STRID WOOD

26th April 2022

Fifteen members, including three new ones, met at the Cavendish Pavilion for our first outdoor botany meeting of the year. It was a fine, calm morning with a nip in the air out of the sun.

We began our walk along the main track into the Strid Wood.

Looking carefully at Dog’s Mercury Mercurialis perennis, a carpeting perennial, reminded us of the separate plants with stamens on one and styles on the other. The globular seed heads were forming on the female plants. Lesser Celandines Ficaria verna were well in flower with Ramsons Allium ursinum still mainly in bud

A stunning haze of Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scriptus intermingled with the white, sometimes pink, of Wood Anemones Anemone nemorosa left us all in wonder at the sheer beauty of the scene as they stretched high up onto the hillside above us.

Barren Strawberry Potentilla sterilis with gaps between the slightly notched petals was examined. We later on in the day saw Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca with no gaps between the five unnotched petals.

Common Dog Violet Viola riviniara with it’s white, notched spur as well as Early Dog Violet Viola reichenbachiana with it’s unnotched violet spur were compared.

Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysoplenium oppostifolium was growing in damper areas. This is an attractive plant.

Lunch was taken by the river with Toothwort Lathraea squamaria growing near the footpath. It’s a parasitic plant usually growing near Hazel trees. It has no green pigment and scales instead of leaves.

We returned by the lower path seeing Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus, growing near the water’s edge. Several members found a patch of Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia, our society’s emblem, and several Few-flowered Leeks Allium paradoxum were growing near the base of the steps.

On reaching the Cavendish Pavilion six members crossed the bridge turning left to see Thyme- leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia, Milkmaids (Cuckoo Flower or Mayflower) Cardamine pratensis in the field. Unfortunately several invasive Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera seedlings were noted by the water’s edge. Other plants included Sanicle Sanicula europaea and Woodruff Galium odoratum.

It was delightful to hear birdsong accompanying us during our outing especially a very melodious Song Thrush and Spring migrants including Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap along with Sandpipers newly returned to the river.

Pam Rutherford

Photos Christine Bell except Toothwort Pam Rutherford and

Herb Paris Jo Prowse

Oh was it cold! However we were grateful for the lack of wind and rain and so had a good day’s birding, welcoming new member Rob from Buckden whose email sighting notes we had enjoyed during Lockdown and since.

Wandering down the Cumberland Trail we managed several sightings amongst the emerging leaves, sometimes following the birdsong. Willow Warbler, often heard and less easy to see, was frequently present throughout the woods. Blackcap was also often heard but never seen! The common garden and woodland birds were easier to find but frustrating when much energy and neck ache had been used to find the elusive tree top – Blue Tit. Treecreeper and Nuthatch were in their expected habitat. We were surprised to find a pair of Pied Flycatchers on this side of the river. Clearings and edges of habitat seem to be good places.

As we got down to River level we were delighted to spend some time watching a pair of Common Sandpipers feeding among the rocks at the water’s edge, but no Dipper. Was it neglect or an abundant supply of food that left two or three very small Mallard ducklings chasing over the water unguarded by their parents?

We arrived at the Aquaduct fully expecting the Dipper, but none seen there despite much effort. The Grey Wagtail was flitting about. A search of the field beyond revealed Oyster Catchers and a pair of Redshank.

The walk down the other side of the river and at height above it was very disappointing bird wise, the trees in early leaf were some recompense, as was the Bird and the Wild Cherry with their different blossom. It wasn’t until towards the end of lunch that a female Pied Flycatcher was seen entering a nearby nesting box with nesting material. On finally reaching the shelter we saw numbers of Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Nuthatch feeding on some bird food left there, much the greatest collection of birds seen today.

Our final reward on the return to the car park was a Dipper at the river’s edge before the climb to the carpark, or at least the cafe where we puzzled over the cause of what seemed like a reduced number of birds today.

Nine of us saw 25 species

Josephine Drake

Photos: Marg Smith and Ann Shaw