Yealand Hall Allotment - Yealand Storrs - July 28th 2010

Entering Yealand Hall Allotment from the entry at Yealand Storrs, after some 150 yards I took the first pathway/clearing to my right, which had recently undergone some maintainance clearing especially to help the High Brown Fritillary.

After going some 100 yards or so there seemed to be lots of High Brown Fritillaries, with some of the females well worn, they would be seen regularly on various bracken patches and also on the Common Knapweed. Also seen feeding on the Dog Rose was a well worn Ringlet, also local where Comma, Meadow Brown's, Large White's and Green Veined White's where also present.

There were lots of the commoner flora to add to the list including: Ladys Bedstraw, Hogweed, Agrimony, Ragwort, Red Clover, Harebell, Birds Foot Trefoil, Carline Thistle, Wild Thyme, Eyebright, St. Johns Wort (two varieties), Tormentil, Herb Robert, Rock Rose, Wood Sage, Fairy Flax, and a couple I still need to check out their identification.


Probably the highlight for me was when I came across several specimens of "Ploughman's Spikenard (Inula conyzae)which where almost a metre high and in most cases where seen near to small limestone outcrops with ledges.(See photo).

A Green Woodpecker was seen flying just in front and making loud yaffling calls. Also a Raven was honking whilst going overhead, several Bullfinch.

Also a Green Shieldbug Nymph was on one of the leaves of St. John's Wort.

Ferns: Harts Tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium) and Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplehium trichamanes).
Photos: top left: Ploughman's Spikenard (Injula conyzae), top right: Common Green Grasshopper, middle left: Green Shield Bug (nymph). Bottom: Flowerhead of Ploughman's Spikenard - Please click over the photo once to enlarge and then click over again to obtain full enlargement.