NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

It’s quite surprising what can be fitted into (and be seen) in a stolen couple of hours in the field. While the rest of the family did what normal people do on the beach, I headed up to the set-aside fields on the cliff-top at Whipsiderry. There is a good arable flora here, including a great deal of Corn Marigold (in the photograph above with Sowthistle). I also found Field Madder, Field Pansy, Sharp-leaved Fluellen and Musk Mallow in the briefest of searches. Overhead there was a steady southward trickle of Common Swift (175), Swallow (225) and House Martin (35). A couple of Hummingbird Hawk-moths were also buzzing about. Earlier in the day I was treated to the presence of a group of at least eight Common Dolphins off of Porth, several of which jumped fully out of the water, showing off their markings a treat. Not a species that I see from the south-east coast.

You don't expect to see a Garganey and Garlic Mustard in flower on January 2nd, but that's exactly what went into my notebook at Holmethorpe Sand Pits today. The Garganey (a first-winter drake) has been present for about a month now and furtively lurks on the same pool that provided us with a Ferruginous Duck back in 2010. A very poor picture, taken shortly after dawn, is above. Botanically it was most odd, with the picture above illustrating the point - a field full of Corn Marigolds still in good flower. Most plants had tens of flowers on them. More surprising was the single Garlic Mustard in flower, a good three months early in my reckoning. Needless to say, there were no Orange-tip butterflies on the wing to make use of this foodplant, although I wouldn't have been totally bemused if one had floated past!

On the border between Nonsuch and Cheam Park, some kind-hearted soul has decided to create a wildflower meadow. I stood mesmerised by the sympathetic and frankly exciting mixture that had been chosen - Corn Chamomile, Cornflower, Corncockle, Corn Marigold - all that was missing was Corncrake! This is how I imagine all field edges appeared when John Ray wandered the countryside in the late 17th century. Simply stunning. Corncockle Cornflower - the colour of summer skies... ...with the sun in the middle, courtesy of Corn Marigold