Renée Grayer led a field trip to Harefield Copse and Boxgrove Wood, Tilehurst on the cold wet afternoon of Saturday 28th April. The walk started out from Little Heath at the junction of Pincents Lane and City Road. The route followed a footpath through a horse-grazed field, where Renée pointed out that the first field buttercups to come into flower in spring were Bulbous Buttercups, with reflexed sepals. The path led into Harefield Copse, where the Bluebells were close to their best. Scattered amongst them were Yellow Archangel, Goldilocks Buttercup, Woodruff and Wood Anemone, with both Early Dog-violet and Common Dog-violet in flower close to the path. A diversion along a smaller side path revealed a big clump of Early-purple Orchids and a number of Wild Service-trees. Dropping down through the woods, Wych Elm and the uncommon Southern Wood-rush were seen. The bottom of the woods were wetter, with some particularly slippery clay patches on the footpath. Here Moschatel, Enchanter’s-nightshade and Primrose were found, together with Red Currant and Gooseberry bushes and another patch of Early-purple Orchids. An abrupt boundary at a wood bank from carpets of Bluebells to a big patch with no Bluebells hinted at a different history for the adjacent bits of woodland. An area which had recently been cleared of conifers was covered by a sea of Wood Spurge. On the climb back up through the woods, Wood Melick, Sanicle and Three-nerved Sandwort were added to the species tally.
Pictures by Rob Stallard
RDNHS excursion to Harefield Copse (SU652726), Mount Skyver Wood (SU651728) and Boxgrove Wood (SU650730), 28/04/12
Plant species observed:
Acer campestre Field Maple
Adoxa moschatellina Moschatel, Townhouse Clock
Ajuga reptans Bugle
Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard
Anemone nemorosa Wood Anemone
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley
Arum maculatum Cuckoo Pint, Lords and Ladies
Bryonia dioica White Bryony
Buxux sempervirens Box
Carex sylvatica Wood Sedge
Circaea lutetiana Enchanter’s-nightshade
Clematis vitalba Traveller’s-joy
Conium maculatum Hemlock
Cornus sanguineus Dogwood
Corylus avellana Hazel
Cytisus scoparius Broom
Dactylis glomerata Cock’s-foot
Digitalis purpurea Foxglove
Dipsacus fullonum Teasel
Dryopteris dilatata Broad Buckler-fern
Euonymus europaeus Spindle
Euphorbia amygdaloides Wood Spurge
Fagus sylvatica Beech
Galeopsis tetrahit Common Hemp-nettle
Galium aparine Cleavers
Galium odoratum Woodruff
Geranium robertianum Herb-Robert
Geum urbanum Wood Avens
Glechoma hederacea Ground-ivy
Hedera helix Ivy
Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell
Ilex aquifolium Holly
Lamiastrum galeobdolon Yellow Archangel
Lamium album White Dead-nettle
Lonicera periclymenum Honeysuckle
Luzula forsteri Southern Wood-rush
Lysimachia nemorum Yellow Pimpernel
Melica uniflora Wood Melick
Mercurialis perennis Dog’s mercury
Moehringia trinervia Three-nerved Sandwort
Orchis mascula Early-purple Orchid
Plantago major Greater Plantain
Primula vulgaris Primrose
Prunus spinosa Blackthorn
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculus bulbosus Bulbous Buttercup
Ranunculus ficaria Lesser Celandine
Ribes rubrum Red Currant
Ribes uva-crispa Gooseberry
Rumex sanguineus Wood Dock
Sambucus nigra Elder
Sanicula europaea Sanicle
Scrophularia nodosa Figwort
Sorbus torminalis Wild Service-tree
Stellaria holostea Greater Stitchwort
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Ulmus glabra Wych Elm
Urtica dioica Common Nettle
Veronica hederifolia Ivy-leaved Speedwell
Veronica montana Wood Speedwell
Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell
Vinca major Greater Periwinkle
Viola reichenbachiana Early Dog-violet
Viola riviniana Common Dog-violet
Fungi:
Calocybe gambosa St George’s Mushroom
Daldinia concentrica King Alfred’s Cakes or Cramp Ball
Birds:
Phasianus colchicus Pheasant
Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff
Picus viridis Green Woodpecker
Sylvia atricapilla Blackcap
Turdus philomenos Song Thrush
List by Renée Grayer