17
November 2009
A
very brief (one hour) spell in the inclement weather
revealed the following plants in flower: frequent Autumnal
(?) Hawkbit, at least one Sweet
Violet and two Wild
Basil on Mill
Hill, frequent Sow Thistles
on the Pixie Path and a few Dandelions
on road sides.
Early
November 2009
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nipplewort and Annual Wall Rocket were frequently seen on the wall-pavement edges and in cracks in the paving in twittens in Shoreham.
4
November 2009
Additional
plants in flower added to the list included Hogweed,
Creeping
Thistle,
Scentless
Mayweed,
Common
Mallow and Green
Alkanet on the outskirts of Old Shoreham,
and a single Sweet Violet
was spotted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
The Carline Thistle
leaves on Mill Hill had turned silver and the flowers had not been visited
for nectar for at least two weeks.
2-3
November 2009
|
|
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
(an algae) |
|
|
|
|
Plants noted in flower included Kidney Vetch still in flower on Buckingham Cutting (south), Hedge Woundwort on the verges of the Waterworks Road, frequent Nippleworts and Sow Thistles widespread on the verges, with the occasional Cat's Ear and Yarrow on waste ground everywhere. On Mill Hill, the Hawkbits were prevalent, but other plants were scarce, a few Wild Basil and Common Centaury, patches of Field Speedwell, an occasional Greater Knapweed and Hardheads (Lesser Knapweed) were noted in passing.
25
October 2009
I
was surprised to discover a few Kidney
Vetch still in flower on Buckingham Cutting
(south). A Fleabane
and Common Hogweed
were flowering on the verge of the Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath south of the
Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
12
October 2009
Hedge
Woundwort was still in flower on the verges
of the Waterworks Road,
Old Shoreham, and there was still an occasional Small
Scabious on
Mill
Hill (near the gate in the north-west corner).
Early
October 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
8 October
2009
Shrubs
were covered in the red berries
of Hawthorn,
Holly,
Wayfaring
Tree, Dog Rose, Yew Taxus
and Cotoneaster,
and black berries
of Bramble, Elderflower and
Privet on the downs and outskirts of Shoreham.
(Images)
Adur
in Berry (October 2009)
 |
29 September 2009 Tansy was in flower by the fence surrounding Ricardo's and it has probably been in flower for several weeks. Ragwort can be mistaken for Tansy at this time of the year. Brown
tipped bracts indicate the Common
Ragwort on the lower slopes of Mill
Hill.
|
Late
September 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
27
September 2009
Holly
was spotted in berry on the Pixie Path.
25
September 2009
Devil's
Bit Scabious was in flower in the centre
of Anchor Bottom and on the south-facing
Horseshoe Vetch slope, the first time I had recorded it in this location.
The
reason why it was missed is that I have not visited this location in late
September before.
6 September
2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath I noted a few small clumps of both Scentless Mayweed and Ox-eye Daisies still in flower next to each other. Ox-eye Daisies are meant to cease flowering in August, so there is a query that this could be a closely related plant?
1 September
2009
Water
Mint was seen flowering on the verge of
the Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath just north of the
Toll
Bridge, Old Shoreham.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25
August 2009
The
first signs of flowering Devil's Bit Scabious
were found on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. They were not flowering enough
to distract the Meadow Brown
and Adonis Blue Butterflies
from the Carline Thistle.
Mid-August
2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
12
August 2009
The
first
Autumn Lady's Tresses (a small orchid)
and Harebell
of
2009
were
spotted on the Horseshoe Vetch slope at Anchor
Bottom.
Adur
Orchids
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
(gone to seed) |
|
5 August
2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
by Lancing Ring Dewpond |
|
|
2 &
3 August 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
on the Mill Hill Cutting (SW) |
in flower on Mill Hill |
on the Mill Hill Cutting (SW) |
at Old Erringham on the verges of the Steyning Road south of the Cement Works |
on the verges of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath at Old Shoreham |
31
July 2009
Autumnal
Hawkbit was in flower on Mill
Hill and the first Autumn Gentian
of the year was flowering on the Mill Hill Cutting,
south-west.
29
July 2009
The
first new flowers of the year of Carline
Thistle appeared on Buckingham
Cutting south, but the flowers had not yet opened on Mill Hill. Autumn
Gentian was appearing in profusion but
it was not yet flowering. It was found on the lower and middle slopes of
Mill
Hill, but mostly on the exposed plateau at the top. It had appeared
for at least a week and this plant was also seen on the Mill Hill Cutting,
south-west. An unknown purple-blue flower was seen on the verge of the
Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath just north of the
Toll
Bridge and I think is is a garden escape, perhaps a Bellflower
(to
be investigated).
25
July 2009
A
passage observation on the divided horse pasture of Frampton's Field, Old
Shoreham showed Red Bartsia,
Scentless
Mayweed,
Dock
and the smaller Hop Trefoil
in plentiful flower in horse grazed compartments with lesser amounts of
Creeping
Thistle and Stinging Nettle.
23
July 2009
In
the Triangle area of Mill Hill, clumps
of Stemless Thistle
in flower were noted with eight flowers and probably about twenty plants
all grouped together with their prickly leaves overlapping. Red
Bartsia was noted for the first time this
year in the meadows on Mill Hill, but this easily missed plant is widespread
on chalk and has probably been flowering for at least a week before this
mention.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greater
Knapweed Meadow (Image)
Knapweed
Studies
20
July 2009
Common
Toadflax was now to be seen on the verges
of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath in Old Shoreham.
Wild
Parsley (a common umbellifer)
was in flower and has been for at least a month, but it has not been mentioned
before.
17
July 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
At
this time of the year, Scentless Mayweed
is the dominant daisy on the Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath to Upper Beeding, but occasional clumps of flowering
Ox-eye
Daisies remain.
Daisy
Comparison
Images
16
July 2009
A
Peach-leaved
Bellflower was seen on the Slonk
Hill Cutting southern bank in the shade of the trees.
Greater
Knapweed Butterfly Study
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14
July 2009
Meadowsweet,
Filipendula
ulmaria, was common at Tottington
Woods, Small Dole, and this plant has not been recorded before on these
Adur
Nature Notes.
13
July 2009
In
the pasture at Old Erringham by gate leading to the north-west part of
Mill
Hill Nature Reserve a handful of Round-headed
Rampion were seen in flower for the first
time this year.
12
July 2009
As
the breeze blew the upright Teasel
almost horizontal at times, on the verges of the
Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath I noted that Fleabane
was frequently in flower when a few days ago their orange discs were just
appearing, and Wild Marjoram
was seen for the first time this year on the path north of the Toll
Bridge.
5 July
2009
The
first Stemless Thistle and
the first Clematis of
the year were seen in flower on the lower slopes of Mill
Hill.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 July
2009
The
lilac-purple flowers of Teasel were
noticed for the first time this year on the edge of the cyclepath from
Botolphs to Annington Sewer and the north. Goldfinches
noticed as well with one small chirm noted visiting the Teasels.
2 July
2009
A
large clump of Common Toadflax
was seen on the Mill Hill Cutting (south)
in flower for the first time this year. Squinancywort
on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were seen
in flower on the hill for the first time in 2009
and Meadow Cranesbill
was spotted in the upper meadows. Greater
Knapweed was in various stages from pre-flowering
to the after flowering disc appearance.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
St. John's Wort |
A visit to Southwick Hill discovered Red Star Thistle (a Knapweed) to be common and seen for the first time this year with plentiful Common Poppies, Scentless Mayweed and Rosebay Willowherb notable for being common. Field Scabious was noted on record for the first time this year seen in flower on the verges of the bridlepath from Southwick Hill going west to Mossy Bottom (New Erringham).
29 June 2009
Yarrow was seen in flower on road sides and verges.
28
June 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I spotted my first Musk Mallow and my first Wild Basil of the year and the beginnings of a flower of Fleabane on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath where Spear Thistle was noted in flower for the second time this year.
26
June 2009
Hemlock
Water Dropwort, Hogweed
and
Mugwort
were
seen in flower on the verges of the
Coastal-Downs
Link Cyclepath and both had probably been in flower at least since
the beginning of the month, but the first Greater
Willowherb was only just flowering, three
flowers seen on one tall plant south of the
Toll
Bridge. Welted Thistle, Carduus
crispus, was seen in flower. It has been
mixed up with Slender Thistle
observations and has been in flower for several weeks. The Ox-eye
Daisies were looking battered and many
had lost some of their multiple petals, but the superficially similar
Scentless
Mayweed was coming to the fore.
Adur
Umbellifers
Adur
Thistles
Adur
Daisies
 |
|
 |
 |
|||
|
|
|
White Stonecrop |
|
White
Stonecrop,
Sedum album,
was seen in flower on the shingle of Shoreham
Beach for the first time this year. The
daisy-like Feverfew
was
also spotted for the first time on the shingle next to the Widewater Cyclepath.
Childing
Pink, Petrorhagia
nanteuilii, was present in small numbers,
all with single flowers in their usual place in a small patch at Silver
Sands, Shoreham Beach (east), nearly being
swamped out by Kidney Vetch.
Near Old Fort the expanse of Starry Clover,
Trifolium
stellatum, flowering was coming to
an end. Red Deadnettle
is in flower on wasteland, including the beach margins, in late June.
Adur
Stonecrops
 |
|
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
New additions to the list of plants in flower included the Sea Spurrey on the towpath north of the Toll Bridge around the high tide mark, Buddleia on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath, Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus peltatus, in a stream next to the path, and the beginnings of Hemp Agrimony on the verges.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tufted
Vetch, Common
Centaury, Mouse-eared
Hawkweed and
Lady's Mantle, Alchemilla,
were all seen in flower for the first time this year on the southern bank
of the Slonk Hill Cutting, and the first three
on Mill Hill as well. A seed
head of Goat's
Beard was noted on the Buckingham Cutting
(south). A single flower of Small Scabious
was also spotted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill for the first time this
year.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Privet was flowering in profusion and intruding on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in a damaging way (damaging to the long term prospects of the butterflies).
20
June 2009
A
clump of Borage
was in flower on the wasteland
on the embankment which was the old railway track by the Riverside Business
Centre. The top had been scraped off in a clearance in 2007,
but now ruderal opportunist wild plants like Opium
Poppy had begun to settle.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
New plants in flower recorded were Great Mullein near the Lancing Farm College pond, Fumitory and Meadow's Cranesbill in a Flax field near Hoe's Cottage, Lancing, Rosebay Willowherb and Lesser Burdock in the eastern car park area of Lancing Ring Nature Reserve, and Perforate St. John's Wort on the Coastal Link Cyclepath verges south of the Toll Bridge.
14
June 2009
Restharrow
on
the verges of the Steyning Road, north of Old Shoreham, was another addition
to the plants in flower seen for the first time this year. Biting
Stonecrop, Sedum acre,
was also added from a very small patch on the the flowering
Shoreham Beach south of Winterton Way (eastern
end). Tall Melilot
was recorded for the first time this year on the Downs
Link Cyclepath verges south of the Toll
Bridge.
13
June 2009
On
the outskirts of Shoreham, the small elongate Vervain,
the alien Everlasting Pea and
in the Shoreham town twittens
there was one small Willowherb, Epilobium
sp.,
in flower. The twittens hosted the omnipresent Groundsel
in
flower. The umbellifer
Sea Carrot had appeared and had been in
flower for several weeks, although I had not yet noted the tiny red flower
in the white crowns.
Local
Willowherbs
| AMERICAN WILLOWHERB | Epilobium ciliatum | |
| HAIRY WILLOWHERB | Epilobium hirsutum | |
| BROAD-LEAVED WILLOWHERB | Epilobium montanum | |
| SHORT-FRUITED WILLOWHERB | Epilobium obscurum | |
| HOARY WILLOWHERB | Epilobium parviflorum | |
| SQUARE-STALKED WILLOWHERB | Epilobium tetragonum |
Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea (List)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
On
the Coastal Link Cyclepath the following wild
plants were recorded in flower for the first time this year: Hemp
Agrimony (one), Lesser
Stitchwort (frequent), Scentless
Mayweed, Hedge Woundwort
(a few beginning to flower), and on Anchor Bottom there were the
first Yellow Rattle. Self-Heal
was now seen in patches but it had recorded earlier as a solitary flower.
At
patch of over fifty Fragrant Orchids
on the southern (south-west, north facing) bank of Anchor Bottom was unprecedented
in these records.
Adur
Orchid Images 2009
Adur
Orchids
11
June 2009
A
large clump of Spear Thistle was
seen in flower in central Shoreham (Western Road) for the first time this
year.
Adur
Thistles
10
June 2009
 |
|
|
 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
New wild plants recorded in flower for the first time this year included Common Rock Rose at Stonechat Junction, New Erringham, and Cleavers next to the bridlepath from Slonk Hill Farm northwards. The flowering of St. John's Wort was imminent. 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.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Seed Pods |
|
|
|
New
flowers recorded for 2009
included a single Self-Heal
and a patch of Biting Stonecrop,
Sedum
acre, on a verge at the top of The Drive
in Shoreham, and Wild Thyme
on the the Mill Hill Cutting (south-west).
On
the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the first
Yellow
Wort was seen with the flowers closed
in the afternoon, as well as the first patches of Wild
Thyme. On the edge of the ridge by the Reservoir
on Mill Hill the Musk Thistle
was beginning to flower in half a dozen large clumps. There was single
first of the year Greater Knapweed in
flower by the southern cattle grid on Mill Hill. Privet
had been flowering for a few weeks (I did
not note that date when it was first seen).
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.
Adur
Thistles
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Spotted Orchid |
|
Wild
plants noted in flower for the first time (although the first two had been
in flower for days or weeks) in Shoreham and the outskirts were Common
Bindweed and the ones recently starting
flowering were Field Bindweed
and Creeping Thistle.
Opium
Poppy is a naturalised escape that is
quick to colonise waste ground and was seen in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham
and this poppy was seen on the side of the Coastal
Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham, and Bristly Ox-Tongue
was
also in flower on the verges of this cyclepath.
An
orchid
on the Mill Hill Cutting (south-west) was a
mystery at first. There are seven
votes for the Southern Marsh Orchid,
Dactylorhiza
praetermissa, previously Orchis
praetermissa.
Adur
Thistles
3 June
2009
Silver
Ragwort in
flower on Southwick Beach (east of Carat's
Cafe) was a new addition to the flora list in flower this year.
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Shoreham Beach Flowers
Tufted
Vetch on the verges of the Steyning Road
(north of Old Shoreham) and a dozen or so Bee
Orchids on the verge of Mill Hill Drive,
Old Shoreham, were two new flowers seen for the first time this year. The
first Pyramidal Orchid
of the year was seen on the on the Coastal Link
Cyclepath south of Upper Beeding with a solitary Common
Spotted Orchid nearby.
Adur
Orchids
31
May 2009
From
a distance the yellow carpet of Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa,
on the lower slopes of Mill
Hillhad disappeared and this leguminous
herb was fading rapidly with the first horseshoe seed pods visible if you
looked carefully. Bird's Foot Trefoil was
now appearing on the lower slopes. On the lower slopes Dropwort
was
now flowering and now that the Horseshoe Vetch
had faded I spotted a solitary Dog Violet.
Rough
Hawkbit was noted on the lower slopes
for the first time this year. Elderflower
was
blossoming on Mill Hill and Wayfaring Tree
was sporting its clusters of white flowers.
Common
Spotted Orchids were now in flower on
the southern side of the Buckingham Cutting.
Adur
Orchids
29
May 2009
Yellow-horned
Poppy was
seen in bountiful flower for the first time this year on Lancing
Beach (near the Church of the Good Shepherd), but the extent of its
bloom indicated it had been flowering for over a week before I recorded
it.
27
May 2009
Common
Mallow was seen in flower and it is probably
been in flower for weeks but I did not note it. Yellow
Flag Iris was flowering next to Ladywell's
Stream near Cuckoo's Corner.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
(or Lesser Knapweed) |
|
|
|
The yellow flowers of Oil Seed Rape covered a field immediately north-west of the A27 Flyover. The other distinctive commercial crop was Broad Bean north-east of Cuckoo's Corner.
25
May 2009
The
purple variety of Goat's Beard
was just beginning to open in flower on Kingston
Buci Beach.
24
May 2009
Wild
plants seen for the first time in flower this year included Dog
Rose on Mill
Hill and the outskirts of Shoreham, Bittersweet
on
Mill Hill by the Reservoir, Eyebright
and
Grass
Vetchling on the Pixie
Path, Rough Hawkbit on
Buckingham Cutting south, and
Scarlet Pimpernel
on the Coastal Link Cyclepath north of Ropetackle.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa,
was fading on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. A Hairy
Violet was spotted in a hole on the middle
slopes. A Green-veined Orchid
was spotted in flower on Mill Hill Cutting south-west. This specimen did
not have spots on its leaves.
Adur
Orchids
Adur
Violets
23
May 2009
Shoreham
Beach (especially over the border in Lancing to the west of the Church
of Good Shepherd) was covered in swathes of flowering Red
Valerian and Sea
Kale and Viper's
Bugloss was in flower (first time noted
this year although flowering must have occurred for at least a week) plus
the first Slender Thistle
in flower this year.
 |
 |
|
|
|
Wild
plants recorded in flower for the first time this year included Sainfoin
on the Coastal Link Cyclepath and on Anchor
Bottom amongst the large patch of Horseshoe
Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa,
and on the cyclepath, Hop Trefoil,
Comfrey
(at
Upper Beeding), Hedge Mustard
(first record), one Red Poppy
and Hardheads.
On Anchor Bottom, a few (not many) Green-veined
Orchids were in flower. A few Common
Spotted Orchids appeared on the verges
of the Coastal Link Cyclepath and in its usual place of abundance on the
Slonk
Hill Cutting south bank.
Adur
Orchids
20
May 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
the lower slopes of Mill Hill |
|
|
|
My
first of the year and first ever Spotted
Orchid was a surprise on the lower slopes
of Mill Hill, with Fairy
Flax now beginning to flower. Salad
Burnet was now showing on the Buckingham
Cutting south. But the Spotted Orchids
were showing leaves but not yet seen in flower on the Slonk Hill Cutting
south embankment.
Adur
Orchids
19
May 2009
The
naturalised Geranium
sylvaticum was in flower on the side
of the western towpath of the River
Adur by the Railway
Viaduct, with Ribbed Melilot
in clumps on the Coastal Link Cyclepath just north of the Toll
Bridge. Both were seen for the first time this year. Bramble
had been on flower since the beginning of the month, but there were still
only frequent flowers. The tall Purple
Toadflax was in flower, notably by the
side of the railway track next to the crossing gates at Eastern Avenue,
Shoreham. Clumps of Wild Mignonette had
been in flower for some time on the Adur Levels
(over a week) and not noted before.
17
May 2009
 |
 |
On
the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the Horseshoe
Vetch,
Hippocrepis comosa,
was at its peak on a blustery (Force
5 gusting to Force 6) late morning but
the Privet could be seen to be making serious inroads compared to
previous years.
Flowering
Dates of Horseshoe Vetch
13
May 2009
Next
to Widewater Coastal Cyclepath I noticed
both Sea Campion
and White Campion
in flower as well as Tree Mallow
for the first time this year in its usual location as the cyclepath narrows
to the west before Lancing Beach Green.
 |
 |
12
May 2009
A
Force
5 Breeze from the east blew the flowers
around. Noted on Southwick beach for the first time this year in flower
were Sea Campion and
Kidney
Vetch. Oil Seed Rape is in flower in waste
niches all over the place and has been for over a month.
 |
Southwick Beach flowers (Sea Kale and Bird's Foot Trefoil)
10
May 2009
 |
 |
|
|
|
A
single
violet
was noticed with a purple spur the
lower slopes of Mill Hill, and
this could have been the first Hairy
Violet of the year. Hounds-tongue
was just beginning to flower on Mill Hill near the Reservoir.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
9
May 2009
Wild
plants seen in flower on the outskirts of Shoreham for the first time this
year were Bird's Foot Trefoil (long-stalked
variety), the first Ox-eye
Daisies and Meadow
Vetchling on the verges of the Coastal
Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge,
Old Shoreham. White Campion
was
seen just about in flower on the side of the the Pixie
Path to Mill Hill. Ribwort
Plantain was widespread.
8 May
2009
Although
far from newsworthy, the White Clover
was noted on the grass verges in Shoreham town.
5 May
2009
Nipplewort
was in flower by the flint wall edge of the road at the top of The Street,
Old Shoreham.
30
April 2009
Wild
native plants in flower spotted for the first time this year include the
small yellow flowers of Wood Avens and
Annual Wall Rocket on waste land and Sea
Kale on the shingle of Shoreham
Beach. Hawthorn
was blossoming. Cow Parsley
has been in flower for a couple of weeks, at least.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
The naturalised Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree (=Wolfberry), Lycium, was spotted by the towpath on the Airport side of the River Adur near the Railway Viaduct.
26
April 2009
Silverweed
was
seen in flower or the first time this year by the side of the Steyning
Road. The leaves had been seen spreading over Mill
Hill in the last week.
24
April 2009
Sow
Thistles are now flowering on waste ground
and verges. Both Smooth Sow Thistle
and Prickly Sow Thistle
were identified or the first time this year.
23
April 2009
Red
Campion by
Ladywells north of Cuckoo's Corner on the Coombes Road, Dove's-foot
Crane's-bill on the verges of the Waterworks
Road, Old Shoreham, and Sea
Thrift on the Widewater
flood
plain were recorded for the first time this year.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
21
April 2009
Red
Clover was noted on the roadside verges
on the Steyning Road by the roundabout north of Old Shoreham for the first
time this year, as was Common Mouse-ear
in
flower on the verge of the Waterworks Road. I visited Anchor
Bottom, Upper Beeding, but I could not find any Green-winged
Orchids in flower. It was too early for them.
20
April 2009
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Garlic Mustard was noted as very common on the outskirts of Shoreham especially on the verges of the Coombes Road near Cuckoo's Corner. New first of the year in the wild were Marsh Marigold in Lancing Ring dewpond, and Common Vetch and Black Medick on the outskirts of town. Primroses were fading near Lancing College and on Lancing Clump the Wood Anemones were already drooping. There were large patches of Ground Ivy notably near Cuckoo's Corner.
19
April 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Germander Speedwell was noted in flower for the first time this year on the lower slopes of Mill Hill near the path. The spiky flowers of a Sedge, Carex, were common on the lower slopes. Garlic Mustard was prevalent on the outskirts and wild pockets of Shoreham, even establishing itself on the edge of twittens. Red Valerian and the tiny flowers in clumps of Corn Salad, Valerianella. were noted in flower on waste land.
16
April 2009
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Green Alkanet |
|
|
|
|
14
April 2009
The
first yellow Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis
comosa, flowers appear on the lower
slopes of Mill Hill, hosting small
black pollen beetles, Meligethes erichsoni.
Field
Speedwell and
Lesser
Hawkbit were noted.
Horseshoe
Vetch starts flowering in middle to late April, peaks in mid-May, continues
in profusion for about a week and is usually all over by the first week
in June.
Flowering
Dates of Horseshoe Vetch
Ragwort
and Herb Robertwere
seen flowering in Shoreham town and Ivy-leaved
Toadflax on flint walls.
This
report was incomplete because of a computer failure. New flowers noted
may have been omitted.
The Early Purple Orchid was showing the first flowers under the trees on Lancing Clump.
Adur Orchids13
April 2009
Milkwort
was recorded for the first time this year on the on the Pixie
Path to Mill Hill. I think they were
the first native
Bluebells at the entrance to the Waterworks
Road, Old Shoreham. The flowers were drooping
from just one side of the stem. This identification
feature on its own is not definitive though.
7 April
2009
 |
Primroses |
 |
Primroses were in a bank alongside the entrance road to Lancing College and seen for the first time this year. Bluebells were just making a start but these were the introduced variety. White Deadnettle flowers profusely at this time of the year. Grape Hyacinths, Muscari, are a garden plant naturalised in the semi-wild.
6 April
2009
Thousands
of Dog Violets now
dominated the lower slopes of Mill Hill,
although hundreds of fading Sweet Violets
could still be easily found. On the lower slopes the only flowers were
isolated Dandelions,
a few Common Daisies and
one clump of Daffodils.
The Carline Thistle was
dead with silver leaves. The area where the Cowslips
are usually found had now been overgrown with bushes.
 |
 |
 |
The
Sweet
Violets under the Hawthorn scrub by the steps
in the north-west were still in good condition.
There were frequent Blackthorn
bushes in flower but these are not common
on Mill Hill and much less in number than Lancing
Ring.
The
amount of cattle excrement
over the top of Mill Hill was now a serious impediment to the enjoyment
of the hill.
Greater
Periwinkle and Forget-me-nots
were
in flower in Buckingham Park, but these are almost garden plants. In the
same location adjoining the wire fence on the north-western part of the
park, the Garlic Mustard
had not yet flowered.
Adur
Violets
5
April 2009
An
attractive clump of Wood Anemones
were in flower in the shaded woodland not far from the Dewpond
on Lancing Ring.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first Hawthorn was seen in flower at Cuckoo's Corner. Wild plants seen flowering for the first time this year on the Adur Levels were Garlic Mustard (its location on the verges of the Coombes Road made me think of its alternative common name of Jack-by-the-Hedge), Cuckoo Flower (also called Lady's Smock) next to a stream near Botolphs, Cowslips on the Coastal Link Cyclepath and a single Marsh Marigold in my front garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.
 |
 |
Further
observations of the Allium covering
about three square metres on the Pixie Path
(TQ 211 064) indicate that the majority were
curly on the path but nearer the shelter of the chestnut fencing and shrub,
the plants were much more upright to at least 20 cm and some of them did
not curl at all. The stems were hollow. The identification is now to Field
Garlic, Allium
oleraceum. (Revised below).
The
Sussex Plant Atlas shows the Field Garlic as probably extinct since 1927
and the Wild Onion as present in this location, so the very first choice
of a trampled
version of the Crow Garlic
or Wild Onion,
Allium
vineale,
is now the only sensible choice.
2 April
2009
The
first Green Alkanet
was beginning to flower on the verges of the footpath section of the Waterworks
Road. The first Dandelion
clocks of 2009
were
seen on the wild area at the top of The Street, Old Shoreham. Blackthorn
(=Sloe) was
flowering by the Steyning Road, north of Old Shoreham.
29
March 2009
Ground
Ivy is now
flowering on Lancing Ring Nature Reserve
visited by Dotted Bee-flies, Bombylius
discolor, using their long feeding
tubes to take nectar.
Extended
Report
 |
 |
 |
The
first Blackthorn
of the year was seen in flower on the side of the Coastal
Link Cyclepath a few metres south of Old Shoreham Toll
Bridge and the first Dog
Violet on the Pixie
Path to Mill Hill.
Adur
Violets
The
grass-like plant on the far right above is probably the Serpentine
Garlic, Allium
sativum ophiuscorodon,
but I'm not certain.
This
cultivated escaped alien would have been a new addition to the Shoreham
flora list.
A number of Alliums can have curly leaves, genuinely wild Chives, Allium schoenoprasum, comes to mind (but it's not your plant).
Having looked again Field Garlic, Allium oleraceum, would be another suggestion, as it's leaves are curly and should be "hollow and round underneath, with a prominently ribbed flat top"
The
correct
ID is the original one of the Crow
Garlic or Wild
Onion, Allium
vineale.
22
March 2009
 |
 |
 |
At
least three Peacock Butterflies visited
the Sweet Violets
on the lower slopes of Mill
Hill. One characteristic of the violets
on this original chalkhill although there were tens of thousands scattered
over the main transect area, the leaves were exiguous compared to violets
growing in more fertile soil. A Dandelion
with diminutive leaves was noted on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
Adur
Butterfly List 2009
20
March 2009
 |
 |
 |
Coltsfoot was in flower on the verges of the Coastal Link Cyclepath south of Upper Beeding.
 |
18
March 2009
The first leaves of the Early Purple Orchids appeared underneath the Beech trees on Lancing Ring. Sweet Violets were flowering in the clumps in the meadows. |
16
March 2009
Lesser Celandine
was beginning to flower although some in shadier areas the flowers had
not yet opened. A few Forget-me-Nots
were seen in passing.
15
March 2009
With
first signs of spring, catkins
and Cherry trees
in flower, and thousands of Sweet Violets
were in flower scattered over the lower slopes of Mill
Hill.
2 March
2009
There
were scores of Sweet Violets
seen in flower on the north-south section of the Pixie
Path to Mill Hill and scores more on
the edge of the grass adjoining the copse at the top of Chanctonbury Drive,
south-east of the bridge over the A27
to Mill Hill.
1 March
2009
There
were the first large handful of Sweet Violets
seen in flower on the steep slope beneath the seat on the southern section
of Mill Hill.
Adur
Violets
 |
 |
 |
Winter
Heliotrope* in flower was a surprise on
the introduced soil to Adur Recreation Ground. Daffodils
and Red Dead-nettle were
in flower on this piece of reclaimed open land south-west of the Norfolk
Bridge, Shoreham.
(*ID
by Ray
Hamblett)
25
February 2009
A
Dandelion
at the top of the Street, Old Shoreham, adds another plant species in flower
this year.
24
February 2009
 |
 |
 |
The first Hairy Bitter Cress Cardamine hirsula, Red Dead-nettle and Common Mouse-ear of the year were seen in flower altogether on a verge at the north-western end of the Toll Bridge. Greater Periwinkle was seen in flower in a garden in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.
21
February 2009
The
first Daffodils
of the year were seen on the edge of the unadopted thoroughfare next to
the Hamm Road Allotments in Shoreham town.
19
February 2009
The
first handful of Lesser Celandine
flowers of 2009 were seen amongst the grass on the Withy Gap, Lancing.
It
is not thought 
that
the flowers are late this year, but they have been earlier in recent years.
16
February 2009
The
first Snowdrops
of the year were seen in the churchyard of St. Julian's in Kingston Buci.
7 February
2009
On
a clear day, Gorse
was in flower north of the Toll Bridge.
