The Control Tower car park on the north side of Greenham Common was the starting point for the walk on Saturday 29th August, led by Jan Haseler. Plants at the nearest pond included Water-plantain and White Water-lily and also, regrettably, the invasive New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii. Brown China-mark moths were found in the waterside vegetation. The white spiral flowers of Autumn Lady’s-tresses, though sometimes hard to spot initially, proved to be widespread and abundant. The Common was very colourful, with the yellow of Dwarf Gorse and the pinks and purples of Ling and Bell Heather. Tall Devil’s-bit Scabious flowers were indicators of damper patches of ground. The commonest butterfly was the bright orange Small Heath and the group were also lucky to find a Grayling, a large heathland specialist butterfly which was coming to the end of its flight season.
Photos by Jan Haseler & Ricki Bull
Plants
Hard Rush Juncus inflexus
Soft Rush Juncus effusus
Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea
Perforate St John’s-wort Hypericum perforatum
Scarlet Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis
New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii
Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor
a Restharrow Ononis sp
Black Medick Medicago lupulina
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus
Kidney Vetch Anthyllis vulneraria
Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllifolia
Wild Carrot Daucus carota
Viper’s-bugloss Echium vulgare
Gypsywort Lycopus europaeus
Wild Marjoram Origanum vulgare
Heath Speedwell Veronica officinalis
Common Eyebright Euphrasia nemorosa
Lady’s Bedstraw Gallium verum
Field Madder Sherardia arvensis
Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis
Blue Fleabane Erigeron acer
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Scentless Mayweed Tripleurospermum inodorum
Dwarf Thistle Cirsium acaule
Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris
Bristly Oxtongue Picris echioides
Water-plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica
Autumn Lady’s-tresses Spiranthes spiralis
Insects
Small Copper
Common Blue
Meadow Brown
Grayling
Rush Veneer
Brown China-mark
Tachina grossa
Birds
Skylark
Goldfinch
Swallow