Weeks 10 & 11 Preview : 21st May – 3rd June
I’m going to take a short break from weekly report-writing, so here’s an extra-long target list of 28 spp that I’m hoping will keep us going until 3rd June. First of all, the ‘roll over’ of 9 species from last week’s list:
Viper’s-bugloss, Echium vulgare; Water Forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpioides; Selfheal, Prunella vulgaris; Stinking Iris, Iris foetidissima (the real McCoy, NOT var. citrina); Reed Canary-grass, Phalaris arundinacea; Dyer’s Greenweed, Genista tinctoria; Greater Plantain, Plantago major; Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria; Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis
To which we can now add the following 19 species:
Alsike Clover, Trifolium hybridum; Fool’s Watercress, Apiium nodiflorum; Wood Club-rush, Scirpus sylvaticus; Timothy, Phleum pratense; Perforate St John’s-wort, Hypericum perforatum; Great Willowherb, Epilobium hirsutum; Bristly Ox-tongue, Helminthotheca echioides; Hairy St John’s-wort, Hypericum hirsutum; Marsh Bedstraw, Galium palustre; Hedge Bedstraw, Galium album, Tufted Vetch, Vicia cracca; Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria; Rosebay Willowherb, Chamaenerion angustifolium; Flowering-rush, Butomus umbellatus; Enchanter’s-nightshade, Circaea lutetiana; Black Horehound, Ballota nigra; Lady’s Bedstraw, Galium verum; Wild Onion/Crow Garlic, Allium vineale; Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria
As always, do let me know if you see any of these (or other) spp coming into flower over the next two weeks, by email to simonleach@phonecoop.coop.
Nest week, in lieu of a report, I’ll put together a graph or two to summarise ‘the story so far’, comparing our FFDs this year with 2008-17 average FFDs and those recorded by Walter Watson in the 1920s/30s. Something to put this extraordinary spring into perspective…
And don’t forget to have a look at the crib chart and key to colour forms of Field Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis, and then—if you fancy it—see if you can work out which ones you’ve got in your ‘home patch’.
With best wishes for the coming fortnight.
Simon