Robert Ashworth (Kendal) has kindly offered his
Hutton Roof nature records
21st May 2019
Birds
Cuckoo - calling male briefly at the top of Dalton Crags (top - deforested) before being ‘forced to leave’ by local tree pipits.
Butterflies/moths
Small heath
Dingy skipper
Wall brown
Purple and gold moth (probably ostrinalis)
**
Clawthorpe Fell late pm to check out the Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal)
First of all I did a quick check on the Carex ornithopodia (Birds Foot Sedge) which seems very slow this year in comparison to past years and I usually have it down for about the third week in May. Another check another day.
Moving on and checking out the Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomon's Seal) and right on cue a couple of the four populations on this fell are at their best right now, and all bearing lovely drooping singular white flowers like you would expect. Population No.4 has probably got the most in flower yield and seems happy in it's tight grike habitat. Probably this plant is one of the most photogenic we have on this fell. All four populations on this fell show the 'normal' smaller typical odoratum leaf (mainly dolphin nosed shape) which seems to be unique to this member of the polygonatum family. The photos show also a much lighter shade of blue/green on the underside of the leaf in comparison to the topside. Also in these photos I have managed to capture the dual colour you get on the topside of the leaf which is occasionally noticed with a sheen of blue shadowing over the green.
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell No.4 population on 21st May 2019
shows the blue sheen over the green
(not always noticed immediately, the light conditions have to be just right eg: end of the day)
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell No.4 population on 21st May 2019
shows the light underside of the leaf which shows with comparison to the upperside.
again preferable you need the late part of the day
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell No.4 population on 21st May 2019
This photo shows a good range of the typical variant leaf shapes you can expect but probably the most recognised
and familiar associated shape with the 'odoratum'
is the 'dolphin' head shape (see top left in this photo) with a blunt snout and sloping with disproportionate sides
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell No.4 population on 21st May 2019
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell No.1 population on 21st May 2019
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell on 21st May 2019
This area shown is about twice the size of the population in total
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell 21st May 2019
Note: The small minute hairs or bristles down the sides of the leaves
Photo: Clawthorpe Fell 21st May 2019
Besides having the Sedum album (White Stonecrop) we also have the Sedum acre (yellow Biting Stonecrop) on Clawthorpe Fell
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