Menu Close

Swyncombe Downs – 18 September 2011

On Sunday 18th September, Rod d’Ayala led a field trip at Swyncombe Downs, in the Chilterns north of Nettlebed. It was raining as the party set out along the track through the bottom of the woods, where a number of large pale brown Roman snails were found in a grassy clearing. Dwarf Spurge and Small Toadflax were seen at the edge of the adjacent arable field. The sun came out as the group reached the grassy ramparts at the top of the hill, where Hawkweed Oxtongue was an unusual find. A Yellowhammer was calling from the top of a Hawthorn bush and the squash bug Coreus marginatus was identified.

There were still a good number of flowers in bloom, including Small Scabious, Pale Toadflax, Common Rockrose, Basil Thyme and Wild Candytuft. Both Dropwort and Salad Burnet plants were abundant and the narrow leaves of the Dropwort were compared with the rounder leaves of the Salad Burnet. The snail Helicella itala was identified by Chris Raper. A few butterflies were on the wing, including Meadow Browns, a Small Heath and a few Small Coppers. A large puffball with a fat stalk was identified as Lycoperdon excipuliforme. A number of poisonous plants were growing on loose soil around rabbit holes on the steep south-facing slope, including Woody and Deadly Nightshade and a single plant of Henbane. On the walk back to the start, the route lay along a south-facing bank at the top of the field below, where Horseshoe Vetch and Long-stalked Crane’s-bill were seen.

Recorded by Rod d’Ayala, Chris Raper and Malcolm Storey at Swyncombe Downs on 18 September 2011

Common name Scientific Name Sub-site Grid ref Identifier Abundance Lifestage
Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella Chalk Grassland SU67059150 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Occasional
Basil Thyme Acinos arvensis Chalk Grassland SU6794291440 Rod d’Ayala
Basil Thyme Acinos arvensis Chalk Grassland SU6691491424 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Basil Thyme Acinos arvensis Chalk Grassland SU6698591477 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 7 Flowering plants
Birds Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Uncommon
Black Bindweed Fallopia convolvulus Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Black Medick Medicago lupulina Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Bladder Campion Silene vulgaris Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Blue Fleabane Erigeron acer Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Burnet Saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Candytuft Iberis amara Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Chalk Milkwort Polygala calcarea Chalk Grassland SU67059150 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Chalk Milkwort Polygala calcarea Chalk Grassland SU67059150 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Clustered Bell Flower Campanula glomeratum Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Common Fumitory Fumaria officinalis Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Common Milkwort Polygala vugaris Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Common Poppy Papaver rhoaes Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Common Ragwort Senecio jacobea Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Common Rockrose Helianthemum nummulariam Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Deadly Nightshade Atropa bella-donna Chalk Grassland SU6702091445 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Dropwort Filipendula vulgaris Chalk Grassland SU67109150 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Dwarf Spurge Euphorbia exigua Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala
Dwarf Spurge Euphorbia exigua Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Eyebright Euphrasia nemerosa Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Fairy Flax Linum catharticum Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Field Pansy Viola arvensis Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Not common
Glaucous Sedge Carex flacca Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Harebell Campanula rotundifolia Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Hawkweed Oxtongue Picris hieriaciodes Chalk Grassland SU6718791640 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Hedge Bedstraw Galium mollugo Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Henbane Hyosycamus niger Chalk Grassland SU6704191448 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 1 Rosette
Henbit Lamium amplexicaule Chalk Grassland SU6698291477 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Hoary Mustard Hirschfeldia incana Chalk Grassland SU66979147 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Hop Trefoil Trifolium campestre Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa Chalk Grassland SU66959140 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Juniper Junipeus communis Chalk Grassland SU6794291440 Rod d’Ayala 1
Juniper Juniperus communis Chalk Grassland SU91209145 Jerry and Janet Welsh, Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 6
Kidney Vetch Anthyllis vulnerata Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Knotgrass sp. Polygonum sp. Arable margin SU67209165 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Ladies Bedstraw Galium verum Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Long Stalked Cranesbill Geranium columbinum Chalk Grassland and Arable SU6691991422 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Marjoram Origanum vulgare Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Uncommon
Mouse Ear Hawkweed Pilosella hieracium agg. Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Rare
Musk Thistle Carduus nutans Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Pale Toadflax Linaria repens Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Quaking Grass Briza media Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Red Clover Trifolium pratense Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Rough Hawkbit Leontodon hispidus Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Sanfoin Onobrychis vicifolia Chalk Grassland SU67159162 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Scentless Mayweed Matricaria inodorum Chalk Grassland SU6708391506 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Shepherds Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Silverweed Potentilla anserina Chalk Grassland SU67059150 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Small Flowered Fumitory Fumaria vaillantii Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala
Small Scabious Scabiosa columbaria Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Small Toadflax Chaenorinum minus Chalk Grassland SU66959140 Rod d’Ayala
Speedwell Veronica persica Arable margin SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Squinancywort Asperula cynanchica Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Stemless Thistle Cirsium acaule Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Sun Spurge Euphorbia helioscopa Chalk Grassland SU6750391531 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Uncommon
Sweet Briar Rosa rubiginosa Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Rare
Thyme Leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Upright Brome Bromopsis erectus Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Vipers Bugloss Echium vulgare Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Wall Lettuce Mycellis muralis Wood SU66709140 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Rare
Weld Reseda luteola Chalk Grassland SU6700691442 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 1
Wild Basil Clinopodium vulgare Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Common
Wild Mignionette Reseda lutea Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Wild Parsnip Pastinaca sativa Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Wild Thyme Thymus druceii Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Fungi
Cortinarius Cortinarius sp. Chalk Grassland SU67209145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Fungus Crinipellis stipitarius Chalk Grassland SU6698791478 Malcolm Storey
Rooting Shank Oudemansiella radicata Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Invertebrates
Comma Polygonia c-album Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala Adult
Fly Phasia sp. Chalk Grassland SU6808891429 Chris Raper 1 Adult
Groundhopper Tetrix undulata Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS
Snail Helicella itala Chalk Grassland SU67109150 Chris Raper
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Adult
Purse Web Spider Atypus affinis Chalk Grassland SU6694391419 Chris Raper 2 Webs
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Glade in woodland SU6680191588 Rod d’Ayala 10 Adult
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland / Wood Edge SU6686491418 Rod d’Ayala 1 Dead Shell
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland / Wood Edge SU6680691366 Rod d’Ayala 1 Dead Shell
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland / Wood Edge SU6677591344 Rod d’Ayala 1 Dead Shell
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland / Wood Edge SU6670691347 Rod d’Ayala 2 Dead Shell
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland SU6701891428 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 5
Roman Snail Helix pomatia Chalk Grassland SU6700991420 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS 1 Adult
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas Chalk Grassland SU6794291440 Rod d’Ayala Adult
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas Chalk Grassland SU67009145 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Adult
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Chalk Grassland SU6794291440 Rod d’Ayala Adult
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Chalk Grassland SU6794291440 Rod d’Ayala / RDNHS Adult
Speckeld Wood Pararge aegera Woodland SU67109180 Rod d’Ayala Adult