NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

Looking across the chalk pit to the scarp slope of Colley Hill Colley potter - sounds like a BBC1 Sunday evening family drama, doesn’t it? However, it just describes my afternoon, spent climbing up and down the steep, south-facing scarp slope of Colley Hill, together with a side trip (on foot) to the cricket pitch on Reigate Heath. It was yet another cool and blustery day, although thankfully lacking the heavy rain showers of recent days. The footpaths have become muddy again and insect life was depressed, with barely a butterfly to look at. Botanically it seems as if many species are late in flowering, certainly the carpet of flowers that is to be expected on chalk down land is so far missing. I know it’s boring because I’ve banged on about it frequently this Spring, but the lot of the dry inland birder is, at the moment, one of few birds. My scanning of the skies from the hill top just underlined how little is out there, with very little bird song and very few migrants. Thankfully I ...

Although any stay at Dungeness will be primarily focused on birds, it would be foolhardy not to pay attention to the splendid flora on offer - here are a few tasters... Clustered Clover - a new species for me, and 're-discovered' close to the observatory Bird's-foot - there was a fine show on the sand at Littlestone Sand Catchfly - happy to flower in the hundreds close to beach huts and holidaymakers Annual Knawel - underwhelming, un-showy, yet a firm favourite of mine, at Littlestone Burrowing Clover - if you are at Dungeness, look down - it is all over the peninsula Sheep's Sorrel - literally millions of plants turn the grassland red Thrift - on the western side of the point can be found extensive drifts

Knotted Clover - in good number Birdsfoot - I've never seen so much Burrowing Clover - hidden amongst the dwarf vegetation Annual Knawel - still going strong As you leave Reigate on the A25 heading towards Dorking, you will see a cricket pitch on your left hand side, flanked on one side by a row of chocolate-box cottages. This is the edge of Reigate Heath. Now park up and walk towards the bus stop that you can clearly see not 100m away. Now turn towards the cricket square and walk no more than 10m. At your feet you will find a marvellous selection of all the plants pictured above. If you carry on further, maybe another 70m, you will start to find Chamomile. All of these are diminutive plants in stature and all are doing well if todays visit is anything to go by. Maybe they all like dry springs followed by a wet, cooler spell. But hurry - they can all be burnt off if the sun returns!