Back to the Home page

Twelve members turned out for this predominantly botanical meeting, continuing to replicate our 1964 meetings during our anniversary year. The weather was as described 50 years ago, fine but overcast. However, for us it did start to rain towards the end of the meeting but hardly enough to deter. In order to try and re-discover the plant list found all those years ago we visited three locations; the area around the car park, the entrance to Westfield farm and Hutton Common itself. As expected at this time of year much of the flora had finished flowering but we were able to find plenty of interest. We also replicated the time taken, two and a half hours, and ended the meeting once again with celebratory cake.

As we had visited Hutton Common in 2011 and the flora here is well documented we concentrated on finding the plants on the 1964 list. Some plants were only found because of our extensive knowledge of this area as many were well gone-over and barely visible. 23 of the 31 plants on the list were found and are marked with an * on the list below. The following plants were not found on the day but we know they were in flower early this season: Fly orchid Ophrys insectifera, Wild basil Clinopodium vulgare, Slender St John’s wort Hypericum pulchrum and Fairy flax Linum catharticum. We were disappointed not to find Felwort Gentianella amarella which does grow here and should have been in flower. Downy rose, Devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis and Pendulous sedge Carex pendula have not been recorded at this site.

Other plants of interest were found and have been included on the list. It is particularly pleasing to have Small scabious Scabiosa columbaria growing here, near the entrance to Westfiled farm, as well as Burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga. One of the specialities of this area is Deadly nightshade; we usually see its dark purpel flowers, not the shiny black berries - do not eat!

The walk was also used to show those attending some of the sites where rarer plants are found in season including Hairy rock-cress Arabis hirsuta and Knotted clover Trifolium striatum. Members were also shown the site where the white-letter hairstreak butterfly Satyrium w-album was found early this year.

A total of 14 species of fungi were found on the day, with plenty of Fly agaric and good examples of Brown and Orange birch boletes. Many thanks to Melanie Earle for identification and the list below. Also, thanks to Jim Pewtress for the bird list.

Hawkweed Oxtongue, an uncommon plant found on limestone

Brown birch bolete

Plants

Fungi

Birds

As expected at this time of year there were few birds to record but the following were noted: Jay, Marsh Tit, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Pheasant, House Martin, Swallow, Bullfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Greenfinch.