Michael Keith-Lucas led a field trip at Greenham Common on Sunday 11th September. The walk started from the Control Centre car park in sunshine but with the threat of heavy showers in the not-too-distant future. Michael pointed out the contrasts between the calcareous runway areas and the acid heathland on the plateau gravels. A Whitebeam and a Buckthorn, lime-loving bushes which were growing up through the gorse, reinforced the message. Other plants of calcareous grassland included Carline Thistle and Stemless Thistle. The latter is apparently extending its range northwards, recently moving on from the hottest south-facing slopes in Derbyshire into Yorkshire. Autumn Lady’s-tresses were found in good numbers, with some of the best specimens protected under scrubby bushes from the grazing cattle.
Following recent rain, the conditions were excellent for fungi. A number of wax caps were found in the grassland, including Blackening Wax Cap, Parrot Wax Cap and some attractive bright red specimens. There were also a number of fungus rings, including Fairy Ring Champignon, a ring of puffballs and, in the woods, a ring of some form of Hydnum, with spines instead of gills on the underside. Other finds included Fly Agaric and Chanterelle.
The threatened heavy shower arrived and the group took shelter in an alder gulley on the south of the common. Sphagnum moss covered deep peat and a completely different set of plants were encountered, including Marsh Pennywort and Lesser Skullcap. After the shower passed, the party emerged from cover and went on to inspect a series of ponds which had an interesting collection of water plants, including Water and Tufted Forget-me-not and Water-plantain. The return route climbed back up a wet valley to the top of the common, passing Bog Pimpernel, more Lesser Skullcap and a lizard. Back on the heathland, flocks of Goldfinches, Swallows and House Martins were seen, a keen blackberry-picker spotted a Dartford Warbler and a Wheatear posed on an exposed gravel mound.
RDNHS trip to Greenham Common 11 Sept 2011.
Leader: Michael Keith-Lucas; 11 people attending
Plant species observed:
| Achillea millefolium | Yarrow |
| Agrimonia eupatoria | Agrimony |
| Agrostis capillaris | Common Bent |
| Alisma lanceolatum | Narrow-leaved Water-plantain |
| Anagallis arvensis | Scarlet Pimpernel |
| Anagallis tenella | Bog Pimpernel |
| Anthyllis vulneraria | Kidney Vetch |
| Aphanes arvensis | Parsley-piert |
| Arenaria serpyllifolia | Thyme-leaved Sandwort |
| Betula pendula | Silver Birch |
| Calluna vulgaris | Heather |
| Carex caryophyllea | Spring Sedge |
| Carex panicea | Carnation Sedge |
| Carex remota | Remote Sedge |
| Carlina vulgaris | Carline Thistle |
| Centaurea nigra | Common Knapweed |
| Centaurium erythraea | Common Centaury |
| Cerastium fontanum | Common Mouse-ear |
| Cirsium acaule | Dwarf Thistle |
| Cirsium palustre | Marsh Thistle |
| Cirsium vulgare | Spear Thistle |
| Chamerion angustifolium | Rosebay Willowherb |
| Crassula helmsii | New Zealand Pigmyweed |
| Crataegus monogyna | Hawthorn |
| Danthonia decumbens | Heath-grass |
| Daucus carota | Wild Carrot |
| Dipsacus fullonum | Teasel |
| Dryopteris dilatata | Broad Buckler-fern |
| Dryopteris filix-mas | Male-fern |
| Echium vulgare | Viper’s-bugloss |
| Equisetum fluviatile | Water Horsetail |
| Erica cinerea | Bell Heather |
| Erica tetralix | Cross-leaved Heath |
| Erigeron acer | Blue Fleabane |
| Erodium cicutarium | Common Stork’s-bill |
| Euphrasia oficinalis agg. | Eyebright |
| Filago minima | Small Cudweed |
| Fragaria vesca | Wild Strawberry |
| Galium saxatile | Heath Bedstraw |
| Geranium robertianum | Herb-Robert |
| Glechoma hederacea | Ground Ivy |
| Gnaphalium uliginosum | Marsh Cudweed |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed |
| Hieracium pilosella | Mouse-ear Hawkweed |
| Hippophae rhamnoides | Sea-buckthorn |
| Hypericum perforatum | Perforate St John’s-wort |
| Hypochaeris radicata | Cat’s-ear |
| Juncus acutiflorus | Sharp-flowered Rush |
| Juncus bulbosus | Bulbous Rush |
| Juncus effusus | Soft-rush |
| Juncus inflexus | Hard Rush |
| Linum catharticum | Fairy Flax |
| Lolium perenne | Perennial Rye-grass |
| Lotus corniculatus | Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil |
| Lycopus europaeus | Gipsywort |
| Malva moschata | Musk Mallow |
| Medicago lupulina | Black Medick |
| Mentha aquatica | Water Mint |
| Menyanthes trifoliata | Bogbean |
| Myosotis laxa | Tufted Forget-me-not |
| Odontites vernus | Red Bartsia |
| Ononis repens | Common Restharrow |
| Persicaria hydropiper | Water-pepper |
| Persicaria maculosa | Redshank |
| Phleum bertolonii | Smaller Cat’s-tail |
| Plantago coronopus | Buck’s-horn Plantain |
| Plantago lanceolata | Ribwort Plantain |
| Polygala serpyllifolium | Heath Milkwort |
| Polypodium vulgare | Polypody |
| Potamogeton polygonifolius | Bog Pondweed |
| Potentilla erecta | Tormentil |
| Potentilla reptans | Creeping Cinquefoil |
| Prunella vulgaris | Selfheal |
| Pulicaria dysenterica | Common Fleabane |
| Ranunculus flammula | Lesser Spearwort |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup |
| Reseda luteola | Weld |
| Rosa canina | Dog-rose |
| Rumex acetosa | Common Sorrel |
| Rumex acetosella | Sheep’s Sorrel |
| Rumex crispus | Curled Dock |
| Salix caprea | Goat Willow |
| Scutellaria minor | Lesser Skullcap |
| Senecio jacobaea | Common Ragwort |
| Senecio viscosus | Sticky Groundsel |
| Sherardia arvensis | Field Madder |
| Solanum dulcamara | Bittersweet |
| Solanum nigrum | Black nightshade |
| Spiranthes spiralis | Autumn Lady’s-tresses |
| Stellaria graminea | Lesser Stitchwort |
| Succisa pratensis | Devil’s-bit Scabious |
| Teucrium scorodonia | Wood Sage |
| Trifolium campestre | Hop Trefoil |
| Trifolium repens | White Clover |
| Trifolium pratense | Red Clover |
| Tripleurospermum inodorum | Scentless Mayweed |
| Tussilago farfara | Colt’s-foot (leaves) |
| Ulex europaeus | Gorse |
| Ulex minor | Dwarf Gorse |
| Veronica catenata | Pink Water-speedwell |
| Veronica officinalis | Heath Speedwell |
| Veronica serpyllifolia | Thyme-leaved Speedwell |
Fungi:
| Amanita muscaria | Fly Agaric |
| Amanita rubescens | The Blusher |
| Cantharellus cibarius | Chanterelle |
| Clavaria rugosa | Wrinkled Club |
| Helvella crispa | Common White Saddle |
| Hydnum repandum | Wood Hedgehog |
| Langermannia gigantea | Giant Puffball |
| Russula emetica | Sickener |
Mosses:
| Polytrichum juniperinum | – |
Lichens:
| Cladonia floerkeana | – |
| Cladonia portentosa | – |
Birds:
| Carduelis carduelis | Goldfinch (big flock) |
| Sylvia undata | Dartford Warbler |
Lepidoptera:
| Coenonympha pamphilus | Small Heath |
List by Renee Grayer