Adur Wild Flowers 2018 (2)

To see a World in a grain of sand,
And Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

William Blake

10 December 2018
On top of a very muddy Mill Hill, a few flowers were hanging on: Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Bristly Ox-tongue, Common Ragwort and Marjoram on the middle slopes.

There were still frequent flowers on the top and middle of Mill Hill but most species were widespread and occasional. Dogwood leaves were turning the edge of the scrub a dark red maroon colour. This was in addition to the red berries (=haws) of the Hawthorn.

There were a few butterflies along the Down's Link Cyclepath from south of the Cement Works, notably a male Common Blue Butterfly in good condition. There were still a few flowers amongst the mostly dead verges, notably a newly flowering Bellflower. Hoary Ragwort exceeded Common Ragwort in numbers. And there were a few Sunflowers at Old Shoreham.

Bellflower, Campanula portenschlagiana, was seen in St. Nicolas churchyard, Old Shoreham. Borage was an unexpected discovery on the Upper Shoreham Road north grass verge by Buckingham Park, north Shoreham.

13 July 2018
A sunny afternoon short cycle ride along the Downs Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to the Cement Works was not expected to feature anything noteworthy.

Flowers noted for the first time this year were the small Red Bartsia in the undergrowth and the yellow Meadow Vetchling. A blue Bellflower stood out from the Melilot, Wild Carrot and Hardheads. Buddleia and Rosebay Willowherb brought some colour in the sun. Hemp Agrimony and Marjoram were starting to flower and both will attract butterflies later in the month. On the shady verges (west side), Hogweed and Greater Willowherb were prominent. The first Fleabane was flowering.

8 July 2018
The first Fleabane and Common Toadflax were seen on the edge of the parched verges of the Downs Link Cyclepath on passage between Erringham Gap and Old Shoreham. It was time for Buddleia to be flowering with stands of Rosebay Willowherb. Common Ragwort and Creeping Thistle were flowering on the lowest part of Anchor Bottom and part of the way up the slopes. Dwarf Thistle and Small Scabious was noted away from the cow pats. At Old Shoreham, the Mayweed was wilting by the Tollbridge, but Spear Thistle had started flowering and Teasel was not far behind. Hemp Agrimony was also flowering rear the Tollbridge, but it was already looking very dried out and spindly.

4 July 2018
The grass was brown and parched and some flowers were wilting as the dry period continued.

There were more Small Coppers in the Marsh Woundwort and other flowery patch between the semi-circular path and the Flood Arches, and more visiting the multitude of alien flowers on the seeded patch on Adur Recreation Ground.
Adur Levels 2018

Of the flowers newly in bloom since my last visit to Mill Hill, the tall parasitic Knapweed Broomrape was searched for and found south of the covered reservoir near to the top of the steps down to the lower slopes. Musk Thistle and Great Mullein were flowering near the top of the steep slopes, and the prickly leaves and the first flowers of Dwarf Thistle appeared. Of the much smaller plants the first flowers of Vervain and Wild Basil were noted for the first time, with Restharrow where the cattle had been. Deadly Nightshade was flowering on the middle slopes where I had not noticed it before, with the green berries (they turn black later) appearing. The diminutive Wild Thyme, Squinancywort and Eyebright were beginning in flower. Common Centaury was noticeable and in the meadow north of the upper car park, I spotted my first Field Scabious. Hogweed was already in flower with Greater Willowherb and lots of Mugwort on the cattle wrecked land. There were a few Common Ragwort in flower on the top of the hill, but far less than I remember. Lady's Bedstraw and Hedge Bedstraw were now a flowering component of the top part of Mill Hill. Pyramidal Orchid adorned the middle part where Marjoram was budding.
Adur Knapweeds

28 June 2018
What a difference a few days make: on the small seeded patch the orange poppies were now accompanied by frequent blue and purple flowers. Identifiable blooms recorded on this parched patch on Adur Recreation Ground in order of prominence were California Poppy Eschscholzia californica, Mugwort, Purple Bugloss Echium plantagineum, Borage, Oriental Poppies Papaver pseudoorientale, and fancy-coloured Cornflowers, at least one Purple Tansy Phacelia tanacetifolia, with scattered plants of unknown identity with one scarlet Zinnia flower.

Grasses dominated the wilder more back to nature areas where noted blooms in prominence in order of prevalence were Common Mallow, Field Bindweed, Marsh Woundwort, Burdock, Spear Thistles, Bristly Ox-tongue and no more than occasional occurrences of Viper's Bugloss, Corn Cockle, Corn Marigold, Scented Mayweed, Greater Willowherb, more Oriental Poppies and Sow Thistles. The visit was cursory in the warm sunshine and I did not take notes.

Perennial Sow Thistle was flowering on the shingle beach on the seaward side of the cyclepath by Widewater.

In the morning sunshine, there were a few new flowers over the parched verges of the Downs Link Cyclepath between Erringham Gap and the disused Cement Works site. I noted the first flowers of Great Mullein and Dark Mullein and the first of Perforate St. John's Wort. I did not see any Spotted Orchids.

Some of the Ox-eye Daisies were wilting at Old Shoreham but the seeded beds were very colourful with Mayweed, Corn Marigold, Cornflower and a newly flowering Corn Cockle. Spear Thistle joined Creeping Thistle and Welted Thistle in flower, and the umbels of Wild Carrot were plentiful (some umbels can look like Hogweed) and the first flowers of Hawkweed Ox-tongue were seen amongst the shoulder high verges.
Adur Daisies
Adur Thistles

On the southern edge of a parched Adur Recreation Ground there was a confirmed Welted Thistle near Little Norfolk Bridge taking the road over the Flood Arches. It looks like the long grass meadows have been seeded with semi-natural plants especially the California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica.

The gravel flood plain of Widewater was now distinguished by clumps of flowering English Stonecrop.