Monday 13 May 2019

Snippets of Wealth - 13th May 2019 - Plain Quarry - Fairy Foxglove and then Hutton Roof below Park Wood /Marsh Lousewort/Spring Cinquefoil/Primula status/Rock Rose/Salad Burnet etc



 Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags on 13th May 2019

 Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags on 13th May 2019

 Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags on 13th May 2019

 Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags on 13th May 2019

Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags on 13th May 2019

Its that time of year again to check out our Erinus alpinus (Fairy Foxglove) on Plain Quarry ledges and what a display so here are a few photos I took this morning on my way through to Hutton Roof village.

I set off from the Hutton Roof village heading through the new development and along the path towards the South direction.  I soon found the water flush area which continues into a well established stream.  Here in the margins I checked out the Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Lousewort) and Yellow sedges. Obviously it was a fortnight or so too early to capture them in flower.

Climbing up the banking soon brought me to my next project for the morning, to monitor the sizeable population of primula. I knew from last year it was quite large, but never could have expected it to be like this and a lovely surprise to see so much (see photos).  

 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019


 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019


 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof- Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

Primrose fields, below Park Wood, Hutton Roof - Please click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

What a fantastic display! so moving onward and literally upward my next item on the agenda this morning was to check out the large banking which shadows the primula field, because here the full length of the banking which is probably about 150/200 yards across by some 30/50 yards deep is full of Helianthemum nummularium (Common Rock Rose) and Poterium sanguisorba (Salad Burnet) and I got a further nice surprise to find patches of Potentilla verna (Spring Cinquefoil).  It was pleasing to see that there are lots of Helianthemum nummularium (Rock Rose) already in flower and hoping it will last out in readiness for the fabulous Northern Brown Argus butterfly which hopefully will be scouring this bank and feeding on the Helianthemum nummularium (Rock Rose) soon.

Last year I came and checked out the banking in early June, and sadly the banking was burnt dry and had killed off almost 90% of the Rock Rose, so I was wondering how it had fared for this year.  You can see where the ground is still patchy scarred barren in places and may take some time for full recovery, but looking at the amount of flora growth already, I think it will be a positive outcome, as long as we don't get another draught year.  

Its always nice to get photos of the lovely Poterium sanguisorba (Salad Burnet), especially when it still has the actual flowers showing.


Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: below Park Wood banking- Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: below Park Wood banking- Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: below Park Wood banking- Hutton Roof 13th May 2019

 Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: below Park Wood banking- Hutton Roof 13th May 2019
This photo shows the large quantities you get on this banking.

Poterium sanguisorba Salad Burnet (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: below Park Wood banking- Hutton Roof 13th May 2019


 Potentilla verna (Spring Cinquefoil) - Click over to enlarge
Photo: Below Park Wood, Hutton Roof on 13th May 2019

 Potentilla verna (Spring Cinquefoil) - Click over to enlarge
Photo: Below Park Wood, Hutton Roof on 13th May 2019

**

I almost forgot to mention, whilst over on the Park Wood side, I have had 3 separate Common Redstart in song and identified 3 territories, also the odd Garden Warbler and several Blackcap, along with a couple of Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers.