A short visit was made a few weeks ago to search for lesser
skullcap, devil’s bit scabious and hairy brome. Two out of three wasn’t bad for
half a day’s work - though admittedly we had some help. From time to time we
come across a fellow naturalist wandering through the Gibside grounds –
binoculars and notebook at the ready. The few words we have in passing often give a clue to his
considerable knowledge and understanding of our local wildlife, and to his
thoroughness of approach. He’s also good at spotting things that we have just
walked by and failed to see. On this occasion, it was hairy brome – a grass
that stands five feet tall – and the tiny green pin-cushion of an emerging
devil’s bit scabious flower. He was pretty much convinced that we wouldn’t find
lesser skullcap in West Wood.
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| Devil's Bit Scabious |
Of course, we haven’t given up on finding lesser skullcap;
it could still appear over the coming few weeks – but not today. And, though convinced
earlier in the year that we had found the remnants of wood barley from the
previous season, our search of the panhandle woods was also unsuccessful.
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| Small White Butterfly |
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| Speckled Wood Butterfly |
There were some worthwhile finds though. Immature robins and
meadow pipits provide evidence of the presence of breeding birds, and purple
loosestrife on a woodland trackside a lovely surprise.
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| Purple Loosestrife |
Measured by the timing of school holidays, this is the
height of summer. Indeed, there is still much colour and new growth on
tracksides, field edges and stream banks, and ferns – mainly bracken, male fern
and common buckler – densely cover the woodland floor. But there are many signs
of change: yellowing leaves of the remains of wood anemone, a solitary flower
on an extensive patch of yellow pimpernel, and short-lived heads of burdock
turning to seed marking a season’s passing.
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| Hover Fly Approaching Common Hemp Nettle Flower |
Steve Wootten & Phil Coyne
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