{"id":1553,"date":"2011-11-02T04:54:04","date_gmt":"2011-11-02T09:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/?p=1553"},"modified":"2011-11-22T14:09:06","modified_gmt":"2011-11-22T19:09:06","slug":"swyncombe-downs-18-september-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/swyncombe-downs-18-september-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Swyncombe Downs – 18 September 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Sunday 18th September, Rod d\u2019Ayala 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 <\/em>was identified.<\/p>\n

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<\/em> 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<\/em>. 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\u2019s-bill were seen.<\/p>\n