{"id":1534,"date":"2011-09-25T04:32:32","date_gmt":"2011-09-25T09:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/?p=1534"},"modified":"2011-11-23T03:21:12","modified_gmt":"2011-11-23T08:21:12","slug":"greenham-common-11-september-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/greenham-common-11-september-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenham Common – 11 September 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s-tresses were found in good numbers, with some of the best specimens protected under scrubby bushes from the grazing cattle.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n