Catching it while I can

One of the downsides of watching (or checking) an area over a number of years is that you sometimes observe a slow (and at times sudden) demise of a species. My visit to Epsom Downs this morning (un)helpfully illustrated this.

I have known a spot at the base of Juniper Hill where Early Purple Orchids grow - not many spikes, but reliably flowering each April. A half-hearted attempt last year failed to find any, and today's more thorough visit had the same outcome. In fact, where I was hoping to find the orchids I was confronted by a mound of dumped soil.  Now gone?

Another place I checked was an area of compacted, stony ground, at the northern end of the downs. This is where I can expect to find Rue-leaved Saxifrage (below). Year on year there are fewer plants. Today there were fewer still. How much longer will this species keep a toe-hold here?


Comments

Lucy @ A Natural Interlude said…
Not a plant I'm familiar with, Steve. Will keep an eye out for it now though (those succulent-like leaves are pretty distinctive).
I guess unless you’re in a position to initiate some kind of conservation measure, the best you can do is make the most of these small, vulnerable populations whilst they’re around. Sad and maddening, I know…
29 April 2016 at 15:38
DorsetDipper said…
Steve, I've just finished reading Dave Goulson's "A Buzz in the Meadow" which is another fantastic book (after "A Sting in the Tail") which I'm sure you've read. He discusses the work done on population size and islands. Species are coming and going all the time, but smaller islands and more remote islands have fewer species.

Our land is becoming a series of small remote islands amongst a sterile and poisonous farming landscape, so unfortunately there is going to be more of this kind of disappearance i think.

Cannot recommend both books highly enough.
30 April 2016 at 21:05
Steve Gale said…
It's very small Lucy. Hands and knees job I'm afraid.
1 May 2016 at 17:39
Steve Gale said…
Hi DD. I have read both of those Goulson books, both of which I enjoyed very much indeed. This 'island' effect is very worrying - you can see it everywhere you look. In some places there are efforts being carried out to link up existing hot spots, such as Filsham - Icklesham - Rye - Walland - Dungeness. Bloody sad all the same...
1 May 2016 at 17:41
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Goldfinches and Lavender

Image
We have three medium-sized Lavender bushes in our back garden. Throughout the summer the flowers (which last for several months) are a magnet for insects and give off a most restful aroma. As tempting as it is to cut the dead stems in the autumn, we always leave them, as we know that during the late winter we will get visitors to feed on the seed heads... This video was taken from the kitchen window this morning. We will normally see one or two birds over a few days, but have had up to 14 at once. We never tire of watching them. Lavender is a wonderful plant to have in the garden, with year round natural history benefits. So what are you waiting for? They are readily available at a garden centre close to you right now! There is an historic association with Lavender in this part of northern Surrey and south London. Lavender fields have been harvested for many years, with one particular field close to Woodmansterne being very popular with day trippers. A significant proportion o
Read more

To tell it like it is, or not...

Image
I am grateful to Gavin Haig (Not Quite Scilly) who drew my attention to an opinion piece, penned by Matt Phelps, which appeared in the November issue of 'Birdwatch' magazine, entitled 'Positive Approach', which I have now read. In it, he suggests that there is too much negativity being posted on social media regarding the state of our birding world, which is then acting as a deterrent towards a younger generation in adopting conservation and wildlife study. He also suggests that a lot of this negativity is being generated by older birders, and that these old timers keep banging on about the 'good old days' which isn't helpful in encouraging the youth to pick up a pair of binoculars and get out into the field. Does he have a point? Now, I am undeniably an older birder, and I am also guilty of having posted, blogged, written and spoken about the slump in bird and invertebrate numbers. I also like nothing better than to revisit my notebooks and share in the hi
Read more

Time to reflect

I normally come up with the title for a post after I have written it. If I'm feeling creative it will be some sort of play on words, or if I'm not then an all-encompassing word or two will do. As for this particular post, and with a few things to discuss, I've written the title first, inspired by having just read a feature about musicians who have used the title of an album as the starting point for their creative exercise. Here goes... Firstly, blogs - yes, this very medium that I am writing in and you are reading from. - what content they derive, the reason that the content exists and what the writer should (or should not) expect from any reader that visits the blog. This was brought into sharp focus by a series of posts to be found here, at Jono Lethbridge's excellent 'Wansted Birder'.   His blogging output has recently included detailed and entertaining reports on his recent overseas trips which have received a bit of flak from certain quarters. None of us b
Read more