Open University Exploring Nature Walk

Monday July 2nd
Dorsetshire Gap









We had originally intended to walk up and over the hill to Dorsetshire Gap, but as we couldn't even see the hill through the drizzly rain we decided to take a closer look at the plants that were dripping on us in the hedgerow...

This wet summer has meant that plants have grown larger and more luxuriant than normal. Along the track up to Dorsetshire Gap the Common Hogweeds were almost six feet high and the Dog's Mercury had us thinking it was some sort of shrub! There were a few insects too with a number of day-flying moths that like us were too tough (or daft) to worry about the rain. A family of Spotted Flycatchers were taking advantage of the shelter under the trees and picking off lots of the little flies that were buzzing around.

As we left I remarked that we had found a good variety of plants, perhaps as many as 50 species. I was wrong, it was 60!

We'll have another go at this walk on Monday September 3rd.



Invertebrates

Yellow Shell (a moth)
Holly Tortrix (a moth)
Plant Bug (Calocoris sexguttatus)
Banded Snail








Birds

Pheasant (heard)
Wood Pigeon
Swallow
Blackcap (heard)
Chiffchaff (heard)
Spotted Flycatcher
Great Tit
Blackbird
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Greenfinch




Fungi

Stinkhorn (smelled!)
Magic Mushroom? (Psilocybe)




Plants

Agrimony
Ash
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Black Bryony
Black Medick
Blackthorn
Bramble
Broad-leaved Dock
Broad-leaved Willowherb
Bush Vetch
Cleavers
Clematis
Cocksfoot
Common Catsear
Common Hogweed
Common Ragwort
Cow Parsley
Dandelion
Dog Rose
Dog's Mercury Dogwood
Dropwort




Elder
False Brome
False Oat-grass
Field Maple
Great Hairy Willowherb
Greater Plantain
Hart's Tongue
Hawthorn
Hazel
Hedge Bedstraw
Hedge Woundwort
Herb Bennet
Herb Robert
Honeysuckle
Horsetail
Ivy
Lesser Burdock
Male Fern





Meadow Buttercup
Meadow Vetchling
Nipplewort
Pedunculate Oak
Prickly Sow-thistle
Red Campion
Red Clover
Ribwort Plantain
Rough Meadow Grass
Rye Grass
Self-heal
Stinging Nettle
Sycamore
Timothy
Tufted Vetch
Wayfaring Tree
Wild Garlic
Woody Nightshade
Yellow Rattle
Yorkshire Fog

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