After the late lunch, three folk left and the remaining six of us studied the riverside and
the marsh. There was Butterbur by a pond, but whether planted or not we did not know.
In the Mardyke was Arrowhead and Fennel Pondweed, and plenty of typical sedges and
rushes in the marsh. We dispersed about 4pm, after a hot but very rewarding day. Thanks
are due especially to Ken Adams who confirmed the plant identities, and also to Steve
Mitchell, The Ranger at Davy Down, for asking us to go there and look. Steve had asked
me to come with an EFC group to explore the woodland, as he thought it had special
interest. How right he was! We have a fungus meeting booked there for October, and
Steve hopes that will prove just as exciting!
I was told later that just across the A13 was the other part of the bank, with a colony of
Broad-leaved Cudweed exceeding 1,000 plants. So the new stretch of road cut the
original bank about 10 years ago into two very unequal parts, and nobody had thought
much of the small portion on the North of the new road. So although we had found a
new site, it was really only a 'lost' portion of the big one. However, I have since found
out that both parts are under threat as the road is due to be widened to make access for
another new town area near to Chafford Hundred. Their legal protection should save
the rare plants, but this is another 'brown field' development we could do without from
the natural history point of view.
Sunday 6* July was when all the flying ants were out, taking off as they swarmed over
the hot surfaces in the afternoon. What is the trigger for this special moment of activity?
We had certainly had a lot of hot, humid, sultry weather both before and after, but how
or why do the ants all choose the same day?
I thought I knew Belhus Woods Country Park like the back of my hand, but there are
always surprises. On 16th July we looked into a recent coppice area, cleared only six months
ago. There was Heath Groundsel, rather like a large but lax version of the more familiar
Groundsel. Apparently it likes open or coppiced woodlands, of which we have plenty
here, but this plant was new to me. The next day, behind a church hall in Upminster, very
near where I live, were two small plants of Lesser Snapdragon. Another new one for me!
Recently we have noticed a lot of dead Common Shrews in or next to footpaths and
tracks. I have got used to seeing these from time to time, but there were 6 in the space
of about 2 hours walking a few days ago. Most seemed to have been wounded. A friend
told me she thought they were distasteful to potential predators, and therefore bitten but
not eaten. The Chambers dictionary says they were formerly thought poisonous to cattle,
but I am not quite sure if that is relevant or not! Another person told me they are very
fierce territorial animals, and will fight each other to the death. Can anyone out there
please enlighten me as to what is going on?
There is a small wasp nest in our garden shed, hanging from the roof on a little stalk.
This time I will put it in a pot and show an entomologist!
8 Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 42, September 2003