I Love Arnside and Silverdale: May 2020

29th May 2020 - Holme Stinted Pastures and Holme Park Fell

Today I wanted to check out the recent find of Antennaria dioica - Mountain Everlasting on Holme Stints. Still about 20 in number but had progressed little since my last visit a couple of weeks ago.

Brilliant today for butterflies with 7xSmall Pearl Bordered Butterflies, 1xMale Common Blue, 2xSmall Heath, 1xWall Butterfly,1xdull Peacock Butterfly, 1xChimney Sweeper Moth

Also went high on the Fell looking in particular for Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield Fern) which I did find plenty, with the majority very cramped in such narrow grykes. Although vast amounts of Gymnocarpium robertianum - Limestone Fern and Dryopteris sub-montana - Rigid Buckler Ferns and Asplenium scolopendrium - Harts Tongue. Also of particular interest on way up checked out the Ophioglossum vulgatum Adders Tongue Fern and noticed the population was not just a metre or so as previously recorded but extended to a linear 12 yards x 1 yard wide which must have contained hundreds of the fine specimens (a couple of photos below).

I was finding Sanicula europaea - Sanicle actually down in the grykes, which is so unusual, also found Neottia ovata - Common Twayblade hiding amongst the heather, some remnants of Potentilla tabernaemontani - Spring Cinquefoil on the main track of the fell. Galium sterneri - Limestone Bedstraw really getting hold now and will only be days before the beautiful white flowers have opened up. Lots of Leucanthemum vulgare - Oxeye daisy on the fell.

A Cuckoo heard calling from somewhere over on Newbiggin Crags, also recorded a Yellowhammer singing on the fell.

Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adders Tongue)

Photo: Holme Stinted Pastures on 29th May 2020

Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adders Tongue)

Photo: Holme Stinted Pastures on 29th May 2020

Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adders Tongue)

Photo: Holme Stinted Pastures on 29th May 2020

Antennaria dioica (Mountain Everlasting)

Photo: Holme Stinted Pastures on 29th May 2020

Holme Park Fell

29th May 2020

Holme Park Fell

29th May 2020

Holme Park Fell

29th May 2020

Holme Park Fell

29th May 2020

Holme Park Fell

29th May 2020

Immature Polystitchum aculeatum (Hard Shield Fern)

Photo: Holme Park Fell on 29th May 2020

Neottia ovata (Common Twayblade)

Photo: Holme Park Fell on 29th May 2020

The Wall Butterfly

Photo: Underside taken in Holme Stinted Pastures on 29th May 2020

Thursday 28 May 2020

27th May 2020 - Snippets of Wealth - Broad Buckler Fern, Angular Solomons Seal, Melick Grasses

Today (27th May 2020) was a check out in Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT).

Today I also recorded a further Small Bordered Fritillary in the lower part of Lancelot, also a Small Heath butterfly.

I decided to check out 5 populations of the Polygonatum odoratum (Angular Solomons Seal) and was caught out just how far on they had got. In the majority of cases the flower was already going over and you could see the small berry forming and starting to bulge from under the petals (see photos). Also another bonus was to find two new populations of ASS bringing my total survey now to 93 populations throughout Hutton Roof.

One of the key species today had to be the rare hypericum montanum (Pale St John's Wort) which we are so fortunate to have one of our populations within Lancelot. It is a species that has been declining over the years, but we do seem to have hit lucky with ours at this spot for today I recorded 32 immature but sustainable plants which is marvellous in fact it will be a increase of 20 plus. Interestingly a group of 6 which started to fail about 3 years ago have returned.

Also it was great to see Epipactis schmalhauseneii (orchid hybrid) number one has made it this year (so far) which now takes it into its 8th year that I am aware of. It does look a little bedraggled and dry so I gave it a good drink of water, hopefully this may just help it a little.

Red Campion