Sarah White led a walk at Ladle Hill, near Kingsclere on Sunday 29th June. The walk started from the crest of the ridge where the Wayfarer’s Way crosses the Sydmonton to Ashley Warren road. While the group were gathering at the start, a Dunnock sang from a perch on top of oil-seed rape and a number of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies flew across the road. The walk started out westwards along the Wayfarers’ way. There was a pause at a field margin next to the oil-seed rape field. Plants in the margin included Welted Thistle, Common Poppy (with smooth semi-circular seed capsules) and the first of the day’s rare poppies – Long-headed Poppy with smooth, long seed capsules. Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral and Large Skipper butterflies were added to the species tally, Skylarks sang continuously in the background and a Yellowhammer was heard. The route continued to a section through a barley field. A Corn Bunting was perched on top of an isolated tree, and its ‘jangling keys’ song was heard. There was a fleeting burst of the ‘Wet-my-lips’ call of a Quail from deep in the field. The second of the day’s rare poppies was found in the field margin – Prickly Poppy with long, bristly seed capsules. Field Madder was also seen here. At the top of the hill was a fallow area with a tangle of Hogweed and other plants around a dew pond. There were many insects on the Hogweed flowers and another Corn Bunting was singing from deep in the vegetation. Marbled White butterflies were seen here and the green caterpillar of a Dusky Sallow moth was found nearby. There was a brief diversion past the entrance to Ladle Hill to see the third of the rare poppies – Rough Poppy with round, bristly seed capsules.
The group then returned to Ladle Hill, an incomplete Iron Age Hill fort, and walked along the top of the ramparts. The flora was very rich, with Wild Thyme, Small Scabious, Common Rockrose, Squinancywort, Quaking Grass, Eyebright, Common Milkwort, Fairy Flax, Hoary Plantain and Pyramidal and Fragrant Orchids. Meadow Pipits were singing in the background and a Buzzard was hanging in the air, facing into the breeze. On the steepest south-facing slope, there were good numbers of tiny Burnt Orchids of the rarer summer-flowering variety. The party stopped for a picnic at the west-facing slope. Swallows flew past and a few Swifts were seen. Continuing round the ramparts, about 3 or 4 tiny and very insignificant Frog Orchids were spotted by eagle-eyed members of the group. The walk continued right round the hill fort and back down the Wayfarers Way. The Corn Bunting was back on its isolated tree. Towards the end of the walk, a humming noise led one member to look up to where large numbers of bees appeared to be swarming quite high up on an ivy-covered oak tree.
Pictures by Rob Stallard
RDNHS walk Ladle Hill 29 June 2014
Plant species recorded
Arable edge
Urtica dioica ssp galeopsifolia Common Nettle
Carduus acanthoides Welted Thistle
Papaver rhoeas Common Poppy
Lapsana communis Nipplewort
Papaver dubium Long-headed Poppy
Myosotis ramosissima Early Forget-me-not
Arenaria serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Sandwort
Geranium molle Dove’s-foot Cranes-bill
Lathyrus pratensis Meadow-vetchling
Sonchus arvensis Perennial Sow-thistle
Pond
Eleocharis palustris Common Spike-rush
Lycopus europaeus Gipsywort
Sparganium erectum Branched Bur-reed
Dipsacus fullonum Teasel
Galium verum Lady’s Bedstraw
Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony
Eupatoria cannabinum Hemp-agrimony
Cornfield edge
Verbascum thapsus Great Mullein
Papaver argemone Prickly Poppy
Sherardia arvensis Field Madder
Lamium amplexicaule Henbit Dead-nettle
Galium mollugo Hedge-bedstraw
Papaver hybridum Rough Poppy
Dew Pond
Dactylorhiza fuchsia Common Spotted-orchid
Chalk grassland
Anacamptis pyramidalis Pyramidal Orchid
Scabiosa columbaria Small Scabious
Plantago media Hoary Plantain
Thymus polytrichus Wild Thyme
Helianthemum nummularium Common Rockrose
Cynosuarus cristatus Crested Dog’s-tail
Briza media Quaking-grass
Trisetum flavescens Yellow Oat-grass
Leontodon hispidus Rough Hawkbit
Asperula cynanchica Squinancy-wort
Linum catharticum Fairy-flax
Euphrasia officinalis Eyebright
Sanguisorba minor Salad Burnet
Polygala vulgaris Common Milkwort
Gymnadenia conopsea Fragrant Orchid
Neotinea ustulata Burnt-tip Orchid
Dactylorhiza viridis Frog Orchid
Arable edge
Cardaria draba Hoary Cress
Janet Welsh 29.6.2014